Tags for Living – Who would have Thought?

"Victims of War" 18x24 acrylic on canvas (in Juried Show)

My daughter, Holly, mailed me her favorite book. Inside was a colorful gift tag splattered with flowers; and on the reverse side, a handwritten note telling me how much she loved me, and that she hoped I would enjoy reading the book. The tag became my bookmark as I turned page after page, thinking of her.

As much as I enjoyed reading the book, it was the tag that intrigued me. Time and again, I returned to her note and the shiny painted flowers on the back. My mind churned. What was there about this tag that called out to me? Thoughts bubbled to the surface.

Our lives are controlled by tags, or at least influenced by them. Tags are everywhere:

·         Tags for luggage, tags for identification, price tags, tags for washing instructions, tags for sizes, tags on foodstuffs, gift tags, sales tags, dog tags, gurney tags, toe tags, health care tags, tags for gardening, tags for equipment, fertilizer tags, warning tags and status tags for every substance, action, and product in the world.

"Prayer Circles" 18x24 acrylic on canvas (in Juried show)

Wouldn't it be great, if there were tags for how to live your life? Tags for newborns might read:

·         "Fragile -- handle with care," or "feisty when wet, change often." Or how about "stubborn and willful -- requires coaxing," or "prone to temper tantrums -- distract if possible."

Tags for teenagers may suggest:

·         "Prickles when angry -- hug anyway," or "count to ten and listen, really listen," or "sasses back when cornered -- don't argue, just walk away."

Newlywed tags could stave off marital grief:

·         "Requires lots of attention -- likes to be pampered" or "sleeps soundly -- wake up gently" or "thinks taking out the garbage is a man's job -- just do it," or  "listen closely --  it might be a test."

"Innset Kirke" 16x20 oil on canvas (SOLD), Prints available

As I pursued this line of thinking, I realized we already have tags for living, and they cover every facet of human life. Of course, I'm referring to the Bible, but most particularly to the book of Proverbs.

There are mini-instructions for raising children, being a good spouse, a good neighbor, a hard worker, a faithful follower. Here are some familiar ones:

·         "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." (Prov. 22:6 NIV)

·         "He who spares the rod (correction) hates his son (or daughter), but she who loves her children is careful to discipline them." (Prov. 13:24 NIV)

·         "Discipline your child, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death." (Prov. 19:18 NIV)

Remember the newlywed tags I proposed? Try this proverbial advice:

·         "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a hard word stirs up anger." (Prov. 15:1 NIV) Good advice for an argument over how to squeeze the toothpaste or hang the toilet paper.

How about this marital gem:

·         "A patient man (or woman) has great understanding, but a quick-tempered person displays folly." (Prov. 14:29 NIV)

Quarrels over sex and money are the main reasons many couples get divorced. The antidote?

·         "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from a calamity." (Prov. 21:23 NIV)

Add the turmoil of alcoholism to the mix, and you triple the trouble.

·         "Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise." (Prov. 20:1 NIV)

"India Rising -- the Found" mixed media on 18x14 canvas

Proverbs has countless tags for being a good neighbor:

·         "A person who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.

·         "A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret." (Prov. 11:13 NIV) 

·         "Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house; too much of you, and he will hate you." (Prov, 25:17 NIV)

Last but by no means least, there are instructions about government leaders; those politicians who hold our lives in their hands:

·         "A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly." (Prov. 26:24-26 NIV)

We can only hope that the "assembly," the press and the people will do their job and expose the hypocrisy of each and every politician.

"Sand Crane Dreams" 18x24 mixed media on canvas

Some people say: "God doesn't talk to us today. He turns a blind eye to disaster and allows good men and women to suffer.  If there really were a God, wouldn't he protect us and keep us safe? Why is he so silent?  Why doesn't he tell us what to do?"

Hello?  All you have to do is pick up the book -- "The Book!" Read the words of God. Turn the pages. Follow the tags or mini-instructions God has already given. Apply the information. As Sherlock Holmes once quipped: "It's elementary, my dear Watson."

Teachers should Nurture, Enlighten and Protect their Students

"Egret Reflections" 11x14 oil on canvas SOLD, Prints available

I come from a long line of teachers, and take pride in having five teachers in our family today. I revere teachers and respect their profession. As the mother of six children, I had a lion's share of parent-teacher conferences and PTA meetings. Over the years, I've seen good teachers and bad teachers.

Ms. Morrell was my English teacher; a stern spinster, and the butt of jokes and complaints from her students. But without her, I may never have become a writer. She knew her stuff! She was firm, but patient. She insisted on good behavior and was a hard task master when it came to grammar. And she could see past the jeers and bluster of her students.

"Great Egret Cleaning Beak" Drawing by Carol Allen Anfinsen

She encouraged me to enter the school's literary contest and I won. She saw in me what I couldn't see in myself. I remember her to this day, not as the frumpy spinster with the stern look, but for what she taught me: lessons that stayed with me throughout my life

Mr. Holmstead was my History teacher; a fun-loving man who walked a shaky line between likability and control. Somehow he managed; not because of classroom rules or rigid authoritarianism, but through his own charisma and passion for his subject.

Whether you liked history or hated it, you were bound to love how Mr. Holmstead told a story. He captured your attention and made history seem relevant and wondrous. The test questions were easier to remember because of the performance and the theatrics he tied to each fact. Those who thought history was boring were in for a big surprise.

"Maestro" 9x12 Pastel on Bristol

By noon, Mr. Holmstead already had a five o'clock shadow. By the end of the day, his tie had been loosened, his jacket hung on a chair and his sleeves were rolled up. We loved history because he loved history. His teaching was infectious.

And then there are the not-so-great teachers. I met one of them at a parent teacher conference. She was irritated by my energetic son. "He fidgets too much at his desk," I was told.

"And why does he fidget," I asked? Turns out my son finished his work before the other students and then he became a distraction. He even turned over his paper and doodled on the back (imagine that!) making his worksheet messy and dirty (the nerve).

By the time I finished listening, I knew there was nothing I could say or do to change this teacher's mind. I did suggest that she give my son another sheet of paper to doodle on while he waited, but she refused, saying that she didn't have time to cater to one student. Oh the "mind is a terrible thing to waste!" (Negro College Fund Slogan)

Here is the flip side to that story. In my son's sixth grade year, he had a teacher named Mrs. Bush. The children loved her, not because she was lenient or friendly, but because they knew what to expect from her. Her discipline was consistent; her style full of expectation and follow through.

My son was still the same wiggly, talkative child, but she used that enthusiasm to their mutual advantage. When he sat fidgeting after finishing his work, she showed him how to use the classroom camera. He took pictures of designated materials under her supervision. And wouldn't you know, the envious other children began to work harder to finish their work so that they could use the camera

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"An Open Book" 16x20 mixed media; Prints available

At one point, during their study of China, Mrs. Bush showed him a tiny picture of a Chinese dragon and challenged him to see what he could do with it. She gave him some brushes and paints and turned him loose on the classroom window. By the end of the day, he had completed a giant, colorful dragon; an exact replica of the original drawing.

That painting amazed not only me, but the entire school. Mrs. Bush saw a glimmer in my son and harnessed his active mind and body; a true modern-day miracle worker. Teachers like this never scream for recognition or pay, but they deserve it. They simply do what they do best: teach children. I say God bless them!

A Teacher’s Influence may Last Forever

Amaryllis in candy cane stripes
(original photo)

You may have read about my grandfather in my biography, but to know the man was to love him. He had more granddaughters than grandsons and he made each one of us feel important.

For decades, he was a sixth grade teacher who had an influence on the entire community and on the cities and towns wherever he taught. When he died, his funeral was crowded with former students and teachers who knew him well and remembered him fondly.

As our grandfather, he made us feel special, and we wanted to please him. He admired his granddaughter's shiny bouncy ringlets. We would quicken our steps when he was nearby so our curls would bob even harder.

Hibiscus Glory - oil on canvas

Grandpa helped us practice perfect posture by placing books on our heads as we walked to keep our spines straight and strong. Even now when I catch a glimpse of myself with shoulders slumped, grandpa whispers in my ear reminding me to pull my shoulders back and stand up straight.

His love of the dance made winter days indoors a fest of delight, at least for most of us. We learned “The Hokey Pokey,” the “Grand Right and Left” and any other music that not only stressed rhythm but self control and coordination. He helped prepare dance festivals for schools and churches that were performed on a nearby football field. “Peter Cotton Tail” was one I remember, and dancing the Maypole with hundreds of dancers and poles scattered across the field with a myriad of bright costumes and multi-colored streamers.

Blending In" -- Acrylic on canvas

Having a male teacher who enjoyed dancing kept the boys in line. Some of them even enjoyed the experience. When it came to biology, grandfather’s first love, the boys witnessed his tough side. He loved spiders and snakes and made them a part of our curriculum. We handled them, learned how vital they were to the ecosystem, and lost our fear as we got to know and understand them better.

Acrylic under painting -- work-in-progress

One Fall we gathered monarch caterpillars from the milkweed plants outside our school yard and placed them in glass canning jars. We fed them and watched each of them form a chrysalis. When Spring arrived, we observed their struggle to break out and dry off their fragile wet wings. Grandfather allowed the butterflies to flutter freely about our classroom, but most of them flew to the windows bouncing against the glass until they grew tired.

Finally, they settled on the window ledge letting us approach them if we wanted to and curiously crawling up our hands and arms with their tickly prickly feet. During recess, we fed them sugar water from jar lids. I’ll never forget the wonder of watching an orange and black butterfly sit on my palm and unroll its long proboscis to drink the life-giving water.

"Moody Blues" -- oil on canvas

When the time came for their release, we opened up the windows and our butterflies flew to freedom. We yearned to bring them back as they fluttered upward tinting the sky with orange. We would never be the same.