           Most days I do alright with my daughter, Elya, traveling throughout Southeast Asia. The panic resulting from not being able to pick up the phone and hear her voice somewhat kept at bay. But yesterday was quite a different story. I had not heard from her for days and the worry began to torment …
The Glass of Refreshment
           Going public through blogging is far more difficult than imagined. I have not posted for over a week and struggle to decide what to share. I rationalize that life goes into closets at times, when one seeks retreating from public viewing. Like the intermittent pooling of a rushing mountain stream, I draw away from …
Filling Big Shoes
          When my two children were young, they used to shuffle around the floor in their father's shoes. Shuffle being the appropriate word for the only forward movement made was by sliding slowly in short jerky motions. Lifting up their tiny feet and trying to step resulted in coming right out of those big shoes. …
Ethos
Ethos There are moments in a mother's life when you see your child's past, present, and future flash before your eyes. Recently, this happened to me when I saw the following article about my daughter, Elya, on the front page of the UCLA International Institute webpage. Senior Writer Kevin Matthew astutely captured the essence of …
Balloons and Balance
Lately I have been thinking about how to maintain a balanced life; holding the balloon strings of whom and what I love carefully threaded through only ten fingers. Deciding which to add, which to grasp tightly, and which to let go. Some even lift me up and carry me when I cannot walk any longer. …
Dinner Anyone?
Elya's Cambodian Adventure  I thought this excerpt from my daughter Elya's email would be interesting to pass on to those following the story. Her reflections of Battambang, Cambodia are priceless and take away my self-pity resulting from having her so far away. After reading the email, I went to teach those "spoiled American students." What …
What more could any mother want?
What more could any mother want? Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Yesterday afternoon around 4:00 pm the phone call finally came: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Mom, can your hear me? Can you hear me? Can you hear me?" Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Skype calls from long distances tend to echo. The call was broken and scratchy but I was able to extract all of …
Itchy, Traveler’s Feet
Itchy, Traveler's Feet  October 6, 2009  Yesterday was a hard day. I was sick from a relapse with flu-like symptoms returning and churning into a chest cold. I should have taken the day off but I had not organized for a substitute teacher. On the way to school I was lamenting my daughter, …
The Monday Morning Blues
The Monday Morning Blues             I always seem to have the "Monday Morning Blues!" My glorious weekend passes by far too quickly; come and gone before I fully enjoy the anticipated freedom. Monday morning rolls around again. So as I write and lament, I wonder what makes this morning so difficult for me to …
JoDee Luna Art 