Roberta Writes – Reena’s Exploration Challenge No. 292 #poetry #books #memories

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Reena’s poetry challenge this week is During the time travel process, pictures among other things tend to get distorted.

You can join in here: https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2023/08/10/reenas-xploration-challenge-292/

Colourful albums

The photograph albums

Lined up in a neat row

Colourful covers

Designed to charm

Relics from a shared past

Theirs, interwoven with mine

A family history

I open the first book

Onto a new mother’s pride

Two pages of 3D scans

“Your baby’s heartbeat is very fast”

The gynae’s weekly observation

“You are to stressed;

Must try to calm down”

Ah yes, that stress

The international IPO

Of a construction company

Numerous lawyers

With numerous demands

Long nights, longer weekends

And then,

A bridge collapsed

People died

Potential investors fled

“You’re baby’s heartbeat is very fast”

Oh yes,

I know why

Flipping the page

Exposing recollections of the birth

Happy smiling faces

Moments of incredible joy

No baby blues for me

No recordings of medical issues

A baby’s relentless screams

Or the pain of mastitis

Those records kept elsewhere

In brown paper envelopes

Stuffed with x-rays, sonars

And radiology reports

“You have terrible scaring

in your left breast. It looks

like you’ve been in an accident”

The women’s doctor says.

Time travel continues

Birthday parties

My first decorative cake

for a Pooh Bear celebration

Holidays

Swimming parties

Family gatherings

Christmas

Easter …

SNAP!

I close the book

Shut off the memories

Only happy times here

The best of our recollections

Stashed away neatly

With dusty birthday cards

And bent ticket stubs

A time before digitalization

I look at my cell phone

Admire its three large cameras

Gloat over its 15 times zoom

Time to venture forth

Continue the timeline

More happy faces

Records of good times

By Robbie Cheadle

This Is How We Grow: Stories and Poems for Perspective Taking

I am part of a new anthology called This is how we grow. It includes my story, There’s No Return to Sender, which shares a short piece of my personal history dealing with my sons chronic illness.

You can purchase This Is How We Grow here: https://www.amazon.com/This-How-We-Grow-Perspective/dp/B0CCCNBNWV

Blurb

Stories have allowed people to transmit ideas, beliefs, and behaviors throughout history. The underlying premise of this book is that humans can grow by understanding the perspective of someone else. Perspective-taking can help humans develop compassion and concern for others.. One way to attain a deeper understanding of people is by learning about different viewpoints and this book offers material for perspective taking,

Sherri let us feel some California and English culture fusion, with reminders about how close, and connected, we all are in this big ol’ world. Let’s remember this when we feel a spirit of division. Can we put aside what divides and remember that we have more in common than we might not initially see?

Miriam Hurdle shared about going from having no grandkids, to getting the joyful news, to then having the pandemic limit travel to see this growing family. Her chapter left us with uplifting familial warmth.

Yvette Prior shared about the challenges and silver linings that came with a recent move while noting that lessons learned are a gift because it can lead to humility and strength.

Ana Linden shared about perspective changes through the story about her aunt, who had the middle name of Dragonfly. Ana showed the components of perspective and empathy are intertwined and complex, just like Ana’s Aunt Dragonfly was.

Marsha Ingrao shared about her blogging experience that led to soft skill development, friendship, life fuel, and a way to offer customized outreach. She reminded us that when storms come, we do the best we can to respond, cope, stay stable, and grow.

Lauren Scott explored body image while reminding us that empathy consists of both affective and cognitive components. Lauren also reminded us that we cannot keep doing the same thing and expect different results.

Mabel Kwong gained a deeper perspective by stopping writing, which made a huge difference in her affect and outlook. Life is not always easy and the obstacles with her writing journey remind us to stay the course and find what we need.

Robbie Cheadle shared her growth over six years as she dealt with illnesses with both of her children. The vulnerable health challenges also came with joy and growth. The beauty is there if we put forth the effort to see it.

Jeffrey D. Simmons used poetry to describe the cadence of his life as he has adapted to different living arrangements. Jeff chooses to adapt and find joy whether he has to anchor or move around.

Trent McDonald used fiction to show us that we humans not only tend to have wrong assumptions, but assumptions are often negative. Maybe we can start assuming the best and clarify sooner to minimize distorted thinking.

Mahesh Nair talked about words and accents with an example of how he once perceived a behavior as snobby to later see that it was not. He also explored how the current digital world is something many of us take for granted but it had to grow, evolve, and mature over many years. Humans are similar in how we advance and grow.

Mike’s chapter offered tips and advice for thriving while in caregiver mode. The physical exhaustion and mental drain can be mitigated and he also let us into his personal life as he shared about how it took time to understand relationship dynamics and then live out what he advised about in a clinical setting.

Cade reminded us that our mental filters will change as the way we view right and wrong will change too. As we learn more about individual bias and faulty thinking, we need to pay attention to other people’s viewpoints.

There is a gap between what is and what we know or think something is. We hope the stories and poems in this book help readers learn about how others see the world and gain a deeper understanding to open the heart and enhance empathy. 

Dan Antion from No Facilities blog shared a lovely review of this book here: https://nofacilities.com/2023/08/02/this-is-how-we-grow-1linerweds/

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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57 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – Reena’s Exploration Challenge No. 292 #poetry #books #memories”

  5. I like the way you used a photo album to travel in time, Robbie. Your baby’s fast heartbeat must have been scary. I’m pleased the remainder of the book held happier memories.
    I appreciate your synopsis of ‘This is How We Grow’. It might assist me in selecting the order in which I read the stories.

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      1. We all need to cut ourselves slack and forgive ourselves for not being able to do everything. I do what I can at my own pace. Like the tortoise, I know I’ll get there in the end.

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  9. This poem really resonates with me Robbie as I go through my boxes of old cards and letters. Both sorrow and joy are contained in them. We must acknowledge the sorrow but not dwell in it, because we have also been blessed with so much joy. (K)

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  20. A very thorough review of this book. I’ve seen it around WP, and am impressed with the writers who have taken part. You are in great company.
    Heading over to Dan’s to see what he wrote!

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