Silver Lining—Benjamin Moore 2119-60

Gazing out the window,
pondering the outside.
The nighttime sky
silent,
somber.
Idle
and waiting for her.

The moon hangs low in the sky;
It's ripe with mysterious milky light.
So close
her fingers seem like they could dance upon its surface.

She fingers the silver window pane.
Forbidden to break through,
for the horrors that would await her if she
dared
go out.

Her hands
longingly linger
at the hinges.
The entire world at her fingertips
only separated by a
thin sheet of glass.

She is trapped by the impending walls of
fear.

Her outside world
existing only
when laced with the silver lining of the window pane.

She smiles to herself
there's a silver lining for her...

but

what about the outside looking in?

Perplexed and
realizing that
the world sees her
through a dirty window
of an
unimportant
unnoticed
apartment.

Isn't there any worth in me?
She pondered.

Where is my silver lining?

Wintergirls

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Publisher: Wintergirls was by Penguin.

Genre: The genre of the hard-hitting novel is realistic fiction.

Where I Got It: I found this book while looking through Anderson's works after reading her novel Speak, which had affected me so much with it's beautiful writing style and edgy topic that I was very interested in reading more by the author.

Single Sentence Summary: Cassie and Lia are best friends and wintergirls, but when they enter in a deadly competition to see who can be skinniest, Cassie succumbs to the pain and pressure, and Lia is left haunted by her best friend’s agitated ghost and forced to overcome her inner demons and thaw from the brittle sheet of ice that confines her.

First line:“So she tells me, the words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked on her coffee.”

First Chapter Summary: The first chapter starts immiditely engrossed in the story with no introduction to the characters whatsoever. It is made evident that a tragedy has occurred, stating:"...body found alone in a motel room..." and then furthermore, "It's not nice when girls die." It's obvious that the character is conflicted about the event because she speaks about not letting herself hear this (the news) and "...my walls go up and my doors lock," to show that she is trying to shield herself from the topic

Verdict: This book keeps the reader in stitches and entices them to come back for more. It is masterfully written with grace and delicacy even when describing the grave topic of self-destruction and eating disorders. The novel provides tremendous insight to the mind of Lia who struggles to deal with the loss of her best friend and the anorexia that stifles her. Wintergirls, like Speak, gave me a greater understanding and appreciation for the strength, and resilience of those affected by these destructive disorders. This is a book that I will carry with me for a long time and that, with the passing of the years, I will continue to come back to.

Cover Comments: On the cover there is a depiction of a young woman's face covered by ice. This symbolizes the frail and fragile bodies Lia and Cassie were trapped in, Cassie never got out. The ice also emphasizes the "Winter" part of the title suggesting that the girls aren't dead or truly alive, but in a state of hibernation.

Drifting

We are all drifting...

Pacing
by the water.

Every path
an improvisation.
Sketchy;
irregular.

We are all drifting...

The time had come for the assembly;
for business.

We need an assembly,
not for fun,
not for laughing,
not for cleverness.
We need an assembly
to put things straight.

We are all drifting...

We decide things;
they don't get done

Ever.

We've got to-or die.

We are all drifting...

Things
are breaking up.
I don't understand why.

Looking beyond them
at nothing.
Remembering the beastie,
the talk of fear.

We are all drfiting...

I know there isn't no beast.
I know there isn't no fear.

Unless we get frightened of people...

We are all drifting
and things are going
rotten.

Where I'm From

I am from cardboard boxes
and shipping crates.
From United States Postage,
and styrofoam packaging.

I am from empty homes
that new beginnings
filled with promise
and empty homes
filled with nostalgia
which reverberates the excitement
or the sorrow
within them.

I am from the vines
that latch to the dormers of a house
by nature,
never letting go
until pried off.

I am from packing out early
and "camping" in an empty house.
From waiting to see what comes next
and needing the patience
to wait for the answers.

I am from my mother's expectations
and my father's encouragement.

From Dad's
"Just do your best and that's good enough,"
and Mom's
"Good enough
is never
good enough."

I am from Sunday school
and saved first communion mementos.

I'm from El Salvador,
Cuba and Spain.
From stories about my grandfather housing earthquake victims
and my grandmother starting a new life at zero
and starting again after a house fire.

I am from learning to ride a bike
in an embassy parking lot.
From teaching Miranda to swim
on hot summer days.
From learning Math techniques from my mother.

I am from dusty picture frames,
childhood achievement certificates,
preserved birthday cards
and scrapbooks mom no longer has time to make.

Roots that hold,
a trunk that stands tall,
branches that reach longingly to the sky.
A tree,
that still and strong,
will stand the test of time.

Japanese Tragedy

This past week, on Friday, March 11th, tragedy struck Japan when it was rattled by an 8.9-9.0 (magnitude is being debated) earthquake. The earthquake preceded a tsunami that hit no more than 30 minutes after the powerful quake. The initial wave of the tsunami was reported to be about 10 meters high and caused much devastation in the already imperiled city.

The earthquake and tsunami caused major technical difficulties in some of Japan's nuclear plants. After the violent shaking a backup generator failed and caused the plant to keep running without anything to cool it down; not even the most adept engineers can find a way to shutdown the reactors in time. There seems to be no way to decelerate the radioactive pressurebuilding up within the plants, but it is crucial that some pressure is released in order to preventyet another disastrous explosion. The main concern having to do with the nuclear plants are the health repercussions that could affect the citizens if any radioactivity is leaked.

Meanwhile, the citizens—as well as residents—of Japan have been left with copious amounts of destruction and loss; most have had to leave their homes and have even lost loved ones in all the chaos. There is little room to house the victims who lots their homes, for capacious areas that were once suitable for housing people have been destroyed andare now bits and pieces of rubble.

The Japanese government cannot grapple this alone and other governments leave no room for banter when deciding whether or not to help Japan; the answer is clear, aid isbeing offered and sent to Japan from over 70 countries around the globe. Nations are currently deploying as many supplies and aid volunteers to Japan as they can. Hopefullythis will facilitate Japan's journey—on a long and winding road—to recovery and thedistressed and fitful lives of all Japanese citizens will be able to be at peace again soon.

Have a Little Faith

Have a Little Faith
By: Mitch Albom

Have a Little Faith gained its title because the journey he takes throughout the book is in losing his faith and finding it again and also the small divine flicker inside all of us that need a little help to turn into a fire, to again ignite the fire of faith within him, he must “have a little faith” in his life.

This memoir is about Albom’s realizations about faith and rescuing his beliefs. As a child, Albom grew up in a Jewish community and was raised under the religion, but as he became an adult, he slowly drifts from his faith and distanced himself from any form of religion. When his childhood rabbi asks him to write his eulogy there is no turning back and through getting to know the man who seemed to mighty, he discovers the amazing feats of maintaining faith in today’s modern world.

The story was told skipping around in time, alternating from his childhood, to visits with the pastor, to the life of Henry (a pastor who also helps Albom realize important connections between faiths), and excerpts from sermons. A lot of the story has major reflection that challenges the reader to ponder faith and realize the great impact it has on our lives.

Through this story, Albom realizes that faith is one thing that will never change and through it he can find the strength and love to do great things just as Henry and Albert had done in their lives. Furthermore, he comes to realize that beliefs are not what divide us and people of other religions, but what bring us together.

Lines we love:
“And, as in often the case with faith, I thought I was being asked a favor, when in fact I was being given one.” (Page 2)
“If you could pack for heaven, this is how you would do it, touching everything, taking nothing.” (Page 210)
“Nothing haunts like the things we don’t say.” (Page 212)
“I am in love with hope.” (Page 249)

What I Believe

I believe that if it’s not a bad day,
Then it must be,
By default,
Forever and always,
With no exceptions,
A good day.

I believe in making art on the driveway
With simple colored chalk
And watching the colors bleed together
When the rain comes to wash it away.

I believe that even the most brutal winter
Will eventually give way
To a beautiful spring.

I believe in the magic
Between the pages
Of an amazing book.

I believe that when you have nothing more to give,
Give a smile;
Even for a second,
The day will seem much brighter.

I believe in placing a hollow object to your ear
And being taken by the awe and curiosity
Of the empty sound
That remotely sounds like the ocean.

I believe in the
Unbreakable bonds
That hold my best friends and I together.

I believe that the sky is the limit
And once you’ve reached it,
You should aim for nothing less
Than the stars.

I believe that you shouldn't have to wait for someone to listen
to make yourself heard.

I believe that everything
could use a pinch of
sparkle.

I believe that we must never surrender our beliefs
because each one
is like a part of you,
and we should never
lose ourselves.