State of the Planet

This poem was a very detailed by imagery of words; as well as, ardor and revulsion filled. The title "State of the Planet" illustrated what this poem was about, where the planet is and more about the sad fact of where it is and headed due to the fact that the human race is unable to take care of it because lack of care and/or understanding of it's beauty or simply that they are in denial and think that ignoring the problem will make it go away.

The beginning of the poem began to paint the picture of earth being angry and/or agitated with the girl in October, with the 'rain lashing the windshield'. Painting an image of a schoolgirl, that when you think of a schoolgirl you think innocence and nothing could happen to her, but her hair is flying everywhere. Her red backpack getting wet. This is strong imagery which I can interpret as the Earth lashing out unto humanity for the way humanity has treated Earth. In way God lashing out on us. Which is without respect and dignity, according the author. At least that is what I understood. The book "getting to know the planet", which the schoolgirl is holding paints a picture of how we humans need a book to tell us about the planet we live because of our 'hunger that is metaphorical'. Just like the spilled milk that was 'accidentally spilled' but she was not really hungry.. hmm. That shows how we claim that we care about the planet, but when the omissions that are given off by our vehicles go into the air are not 'intentional' yet we still do it.

I can tie this into our walk with God at times. He gives us the natural resources and beauty of his life and yet with our hands we can either build it up or destroy it.  That's a lot of power. Yet, God always shows us that He is in control by natural disasters. Just look at the devastation that just occurred in Japan. Wow, so horrific my brain can not even comprehend the impact! The poem would say Earth is lashing out, but I would say God is lashing out. God is so powerful that often we take that for granted, me included.

Back to the poem, I could see how this poem talked about the evolution of Earth and how it all started so beautiful that we right now can not image the beauty of it. That we take the resources from the planet and use it for our own pleasure. For example, "we have fashioned sexy little earrings from the feathers, highlighted our cheekbones by rubbings from the rock." This demonstrated me quite an image with the word 'sexy', usually when you think something sexy I think lingerie or something else. The author really wants to show the selfishness in humans hearts of taking what this planet has provided for our own desires. I think it was a bit too much, but it definitely got his point across.

Some parts of the poem that got me a bit confused was the vocabulary. However, google was a great source and I looked up the words that brought more meaning and understanding to 'State of the Planet'. Such words included:

Idioms: A use of words peculiar to a particular language.
Ardor: Intense feeling of passion, love, or strong eagerness
Revulsion: Strong feeling of violent disgust
Raucous: Unpleasantly loud and harsh. Distributing public peace, loud and rough.

These words portrayed a more vivd picture of the authors point of view. I liked how biology of cells was inputted into the poem, being a science major. It's true how amazing and a 'miracle' of how cells divide and replicate and how DNA ends up making up who we are. "The curled musical ladder of sugars, acids." That is my favorite line in the poem. This to me, gives a closer look to Gods glory and amazing works!

The ending talking about death and how eventually everything will die, "We know we're going to die, to be submitted to that tingling dance of atoms once again, it's easy to feel our lives are a dream." Wow such beautiful language.. 'tingling dance of atoms'... this shows beauty in the ashes,

There is so much interpretation you can receive from this poem, such wonderful use of words that are short and to the point that pierce the meaning right to the core.

Lecture by Laura Runge

I was a bit apprehensive of attending the lecture Friday evening. However, I figured that it could not hurt to attend and since my evening was pretty much free, I went.

I enjoyed the lecture. The images that were presented were breath taking and the imagery by the language when read painted a fuller picture of the story being presented. I loved how she incorporated in her son in the adventure/project. It definitely dose take time and devotion to work one something for a whole year. This illustrates, to me, our christian walk at times. There are moments when we are too weak and to weary to go through with an action or read the Bible, but when we work hard and pull through we get amazing results. Even when it comes to studying and working hard, it usually pays off in the long run.

The little humor that Laura Runge inputted into her literature was cute and entertaining. She really had a passion for the work that she presented on nature and I could see that through her images and her reading. It was interesting to listen to her talk about how it is vital to localize literature so that we do not slip into making it a universal statement, but more of being aware of our surroundings. Throughout the lecture I was able to see that she wanted her readings/listeners to become more aware of where they are at. To understand a little bit more about their 'hometown'. In order to have a deeper appreciation of life. For life is short and one day we all will die. I liked how she presented her personal statements within the lecture and talked about life and death. For there is a time for everything, a time to be born, and a time to die. I think with that awareness we can have a deeper and/or more meaningful time in this life.

I loved how she put in family, love, and death all in one and tied it in with nature. That was refreshing and very real to hear and visualize.

Overall, this lecture gave me a different insight of Florida, being from NY. The area looks beautiful and breath taking and maybe one of these days I would love to go and explore the places the Laura Runge discussed within her lecture. For the parks look amazing and to actually be there would be an experience I could only attain for myself, not just through pictures or readings.

Reflection on the AFI trip

The field trip definitely provided me a bit of a different insight of what I expected. I was just expecting to go through the motions. However, deep inside I knew that the people at AFI would leave a bit of an imprint in my life. And they did. Their spirit and energy of life was contagious. The way the people who were there smiled and just wanted to engage in conversation. How they made you feel welcomed and appreciated that we were there made the biggest difference for me in a personal level.  They showed so much love and appreciation, that you can not help but smile and laugh with them. Granted the people we interacted were on considered in a higher level, but they still made an impact on me. In some small way they showed me abandon love.

Rereading the 30 pages of "The Boys Next Door", did give a better insight for attending the field trip. It gave me a perspective that disabled are a bit different then us, but they are human that have real feelings and hopes and dreams just as the rest of us. Just because they are in a different level on intelligence dose not make them any different. For example the relationship between Norman and Sheila reminded me of a relationship I witnessed at the AFI. There was this lady named Amber, and she was quite but picked up swiftly on things that we said (with Alyssa), and there a gentlemen who walked around to our table, can not remember his name, and was like this is my girlfriend Amber, and he had the biggest grin on his face... and Amber smiled with the biggest grin as well.  This was so precious to see people who just care about one another and not looking at anything else but to have someone who cares for them, someone who is there for them no matter what. Just like in the play when Norman accidentally sits on the flowers that Sheila brings him, and how she does not make a big deal of it but is just happy to be in the presence of Norman. The people just wanted to be accepted and be part of society.

It was interesting to witness that people with spinal bifida were there as well. Taking embryology and learning about what spinal bifida is and how people are infected illustrated that it can be any one of us in that place. God has been really working on me and opening up my eyes to different diseases and disabilities and looking beyond the physical aspect of a person, but their soul. Let me tell you these people have one of the most beautiful souls I have not seen in a long time.

The play and the essay did give a rounder and better experience on this field trip, it gave me a broader mindset and allowed me to think outside of my own understanding.  Rereading it also reassured the things that I have been processing lately of looking into the Image of God, and people who are disabled.

I want to end with this, that in my bioethics class I was reading about the disabled association, and how they stated, "that anyone of us can be in that category, we do not know what holds for us tomorrow."

Reflection on "The Spirit of God Hovered"

I would like to start off and say that his essay touched me on a deep level. It painted an image of truth and search for meaning and truth. The author was truly trying to share his story with others that people with a disability are no different then us. Just because they are not what is concerned to be 'normal' by society, dose not make them any different. Love is the key word that keeps coming to my head while I was reading this. That, this world is made of people who are ignorant and sometimes even blinded by the truth of what a disabled person is. That they are people who have a soul and have a smile and in their own small way contribute more then some of us. We often sit and complain about small stupid things, while those that are not able to accomplish simple task,s we take for granted, are one of the most happiest people out there. Who are we to say, what is normal and criticize Gods creation? God sent His only son, Jesus, to paint us a picture of love, sacrifice, and suffering. What we need to do is pray for understanding beyond our own understanding, to seek the truth. If the truth is God then that is where we should start. And if God is love then that is were we should start. It easy to say someone is different and weird and not like me, but its harder to look past our ignorance and small understanding... to think outside of our world and perceptive. I know for a fact that I am guilty of that. My prayer is that people would begin to look outside of themselves, but to Jesus, and that by looking at Jesus will understand that people with disabilities are 'marked' by God. That in some small way to contribute to the ministry of the Church.

It break my heart to read that the Pentecostal Church barely provided a helping hand. I've experienced such pain and affliction from the Pentecostal Church, maybe not necessary for a disabled person, but for someone in my family who went through a rough time and got 'kicked out' of the church because his/her actions did meet their standards. What happened to the Church being a place for broken people who are in need? Aren't we all in need? Aren't we all broken? What happened to true forgiveness and true love. When did pride begin to take over? I understand that a Church is made up of broken people who are not perfect, and I can sit and criticize the Church all I want, but it dosent change anything. What truly begins to bring change is ME, I am the one who choices to look beyond what others say and do and to choice love, and forgiveness, and seeking other needs before mine. Its through the Holy Spirit that this happens.

My heart goes out to those who have went through persecution, for in some form we all have. What I can say is, God sees everything and hears your prayers, and that through the suffering we are walking in Jesus' footsteps. That though these challenges and difficult times is when God molds us and works in us. He knows what we can handle. Even through the essay I was able to gain a different perspective of mental disabled people, and in some way in might be a ministry in itself.

The Boys Next Door (Act 2)

This was a very touching play. It really tugged at my heart and there were moments that I thought were very clever and other times that made me very sad. Very well written.

When the second act opened up with Lucien constantly practicing his lines for the senate, and when he actually spoke in front of the senate really painted a vivid picture of such his struggles and day to day challenges that a mental disabled individual(s) face. "I am retarded. I am damaged. I am sick inside from so many years of confusion, utter and profound confusion...But I will not go away. And I will not wither because the cage is too small. I am here to remind species of species. I am Lucien Percival Smith. And without me, without my shattered crippled brain, you will never again be frightened by what you have become. Or indeed, by what your future might make you"(Griffin, 52). Such profoundness and truth all at the same time. Those words penetrate in such deep meaning and cut through the core of the disease. It makes me feel and think of what my life is and how I view certain circumstances. And its true, when I see such cases of people who are mental handicapped I do thank God silently that I am not there, then I feel guilty for thinking that way.

Further in the reading, When Sheila ended up visiting Norman stood out to me as well. It really touched me how excited the two were, and how genuine their intentions were to each other; they truly liked one another. When Norman was sad about crushing the flowers that Sheila brought him and Sheila honestly did not mind showed the compassion such people have. I loved the key part, such a small and maybe to others an insignificant aspect meant the whole world to Sheila.

What truly sadden me was the fact that Barry's father was so abusive, and that his raising was so harsh. It was devastating to read how Barry's first word was 'Bitch', and that the parents were proud of that. Wow, how sad! There was one sign of hope that the father gave Barry, was that his mother truly loved him. But was that enough? The broken chocolate heart brought a lot of symbolism as well. I think Barry's heart was broken.

When Jack decided to get another Job, did not show that he wanted to leave the guys. Just deep down inside he knew he had to move one with his life. It touched me to see how the guys threw the so called surprise going away party for Jack and then it hit them all that he was leaving. The end of the play when Jack found Arnold at the station illustrated that he did not give up on the guys.

What a great read :)

The Boys Next Door (Act 1)

I found this reading to be quite enjoyable. It was a nice break from the other readings I do in my science classes. There were parts of the play that made me laugh and there were parts that I felt a bit sad for the characters.

Throughout the reading, I was able to picture the scenery and the different types of personalities that were going on. The beginning was quite entertaining and it illustrated right away what type of play this was, about people who somehow try to fit societies standards and yet stick out. At first, I was confused why Arnold was buying so many wheaties, lettuce, and charcoal briquets. Then as soon as Arnold kept repeating it over and over again, I began to realize that he had a condition that things in his brain did not connect the dots all together. I've worked with people who were mentally handicapped. Honestly, it was a very humbling experience because these people are one of the most joyful people you will ever meet. Like whatever they say or do, you know that deep down you can't blame them or truly laugh at them because they have good heart and just want to fit in. I can not imagine the struggle they go through trying to understand and comprehend things that make basic sense to us.

Jack was a man that had good intentions and he seemed to have truly cared about the characters in the play. He wanted to make them feel accepted and teach them responsibilities. For example, when Jack asked Arnold to return the things back to the store because he knew that the employees used Arnold's disability to an advantage showed that Jack wanted to truly teach the men that he looked after respect, and responsibility. Unfortunately, its a bit more easier said then done, in this case dealing with such cases.

When Jack erupted at Arnold at the dance party, illustrated that somehow we are not quite different with people who have disabilities. That deep down we are all humans, who make mistakes and have moments of weakness. That we should recognize that individuals who are not like us, necessarily, are in some way are like us... human.

Overall, very easy and entertaining read and made you laugh, smile, be sad. Very well written play so far.