200 POSTS!!! And poem by Guest Author Hannah

Guess what?!? THIS POST IS THIS BLOG'S 200th POST!!!  WOOT WOOT!!!  [insert much fanfare, including bagpipes, which always make me cry... so maybe since this is a celebration, we should have Guatemalan marimba music instead...]

The following poem on introvert psyche comes from the brilliant mind of Hannah Harvey, authored May 19 2014, and was generously contributed as a guest post to this blog.  

Caged

Shy? Me?

No.

Not shy. Not quiet.

Just reserved.

This unjust treatment to the introverted population cannot be so deserved.

It is as if all introverts are made of the same blank canvas.

To think they are simply antisocial is madness.

They are more than bookworms, having greater intelligence

And their few words hold a refined eloquence.

The pressure to become an extrovert is great

Yet it is not always so easy to communicate

When so many scorn for suddenly changing your identity.

They think they know you better than yourself when in fact you are an entity—

A being entirely independent from the rest of society—

And natural instinct still has a longing for acceptance and propriety.

The expectations for those who prefer to contemplate

Form a cage from which they cannot escape.

The neglect of the extroverts to lend a hand

Or to rescue the poor in popularity by taking a stand

Is so strong, even if they are unaware

That opposite actions could answer a prayer.

That single prayer asks for a friend

That will, through loyalty, a broken heart mend.

And now, a simple request—do not overlook the silent.

And watch as their faces turn vibrant.

For the Unvoiced have not a hushed wish to be left alone,

Only a burning aspiration for their true self to be known.

Image found here  

34th Thankful Thursday: Teachers

I am tickled pink to introduce you to my dear friend, Mary LeBlanc. Regal, warm, genius, Christian disciple and Dumbledore-esque are some words that come to mind (or were spontaneously typed) when I think of Mary. :) She has composed a delightful series of vignettes of her choice teachers and learning experiences. I am thankful for what Mary has taught me, and for this opportunity to share this remarkable Renaissance lady with you. --Ivy

Please share your questions, comments and own choice memories in the comments section below.

When Ivy first suggested that I consider writing a “guest column” for her Thankful Thursday posts, I had no idea what I might write about. There was so much to choose from, so many people, places and happenings for which I am thankful, and without which my life would have been altogether different. Where to begin? But eventually one idea floated to the top, namely the group of people whom I recall with gratitude primarily, though not exclusively, for the assorted things they taught me. And, in some cases, are still teaching me. Let me reminisce a bit.