Healing Hearts…

News about upsetting incidents just has a way of grabbing and holding onto you. At first you find yourself just wanting to lash out with the hope that your response will validate what others are feeling. That release of deep-seated emotion can be counterproductive and does little for others caught up in the situation.


Still, you want to be heard. Don’t we all?


I’m exercising a great deal of discretion here as the story involved is an open case in a local judicial system. Other than sharing the basic details of the event, I will state, and with no exaggeration added, that this case has piqued the interest and support of so many, from coast-to-coast.


In short, it involves animal cruelty at its worst. At best, the incredible show of caring during the month of February for those involved has taught me a valuable lesson. I’ve witnessed a devastated family pull together and rise to a challenge for justice, along with thousands of complete strangers who have signed a petition and offered prayers through their tears.


This overwhelming demonstration of positivity actually restored my dwindling faith in humanity, given the horrific news that greets us each and every day. Of course, to some, people rallying for a cause like this might seem quite insignificant but, for the people involved, for anyone caught in any type of terrible situation, knowing that people honestly do care makes one hell of a difference.

If the month of February did anything for me (other than celebrating the birthday of one of my daughters) it helped me to bond together with people, stay silent when necessary, put a harness around my anger (which ain’t easy) and pray.


Justice will Prevail, Hearts will Heal.

From Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop…Share something you learned in February.

As much as I wish I could expand further, I cannot. Not at this point in time. Maybe just a reminder, to be kind, always. To others, especially helpless, defenseless, animals.

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Grab that gold ring…

The path less traveled, the road not taken or, take a number and just follow the crowd. We’ve all stood at some crossroad of life, watching it wind and turn before us while we look to make the best decision. Adulthood starts us on our journey as we hope to achieve our goals and dreams, anxious to head into the right direction. Somewhere along the way, mid-life brings a need for change, more fulfillment, while there’s still time to accomplish what we feel has been missed…or overlooked.


There’s no set norm for the direction we choose other than admiring the successes achieved by others and wonder how well we might fit into their situation. Sometimes, we lose sight of making our individual mark in life and pursue only what’s safe, predictable and that which guarantees us some element of financial stability. In effect, we become followers, never looking to step outside our proverbial box, take that chance and explore our options. That fear of the unknown can definitely become paralyzing.


Be that as it may, if there is a chance to grab that gold ring…do it! If the road ahead looks challenging, remember it may very well come to a favorable end. Venture out, explore, avoid getting lost in the shuffle.

Click your heels and just follow that yellow brick road.

From Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop…Write a blog post inspired by the word: follow

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Stories untold…

“Stories”, a Facebook feature, creates an avenue for sharing. For a limited period of time, people can post whatever they feel important, funny, even ridiculous. It’s kind of a fun app with the ability to get creative with music and graphics in order to make your story stand out a bit more. I like to focus on things a tad thought-provoking, sometimes supportive with a hint of needed valuation for those who take the time to read my offering.


Humor and things more political, well, I save that for Instagram, always with one eye over my shoulder for the IG Police. Call it my dark side, trust me, we all have one and the person in the back of the room exclaiming “not me” can be in the darkest corner of all. It’s human nature, you know? Those things we say behind closed doors that we would never spurt out in public? Certain areas of social media provide that platform for people with the hiding behind a name and professing everything from insults to idiocy. Free speech or just the breakdown of a public facade that would find someone’s mainstream friends and followers…shocked?


Whatever. How many times do we witness a situation, an event, and have to stifle an emotional response out of fear of being castigated by others? Quite possibly, our reaction might be shared by different people, they as well, also hesitant to speak out and vent.


At present, we’re theater-goers, sitting in a vast audience of the constant world drama on the stage that surrounds us, clowns to the left, jokers on the right and feeling absolutely stuck in the middle of almost undefinable chaos. (Had to work in the lyrics of that song, don’t judge me.)


Good, bad or indifferent, this is life at present. We all know where we’ve been and are hard-pressed to figure out what lies ahead, it’s a crapshoot at best. As I frequently say, and much too often, I so weep for the future while desperately grasping a few threads of positivity.


Meanwhile, I’ll venture back into finding some words of deep meaning to share, in an effort to ignore all things negative while convincing myself that there is hope out there. Somewhere.

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