May 15, 2020 Mailing

Thoughts from the Free World

I'm thinking of you all. Bibbs, Chris, JT, Tron, Black, Kase, Dan, Carp, Earnest, Lampley, Jay, Alexander, Slim, Wayne--all of you. -Elise

The production put on for Theater of Conviction of In this corner, Cassius Clay was inspiring and moving to see the passion put into the performance and the art. -Anonymoous

You matter. You have something to contribute to our world. Hang on. You are not forgotten. – Jean R

We are all thinking of you. You have impacted so many of us at Otterbein by your willingness -- actually, your demands! -- to learn and grow. Thank you for the gift of your presence in our classes and for welcoming us to your performances. – Wendy

You are all in my thoughts and prayers. I came to know about you because my daughter, Claire came to your facility to learn memoir writing. Her love for you all is why I am writing. I’m not a writer, but I want you all to know that you are not forgotten- we love you and wish that we could get rid of this virus that has spread amongst you.. praying that you are ok. – Mary

Mental/Creative Challenges

For you, what does kindness look like now?

A window washer fell off a 100-foot ladder but didn’t get hurt. Why not? (answer at end)

If five chimpanzees can eat five bananas in five minutes, how many minutes will it take for four chimpanzees to eat four bananas? (answer at end)

Quotations to Think About Today

A river cuts through a rock not because of its power but because of its strength.

Beauty surrounds us, but usually we need to be walking in a garden to know it. --Rumi

Wisdom tells us we are not worthy; love tells us we are. My life flows between the two. –Rumi

Things are not always as they initially appear. Hindsight, maturity, time and space helps us see things in a new light.

“For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace

“Hope” is the thing with feathers – Emily Dickinson (1891)

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

Answers: He fell off the bottom rung; Five minutes