It feels good to be connected again with the rest of the world! My laptop finally died, so I went a couple weeks unplugged from a personal computer. In that time I went to the Cincinnati Main Public Library, received a library card for the first time in about 16 years and checkout 3 books: one about love, one about Jesus, and the last about food. I'm a sucker for an old library book - love the smell! (Any Carrie Bradshaw fans who can cite my quote? ;D)
I have had a busy past couple of weeks, though. I have just adopted the Mattress Program Coordination from a lady who worked the interim before my hire and when I felt ready to take on the workload. One of the great things St. Vincent de Paul does, among many, is to use the fund donated by the late sponsors Bob & Sylvia Rahe toward new mattresses for families who desperately need them. For those who don't know, bed bugs are real, will definitely bite you, and will basically wreak havoc and hell on your life if they snuggle into your mattress. If found, all of the furniture needs to be thrown away, and clothes need to be blasted in the drier on high heat. In our first week of living here we got to experience it first hand. Because of this city-wide infestation, too many people are left sleeping on couches, floors, plywood pallets, etc. Our office can give away 10 beds per month, and each of the 57 St. Vincent de Paul conferences can get 4 per month. I am in charge of coordinating all of those requests, and mailing out vouchers to the individuals requesting a new resting pad. Its a wonderful but very busy part of my job! Still trying to find the line between busy and productive, to overwhelmed.
This post will be shorter as I have a long week ahead, including being a "Raffle Teller" at SVDP's biggest fundraiser of the year, RetroFittings, on Thursday. Look out for pictures of my fabulous outfit next post! - http://www.svdpcincinnati.org/News_and_Events/RetroFittings/
But I thought I would share my lack of words this week in images, with a poem in the middle of it all.
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| Last Saturday I participated in a free yoga event with 1200 other aspiring yogis! Lululemon sponsored their event, RumOmCincy, where individuals ran from 3 different destinations around the city and ended up at the Great American Ball Park at 8:30am for some solace on a mat. It was such a beautiful experience! A lovely morning saluting the sun and downward dogging with other Cincy-livers. Talk about an amazing sense of community! |
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| The first lady, Rosie Red at the RunOmCincy event |
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| I was so inspired by the vast array of skills around me. They even broke the record for amount of people doing a handstand at once - over 250! Maybe one day, Mary- maybe one day. |
And yet....
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| 3 days of thunderstorms will bring in a leak! |
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| And someone trying to punch out all of our security cameras..... ha yeah right - just a little wind damage that is easily fixable. |
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| This past weekend, we saw one of our coworker's bands perform at Sandbar. And let me tell you, the people watching was on point lol I should've taken this cozy with me but I left it there. |
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| When chefs call for an order for Tomato soup and grilled cheese in restaurants, they shout out Tom and Chee. Thus the brilliant name of this delicious restaurant. This Newport KY location is the original, and was featured on Man vs Food. Check out my pesto, tomato, mozzarella and goat cheese sammie...so yummy. They also have grilled cheese donuts (mostly marscapone cheese) if your cholesterol wants to take a beating! |
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| We made homemade salsa with some canned goodies and fresh items, and I made a very delicious quesadilla using it after adding pepperjack cheese and jalapenos. |
Let's take a walk down Bank Street
where broken glass grows faster than grass
and
a "good afternoon" could be the last thing someone hears.
where children's laughter in abandoned school yards from past recesses should be heard louder than
police sirens.
If walls could tell a story, the homes in the West End could fill volumes of a time that "once was"
where prostitution wasn't a norm, and food benefits weren't being cut like the last plate at a food kitchen.
Where a robbery is only a crime, not a means for survival
and strength to make it to the next day
comes
from
faith
and
hope.
I HOPE that even though we may have a different past
I am who I am because of you [ubuntu] andlifeisa
g i f t
that is not opened by everyone everyday.
So let us walk down Bank Street where birthdays are celebrated at memorials on the places of deaths on every block-
where bottles of grey goose, cigarettes, candles, wilted flowers
commemorate the soul that enjoyed them.
Where prayers like "If the sky that we look upon, should tumble and fall
All the mountains should crumble to the sea...
I won't cry, I won't cry
No, I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me"
should be expressed loud and clear.
This is Bank Street.
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| "I see trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom, for me and you. And I think to myself, what a wonderful world." |
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| "I see skies of blue, And clouds of white. The bright blessed day, The dark sacred night. And I think to myself, What a wonderful world." |
 "The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky; are also on the faces, of people goin by. I see friends shaking hands sayin' how do ya do? they're really saying I love you"
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| "I hear babies cry, I watch them grow, They'll learn much more, Than I'll ever know. And I think to myself, What a wonderful world." |
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| "Yes I think to myself, what a wonderful world." |
All of these photos were taken within a couple blocks of my house. We get lots of comments like, "you know you live in the hood right?" yeah to you. But there's perseverance, resilience, faith, here. I am inspired by my neighbors, and am holding the relationships I am making with my clients close and dear to my heart. This is my home now too, and I plan on defending and cherishing it as long as I am here.
The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captive and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. Luke 4:18.
The scripture from Luke above popped on my computers lock screen via my Windows app that shares scriptures daily. I thought it was too fitting to not share.
As I say goodnight for a week or so, I want to ask - who do you Stand by? Who might need you to stand by them? Solidarity is a deeply powerful tool that can move mountains.
Peace and Blessings to everybody!
With love,
Mary
***Quotes under pictures are lyrics to Louis E. Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World"***
