I'm grateful 🙏 but she's, all the password changing has been daunting. But it will save my bank a lot of pain, as the tablet is much lighter than my laptop, and still has all the features I'll need to do my work at Triennial.
The voting will be done electronically, so I needed emaill access. I'll post to our Assembly 's Facebook page, so needed ( and wanted ) access to Facebook. Additionally, I'd told my sisters here in Pensacola as well as our priest that I'll update them daily using this blog.
There has been much beta testing of this device, making sure it is travel ready by tomorrow.
Prayers, if you pray, are appreciated,as I am not fond of air travel. But, it is the only way to Louisville for me.
My bags are packed and I'm excited 😊. This is such an incredible honor, and I look forward to sharing the experience from my room at The Galt House Hotel and upon my return.
Blessings, and as always, For His Sake....
Sarahbeth
Brava! I say to myself, Brava!
On June 12, 2024, I played two pieces in a music recital.
I played two piano pieces in a recital.
It might not seem like it to my dear readers, but this is a Big Deal to me.
I'm not a" natural performer" as I've overcame chronic childhood shyness and still prefer to be working in the background rather than in front of people.
While I've come a long way from the weird, awkward, socially inept teen that many remember, I'm still very introverted and prefer small groups or one-on-one interactions to large crowds.
Up until that afternoon, the only two people who had heard me play the piano were my spouse and my teacher.
I was born with some neurological challenges that make eye-hand coordination and using both the right and left sides of my body in tandem very difficult. It was because of these challenges that I never took any music lessons as a child.
When I was growing up in the 80's and early 90's, the understanding of different neurodiversity and how the brain works was still very much a new field. It was so new that I did not get the partial diagnosis of PDD: NOS. This acronym Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified-- basically saying that medical people have no damn clue why my brain works differently from " normies" {Fans of the show _Wednesday_ will understand that reference}
I'd always wanted to learn to play the piano, but never got that opportunity until my late 40's when I met my teacher. We started slowly, as I'd never read music {no need to, as I'd been told that playing any musical instrument was not happening for me} and my teacher is patient, taking the time that my neurodiverse brain and corresponding body needs.
As an adult learner, and one with some neurological challenges, having a teacher who understands neurodiverse brains has been the key to my piano success. Her teaching methods and patience with my more rigid adult brain, enable me to enjoy the learning process and find joy and healing in my hobby. I feel safe enough to work diligently on each week's assignments, but also know that I will not disappoint as long as I practice.
Learning to play the piano as an adult is satisfying because I want to be there. Practice time each day, and weekly lesson time, are some of the regularly scheduled things that add so much joy to my life. The healing benefits of a neurodiverse person learning to play the piano have been proven by science.
https://colourfulkeys.ie/neurodivergent-piano-students/
https://www.brainline.org/article/how-music-helps-heal-injured-brain
Playing the piano boosts brain processing power and helps lift the blues | ScienceDaily
This article is a wee bit boring, so here is a quote that illustrates my point well :
Cognitive psychologist and music specialist Dr Karin Petrini from the University of Bath's Department of Psychology, explained: "We know that playing and listening to music often brings joy to our lives, but with this study we were interested in learning more about the direct effects a short period of music learning can have on our cognitive abilities.
"Learning to play an instrument like the piano is a complex task: it requires a musician to read a score, generate movements and monitor the auditory and tactile feedback to adjust their further actions. In scientific terms, the process couples visual with auditory cues and results in a multisensory training for individuals."
Yes!
In the year and a half that I've been taking lessons:
1. My hand-eye coordination has improved. I still drop things, but not as often.
2. My balance has improved. I can safely stand on one foot for longer than two or three seconds without wobbling.
3. I can use BOTH hands in tandem.
All this is happening when I engage in a hobby that brings me joy and peace.
I'm damn proud of myself, and grateful to all the people who make this happen for me.
I'll never be a virtuoso.. and I am not sure I'd even want to be one. Yet I can love playing , and reap the benefits of piano study as occupational therapy for my weird little brain.
Amen.
Sarahbeth McCarren
June 12 2024
I was born in May
Yes, I am a Taurus, and that probably explains why I am a champion grudge-holder and " bullheaded". {I prefer " persistent", but whatevs}
This coming Sunday will be the second Sunday in May. In these not-so-United States, that Sunday is always set aside as Mothers" Day.
I'll probably get roasted online {again} for this unpopular opinion, but here we go anyway.
I HATE Mothers' Day. As a matter of fact, I hate it so much that I'm debating about choosing to attend Saturday evening Mass this week and totally skip all the nonsense on Sunday.
Last year, when I expressed online about how I feel about this American tradition, I got roasted, both in public social media spaces and {this was a lot worse} in my direct messages.
Don't get me wrong, I think motherhood is an honorable calling. And contrary to what I've been told I feel, I'm not jealous because I am not a member of this club. I've been mothered by some amazing souls over the years, and for them I am grateful.
Rather, and here is my thesis, Mothers' Day dredges a lot of REALLY sad parts of my past that I do not discuss. If I choose to share the full story as to why Mothers' Day is such a hard day for me, consider yourself among my very trusted few.
In spite of what the retail world wants us to believe, there are more people for whom Mothers' Day is hard. Many are women, but people of other genders also may feel nothing but sadness on this day.
My two given names, Sarah and Elizabeth: are names of Biblical women who were said to be barren, I will look at ways in which I, whose womb is barren, does " mother".
We have a dog. And yes, I am his mom. This is a hill I will die on. Pet moms are moms, too.
Brian and I keep houseplants. I tend to their needs, making sure they get all the sunshine and water that they require.
I mentor an amazing public-school student of whom I am incredibly proud.
My niece and nephew are growing up to be amazing young humans, and they share my DNA. More importantly, they have my unconditional love. For nurturing young humans, unconditional love is more important than and shared DNA.
Yes, I struggle with " Mothers' Day". But this week, I am choosing to recall all the ways that people nurture--- without being a ' mother' in the traditional sense.
O God, thank YOU for giving us Sarah, Elizabeth and Mary, mother of Your Son, Jesus. help me to live into my own nontraditional " motherhood" and help others who are bereft on this day find some peace. In Jesus' Name, AMEN
Sarahbeth McCarren
6 May 2024
Day 4 : Who inspires you?
I am blessed to have MANY people who inspire me. It would take too long, and be at least a book, to talk about each person I know who inspires me to be my better self.
I'm choosing to fucus on nine women whose presence in my life inspires me. Collectively, and more importantly, the women of my Daughters of the King chapter inspire me to do my best to serve Jesus each day. We are a diverse group of women-- who each brings her own gifts to our chapter, parish, diocese and wider Church.
There are ten of us in the St Clare Chapter at our parish. Six of us were admitted together after the required three-month preparation and study period that is require for all women and girls discerning a call to the Order. During this prep time, we had a unique chance to really know each other beyond a surface way. These women are a definite part of my inner circle of love and trust, and there is nothing that I would not do for any of them.
Modern society teaches women and girls to compete and look for ways to " one-up" each other. How much nicer society would be if we all {and especially women and girls} looked to inspire and empower each other rather than tear each other down?
Today I am especially grateful for the nine women in my own chapter, whose lives inspire me to do my part, in my own way, to work towards Christ's Kingdom.
Amen.
~Sarahbeth McCarren
Day 3 : Did fear get in the way today ?
"Being #fearless doesn't mean you are completely unafraid, and it doesn't mean that you are bulletproof. It means that you have a lot of fears, but you jump anyway" ~Taylor Swift
I've been told that one of my better qualities is that I am " fearless".
Ask anyone who has known me most of my life, my fearlessness has gotten me into trouble-- and has been the cause of some wonderful memories made!
Taylor Swift's quote made me think about what it truly means to live life without fear.
Certain things scare me, such as living after the death of my spouse, becoming physically maimed from illness or an accident, and a coup de' état of my nation's government.
The short answer to this question is : No. Fear did not get in my way today, because today has been a n average day in my life. Since I am not fearful nor weak, I am not afraid of life.
As people of faith, we are called to live more fearlessly than our neighbors. We are called to live out Love, not stay locked away in our homes in fear.
Recently I had an epiphany regarding this matter of living in fear. Due to COVID, I've not been on an airplane since 2018. A crippling fear has kept me literally grounded, and away from people I love who live in the Pittsburgh area. After discussing this matter with Brian, I am flying up to Greater Pittsburgh for a short visit in May. If the pandemic has taught us anything, is that we cannot stay sequestered in our homes, living life online only.
Our Creator created us to be in communion with Them and with each other.
Fear not, friends!
Amen.
Sarahbeth McCarren
