You’re probably familiar with some psychology terms—from college courses or leisure reading you’ve picked up along the way; therefore, you’ll recall that children do this thing called “teleo-functional reasoning.” Never mind the term. You probably wouldn’t remember that. [At least I wouldn’t.] But you may remember what it means: the belief that something exists for […]
Your Body Remembers What Your Mind Cannot
When I try to recall what my first memories were, I get quick uneven snapshots in my mind, nothing neatly laid out or in any recognizable order. Although I remember a few things before kindergarten (like the shapes my father used to mow in the grass for us or an old organ my great-grandmother let […]
Being a Human Bridge
I’m reading Mark Nepo’s The Exquisite Risk: Daring To Live An Authentic Life, and I’ve come to the chapter entitled “You Must Reverse the Haiku.” Here’s Nepo, explaining. “So, the question each day becomes: When pressed by life, do I bridge or isolate? Do I reconnect the web of life and listen to its wisdom? […]
Poetry Selections for a Holiday
It’s Poetry Month, for a little while longer. This week I was elated to hear Kay Ryan won the Pulitzer Prize for The Best of It: New and Selected Poems. Her poems are like urgent, succinct drops of observation. And can I just add (whisper, whisper)—understandable? I’m not a fan of the new rage of […]
Will You Get That Old?
I’ve posted about beauty before—or at least what makes one pretty. I’m reposting poetry slammer Katie Makkai’s “Pretty” at the end of this post, and you’ll know why I’m doing so, once you get to the end. [If you’re squeamish about the “f” word, there is one occurrence.] So. I’m taking Liliana to school the […]