The art of living · moving through
Survival
After the storm comes the long ordinary middle — the quiet, stubborn work of moving through. Not the triumphant part of the story, but the keeping-on when you cannot yet see why. These are the days we endured, and what they taught us in the dark.
Latest Survival
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Keep being child-like as you fly your kite!
My daughter got a very intricate dragon kite for her birthday last month. It was complex to me. It has 2 large green and black wings. Four long red ribbons lined the 2 edges of the wings. There were black wires that one had to put end to end so the wings stood in place.…
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Keep a gentle ease with water at indoor pools!
We went by water yesterday. My kids and I. Not a big water park as before. But a small indoor pool perfect for cooling down the rays of heat of a truly scorching summer. I didn’t want to go. I still remember the meltdown from our prior excursion to a water park. I didn’t even…
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Keep a mother’s love and happy 1st birthday my Ranyenna!
My awakening summer was 2020. Like the entire country, I was literally in labor. Something wonderful was born on this day, by 9am last year. We became parents to our fourth child. We call him Ranyenna. In Igbo, it means giving him back to God. His hair was full, short, brown and crinkled. His eyes…
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Keep grace in mind!
The idea that grace is all we need has been stuck in my head since Sunday mass. Three times I asked to take it away, the reading said. But the answer, was my grace is all you need. My power is greatest when you are weak. I was weak this time last year, waiting for…
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Keep the brilliance of Hibiscus for mother’s during summer days!
As a flower, Hibiscus ranges from white, to pink, to orange and red. It’s beauty greets your eyes and leads you on a journey where your heart is fully fed. The diversity of its shape, it’s size and it’s color, even it’s shrub is outstanding, full of brilliance, full of elegance. My hands touched a…
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Keep positive affirmations with children!
I often underestimate the power of positive affirmation with children. I got a brilliant reminder from a letter in the mail today. It reminded me of why saying positive words to children matters always. Especially in cards. The letter was from my son’s school teacher. It stated that he followed directions. He was also kind…
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Keep empathy for crying children at water parks!
My son loves to go to water parks. It always ends in disaster. I also seem to forget this happens all the time. Today maybe the last time. We planned to go to a water park awhile back. Today was the day. The kids have been waiting for it’s arrival. It began like most days,…
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Keep Me & Mama!
‘I want to be everywhere where Mama is.’ These words from the book Me and Mama are the representation my children and I have always longed for. To see ourselves, our mundane activities, illustrated in a book is every bit as powerful as the words are poetic. That black children can have special days that…
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Keep reminiscing!
Reminiscing is when you indulge in an enjoyable recollection of past events. I did so today with my daughter. The event was her 4th birthday. Her smile was as dazzling then as it is today. This was a time when growing up was brilliant, when candles on a birthday cake evoked an endless happiness, when…
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Keep knowing you are loved!
We are, some of us, loved. Not the kind you never see, nor the kind you never feel. Not even the kind you never know, or the kind you never hear. We are, some of us, blessed. Not the kind you never say, nor the kind you never shout about. Not even the kind you…
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Keep the imaginations of a child!
The assignment was simple. The Cat in a Hat, comes to your house one rainy day and you have so much fun. Use your imagination to describe all the fun you have. My daughter let her’s fly. Mom and Dad went out, she began and left her alone with her brothers and a baby sitter.…
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Keep our connections like the Tree of Life!
She called it the tree of life. In the middle stood a Tiger. It was surrounded by symbols that personify life. Like green palm fronds and an orange pumpkin. Green jumping frogs and a colorful butterfly. A green turtle stood at the bottom of the picture. A purple snake encircled the tiger’s head. The imagery…