When I first watched this video, I was sitting here with tears running down my face.  That was two years ago, but it is well worth watching today.

We are all precious, each child is precious, and all they need to know is that someone cares, someone sees the good in them.

I’m keeping it simple and unsophisticated today. Sometimes it is a good thing to see the old stories and the old poems.  This one reminds me of my family, and those who I see now only in my mind’s eye.

Please share your thoughts, and your favorite poetry.

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I felt the need for poetry this morning. This was first posted in October, 2014.

Enjoy! 

What is the purpose of poetry?  Why do we write in verse, when we could say directly what we have to say much more easily?

What has been said about the subject?  I found the following quotes:

When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses, for art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstones of our judgment. The artist, however faithful to his personal vision of reality, becomes the last champion of the individual mind and sensibility against an intrusive society and an officious state. The great artist is thus a solitary figure. He has, as Frost said, “a lover’s quarrel with the world.” In pursuing his perceptions of reality he must often sail against the currents of his time …  John F Kennedy

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For more from Bill Whittle:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bill+whittle

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Here is the latest news:

Conner is at home now. Conner, his mother and father, and his sister and brother are all together again for the first time in a couple of weeks.  Menagerie says it was wonderful to see them all together and so happy.

Menagerie reports that Conner is breathing normally, no panting, and he looks really good. She feels much better after seeing him, holding him, and giving him a bottle. As her husband said on the way home “For the first time since that kid’s birth, I feel like everything might be okay now.” I guess we won’t rest easy until the next echocardiogram but it all seems good.

Conner is still taking medication, and he isn’t yet out of the woods, but there is reason to be optimistic.

Menagerie says:  I am touched by how many people feel a connection with our littlest Treeper.

 

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Here is the latest news, received last night from Menagerie:

Just now got word about Conner that is not good. Need more prayers. The latest echocardiogram shows his heart is not beating as strong as it should be, and the doctor said they allow for all he’s been through and the surgery. There are three classifications and he is medium. They hope this will clear up on it’s own, just him taking a little longer than they expected to get back to full strength. If not, they look for causes. Right now they are putting him on a medicine to lower his BP, which will make it easier on the heart.
Thank you, thank you, and thank you again.

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Here is the latest news, just received (Tuesday morning) from Menagerie:

Listen up you guys! Keep the prayers coming. Conner is getting sprung from PICU back to a room. He is doing so well that he goes to a room a whole day earlier than their minimum expectation yesterday.
The doctor told them in two weeks they would never believe their son had had his chest cut open and his heart stopped for 61 minutes. He said most children heal at a phenomenal rate.
Thank you, thank you, and thank you again.

Wow!  Just had surgery yesterday, and less than 24 hours since he came out of surgery, he is leaving the PICU.  Both the breathing tube and the feeding tube are out now, and Conner had some milk in a bottle and did well. It will be a little while before he can nurse again. Everything is going well.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl6YOYdBiQ4