You deserve credit

To all my blogging friends out there, I want you to know what an inspiration you’ve been to me while I’ve been recuperating from surgery for the past several months. Forced to be patient while my body recovered, I was restricted to reading a few books, watching TV and having a few massages thrown in for good measure, to help me through the healing process.

The only options left were a stroll once a day (and make that outdoors please, not on a treadmill as per my doctor’s orders) between heavy doses of pain medication. Thank goodness for escape provided by HBO On Demand and Hoopla via my local library service. When a desperate wave of nostalgia kicked in, I reacted by seeking out titles I had long forgotten, such as “Three Coins in a Fountain” “Casablanca”and that good old Frank Sinatra classic, “The Man with the Golden Arm.” In the early days of my recovery, I indulged in some romance titles like Debbie Macomber’s, “Inn at Rose Harbor,” Harper Lee’s “Go Set A Watchman”, as well as an older mystery by Stuart Woods, “Dark Harbor.” Stuart Woods writing is entertaining and light, and a quick read. Since his mysteries are centered in Florida, I find them very relatable. Eventually, I was able to concentrate for longer periods and could graduate to more serious titles like “Night” by Elie Wiesel, and “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander. The latter deals with some serious questions concerning the topic of mass incarceration, and what we need to do to avoid it in the first place. Not to be forgotten was “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi & Abraham Verghese – a very touching memoir and bio. “River of Doubt- Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey” by Candice Millard was a suspenseful account of one of Roosevelt’s sojourns, which almost cost him his life. There are other titles that I devoured, but I’ve chosen these as I consider them the more memorable and worthy of recommendation.

I knew I was fully functional when I was able to drive to the movies and see “La La Land” & “Moonlight,” on the large screen. Both nominated for Academy Awards and well done artistically. I’ve also returned to attending the Author’s Workshops I enjoy so much and will share some interesting reviews in another post.

While I missed participating with my blogging community immensely, it was always a joy to be able to read the varied and creative content that you posted during that time. When all I could do was lay in bed and read, you reminded me that I could still dream and experience faraway places and a broad range of ideas, without having to be there physically. Thanks, and please keep writing. You never know what a difference your perspective is making in someone else’s life. Especially you masterfuly lyrical poets!

Published by elivingnews

My interest in art is multi-cultural, reflecting my background in Caribbean, French Creole, African and European art. Since I was born in a developing country and now live in the U.S.A, I am aware of the xenophobia that exists in the U.S, as well as the lack of understanding for immigrant values. Appreciation of the art and music of Latinos, Afro-Caribbeans, French Creole and European art informs who I am, since my ancestry is a mix of several cultures. Fitness is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and nature an integral element of our health and diet. Sea-level rise is important to the discourse of climate change. This is not a concept dreamed up by scientists. Refusal to accept its premise will destroy our planet and our very existence. It is a scientific fact and we can see proof all around us. The change in weather most specifically. I live on the Intracoastal in Florida and see evidence of gradual beach erosion every day. Fish now come ashore in heavy downpours of rain in Miami. My goal is to expand on the awareness of what is being done locally to address issues that threaten our environment for our kids and grandkids in the future. I believe that there is a symbiotic relationship between ourselves and nature and I will strive to protect our environment each day for as long as I can. Additionally, I have always been an advocate for the mentally ill, having served on the Board of the Essex County Mental Health Association in NJ. I consider Voter Rights an important responsibility of every citizen and have spent many years promoting Voter Education with the League of Women Voters. View more posts