S IS FOR. . . .

Knatolee said, "I stole this theme from Dephal, who stole it from Leanne. Then I stole this explanation from Dephal: "The idea is you get a letter, and then list 10 things that begin with that letter that have significance to your life. If any of you want to play, just email me or leave me a comment, and I'll send you your letter."

What Knat said. . . And Dephal was kind enough to send me my letter, which just happens to be S. Ssssooo, without further ado, here is my list of what S means to me:

Sisters: The most special person in my life, aside from my children is my sister Sue. She’s warm and giving and is genuinely one of the most compassionate and passionate people that I know. She loves her children and her husband unconditionally, and I find her inner strength very compelling. She has a sparkling sense of slightly irrational humor that I totally relate to, and we share a genuine love of animals. And even though we’re bound by blood, I know we’d be friends even if we weren’t related. The fact that we are sisters is the wonderful serendipity called life.

Snow: I LOVE snow. I grew up with it, walked to school in it uphill both ways, shoveled it, played in it, made snow caves as a child and entertained in it. I sometimes find it strange that I landed in a place where it hardly ever snows.

Silence: I love the quiet spaces of early morning and late evening, which often find me sitting at the computer working or sipping tea while I ponder the mysteries of life. I’m a nightowl by nature and the whole get up at 6 a.m. be at work by 7:30 a.m. is totally unnatural to my body clock. I love the wee hours of the night when the whole world seems silent and I step out onto the deck and see the stars shining in all their glory, and I sometimes imagine that I’m looking at a small glimpse of heaven.

Singing: I love to sing. . . in the shower, at the grocery store, in the car at the top of my lungs. I remember all the silly, wonderful songs of my childhood learned from singing around the campfire at Girl Scout camp or grammar school, and I delight in teaching them to my grandchildren. I also make songs up for and about my grandchildren who show a remarkable talent for following in my footsteps.

Serendipity: I love the sound of that word. In fact, I love words because the right combination can paint a million pictures in my mind's eye, define the taste of a ripe fruit like the sharp, sweet tartness of a cherry, describe the deep welling of sadness in someone’s heart and the height that joy can reach. I love to journal because it helps me to keep things straight in my mind and allows me to express myself unfettered by the inhibition of being heard by someone else. It sets my heart free to be myself, totally immersed in the moment.

Seriousness: I have a hard time being serious. I love to laugh and find humor in the most innocuous things. My kids always joke that I crack myself up. . .and that’s true for the most part. I love to find humor and love being around people who also love to laugh. Life is too short to be so serious all the time. Laughter lightens up a dreary day and makes my world a fun place to be.

Starting Over: Okay, this is really two words. But second chances have been a big focus in my life recently. It seems the older I get, the more precious I realize life is. I’ve come to see that no one can change my life but me, that no one can help me live the life I want except me. Now that I've found the courage to change my life, I’m like a kid in a candy store. I want to do it all. I want to experience everything. I want to drink in life and savor every moment.

Symphony: I love music. It’s always been a part of my life. We had a very old, broken down piano in the basement of the house where I grew up, and I spent hours down there, teaching myself to play a few melodies. My kids grew up listening to me play the guitar and singing along with all the John Denver songs. Although I never took formal lessons, I find an indescribable joy in music that can’t really be found anywhere else. Attending a concert or live performance is a moving experience for me. I feel my soul expanding and contracting with the swelling harmonies as the music moves through me and over me. And I love all kinds of music: country, oldies, classical. There’s a piece to fit every mood, every desire.

Saggitarius: Having been born in December, this is my zodiac sign. I think it fits me well. I like traveling, getting to the heart of the matter, freedom. I dislike feeling tied down, being constrained, being bothered with details. This is what one site says about my sign: “Sagittarians have a positive outlook on life, are full of enterprise, energy, versatility, adventurousness and eagerness to extend experience beyond the physically familiar. They enjoy travelling and exploration, the more so because their minds are constantly open to new dimensions of thought. They are basically ambitious and optimistic, and continue to be so even when their hopes are dashed. Their strongly idealistic natures can also suffer many disappointments without being affected. They are honorable, honest, trustworthy, truthful, generous and sincere, with a passion for justice. They are usually on the side of the underdog in society they will fight for any cause they believe to be just, and are prepared to be rebellious. They balance loyalty with independence.”

Science: I’ve always been fascinated by science and nature in general. I loved Carl Sagan and his theories about life on other planets. I never get tired of the learning and reading about the animal-human connection, and Jane Goodall is one of my heroes. Her books are mesmerizing, and I never get tired of reading her work or watching her documentaries. One of my largest interests is how to stop the destruction of the planet, learning what we can do as individuals to make sure that we leave a legacy for future generations. I can’t imagine a world without whales or polar bears or condors or any of the magical creatures of this planet. But if we continue to move in the direction we have been, extinction of species will be inevitable. Let’s begin by being an example and by teaching our children the value of life and habitat for all creatures.

"Spreading the Hope"

listen to Jane speak at the Earth Day celebration. You will be inspired.