Amanda Shelburne











{November 6, 2008}   The Future

I’ve been thinking about it, so I guess I should post about the election results.  No, in my opinion, the “right guy for the job” didn’t win, but such is the will of the majority of the American people.  Democracy in action – the freedom to make a choice and voice it.  However, please know when to be respectful and not try to continuously jam your opinions and thoughts down others’ throats!  Just because we don’t share the same opinion on who would make the better leader for our country doesn’t make you right and it doesn’t make me wrong.  Your rights end where mine begin.  I respect the fact that (now) President-elect Obama was the candidate that got the most electoral college votes.  I respect him as a man and as my future President.  That doesn’t mean that he’s “The One” and that doesn’t mean that I approve of what his policies may be.  That’s MY right.  Let’s just agree to disagree and vow not to continually make the opposite side of the aisle miserable with rhetoric and retorts.  There is a way to come together – by keeping our mouths respectfully quiet….both of us.



{January 31, 2007}   Children.

I had to bite my lip to keep from crying today. Part of my coursework for this semester is to observe a class of 4/5 year olds at the USM’s Center for Child Development. Now for those of you who may think you’d rather pull your arm hair out than watch little kids for an hour – just humor me.

These children are precious – even with their runny noses, in some cases. As I watched these children play, I smiled. As I observed their interaction with the parent who came to pick them up at the end of the day, I cried.

There is a little girl – about 4 – with curly black hair and sparkling bright blue eyes. Her voice is soft; her laughter lyrical; and she walks as if floating on air. Even though she’s small, she holds a wisdom in her eyes that would rival even that of the ancient King Solomon. Her hands grasp flowers, but they could build bridges to link every person in the world. She’s smart. I would venture to say that she is borderline genious – with a sense of wonder and amazement that I have never before seen. I do not know her name. I do not know how she entered the world or what relationship her parents have. All I know is that she would have to be a shining jewel in their little world. I don’t know a lot of things about her – this dream child – for I always seem to wake up right after she raises her head to look at me, but she is holding my hand as we walk down the street. This child is mine and I want so badly to meet her, but I mourn at the realization that she may never exist.

Time, time, time. That’s all we hear about….”time is precious”, “you’re wasting time”, “your time upon this earth is short”, etc. Is it possible that I have wasted too much time and energy looking at the past, that I’ve lost sight of present possibilities and relationships that may have enhanced my future? Am I doomed to wander through the rest of life admiring someone else’s child and never be able to know on of my own? I want to know that little girl. I want to know her name.



et cetera