COFFEEHOUSE CHATTER ~ RAY AND PETER

A series of essays.....

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

From time to time, our neighborhood friends meet at the corner coffeehouse to relax, sip their favorite brew or concoction, and warm-up their hands and hearts...together!

Some might think of their meeting as a 'cleansing' or 'purification of the soul.' Even though they may share similar backgrounds and values, their ideas and opinions are as diverse and variable as the weather outside of the little shop.

Let's grab a cup of our own, take a comfortable seat, sit back and listen to what today's chapter of 'Coffeehouse Chatter' has to offer....

IRELAND ~ ATLANTIC COAST

RAY AND PETER.....



RAY: Will you take a look at those three over there in the far corner.....just chatting away non-stop forever now!

PETER: I know. I see those gals here often and they never seem to lack the ability to communicate, that's for sure. I think it's kind of cute, though.

RAY: Cute? Can we guys say 'cute' and get away with it? (Huge smile on his face.)

PETER: Yep! Times are definitely changing, Ray, and we have to change along with them or be left behind. Even if it's calling something 'cute' in public. I mean, just look at us. We're sitting here in a coffeehouse on St. Patrick's Day sipping, well.....coffee!

RAY: Point taken. Years ago we'd be in the local Irish Pub by this time of the day, sipping another pint O'Guinness and not thinking about much else. But, that was long ago now and I'm not saying that didn't mess me up a bit, anyway. I always figured if my folk back in the homeland didn't think twice about it, I could get away with it, too!

PETER: Not so much. At least, not if you wanted to stay happy by keeping family and friends around you and not alienate their affections like someone else we know about. I still have a difficult time thinking about Sean these days. (Look of deep sadness on his face.) It just isn't worth it.

RAY: When was the last time you heard from Sean? I heard that after he lost his job everything hit the fan full force.

PETER: It did! Guess his Irish temper set in and there really wasn't much anyone could do for him after that. Well, that coupled with the drink. Afterwards, Margie said he was only bringing pain into her life, as well as for their three kids...and, he left the house. Last I heard he was in a small apartment and cleaning offices at night. That was over six months ago, already.

RAY: It's our stubborn pride you know!

PETER: Our pride?

RAY: You. Me. Guys in general. We're brought up to be so macho that when the first thing doesn't go our way.....we sort of run to our 'crutch' of choice. Look where it got Sean and it would have taken me, too, if you hadn't verbally cuffed me in the head a few times. I have always appreciated your intervention, Man.

PETER: Yeah. I think your Mary and the kids are much happier now that you've 'seen the light,' so to speak, you old goat! Don't think I don't know what a struggle it was for you, too. I was just glad to be there when you needed a major reality check, my friend.

RAY: Like I said, that was a long time ago.... (Reflectively staring into space.)

PETER: I wish someone could have been there for Sean....

(Both men sit quietly for a minute or so.)

RAY: And life has been darn good for some time now. By the way, you're still coming over to the house after work for dinner, right? You know Mary has this habit of making sure our bachelor friends are fed well....especially on major holidays. You have to be the first to admit her Shepherd's Pie is award winning.

PETER: It's her bread pudding with bourbon sauce that tops everything off for me. She's making it for tonight, isn't she?

RAY: (Head nodding affirmatively.)

PETER: Of course I'll be there. Wouldn't miss it for the world. Are Jan and Michael going to be there, too?

RAY: With all of their kids. You know my Mary......if she can't feed a minimum of ten or twelve people at a time, she just isn't happy! Always told her she should have opened her own restaurant or catering place. She loves cooking so much.

PETER: But then the world would have been deprived of a talented writer. No, I like it better this way. It's like having the best of both worlds.

RAY: Look...one of our 'ladies of the corner table' is getting up for refills. She's enjoying her early morning with a cute hop to her step, I think. Another half a mugful? What do you say, Peter?

PETER: I say that the times are certainly changing for the better today! A fabulous meal with good friends to look forward to, more delicious coffee, and......you just said the word 'cute' and never flinched one bit! Happy St. Patrick's Day, Ray!!!

RAY: (Smiles) Happy St. Patrick's Day, Peter.....





Happy St. Patrick's Day To All.........


Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

DINOSAUR MENTALITY

A series of essays.....

SYMBOL OF THE RICH AND POWERFUL
IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, FLORIDA

.....as seen through my eyes!




 By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


You sit upon your pristine perch like the giant creatures that once roamed the earth, all snug and confident within your lofty position, brave in numbers, ready to conquer the world. Personality bold, often brazen and proud, like the brass ornaments of a pawnbroker designating minuscule loans while procuring intimate pieces of mortal souls, you represent monetary success and unabashedly savor the desperation of your clientele. "Two to one, you won't get your possessions back," cries the 'money man' as he carefully buffs his new addition preparing it for the glass display case where symbols of human despair stand at attention like trophies on a wooden shelf.

Like tyrannical bullies, you are the captor of innocent souls that cling to you in utter fear and total fascination, small armies of puppets, their strings being manipulated by your power and fame; a misguided group believing to be safer with you rather than against you. All the while you interrogate your opposition by means of 'Pride-and-ego down' techniques employing the attack of self-image based upon a real or imagined deficiency voiced about them. Even skilled bullies can cross the line with this approach entering into the world of humiliation and degradation. But then again.....this may be your goal all along! Thick skinned and ego driven, you embrace these tactics with all the gusto of a soulless fool.

Brash, bold, and diverse like the group of once great creatures that walked heavily upon this earth displaying horns or crests upon their heads like anointed crowns of Kings and Emperors, your attempt at unification is merely a smokescreen created to conceal the true purpose of your regime. Power. You are hungry for it. What major tantrum might you throw if denied it? We shall have to wait and see.

Even the mighty dinosaur had its Achilles' heel; the soft underbelly proved a weakness that may not seem important but was actually mortal. All living beings are subject to weakness and vulnerability and, you are no exception. Be especially careful while adjusting that gold and 'precious stone' encrusted crown atop your golden head for this may expose your weaknesses for all to see. Vanity, or ostentation occasioned by ambition and pride, may serve as your deficit as you sit upon your ignoble throne high above the lowly creatures who have been deceived into believing that by pledging their loyalty to you, they will receive the benefits of an unbound and worthy life.

I only ask that common sense, kindness, love, and respect for one another guide us through these next few months as we struggle through the negativity we now witness on a daily basis. The prospect of a more wholesome future is the one redeeming feature of all this sordid pain and misery.

May the power of goodwill reign down upon all of us by rendering the spirit of the times and the needs of this nation to take precedence over any other consideration. Especially over those of a blind and misguided soul whose lineage of ruthless hate-mongering, through the grace of good overtaking evil and with hope in our hearts, will soon become extinct.


Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN......

A series of essays.....

CLASSIC STYLES REMAIN POPULAR
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Fashion and trends are repeated and revived all of the time and we bear witness to this fact every day, in one way or another.

In my closet resides a classic wool suit that my beautiful Aunt Lou modeled for a prominent South Bend, Indiana woman's boutique, Frances Shop, back in the early Nineteen-sixties. This stunning, tailored suit is as beautiful today as the memories of Aunt Lou are in my heart.

Finally, our 'disposable' society is beginning to wake-up! Reduce - Reuse - Recycle are powerful words that are reaching out to so many of us today. And, without getting all "Green" or "Planet Earth" on you......yet, I'm so impressed that they have! The nice part is that the process is becoming 'second nature' to most of us.

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. Let's take the prefix re- for example, which means 'back' or 'again and again,' and apply it to our every day lifestyle, beginning with the three re- words mentioned above.

By reducing our direct and indirect energy usage, we end up reducing the carbon footprint of our life. Carbon footprint equates to the actual amount of carbon, or CO2, that is required by each one of us in the process of creating the energy we use, to the goods and services we buy and use. Buy your goods locally, if possible and, always remember that Mom was right. Don't waste food. Garbage in our landfills produces methane. If we pay attention to our consumption and waste habits, we can find many opportunities to conserve.

A growing percentage of us reuse our paper, plastic or 'tote' bags to bring groceries home from the store. This, in itself, is a huge step towards recycling. Separating paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass and placing them in designated bins to be picked-up each week is the first step to processing used materials into new, useful products. This helps us reduce the use of raw materials that would have been used, uses less energy, and is a great way of controlling air, water and land pollution.

Why, like so many other great ideas, has it taken so long for recycling our waste products to take effect?

Closed mindedness, red tape, laziness, and money (who's going to pay for it?) are reasons that come to mind.

Continuing the theme that 'everything old is new again,' I take you back to 1968 when Stewart Brand launched an innovative publication called The Whole Earth Catalog. This catalog was groundbreaking, enlightening and a large part of the '60's counterculture that defined rugged individualism and back-to-the-land movements before personal computers and desk-top publishing. 

An Open Culture publication describes the Catalog as essentially, "a paper-based database offering thousands of hacks, tips, tools, suggestions, and possibilities for optimizing your life." 

Founder Stewart Brand, in his 1968 CATALOG article, "We are as gods" said, "At a time when the New Left was calling for grass-roots political  power, Whole Earth eschewed politics and pushed grassroots direct power—tools and skills." It pushed science, intellectual endeavor, and new technology as well as old. As a result, when the most empowering tool of the century came along—personal computers, Whole Earth was in the thick of the development from the beginning.

According to Open Culture, Steve Jobs, while speaking to Stanford graduates in 2005, described it as one of the 'Bibles' of his generation, made with typewriters, scissors, and Polaroid cameras, it was sort of like Google in paperback form. It was idealistic and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

On the back cover of the final regular issue in 1972 (It was published intermittently after '72) was a photograph of an early morning country road, one you might hitchhike down or walk along as you watch the sunrise. Above the picture were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." Pointing this out, Steve Jobs concluded his speech to the Stanford class by saying, "It was their (Whole Earth) farewell message as they signed off. I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you begin anew, I wish that for you."

These are powerful words, "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." Intense sentiments coupled with a philosophy of life that many of my generation believe has allowed us to remain free-thinkers with young ideas for so many years.

As a writer and avid social media fan, I am happy to be a part of several Public Groups on Facebook that embrace modern storytelling while pulling up and utilizing as much historical information as possible. They include Passages to the Past - Historical Fiction and Historical Novel Society. Each serve as forums for the discussion of historical fiction, history and writing, reading, and publishing historical fiction. Many published, non-published, and totally amazing writers comprise these groups and offer understanding and sage advice to fellow writers and lovers of historical fiction. Another way of merging the past with present day!

However, my favorite re- word happens to be....repurpose. For me, this is an art form that tugs and pulls at my heart because it deftly defines the phrase, 'Everything Old Is New Again.'

Being a true 'Romanticist,' I proudly display my Grandmother's apple cookie jar in my own kitchen. This is the same jar that my brothers and I, along with each of our cousins, would delightfully dip into just after giving Grandma a huge hug and a kiss! Always freshly baked, we all knew her cookies were lovingly placed in that jar for our immediate consumption.

My enjoyable obsession with the 'old' began with the refurbishing of a camel-back steamer trunk when I was in high school and led to acquiring several different antique pieces for our Victorian home located in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. I discovered life within the various grains of wood comprising each piece and marveled at the craftsmanship defined by the hands and hearts of their creators.

Recently, while renovating our Master Bath and kitchen, Dan and I made every concession we could to repurpose items we already owned. We not only saved money in doing so, but the excessive amount of pride we experience upon entering each room feels so good and taps directly into my sentimental mindset.

A masterfully constructed Lane dresser and mirror set serve as the main components of our new Master Bath. With a hat of colorful granite and glass, and displaying shiny chrome buttons of bling, this soldier stands at attention beneath the same mirror that has reflected its beauty and service to others for so many years.

LANE DRESSER WITH MIRROR AND
  PAINTED DRESSER WITH ADDED SHELVING

Not wanting to dispose of the dresser that we had purchased to use as the changing table and storage for our newborn daughter many years ago, I washed it down in a sea of white paint while Dan helped it to stand proud and tall atop handmade shelving. We inserted baskets onto the shelves to create a convenient storage space. Perfect!

Reconfiguring and refinishing our old kitchen cabinets adds two more re- words into the mix and saved us money while greatly reducing our carbon footprint at the same time. Creativity, imagination, and good taste are certainly the keys to the art of repurposing. The cool part is that anyone can do it.

Here are other re- words worth incorporating into our lives that may help us reconsider our past and place the new world of waste and depletion into proper perspective: Rediscover - Review - Redo - Reinvent - Revisit.

Reclaim: To restore and bring ourselves back to a right or proper course. Understanding this word promotes the due diligence required to bring back a more positive and wholesome way of life. Our future absolutely depends on it.




Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

LIFE DOES GO ON

A series of essays.....

SUN RISING OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ALONG THE FLORIDA COAST

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on."
                                                                                                   ~Robert Frost

CITYSCAPE

Just when you think the sun will never rise again from the depths of a shimmering ocean horizon, the shadowy tree line surrounding a meadow of purple wildflowers, or a cement skyline while standing in the center of a towering cityscape.....it miraculously does. You ask yourself.....why?

Undoubtedly, it is the most difficult situation we humans will ever find ourselves experiencing. In the written words of Mr. Jim Harrison, in his novel The River Swimmer, the answer may be as simple as, "Humans are ill-prepared for the miraculous." Following heartbreak, "It's too much of a jolt and the human soul is not spacious enough to deal with it."

When deep despair shatters your world with its unjust cruelty, you feel that Hope has abandoned your life forever and the darkness that surrounds you is as complete and cold as a moonless Winter's night. The heaviness upon the heart is matched by the colossal weight of the tragedy or adversity that pushes down from above and offers to take your breath away.......releasing you from the horrors of life itself.

Release me now for what good is life if each breath I take creates more pain now that I know what pain is all about? You will ask yourself this over and over again. Day and night.

We take time-out from constant memory and pray that we can forget, even for a little while, and nap to rest our brain, our souls, for the moment. I pray you dream of peace and forgiveness. Eventually, they must come. However, tonight nightmares enfold you with reminders of hate and fear. This process is continuous and, seemingly, never ending.

You awaken perspiring yet chilled to the bone with no apparent recourse in sight. Do you remember that your own story is certainly not eternal as is the earth and any creature, human or otherwise? It is difficult for you to accept anything as it is presented to you. You understand that you must question the nature of everything as you know you must pull yourself back into the light and emerge from the darkness.

As an individual it is difficult to proceed and the general cruelty of life is too often overwhelming. Within a community you take solace in the strength of those around you. Those who often share the same fears but shed the burden of hate by coming together, holding hands, lighting candles, and by shear numbers alone know that the productiveness of life is miraculous, a gift granted to all who believe in life and all of its many miracles....

There are absolutely no excuses when it comes to taking an innocent life through a violent action whether it be in peacetime or war, through outright feelings of hatred or clinical depression, mild through severe, that requires immediate intervention. The possibility of stopping people from doing what they do to each other seems out of the question. We do not exist in a bubble, after all.

If we become a witness to your grief and our brains seem a little bruised by everything that has transpired and it becomes a burden of emotions, take our hand and walk us through your pain. I warn you....even a bystander should not suffer all alone. It will not go well. We are in this thing called life together and together we will make it through to the end.

And one day, as they lay you down to rest, others will see the urgency in getting on with their own lives. This desperation of mortality is always present when someone we know passes on.

"Life goes on. So, appreciate what you got. Life will hit you when you're not prepared. And one day, when you're gone.......Life will still go on."

                                                ~From the 1977 album entitled Sleepwalker by The Kinks.


This story is dedicated to the Beautiful People of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the surrounding area who have recently suffered the tragic and unconscionable loss of members of its community. I want you to know that we are holding your hands through the questions and the pain. JEH


Tomorrow is another day....

Kalamazoo Strong!


   
Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

A TRIBUTE TO HARPER LEE

A series of essays.....

NELLE HARPER LEE: THEN AND NOW

.....as seen through my eyes!




By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


This is my personal tribute to "Little Nelle," Harper Lee, author of the timeless novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as her recently published prequel, Go Set a Watchman. This story was originally published a little over a year ago on February 12, 2015. Sadly, this acclaimed author, Pulitzer Prize winner who pushed her way into a 'Man's World' and won, passed away today, February 19, 2016, at the age of eighty-nine.



February 12, 2015
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Little insights and stories that have caught my attention over the past week.  Sharing some of them with you during this Valentine's week of celebration.....with Love.   JEH

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



What an amazing name Harper is.  I read once that her first name is Nelle.  Nelle Harper Lee.  Always wondered why she published under her middle name of Harper.  Not really such a surprise given the fact that Nelle is such a feminine, nostalgic and 'girlie' name.  I surmise that to sell this book back in 1960, a book filled with such poignant prejudice and striking inequities, Harper was dealing with some prejudices of her own. 

A female and first time author, Nelle probably did pretty much what she had been told to do by her editor even if it included changing her main character, Scout, from a woman returning home after many years into a young girl coming-of-age in the South. 

Nelle listened, but at what price?  And, I'm not too sure, having read her biography and taken-in some of her references towards naïveté and being an outcast as a child due to an extremely 'Tomboyish' personality, that these factors didn't project her as a hardworking young female pushing the parameters of a 'Man's World.' 

Did it break her?  Had she had enough with the publication of her one book?  No matter how many accolades they bestowed upon her, including a Pulitzer Prize and making her novel into a movie in 1962, soon to become a classic in its own right, did she say the sacrifice really wasn't worth it anymore and moved-on with her life? 

I will be lining-up to buy and read her prequel, as I refer to it instead, Go Set a Watchman, because it had been written before her editor intervened!  Of course, it will be expected and natural even to contrast and compare it with To Kill a Mockingbird.  I hope Nelle is braced and ready for the bumpy ride!


Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

COFFEEHOUSE CHATTER ~ MANDY, LESLIE, AND JOAN

 A series of essays.....

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

From time to time, our neighborhood gals meet at the corner coffeehouse to relax, sip their favorite brew or concoction, and warm-up their hands and hearts...together!

Some might think of their meeting as a 'cleansing' or 'purification of the soul.' Even though they may share similar backgrounds and values, their ideas and opinions can be as diverse and variable as the weather outside of the little shop.

Let's grab a cup of our own, take a comfortable seat, sit back and listen to what today's chapter of 'Coffeehouse Chatter' has to offer....

MANDY, LESLIE AND JOAN.....


Inside a neighborhood coffeehouse, three friends meet as often as possible and discuss life in all of its wonderful shapes, colors, and textures. 

Mandy: Ah! Will you just take a look at her boots! No woman that 'chunky' and over thirty should wear boots that tight or high up the leg. It reminds me of an erupting volcano I made for a science fair project long ago.

Leslie: Oh, stop that! Since when have you become the 'fashion police?'

Mandy: Since seeing that lady in those damn boots!!!

Leslie: Well, as usual, Joan is flying on her own time this morning. I hope she's okay. Walking the eight blocks here in this weather always worries me a bit.

Mandy: She's a big girl. Say, there she is now. (Waving) And look, sensible boots on her, too. Not like....

Leslie: Don't go there, girl.

(Several minutes later.....)

Joan: Good Morning, Ladies. Love our dear barista. He always knows what I want and practically has it ready for me when he sees me walk through the door.

Mandy: Doesn't hurt that he's cute, young and totally ripped, either!

J & L: Bonus! (In unison)

Leslie: Has anyone else felt a bit 'foggy' lately? You know, kind of 'out of it' and disillusioned a bit?

Mandy: Hell, yes! Can't stand living through any Presidential election.....especially this one. So much hatred, blatant lies, and character ripping. And then, there's the Republican side!!

Joan: You'd think we would have gotten used to all of this over the past years, wouldn't you? But, no.... Dragging others down as low as possible seems to be the norm.

Leslie: Exactly! It's never about what they can really do to help make lives more prosperous and stable. That's the 'funk' I've been in lately. It seems we're so inundated by hatred through television and social media that I just want to crawl into the fetal position and sleep until mid-November!

Joan: Sometimes I feel that discombobulated and strange, too. Like when I try to button a blouse after wearing Fred's large, comfy shirts all week long. Could never understand why the buttons and buttonholes are switched for men and women.

Mandy: Because, even though we don't like to admit it, men and women differ on so many counts. We're all human....yet, his buttons are on the right and ours are on the left. Hey, no political inflection there at all!!

Leslie:  In the name of principles, Mandy, and contrary to your belief, there are many women who favor the conservative right and cherish the Christian attitudes it tends to embrace and....

Mandy: ....unabashedly inflict these ideas upon everyone else! Say, what ever happened to the 'Separation of Church and State,' anyway? (Staring intently at Joan) You have a little bit of froth attached to the left side of your mouth, Love.

Joan: Thanks.... Thomas Jefferson declared that the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect a wall of separation between church and state. However, the Supreme Court hasn't always interpreted the constitutional principle as absolute. It remains an ongoing subject of impassioned debate, I'm afraid.

Leslie: I see why your students are so fortunate to have you as their teacher, Joan. But, doesn't it always seem that our Constitution is based upon such generous interpretation? Founded on ideals that can swing one way or the other?

Mandy: Oh, and they do these days! Well, I mean this in a good, healthy sense, of course. Don't look at me like that, ladies. And when you say 'erect a wall,' doesn't that play right into crazy Donald Trump territory?

Joan: All points taken, Mandy.

Mandy: Indeed. Anyone for a warm, flaky croissant with our coffee? I'm buying. Good. I'll be back in a wink.

Leslie: Got to love that woman! She has a knack for saying things most of us only think about.

Joan: It would be refreshing to always be so open and honest. Wish I could be more like that, truth be told.

Leslie: I don't think the three of us hold too much back from one another. At least, not here, anyway. Besides, just being able to talk about all of this has helped me, considerably. Typing to the 'world' on Facebook isn't quite the same as close, personal contact. Especially when laced with affection and the acute necessity for coffee!!

Joan: I understand completely, Leslie. Maybe caffeine is a truth serum and these small, coffee retreats were established to bring out the secrets we all hold inside and they are backed by the government with the information compiled and stored for future reference?!?

Leslie: Um, that would be a 'Mandyism.' You clearly seem to be breaking out of your funk. Now all we have to do is look for the hidden camera and microphone. Paranoia has reared its ugly head.

Joan: After 2008....paranoia, defeatism, disillusionment, label that time period what you will, has become the norm rather than the exception among the so-called Middle and Lower classes. Sad, but true. The ramifications of a depression of any magnitude will assist in creating waves of disappointment for many years afterwards forming an unstable and negative environment.

Leslie: Wow! You have officially lost your 'Upper' status for me this morning, Lady! But, I know what you're saying.....and, fact is fact. We'd all like to revert to the days of hopscotch and playing jacks on the sidewalk with our friends. But, I'd like to think that we could retain that feeling for our children and grandchildren for as long as possible.

Joan: Speaking of children..... Ah! Let me help you with that, Mandy.

Mandy: Girls!! Sorry it took so long. But, you remember our little discussion about 'ribbed abs' and so forth? Well, I've just discovered 'buff pecs' and 'tight buns,' as well! And, his name is Collin. He just began working here yesterday. Something nice to look forward to. Am I right?

Leslie: Absolutely! (Wink) Please don't touch the croissants for a second. I must take a picture for my Foodie Blog Post. (Click) Thank you. These look incredibly delicious.

Joan: Unfortunately, now our coffees are running low. I. Need. More. Coffee! (Standing up) The same all around I believe.....

Mandy: .....I'll go! Just sit tight, Joan. I'm sure Collin and I can handle this together! (Smiling all the way to the counter.)

Until next time.....with more, Coffeehouse Chatter.


Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

"LOVE IS JUST LOVE, IT CAN NEVER BE EXPLAINED"

A series of essays.....

~~~~HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO HUMANKIND~~~~

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Should Love have to be explained?

Is it possible to treat Love as a color? Create its texture, temperature, and appeal to share with someone who may not be able to see the color for themselves yet desires knowing what it might look like if they could? To descriptively open up our souls to the suggestion of shimmering silvers, wet and sharp as lake water beginning to freeze over, or the chill of a 'Winter Blue' kind of day, or the softness of pale yellow as it wraps us in its warmth during a sun-filled, afternoon walk.

If Love were a color....what would it be? Red, blue, yellow, blushing pink, or as white as freshly fallen snow?

Love might be the fluid crimson of a perfect rose, generously given and delightfully received throughout the ages as a symbol of affection and beauty. Gifts between lovers in celebration of their commitment to and desire for one another. With compassion and Love we mark a wedding anniversary, filial affection displayed as gratitude for a Mother's Love, and the generous offering of a spray of roses at the passing of a Loved one that symbolizes the honor and reverence we hold in our hearts for their time shared with us here on earth.

Love is a feeling deep inside each of us. It is up to us to tap into its source and allow it to flow freely.

Love can be as strong as the wind, rushing out in palpable waves that surround its recipient in hot, white sheets of passion. It can be as light as the breeze of a summer's evening sending silent chills throughout our being; shivers of delight and promise. Love is the excitement of finally traveling to see a foreign landscape. No longer a perceptible thought or desire, but a living, breathing, observable expanse of scenery waiting to be explored and better understood. Love is inhaling the scent of a new puppy or kitten. Love is the unadulterated joy felt when holding your grandchild in your arms for the first time. It is the recognition of our own existence passed forward into this small, precious gift of life!

Tapping into the well of Love allows us to see the world within a broad spectrum of capabilities and raw emotions.

Shall we soar high above the earth like a great bird held aloft by the rising currents of warm air, floating along to our heart's content? Looking down below us, we take immense pleasure in the natural beauty our world offers....God's eye candy for the soul! Sadly, this vantage point would also reveal the travesty of humankind witnessed by our innate capacity to destroy, hate, and kill! From a child's cry of hunger and pain, to bombs bursting in air....what will it take to shift our priorities and allow each one of us to live in peace on this amazing planet? The answer would be, Love.

Love is strong. Love is powerful. Love is soft and kind. Love is the medium by which we cultivate, sow and harvest the joy within us and spread its essence around for others to administer as a tonic to heal humankind.

I am convinced that one day Love will succeed. It will turn haters and doubters into believers. When that blissful day arrives, we will no longer have the need to ask for a definition of, or an explanation for Love. It will become the 'natural' every day experience that directs us in complete harmony and peace. It will become the standard of behavior that is required, desired, and designated as normal.

"What is Love?" you query. "Love is just Love, it can never be explained........because it doesn't have to be. It is as natural as life itself."    



Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved


With Love in your heart, spend Valentine's Day with those you hold near and dear.