RESPIRA (BREATHE)

Some times, I’ve learned, things come up. Emotions that you thought you had a lid on peek out, or fall out….. or ooze out. Tears that you thought you were done crying return to the surface, and old pains and some times a bit of the new ones re-possess your heart.  How do you explain fear, doubt, bitterness, or even indecision? Life seems like such a mystery, one minute you’re laughing at something and then your laughs turn into sobs and 97% of the time you’re sitting there, wondering why you just did that.  Just like that a world can be changed. Like a snap of an object that held so much meaning, so many memories, so much self-doubt.  It could be as complicated and emotionally exhausting as slipping a little gold band off of your finger, or it could be as emotionally freeing  as forgetting a grudge you’ve held for years, waiting and waiting, finally realizing that the only one who will change is you! Maybe you can’t control how things turn out in your life, and perhaps you can’t replace a bond you’ve severed in the process of desperately trying to come to grips with what life has done and will do with you, perhaps in finding yourself you may end up having to lose someone you care about. Who’s to say what’s right, what’s wrong, who can tell you what to do, or what choices you need to make. Mistakes are ours to cherish and take from. Broken hearts are our blessings and our salvation, perhaps a rather firm ” do not enter” sign at first, but later a gentle look at how you might have had a head-on if you didn’t know how to read.  Some times you feel so weary and worn, asking God what is the point of all of this? It seems like all your pain and suffering is washing over you like a never ending river, and you can’t help but remember how water, no matter how soft can carve a path through even the thickest rocks. Yet, when you go to the creek or the river, do you stop on the bank and  choose one of the ordinary, rough, sharp rocks or do you go to the edge of the water and reach in to choose a time-softened  pebble? Don’t we all like the feeling of those rounded, smoothed-out, soft rocks? Don’t you just love to turn it about in your palm and admire the swirls and rings?  Life IS hard. Love DOES hurt. Some times you DO have to tell someone ”goodbye”, or ”I’m sorry I just can’t”, ”I forgive you”  or ”No.” And some times you feel like curling up in a ball and sobbing all day. But every one knows that a cut heals, a heart mends, a smile returns, and you can’t cry forever. Nobody is perfect, everyone learns as they go, life seems cruel, but what really happens is it’s smoothing out our rough spots, and rounding our sharp points.  Thank God that water can cut a path through even the thickest, sharpest rock!

Assignment:Describe the sociological implications of the rising median age in the United States.

This week, my assignment in sociology was applying theoretical knowledge to a social problem. The request was to write an essay on the important sociological implications older people have on society. Here is my essay.

In the 1991 U.S. Bureau of the Census, the world population was estimated at five billion, with one billion added every ten years. In most industrialized countries the birth rate is balanced by the death rate, so population grows slowly. Considering the low birth rate in the United States and the recent technological advancement in the medical field, the number of older people is increasing. The number of elderly (65 and older) increased from 3 million in 1900 to 33 million in 1994. Technological advancement plays a huge part in social change. The aging of the American population has important consequences for society such as social roles, economics, and health care. An elderly population will need more health care and support services, which may bring about changes in traditional practices such as retirement. As America’s median age rises, more demands will be made on the health care system. New illnesses such as HIV virus and  drug-resistant strains of bacteria, make advanced medical research and new technologies necessary for the health of the society. While the growing median age may change things economically and socially, it may also prompt important discoveries in the medical world that could help in the advancement of society in the future. Technological advancement is a key influence on social change in the United States because it speeds up the pace of change and effects many important social structures. With technological advancement, medical advancement may bring the median age lower in years to come. N

Te quiero mucho…

I’ve noticed how the whole year is flying by right from under us! Even I, who has absolutely no concept of time, can see that 2010 was the fastest year in quite a while. So many monumental things have happened to and for me this year. If you had told me I’d be where I am even a year ago I would have looked at you weird. I’m so blessed, especially because of getting to know my second (complete) family. I’ve learned many lessons from them and made so many fond memories in such a short time. They are a huge chunk of my 2010. The kids keep me laughing and have completely stolen my heart. Hearing Luz complain about the slightest chore anyone asks her to do, Watching Maria remind me of me at her age, teasing Gabi about pajamas, getting kisses from Te Te (Moroni). April has taught me so many valuable lessons, We’re good friends and I feel like I can tell her anything. She listens like a friend, understands like a sister, but she hugs and supports me like only a mom can. She’s taught me to look before assuming, experience before criticizing, and just plain have fun! I adore Poppee with all of my heart. He reminds me of my all time favorite Mexican man. With Poppee around, every V is a B and vice versa. With Poppee, you always have some ” ‘splaining to do”  and 2 pieces of pizza with a  bowl of rice, and bunch of cucumber slices isn’t near enough to the 13 tortillas and bowls of rice he used to eat when he was ”my age”. ( giggling as I write this). I love Poppee’s hugs  and the way he insists that I can’t get married for at least 20 years. He’s always teasing and making jokes, he always asks me how my day is or was and tells me, ” take a little nap Noellia” every time I’m there. They call me Noellia, I’ve never been called that. It’s new and beautifully special. But I love it most when they call me ”mija”. That’s the best! I’ve always loved Mexican people, there hasn’t been one I’ve known personally so far that I didn’t love, but since I’ve spent so much time at their house I’ve learned so much about Mexico and the culture. I know more about the Mexican flag than I do the American one!   The sound of rapid fire Spanish used to only be noise, and now its a soothing, distinguishable sound that relaxes and comforts me. I have no problem with green chilé, older mexican music, and really old films entirely in Spanish. This family is seriously amazing and I’m so in love with each and everyone of them!! Me and the kids disagree and anger each other like real siblings and me and Gabi have loud, vocal proclamations on who exactly is Poppee’s girl. Through all of them, I’ve found a closure on things long unresolved, a healing if you will. I’ve learned much and laughed until I cried. Te quiero mucho Mamà, Poppee, Maria, Luz, Gabi, y Te Te.

Married Or Single?

This is a very special guest post from a delightful girl in Vietnam.

Name: Nguyễn Thị Thanh Ngọc

Topic: Being single or married?

Nowadays, many people prefer being single to being married. The Office for National Statistics figures of the UK showed that in 2005 the number of married people in the adult population fell to 50.3 percent. People choose the single life because they argue that they can have more freedom, finance, date whoever they like and don’t have the fear of infidelity. However, the benefits of being married with the one you actually love outweigh those of being single due to three advantages:  emotional and physical stability, finance and family.

First, marriage will help you have higher levels of physical and psychological health. Marrying and settling down with your lover for your whole life is the happiest thing in the world. You can take care of each other, share affection to your spouse and together enjoy not only sweet happiness but also sad moments. Marriage means that you are on the same boat, share the same life for good and for bad. Anyone of us has a hard time in our life when we are in trouble, depressed or stressed, so marriage will be the best way to lessen those kinds of feeling because you have a partner to share your innermost feelings. It is obvious that sex is an indispensable part of marriage. It connects two people spiritually, physically and brings miracles to your married life. When you are married, you won’t have to worry about pregnancy without intension. Your sexual desire will be satisfied, hence it’s good for your health. Studies have shown that married men tend to live longer than single men and married women reported the best levels of physical and psychological health. It seems that marriage has a stabilizing influence upon both men and women, resulting in less stress and more opportunities to relieve stress and gain pleasure.

It is true that when you are married, you will have more financial benefits. Since you are now partners, your income and expenses are combined, therefore you have increased income whereas expenses are lessened. You will pay less money for car insurance, food, bills for basic living condition, renting or paying house. Obviously, you will use the same furniture, housewares and some other essential household equipments. For this reason, you can save money not only from buying new ones or maintaining but also from selling old ones. If married couples both have stable job, one can receive allowance or interests from the job of the other one and vice versa, such as incentive bonus, free travelling, etc. When you share the same account, you will be more cautious about spending money. Furthermore, sharing the same account also means that you will have more opportunity to discuss with your spouse about the spending plan. As a result, you can partly avoid hasty decision when paying for some goods, prioritize for the more important purchases and focus on these rather than the less-important expenses.

The most significant thing you can obtain from marriage is to be a family. Vietnamese often says that: “Family is the foundation of the society.” Marriage means that you are not  single and just care for yourself, but you otherwise have a lifelong companion and a family to take care of, keep them happy and harmonious. The marriage gives togetherness and role as husband and wife in family. You will know thoroughly what responsibilities you have to take. Moreover, married people will have new parents, brothers, sisters and relative, so they have to change themselves to some extent to get along well with the spouse’s family. It will help you be more mature, patient and flexible in the way of behaving to other people. Last but not least, one of the most wonderful things in the world is  having children. They are special gifts that life gives to you. Bringing up children will have you recognize some highly valuable lessons of life. You will know how hard it is to bring  them up and learn how your parents have lived for you. Consequently, you will feel sympathy with your parents, love and show more gratitude to them. Some people may argue that if they have children, they will have to give more time to take care of their children which reduces time for themselves.  I understand their point of view. However, they can’t understand these valuable things if they don’t get married.

Because of the stability of emotional and physical health, the finance and the blessing of having a family, being married is still the greatest desire of many people. While some people are very pleased with married life and try to maintain it, others enjoy remaining single. Granted, single people can have their own freedom in the way of living immediately and have open relationship with many other people, but for me who highly appreciates the value of being married, I often ask myself this question: Have single people ever thought about their life when they are old, fragile and without family?

This Doorway

Written by Naomi for Vikash

This doorway I can’t cross, for fear something waits on the other side….
Across the floor an open window I should see…
I’ll spread my wings and be set free….
But when I sour, it will take a lot of faith to believe, that the wind would not blow me down, but carry me….
There is more to being free….I must be strong.. I have to learn to fly….I must have faith…and sometimes I will cry….
But for now, I still stand waiting for my heart to gather faith to believe I can fly….Faith to cross this doorway…… Faith to take a leap of freedom…
I need enough faith to stand back up when I am pushed to the ground…

Before I spread my wings, I will think..take it slow….
remember what I am about to face….
And when I come to a cross-road….. I will choose the straightest path.

If I come to tough times…and don’t know what to do…I will always think of you!!! ♥

The Tree by Neryah Grace

The TREE, yes, people….the tree.

The tree. I sleep in the tree. I slept in the tree this morning.

I LOVE the tree, I pretend that it is a tree stand.

It has a basement and a bedroom and an upstairs AND a livingroom.

It has a parlor and a lookout.

But…the tree is turning naked.

Goodbye, tree.

Seasons Go and Seasons Come (I’m Dislexic)

From season to season, we go and do,

 From season to season, we see all colors bright…

We see the sun rise late and the moon come all too early at night.

The trees of green soon go and we are seeing Fall…then snow.

Flowers soon sprout, we count the days, and we go around the circle again…..

As seasons come and disappear, as Winter brings snow, and Summer brings green, and again, we count the days.

 Through a foggy haze, we see clear, a beautiful day….

Of trees so bright and shorter is the night….

Of a wonderful cool, Fall atmosphere, with the aromatic smell of a country, Winter drawing near.