DAY FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, AND NINE.
I'm going to follow the lead of one of my former students. The other day she posted this:
"So I've been thinking a lot and I have decided that every day for the
rest of the month, I am going to devote my daily status to someone who
has made a difference and impacted my life, big and small." Ashley Shade
I'm going to do the same.
My last gratitude dedication status was Thursday morning. Thursday started as a great day; it ended with a screeching halt as Freedom Industries had irresponsibly contaminated the water source of over 300,000 West Virginians living within nine counties. I am one of those 300,000.
West Virginians historically have been cast in the role of the under dog. From our majestic mountain tops to the black dust in the landscape's veins, West Virginians have had experience in almost getting a head of the curve only to be knocked back down again. This gravitational pull knows no class system or household income. It knows not whether you are a Friend of The Mountains or a Friend of Coal. We
are born and raised with an intrinsic, internal duality, a consistent struggle between our natural beauty, our natural resources, and lucrative yet cruel history that surrounds both.
It's simply something that we've grown up working to justify, debate, battle, and overcome. It is one of the many reasons that I think West Virginians are the first to help OTHERS in moments of distress, devastation, or when facing hardships. This is a time of no exception. Today's gratitude status is dedicated to the people and friends of West Virginia, for you have given us your SIMPLE GIFTS of kindness, friendship, comfort, water, supplies, and hope.
Since Thursday evening, there has been an outpouring of concern for those of us who have been directly affected by the chemical leak. Phone calls, texts, tweets, Facebook messages, emails, care packages, and deliveries have been part of a continuous stream of support. Friends and family from all over the state, the country, and the globe have offered up prayer, thought, money, supplies, and concern for us. Your love and concern for those that you know and those of us that are complete strangers are so very moving, appreciated, and over whelming! YOU have renewed our faith in humanity through your giving and grace. YOU have kept us hydrated. YOU have given the kind words when there is so much negativity circulating in our drains. YOU have called us resilient, which we are, but now I ask for another of your SIMPLE GIFT...please continue as this is not over yet. We need to feel and be safe. Majority of us don't feel very secure and we need to gather the strength to generate real change in the coming weeks, months, and years.What you have done for us so far, and continue to do will help us make the changes that we so desperately need. For that I give you the biggest thank you.
Once again, from the bottom of my potentially contaminated heart, I thank you all for the gifts that you have provided the people of West Virginia. You have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. We hold you in our hearts and prayers of apprciation.
DAY FOUR.
I'm going to follow the lead of one of my former students. The other day she posted this:
"So I've been thinking a lot and I have decided that every day for the
rest of the month, I am going to devote my daily status to someone who
has made a difference and impacted my life, big and small." Ashley Shade
I'm going to do the same.
I don't know if you all know this or not, but I have a social
soul mate. We see eye to eye on ALMOST everything socially and
politically. She allows me to sometimes sit in a pew with her
religiously, and will even pop me on the back of the head when I roll my
eyes during the sermon. We both cheer on the feminists and bless the
hearts of the idiots. She laughs WITH me when I give her a curious look
about farm living, but will give me travel tips when going to a new
city. We both love a good glass of wine or two or three. The two of us
can, will, and have most likely talked about anything and everything
from books, to God, to clothing styles, and the state of the Union.
Plus, the best thing about her...she gave me one of my best friends on
the planet, her daughter Katie. Thankfully, Katie shares her mom with me
and I share mine with her. So today's gratitude status is dedicated to
Mary Utterback.
I met Mary in the late 90s when her daughter moved into the apartment
below me. At a glance Mary and I are an unlikely pair. The Utterbacks
are church goin', farm livin', bible name givin' folks and in the
beginning, for the life of me, I couldn't understand why Katie wanted
them to meet ME, her bra burnin', booze guzzlin', cigarette smokin',
loves to swear, spiritually lost friend! Nonetheless, we met and
imprinted on each other!
Mary is one of the most fascinating
women that I have ever met in my life. She manages to balance her
independence and family life with grace. Mary works tirelessly so that
she can play unabashedly. She's intelligent, cultured, well rounded,
and most importantly has a sense of faith that is unguarded yet
comfortably secure. There have been many a time that I have heard her
words whispered in my ear, "Child, every once in a while you need to put
your face in front of God." It's a nice reminder that I'm not alone; I
am accepted and loved. Mary has led by example that one can live a
spiritual life of service to others and to a God, but not be unbend-able
or so stringent that you become a hypocrite. She is the ying to my
yang and provides me with a sense of balance and hope. For all of these
reasons and many more I love her. Mary, thank you for all that do,
all that you are, for including me in your family, and sharing your
daughter with me.
DAY THREE.
I'm going to follow the lead of one of my former students. The other day she posted this:
"So I've been thinking a lot and I have decided that every day for the
rest of the month, I am going to devote my daily status to someone who
has made a difference and impacted my life, big and small." Ashley Shade
I'm going to do the same.
I cannot remember a time that I could not read. Books
and words have been part of me from well before my actual birth. My
parents and grandparents made it a habit of reading to me every day and
night. My mom says that I was an early reader, picking up the sounds
and the words quickly. Great teachers throughout all of my education,
but especially my early reading teachers helped to fulfill my need to
read more and read better. Because of this vivaciousness for words,
often when gifted something, it has been the beauty of a book. My
library, started when I was born, is huge, varied, eccentric, and
eclectic. Other than my immediate family members, there is one man who
stands out in my mind as being one of the first and longest contributors
to my personal library. Today, I dedicate my gratitude status update
to Greg Coble.
Greg is a long time friend of my father's and our family. He is kind,
generous, compassionate, incredibly intelligent, wise, and a believer in
the power of words and education. Every Christmas for years, a new
book would find its way into my hands given to me by Greg. At 6 years
old, I was given a copy of the complete works of H.G. Wells. A few
years later, an architecture book of all of the great man made beauties
of the world. An encyclopedia of Art History would appear in the coming
years. Years and years worth of book to read time and time again, all
of which are in my library today.
At 6, I didn't understand
much of what was given to me, but as I grew older and more confident in
my reading, he gave me a world that helped develop who I was to become
and what was to be my calling. He gave me a very early liberal arts
education and appreciation for what was around us all. For if not for
the liberal arts and the beauty of words, people, and what they can
build and accomplish, then the maths and sciences have such very little
meaning.
Greg, I thank you for being one of my best
contributors to not only my library, but also in helping me along my
journey of becoming a teacher of the English language. If not for all
of those that helped me to love reading and yearn to learn more, I might
not have been that for someone else. Thank you for all that you have
done, all that you continue to do, and for being such a great friend to
my family.
DAY TWO.
I'm going to follow the lead of one of my former students. The other day she posted this:
"So Ive been thinking a lot and I have decided that every day for the
rest of the month, I am going to devote my daily status to someone who
has made a difference and impacted my life, big and small." Ashley Shade
I'm going to do the same.
When I was in my early to mid twenties I took a leap and moved
to what at the time I thought to be the smallest town in not only the
state of WV, but perhaps any where because I needed to 1. get out of
Morgantown, 2. I wanted to teach school, and 3. I needed a fresh
perspective. I left everyone that I knew, everything that I knew, and
moved to a town that I knew very little about. During the time, I was
clawing away at trying to be fiercely independent, learn more about who I
wanted to become, and hone my craft of teaching. I made the leap and
moved. Little did I know that I was soon to meet my Morgan County Mom
and that her love and guidance would save me during some very lonely,
but growing times. Today's gratitude status update is dedicated to Melanie Johnston Files.
My first impression of Files was actually pretty spot on. The science
teacher, with wild red hair, drinking her tea from science lab equipment
had a no bullshit, everything within reason, let me tell you how it's
going to be while I hug you and bless your heart kind of attitude. She
reminded me a bit of my own mother. We connected rather immediately. I
have loved her from the moment I met her. She is strong, confident,
well read, meaningful, thoughtful, giving, community minded, socially
concerned, and a damn great teacher. Everything I wanted to be when I
grew up. She's been a source of inspiration, a guiding force, a quick
reminder, and the hug you need at the end of the day. I listen to her
when I don't want to listen to anyone. I became a better teacher
because of her mentoring. My life then and now will forever be better
because she is a part of it. I miss seeing her every day, but always
know that she is a birthday card, an email, or a phone call away. I
love you Melanie Files to the moon and back again! I thank you for being
who you are and for loving me unconditionally. (wipes tear from cheek)
PS: Over ten years ago she gave me a stuffed rabbit with a note
t-pinned to it saying. "This is Fred. Although he does not say much, he
is a great listener. Talk to him in lieu of the walls. Files" He still sits on my desk.
I'm going to follow the lead of one of my former students. The other day she posted this:
"So Ive been thinking a lot and I have decided that every day for the
rest of the month, I am going to devote my daily status to someone who
has made a difference and impacted my life, big and small." -Ashley Shade I'm going to do the same. Today's post is dedicated to Sarah Hurt Long. Sarah lived two houses
up from me when I was growing up and might have been one of THE best
babysitters EVER! She used to help us choreograph dance routines, write
and act in our own plays, set up outdoor adventures, and create
scavenger hunts for us. I always felt so stylish when she would give me
some of her hand me down clothes. She never treated us like we were
anything other than special. She helped us develop our imaginations and
creativity. I payed it forward when I started babysitting a few years
later. Sarah, I thank you for all of these things and for being so
wonderful to us all those years ago.
