The Path Unknown courtesy of Virgil Poetry
Category Archives: Family
Who are we?
There are times when I long for a chance to go back and to re-live parts of my life, like pressing the rewind button on the TV remote control, if only life could be recorded, watched and then revised. I wish for opportunities to jump into the past and see the reality that existed then, gaining understanding of the actions of my parents and family members. I want answers that I cannot have, understanding that eludes me and knowledge held at bay. The mysteries of the past created me, shaped who I am today and impact my life, giving me a shrouded path leading to the unknown. The choice I have is to give others a clearer picture and light in which to make their choices.
Filed under creative writing, Family, Life thoughts
Mother Knows Best
Mom would be glad I realized this and it's not too late for you!
It is pouring today, and I don’t mean just pouring in California terms, but actual buckets of rain pouring down causing trees to fall and rivers to form in the streets. The water is trickling down the beams in the living room and waterfalling down the fireplace. As I got ready to venture out for an early appointment, I prepared by covering my cast with my Seal-Tight giant protector, wearing my mother’s calf-length London Fog raincoat and a cute knit cap that my daughter’s friend made for me, I looked like a taller version of my mother albeit with a gimpy leg. My husband Gary said, “Your mom is still taking care of you.” and I realized that it is true, for as much as I resented her constant over-preparedness I have now come to appreciate it. As Mark Twain said, “The older I get the smarter my father seems to get.” In my case, it is my mother’s wisdom that I now cherish.
Hopefully it won’t take my own daughters quite as long to realize that I too have some words of wisdom to impart and each of them, in their own way are beginning to realize that. So in the tradition of the many notes and reminders I leave my family, here is a short list of rainy day musings:
1. Dress for the rain. You really will feel better if you stay dry.
2. Make your bed every morning. You will feel like you are beginning your day and will be happy to come home to a neat room.
3. Clean up as you go and absolutely before you go to bed. No one really likes to wake up to a mess and it won’t look better in the morning.
4. Take time to spend with those you love (including pets) because the memories will stay with you forever.
5. Listen more, talk less.
6. Expect the best but prepare for the worst, and that includes rain, earthquakes, fires and other impending disasters. Oy!
Some of these I learned from my mother, and others are things I have learned from my own experience. Wisdom can be compiled and gathered from many sources, but mothers are stronger than we look and know more than we are given credit for.
Filed under Family, Life thoughts, Mothers, Rain
I Am the Skirball’s Featured Teacher!
FEATURED TEACHER
Amy Weisberg, Topanga Elementary Charter School
Amy Weisberg, our featured teacher this month, is a hardworking, inspirational figure in early elementary education in Los Angeles. With a BA in Sociology from UCSB and a MA in Education with an emphasis on Organizational Leadership from CSUN, Mrs. Weisberg has been teaching in the Los Angeles Unified School District for thirty years and in the Kindergarten program at Topanga Elementary Charter School for the past sixteen years. She shares, “I love working with the youngest students and watching them grow and change during the year.”
At Topanga Elementary, Mrs. Weisberg developed the “Developmental Kindergarten Program,” a transitional kindergarten program that is described as a sort of a “half-step” between the pre-school experience and traditional kindergarten classes. The program allows students “caught in the middle”—due to California’s late cut-off date—to advance more naturally to the next grade. For her development of this unique kindergarten program, Mrs. Weisberg received the Lori Petrick Educator Award, bestowed by the Palisades Charter School Foundation. The award honors excellence in education delivery and recognizes best practices utilized in K–12. To learn, more click here.
Mrs. Weisberg also conceptualized and oversees her schools “Garden Villa,” a working garden for the students that was jumpstarted with a grant awarded to the school from the California Instructional School Garden Program. To learn more, click here.
A few weeks ago the Skirball education department received a surprise—a whimsical and beautiful book featuring photographs of Mrs. Weisberg’s students with their own animal creations. The handcrafted animals—a bird, a zebra, a moose, a Very Hungry Caterpillar, and a polar bear, among others—were inspired by their visit to Noah’s Ark at the Skirball and made from recycled and repurposed materials that they brought from home, like pinecones, steamers, nails, and corks. “It was a very collaborative project,” Mrs. Weisberg explained, “which is pretty much the way I run my classroom—utilizing each parent’s strengths to enhance the kindergarten experience.”
Mrs. Weisberg has been married for twenty-seven years and has three daughters, ages 18, 20, and 25. All three daughters are highly involved in the arts: one graduating from UCLA with a theater degree, one at UCSC studying music, and the other beginning her college career as a dance major.
My “girlfriends”
I have recently started having “play dates” with two of my mother’s friends. My mother passed away in October of 2008, but luckily for me, I inherited her two wonderful friends, Helen and Libby. These women (both in their 80s) have invited me to cultural events, movies, dinners and lunches and I always include them in our holiday dinners, continuing a tradition started years ago. I have friends of all ages, but these lovely women of my mother’s generation tell me stories of long ago and people from their past. They educate me about early Los Angeles and are more knowledgeable that I am about movies, theater and literature. So I am learning a lot by listening and enjoying experiencing time slowed down, time to sit and listen and time to talk about new subjects. I am making time to include visits in my schedule and my new women friends now join me when I volunteer monthly at a shelter in the city, which happens to be located right in the neighborhood where they spent their childhoods.
Sometimes things come full-circle and just work out. These evolving friendships stem from friendships that my mother (and father) enjoyed for years but I was determined not to lose touch with these women who meant so much to my mother and have been part of our family for so long. Sometimes a little effort goes a long way and the benefits for everyone are simple but special.
Think about someone you know, or have contact with and next time the opportunity presents itself, slow down enough to talk to, and most importantly, to listen to that person for a bit. The good feeling lasts longer than you would expect.
Filed under Family, gifts, Life thoughts
Walking
Well, today was a beautiful Southern California day. 70 degrees. After spending the morning moving furniture from storage into our spare rooms, I longed to walk outdoors, anywhere, but there were other plans in store for me which included Costco, the market, and…The Mall. While I did get in 4527 steps in so far today (not my more inspiring 7000 at the gym while on the treadmill) I did spend quality time with two out of three daughters and it set the tone for a lovely evening of togetherness making our traditional taco dinner with rice and beans and generally hanging out. In a few minutes we will begin our collages and then have a cozy night on the couch watching a movie.
These times are fleeting as our youngest leaves to go back to college tomorrow and our middle one off to college on Monday morning. We appreciate our time together and my legs are actually tired from all that Mall walking. The good news is that our new guest room is waiting for our oldest daughter and her boyfriend to come on down for a visit and stay is style and comfort.
The New Year brings change and challenges, but coming along for the ride are cozy, comfortable times and traditions. Home.
Filed under Family, Life thoughts, New Year's, Walking
Why Sisters Are Special
The complicated relationship of sisters is one that is both frustrating and compelling for sisters share more than just genes, they share history and experiences that no one else knows about or relates to. Sisters have periods of extreme distance and extreme closeness that don’t always coincide, but the fact remains that the sister connection cannot be severed.
I am so grateful for my relationship with my sister for we share more now that we are older and have more in common than we have differences. We both love to: read, write, create art, talk, research, walk, explore, learn, share family experiences, and most importunately share and relive our memories of each other, our parents and our years of growing up together. We are lucky to live relatively close to each other and fortunate that we get some special “sister time” to spend together.
I have always told my three daughters that their sisters are their best friends and though I am sure they don’t always believe me, I hope they find it to be true, as I have, as they grow older.
Filed under Family, Life thoughts
BetweenTheWords 