The Strength You Gave Me

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200 words, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, family, growing up, lessons, life, Life's like that, living in the moment, Margot Schwenk, mistakes, Mom, Mother's Day, parents, Relationships, strength, strong, Stuff my parents used to say and do

Margot with Diana

The more a daughter knows the details of her mother’s life […] the stronger the daughter.

― Anita Diamant, The Red Tent

On Mother’s Day I think of you. Of all the things you gave me. All the things you taught me. All the ways you sacrificed so I could have a good childhood.

And I did mom. So much better than the life you had as a child. I know you sometimes recount all the mistakes you think you made with us. But don’t you know that you gave so much more than you could ever have dreamt for yourself when you were a child? Don’t you know that you broke the cycle of alcoholism and abuse allowing your children to never have to know that torment?

And your strength, even now. Even in this time when you face the harsh reality you never dreamed would happen alone, instead of the plans you had with dad for your golden years, even now I see that strength. That strength you taught me in deed and in word. The strength that I have inside me because of you.

Thanks for that Mom.

Happy Mother’s Day.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

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My Name

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answers, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, Fear, just ask, lessons, Lhasa, life, love, miracle, Purpose, questions, Relationships, safe, strong, waiting, weak

Why don’t you ask me

How long I’ve been waiting

Set down on the road

With the gunshots exploding

I’m waiting for you

In the gloom and the blazing

I’m waiting for you

I sing like a slave I know

I should know better

I’ve learned all my lessons

Right down to the letter

And still I go on like this

Year after year

Waiting for miracles

And shaking with fear 

Why don’t you answer

Why don’t you come save me

Show me how to use

All these things

That you gave me

Turn me inside out

So my bones can save me

Turn me inside out 

You’ve come this close

You can come even closer

The gunshots get louder

And the world spins faster

And things just get further

And further apart

The head from the hands

And the hands from the heart 

One thing that’s true

Is the way that I love him

The earth down below

And the sky up above him

And still I go on like this

Day after day

Still I go on like this 

Now I’ve said this

I already feel stronger

I can’t keep waiting for you

Any longer

I need you now

Not someday

When I’m ready

Come down on the road

Come down on the road 

My name, my name

Nothing is the same

I won’t go back

The way I came  

~ Lhasa De Sela

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

The Ring With The Blue Stone

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children, Dad, death, Diana Schwenk, family, foundation, gift, good character, grief, growing up, History, Hump Day Chronicles, lessons, life, Life's like that, love, memories, Mom, parenting, safe, Stuff my parents used to say and do, values

My parents in 1960 and the ring with the blue stone

When you want to build something, you start with a good foundation. When you want to understand something, you start with the fundamental pillars of the subject. In other words, you learn the history, the mechanics of it, the whys and whats and wheres.

In the same way,  when you feel lost, it helps to go back to where you began so you can remember where you came from, what you have learned about this business of living, what you truly long for in life, and how you can get it and how you can share your gifts with the world. Sometimes you grab onto a symbol of the past and carry it with you like a talisman that you can look at, or touch when you need to be grounded.

Since Dad passed away, I’ve been in kind of a fog. I got the basics covered, you know…  I wake up, brush my teeth, shower, dress, exercise, go to work, eat, go to bed and start it all over again the next day. 

But I’ve lost a bit of my oomph.

A bit of my zest for life.

Dad was always my rock.

He had this way of making me feel secure and letting me know that he was there for me, no matter what.

My Plan B, if Plan A should fail.

Although I rarely resorted to Plan B, I knew I could if I had to, I knew it was there if I needed it.  

This past New Year’s Eve, as I was deciding which piece of jewelry to wear for an event I was attending, I came across the ring with the blue stone. The ring that cost forty dollars in 1960 and took Dad several weeks of saving so he could buy it for Mom to celebrate their first anniversary.

Dad was so upset when Mom gave me that ring almost thirty years later. But I’m so glad she did, so I could find it on the last day of 2016 and slip it on my finger. And with the wearing of it, remember the values he taught me and the traits he exemplified; like a good work ethic, empathy, diplomacy, loyalty and strength of character.  

What a gift!

What a great foundation from which to find my way again!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

The Last Chance

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200 words, change, choice, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, Do the right thing, forgiveness, learning, lessons, life, Life's like that, living in the moment, mistakes, second chance, wrong

We never really learn from the first mistake or the second or third. It only hits us when we’re given the last chance. ~ unattributed

I’d like to think that I when I make a mistake, I recognize I’ve done so right away and at the very least, I do not repeat it ever again.

But is that what really happens? For me? You?

When the above quote appeared on my twitter feed, it stopped me in my tracks.

I can think of specific examples when I said or did something, and immediately I’d wished I hadn’t done it. I tell myself I will never do that again and before I know it, I find myself in a similar situation and I DO IT AGAIN!

What is wrong with me?!

It’s as if I’m programmed to do it. Usually it takes several instances before I can commit fully to I-will-never-do-that-again.

Then there are those times when I am not aware that what I am doing is a mistake, or not the best choice I can make until I’m given one last chance or it’s just too late. period.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Can you relate? What has your experience been?

Much to my chagrin

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200 words, annoying people, curious, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, growing up, irritate, learning, lessons, rub the wrong way, Who I am

“Personally I’m always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught. ” ~ Winston Churchill

I am fairly curious. I love learning stuff.

Like how I recently learned that although children get more individual vaccination shots these days than when I was a kid, in total they get less of a dose.

Or that Saguenay, Quebec has the longest winter in Canada – a total of 160 days! (note to self: Never relocate to Saguenay, Quebec)

Whether I’m watching a documentary, chatting with an expert in a specific field, or reading about an interesting subject here in the blogosphere, I love learning new things.

However, I’m not always a fan of someone pointing out the error of my ways, or even worse, when I find myself irritated, not by what someone says, but by the way I find myself reacting to them.

Much to my chagrin, as far as self-awareness goes and growing into the person I am, and continue to become, nothing else is as effective as annoying people and irritating situations.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Can you think of an important lesson or revelation you learned from someone who initially rubbed you the wrong way?

The Bike Messenger

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200 words, coffee, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, God, Homelessness, integrity, lessons, life, listen, living in the moment, love, poverty, Purpose, Who I am

When love and skill work together… expect a masterpiece. ~ John Ruskin

Photo credit: 2jere2beseder.com

Friday was a beautiful, sunny day so my bestest friend invited me for coffee on our favourite bench in Tomkins Park.

As soon as we sat down, Michael rode in on his bike with an important message on his heart.

The most life-changing lessons I have learned over the years,  have come from people experiencing homelessness.

One can learn a lot about what is important from those who have very little.

“Who you are isn’t who you are,” he said. 

“I am native. I am homeless. But that is not who I am.

That is not who God sees. You have to look deeper than that to see.”

Michael continued, “When you know who you are, you can act from love and do what you’re meant to do.”

Then he added, “I’m hungry. Going to eat some chicken now and then I’ll be looking for a wife. So if you’re still here when I get back…”

As he left, I turned to my friend and said, “Yeah, so we should go now,”  She laughed.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Uncomfortable Shoes

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Diana Schwenk, health, Hump Day Chronicles, lessons, life, prepared, tools, uncomfortable shoes, wisdom

I may as well have been wearing these shoes…

Yesterday I had a meeting about 22 blocks away from where I’m located. The meeting was in an area of town that is just crazy with traffic and not the easiest place to get parking – especially over the lunch hour!

So I decided to walk; which is great – I love walking – no problem.

I figured this way I could take care of several things at once. You know, go to my meeting, get my daily walk in and enjoy a beautiful spring day.

So I put on my business wear and searched for a comfortable pair of shoes. Here’s the dilemma, all my good walking footwear is casual, all my business shoes have heels and/or pointy toes. I did manage to dig up a pair with a very low heel and they sparkled gold in the spring sun – perfect!

For just a moment, I played with the idea of tucking my TOMS Classics into my bag but quickly decided against it. I should have listened to that voice!

Suffice it to say that by the time I got home (round trip almost 45 city blocks) my feet were hurting something awful. When I took off my shoes, I was afraid to look. So I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, counted to three and looked down to find blistered and bloodied toes. (I know, gross visual – sorry) 🙂

Needless to say, I’m now on a mission to find that elusive shoe that says business and comfort. Any suggestions?

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Lesson re-learned: Don’t ignore your inner voice!