Dream a little dream

The other night our friend Father H came over to visit.  As we were sitting around chatting, we began to discuss criminals and jails.  He spends time at our local jail giving mass and helping the prisoners.  I think his mission is very important and one that can only lead to good.  These prisoners need to know that people care about them.  That somebody wants them to succeed when their sentence is finished.  This is a much more difficult task than most people think.  How many people do you know who have hired a former criminal?  I know of only one, my mother.
   My mother has this ability to see the goodness and opportunity in everyone.  This is probably one of her best qualities.  There are so many people that I have seen her give jobs to and try to help them find their path to a better life.  This includes one person who is working for her right now that has a criminal record. He is a hardworking guy that was first a tenant of hers.  He just had trouble paying his rent all the time because #1 it is not easy for an ex-con to find work and #2 he didn't know the basics of how to balance a checkbook.  This is where my mother saw someone who could help her and she could help him.  She was in need of a general handyman and a house cleaner, but couldn't give a lot of hours to either, but to a combined job she could guarantee more hours.  He was able to do both jobs and she could make sure that he could pay his rent.  In the process she has been helping him to take more control of his finances.   There was a minor risk, but ever person deserves a chance.  As I said she can always imagine the possibilities.  For being such a structured person, my mother is a dreamer.  She can look at anything and see the possibilities.  She looks at a wreck of a house and knows how to turn it into a gem, she sees a wreck of a person and sees the gem inside.  I don't know if my mother even knows this poem, but it is my favorite (I already posted it before), probably because I am like my mother.  
I am a dreamer.

Hold fast to dreams, 

For if dreams die, 

Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly, 

Hold fast to dreams,

For if dreams go,

Life is a barren field,

Frozen with snow.

--Langston Hughes

Orioles and dreams

Tickets and Group Photo

 

Today we went on a field trip to Camden Yards to see the Orioles play.  Nana and Granfer have season tickets and treated the kids and I to a game.  The kids had a great time.  Keener loved dancing whenever music was played. 

 Rolo, Elizabeth, and Christopher enjoyed everything from the food to the music  and occasionally watched the game.

  

    

          Yes, this is a picture of Christopher with the big Oriole.  He's a nut!  The funniest part of the game was when a foul ball came very close to us and he offered the man who caught the ball all of his money for the ball.  He probably had $5 in quarters in his pockets!  The man said no, but it was funny nonetheless.

          Unfortunately the Orioles lost, but it was a great time anyway.  It also happened to be field trip day at the stadium, so at least my kids were not the only kids there for the afternoon game.  It made the cheering a lot higher in pitch, but at least the atmosphere was energetic.

          Elizabeth wanted to know why a school would have a field trip to a baseball game. I don't think she quite realized how funny it was that she was asking, since she was on a school field trip.  I replied that even though we were watching people play a game, we were watching professionals.  They represent hard work, determination, skill and perseverance of a dream.  Not many people can play a professional sport, but all can learn how to dream and persevere.  Sometimes school lessons are not about facts and figures, but about how we can live a better life for ourselves and about fulfilling our own dreams.  It reminds me of one of my favorite poems.  Here it is.

Dreams

     - by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly

Hold fast to dreams 

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.