Just flew home after frolicking through
A long weekend get-away that proved anything but
Relaxing, because all of us celebrated a
Star Wars birthday bash that extended over four days!
(BTW: Frolicking may pop up as
A word choice, repeatedly, throughout this post, because
It describes our weekend get-away to a tee!)
Several months back, Barry bought a spacious new home, and
As planned, Marie, his sweetheart of three years
Moved in, along with her munchkins, Tony and Ray, who
Being five and four, respectively, have no conscious recollection of
Life before Barry slid lovingly into the role of second father to both
Since their home has two guest rooms, we were happily advised
That, from this day forward, hotel accommodations are
Out of the question, and
By the time Will and I had unpacked in one guest room
David, who 'd driven down from his new apartment, which
Is located in a major metropolis about 40 minutes due north
Of Barry's new residence, was unpacking his duffle in the other
And thus, from Friday through Monday, a large portion of
Our family enjoyed the same kind of
'Family camp' emotional comraderie that
My three sons and their cousins and friends
Enjoyed as kids, who had
Frolicked to his or her heart's content in
Our desert home and cabin in the pines, both
Of which offered children of all ages from
One to one-hundred-and-one
Freedom to enjoy life at their leisure as long as
No one stepped on anyone else's toes, homework got done
And everyone pitched in when chores were in need of doing
[As to those times when conflict could not be resolved in a
Peaceable, rational manner, leadership
Had chosen to learn how to make effective use of
Logical or natural consequences with
Consistency whenever brainstorming proved necessary
As Will, Barry and David have no trouble acting like
Four and five year olds when light sabers are plentiful ...
A rollicking fun fest of a weekend was enjoyed by all—and
And regardless of my troublesome back—
Nothing could stop my wild thing from
Leaping into the fray and adding to the fun
(Within reason) from time to time!
(Uh oh—Something fluky just happened to the photos
I've chosen to post, and I won't have time to
Figure out what's wrong till later, so
If giant photos appear or reappear in partial form
Just swipe from left to right or right to left, as
Needs be, and the photo, as a whole, will be seen
If you have no clue what I'm referencing
Just ignore this caution that's meant
To lessen confusion until I find time to
Right whatever's gone wrong ... Uh ...
On second thought, I may not correct
This problem, after at all, for this reason:
The disorienting nature of these photos may
Be used to empvpxemplify
Unprocessed memories, flashing faster than
The speed of light through our subconscious, blasting
All sense of logical reasoning powers straight out of
Our conscious minds, which
Describes exactly what happens to our brains when
Anything triggers a subconscious episode of
PTSD, which, left in its raw, unhealed
Unprocessed state, is empowered to
Scare us senseless, so if your defense system
Has blocked your conscious mind from
Even partial awareness of a traumatic memory, which
Remains tucked behind a
Self protective wall of denial, anything
That feels remotely similar to
That 'forgotten' memory will trigger
An episodic flash of PTSD, which will
Cause onlookers to believe that your
Emotional reaction to a car back firing
Is outrageously exaggerated, half baked and
Totally out of line! In fact, if
Onlookers think your train of thought has
Gone so loco as to jump the track and hit a wall ...
They'll be right except for this caveat:
Once triggered, an episode of
PTSD makes observers believe
You're off your rocker for no reason, though
A perfectly sound reason, which exists in
Your subconscious, can be found and
Relieved with astute professional help
As to those photos that have been published
In this post in a random manner that I don't understand
One shows Barry, holding, Ray, the birthday boy, whose
Face is painted black, like Darth Vader's helmet n' mask
Next to Barry is David, holding five year old Tony, who
Somehow looks bearded, and then
As you continue to scroll down
You'll see Batman and Robin at play, followed by
A pair of smiling faces on two adorable munchkins
Both of whom look up to several adults, who are
Hopefully learning how to discipline
Their young by way of role modeling
Positive techniques of self control, which
Over time, get to feeling so natural that
The adult's consistency inspires children to mimic
The Pied Piper's respectful interactions, suggesting
That as the future unfolds, conflict resolution
Takes place during family meetings, which
Remain calm, because everyone listens astutely while
The problem at hand is discussed, and then
While passing the talking stick
All concerned brainstorm through possible hoices until
A mutually respectful solution is found (many
Examples to come as soon as my storyteller awakens)
If you ask: Annie, how do you get kids to
Sit and talk calmly instead of throwing tantrums?
I'd reply: It's not kids, who have to change first ...
The people who are in need of changing, first
Are those who call themselves 'grown ups' but
Act like bullies in need of dominating
Every dissenting opinion in the room ...
Common sense suggests that young minds
Cannot be expected to absorb and store
Respectful methods of brainstorming, which
Resolve conflicts, effectively, from adults
Whose voices threaten, yell and insult
A child's vulnerable psyche ...
Therefore, it's the parent, who must consent to
Learn to work through conflicts with
Self-control intact, first ... most especially
At those those times when the going gets rough—all around)
And having clarified the fact that adult mindsets must
Change before a child can be expected to follow suit...
Here are the photos, which have been published
In a manner that defies my sense of logical comprehension ...
Adorable Birthday Boy at bedtime
May the 'fourth' be with you!
Express a question that you might want to ask, concerning how I find time
To write while all of these hi-jinks and shenanigans are going on, and
In answer to that question, I'd reply:
Time to write finds me in that my subconscious
Awakens my conscious mind, daily, before 6AM, suggesting
That while the munchkins are still curled up
All warm and cozy (and quiet) under their
Spiderman and Batman comforters, fast asleep ...
Intuitive thought inspires me to reach for my iPad, and
Over the next two hours, nothing other than
Thoughts, flowing out of my mind and
On to the screen, seems to exist in a wakeful state until
Two dark haired, adorable little tanks bound into the
Guest suite and, naturally, pandemonium (simulating
That which took place while I was raising
Three wild, rambunctious bucking young colts)
Busts loose as jumping beans leap up and down on
Our bed, getting each day off to a high spirited start!
And as soon as those jumping beans leap on me
I'm thrilled to invest my time and energy in tickling
My way through yet another fun-filled day in which
The imaginative minds of children at play offer
My spirit reason to soar higher than when
I was the small, inquisitive child, puzzling my way through
That deeply confounding time of my life when
Our family tragedy, which had been subconsciously repressed in
An unprocessed, traumatized state, caused
My self perception to lose sight of the good person, whom
I've chosen to be, though I'd, unknowingly, felt need to
Walk on eggshells throughout my life—until recently, when
EMDR therapy coaxed me to free the assertive portion of
My voice, which had been held captive since
I had reason to feel terrified when the anger of giants
Scared me half out of my wits at the vulnerable age of three ...
And so, upon reflection, is it any wonder that
While playing with this pair of rambunctious little tykes
I tend to watch their reactions, both tender and aggressive
As closely as I listen astutely to their fears in hopes of
Responding with reassurances (in the same way that had been
true when my sons and their cousins and friends had been young)
That I'd been in need of when excessive tension, over an
Extended period of grief, caused reprimands to
Scare me half to death when I (like Tony and Ray)
Had been a good child, who'd had no clue how to fathom
That which fate had dealt, which proved far beyond
The level of any child's comprehension between
The vulnerable ages of three and five—I mean, seriously—
Can you imagine how hard an adult brain must work to process
Memories, long forgot, which felt so terrifying as to be absorbed by
The subconscious in the form of this misbelief: I am such a
Bad person as to feel unworthy of love unless
I toe the mark of perfection to a tee, every minute of every day! Geez!
What a heavy load of undeserved guilt for the conscience of a good person to
Lug forward in an unprocessed state throughout each stage of life!
Jumping bean about to leap on Will ...
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