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On Writing and Life

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On Writing and Life

Category Archives: Reflections on Life

Observations About Life

A Wonderful Legacy…WORDS

09 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by Sandie Tillery in Reflections on Life, Writing

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Communication, Heritage, Memories, Parents, Role Models, Wisdom

My Dad and my Granddaughter...Passing on the legacy

My Dad and my Granddaughter…Passing on the legacy

Family time growing up with my dad always included interesting conversation. We memorized classical poetry while hiking in the Trinity Alps of northern California and listened by the warmth of winter fires to The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Dad stimulated our interest in politics, philosophy, religion, social issues, and current events. He asked us to share our ideas and opinions. He introduced us to interesting places on the globe and described exotic animals. We often entertained creative people. His own hunger for knowledge defined the culture of our home.

My brother Wallace has become the great philosopher of our family, a theologian and teacher who expounds from insatiable reading. He is an impassioned purveyor of knowledge. Aaron learned early the need for practicality and hard physical labor, yet he writes wilderness adventure tales from a sensitivity and respect for nature birthed in those early woodland jaunts and years as an avid outdoorsman. Both brothers, embracing opposing political and social views, enjoy a good and vigorous debate.

We three sisters have lived very different adult lives. Janice and I each have a passion to write, both have degrees that validate our skill and training, both speak from lives rich and full. She has lived as a world-travelling cosmopolitan while I have lived as a traditional country homemaker. Our youngest sister, Linnea, races at mach speed through life, a mover and shaker in the fitness world, training pageant contestants and conducting on-line workouts. She knows how to influence others with her encouraging words. All three of us enjoy lively debate, share enthusiastically from our own points of view, and love the challenge of keeping up with “the boys” in any conversation of substance.

“Invictus”, “Lord Randall”, “The Raggedy Man” and “The Highwayman” may be heard recited even by our progeny now at family gatherings, remnants of our childhood entertainment with our Dad. We all look forward to biennial family reunions with extended family. Pinochle games often end in enthusiastic (even sometimes flush-faced) conversation about current events or social responsibility.

My husband is a wise man born of a family with roots in common sense, careful planning and practicalities. I am born of a family rich in words, lofty dreams and spontaneity. I gained knowledge, he gained wisdom. As we’ve blended our lives these past 43 years, John speaks and writes more emotionally and I listen and speak more carefully. We both love words. He whistles and sings harmonies from his Baptist upbringing, I recite epic poetry. What a wonderful heritage has been passed from our forebears that we now pass on to our offspring.

Forever Friends

05 Saturday Sep 2015

Posted by Sandie Tillery in Reflections on Life

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Friends, Good Choices, Memories, Role Models

Today Janet celebrates her birthday. I am among a whole tribe of people who love this woman and feel honored to be called friend by her. One of the rare gifted people who LOVE middle school-aged kids and old people and babies equally, Janet has a following of fans reaching back through her years of teaching, mentoring, mothering, ministry and missions. She puts others before herself most of the time.

Her creativity and passion have left lovely, enduring impressions on those of us lucky enough to have relationship with Janet. Gifts designed to encourage left on doorsteps, homemade treasures given on holidays, home visits to shut-ins, community service with her students, potlucks with friends, conversations on the trail during regular runs, adventuring on rock faces and wilderness trails with her husband, and often with others who never grow too old to learn from her, and on and on…these are things of which I know. Others would tell more.

Janet is a giver. She thrives on doing random and planned and purposeful acts of kindness. The bible says, “A friend shows [herself] friendly.” Janet is a friend to many.

Through the years I have come to know her well. We are sisters and friends. Janet is the foremost initiator of  adventures with our intimate group. Our time together waxes and wanes as we all have busy lives and other commitments. But, the fact remains: we are forever friends.

Autumn Leaves Must Fall

02 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by Sandie Tillery in Reflections on Life

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Finding Passion, Seasons, Writing Process

I am glad for autumn. Glad for the breezes that cleanse the smoke from the sky. Glad to enjoy cooler mornings on the back patio with my coffee. I am so glad the fires that clouded our summer skies are burning out and the firefighters will soon mop up and go home to their families. I am glad that school has resumed and the grandchildren have launched into another year of learning and growing, making friends and discovering new interests and passions. I love autumn most of all the seasons.

Autumn is a time of shedding leaves and the malaise of summer, of harvesting and putting up, of changing direction and letting fresh ideas whisper life into slumbering daydreams. It is a time to prepare for winter’s challenges and darker days. I love the changing colors of autumn that herald the soon coming of my favorite holidays and the promise of cozy evenings in front of the fire. Autumn’s colors are my colors…orange and amber, bronze and brown, red and yellow.

When the last autumn leaves have fallen and the barrenness of winter descends, newly written thoughts will be pondered and polished. Autumn’s colors having birthed inspiration and pleasure in the putting down of thoughts on this screen and into my stories, will have done their job. And as I write through the winter months, I pray for my words to have meaning that offers help, hope and joy to others.

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Barbara Bryant on A Slice of Life
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