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Author Topic: ~ The Road Less Traveled By ~  (Read 44048 times)

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Offline Mrs.Vang

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~ The Road Less Traveled By ~
« on: January 24, 2012, 08:39:52 PM »
January 24, 2012

Today I wanted to be like everyone else in PebHmong, so I decided to let my ink leak and leave words down to preserve some of my most profound memories here.  I hope to look back someday and appreciate these moments as I move each day forward.  :)

It's a Tuesday evening, alone as always, I'm sitting here in front of my computer again and eating a bowl of Froot Loops.  Memories are rushing in - when I was little my mom would feed me Froot Loops whenever I'd get sick. :(  I'm a bit sad now.  Maybe I should call her?  She's getting very old now and each time I think about her, I get teary eyes.  How unfortunate that my father had to leave us so soon.  It has been ages since he'd been gone.  I don't even remember his face anymore.  The memories I have of him had always been feelings of anger.  He had left a wound in me - a deep wound that I sometimes still don't understand.  

I'm thinking of him now and I could see myself, a little girl, running around in the backyard with my brothers and sisters.  I remember fields and fields of corn surrounding our house and a small garden where my mom grew some vegetables, hot peppers, cilantro, onions and other herbs.  Just like a dream, I remember tents set up in the backyard.  What I remember most vividly was sitting around the fire, roasting beef in the fire and listening to my father tell stories.  Losing my father was such a traumatic experience that shakes the foundation of my life.  How I miss him still, even as an adult.  

I shouldn't have...  :'(  Hope I'll have happier things to write down tomorrow.



« Last Edit: March 11, 2012, 12:35:04 PM by Mrs.Vang »

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"Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts."<br /><br />

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Offline Mrs.Vang

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2012, 06:49:36 PM »
January 25, 2012

Another cold and dreary winter's day has come and gone by.  I guess I'm one day older than I was yesterday, but I'm glad I didn't feel the age difference.  I had a pleasant day with the kids, though.  They make me smile and laugh everyday and I especially love it when they give me a hug and say to me, "Mmmmm... Teacher, you smell so good." :)  I just love them.  I love reaching out to them, challenging their little minds, taking them out and sending them home.  I especially love it when I can not only teach them to learn, but also teach them the love of learning. 

A Hmong co-worker asked me today, "Koj lub hnub zoo li cas?"  I laughed at how he worded his question.  I replied, "Hnub no los snow tsaus nti  tabsis, hauv kuv lub siab kuv lub hnub ci ntsa iab xwb os."  It's true, it's not how my day was but how I spent it.  I was exhausted as heck, but did I want to compare how my body felt to how my mind and heart really felt?  I put on a smile and everything was okay.

Keeping a positive attitude has made me a more pleasant person.  Sure enough, my days aren't always as splendid as I'd like them to be, but I've been able to keep my head up and still be a strong minded person.  I do cry, I’ve failed dozens of times, and I’ve been at my lowest points numerous times.  I'm not perfect.  I’ve broken hearts, I’ve gotten my heart broken enough times.  My roads were not always smooth -- in fact, at times they were paved with rocks and thorns.  I've had rainy days and walked against blizzard winds, but that doesn't mean I should choose to live a miserable life.  I still feel that in the end there will be a red carpet rolled out for me because I deserve it.  So yes, I have taken the road less traveled by and it's okay. :)




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"Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts."<br /><br />

sunsets

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2012, 09:47:56 PM »
January 25, 2012

Another cold and dreary winter's day has come and gone by.  I guess I'm one day older than I was yesterday, but I'm glad I didn't feel the age difference.  I had a pleasant day with the kids, though.  They make me smile and laugh everyday and I especially love it when they give me a hug and say to me, "Mmmmm... Teacher, you smell so good." :)  I just love them.  I love reaching out to them, challenging their little minds, taking them out and sending them home.  I especially love it when I can not only teach them to learn, but also teach them the love of learning. 

A Hmong co-worker asked me today, "Koj lub hnub zoo li cas?"  I laughed at how he worded his question.  I replied, "Hnub no los snow tsaus nti  tabsis, hauv kuv lub siab kuv lub hnub ci ntsa iab xwb os."  It's true, it's not how my day was but how I spent it.  I was exhausted as heck, but did I want to compare how my body felt to how my mind and heart really felt?  I put on a smile and everything was okay.

Keeping a positive attitude has made me a more pleasant person.  Sure enough, my days aren't always as splendid as I'd like them to be, but I've been able to keep my head up and still be a strong minded person.  I do cry, I’ve failed dozens of times, and I’ve been at my lowest points numerous times.  I'm not perfect.  I’ve broken hearts, I’ve gotten my heart broken enough times.  My roads were not always smooth -- in fact, at times they were paved with rocks and thorns.  I've had rainy days and walked against blizzard winds, but that doesn't mean I should choose to live a miserable life.  I still feel that in the end there will be a red carpet rolled out for me because I deserve it.  So yes, I have taken the road less traveled by and it's okay. :)



Kuv ib yam thiab os Sis. Lub neej no ces, yeej tsis muaj tshav ntuj tas mus li li os--yeej muaj nqee hnub los nag tsaus ntuj  nti tiamsis los nag tag los yeej yuav rov tshav ntuj thiab. When hit with certain circumstances in my life, I always remind myself that though today was not as great as I wanted it to be, tomorrow will be better.  :)

Keep it up with the positive attitude!  ;)



 



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Offline Mrs.Vang

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2012, 10:03:19 PM »
Kuv ib yam thiab os Sis. Lub neej no ces, yeej tsis muaj tshav ntuj tas mus li li os--yeej muaj nqee hnub los nag tsaus ntuj  nti tiamsis los nag tag los yeej yuav rov tshav ntuj thiab. When hit with certain circumstances in my life, I always remind myself that though today was not as great as I wanted it to be, tomorrow will be better.  :)

Keep it up with the positive attitude!  ;)
 


Thanks, Dear. 

Someone once told me that just because the sun doesn't shine doesn't mean that it isn't there.  So, regardless of how cloudy a day is, I always remind myself, too, that the sun is somewhere waiting to shine through. :)



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"Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts."<br /><br />

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2012, 10:50:26 PM »
Thanks for sharing, Your father lives within you, when you think of your father, I hope it feels like he is still with you.  When you think things are tough, just remember and appreciate what you have. 



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Offline Mrs.Vang

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2012, 08:16:28 PM »
Thanks for sharing, Your father lives within you, when you think of your father, I hope it feels like he is still with you.  When you think things are tough, just remember and appreciate what you have.  


Thanks, J.  It is true that when one thinks he/she is going through a hard time, there are others out there who are going through worse!  So, for that thought, I've lived on. :)

I forgot how it feels like to have a father.  When I went through a tough time, I did ask him if he knew that he had abandoned a daughter, but I didn't dream of him at all.  Years later I saw an Indian woman who claimed she was a psychic.  She read my palms and told me that she didn't know if my father was still alive, but she said that he was always around me.  He was my angel and that everything was going to be okay for me.  Ever since then, I knew that even though my days were dark and gloomy, with hope and faith the sun will shine through.   Again, thanks for the kind words.


January 26, 2012

Today I presented a new vocabulary word to some 5-year-old students.  The word was "reflect".  I asked them if anyone knew what the word meant.  A boy raised his hand with a little bit of hesitation.  I said, "How about just take a guess?  If it's not correct, it's okay to be wrong."  He said in a low voice, "Reflect means you turn to yesterday and say hmmmm...  what have I done?"  Such bright eyes and sharp mind he has. :)

"Reflect" is something I have been doing lately.  At the end of each day I reflect on the events of the day, and on their implications for tomorrow and beyond.  Reflecting on my life provides me a moment of pause to look back and ahead, and to sense how it all comes together for me.  I remember a quote from Socrates - “The unreflected life is not worth living.   All of us need to draw away from our busy lives from time to time.   We seek a space where we can think about the meaning of life and what really matters to us.”  I encourage the spirit of reflection and learning about life -- especially your own.  Reflect and get to know your life and make sense of it through our experiences.  :)




« Last Edit: January 26, 2012, 08:20:02 PM by Mrs.Vang »

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"Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts."<br /><br />

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2012, 09:19:04 PM »
I enjoy reading your journal, Dearest.  Keep it up.  :)



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Offline Mrs.Vang

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2012, 09:23:23 PM »
I enjoy reading your journal, Dearest.  Keep it up.  :)


Thanks, Dearest.  I just started it, so we'll see how far I can keep this up. :)

You should start one, too -- one for Yuriana.  Yes, that'd be a great thing to do for her!



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Offline Mrs.Vang

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2012, 10:09:09 PM »
January 26, 2012

I came across this beautiful story about President Obama and The First Lady.  Some say it's a put down, others say it's a fake story.  Fake or not, I believe that this is to emphasize the important role a woman plays in the success of a man..  :)



One night President Obama and his wife Michelle decided to do something out of routine and go for a casual dinner at a restaurant that wasn’t too luxurious. When they were seated, the owner of the restaurant asked the president’s secret service if he could please speak to the First Lady in private. They obliged and Michelle had a conversation with the owner. Following this conversation President Obama asked Michelle, “Why was he so interested in talking to you.” She mentioned that in her teenage years, he had been madly in love with her. President Obama then said, “So if you had married him, you would now be the owner of this lovely restaurant,” to which Michelle responded, “No. If I had married him, he would now be the President.”



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"Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts."<br /><br />

DivineTreasure

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2012, 12:02:48 PM »
January 26, 2012

I came across this beautiful story about President Obama and The First Lady.  Some say it's a put down, others say it's a fake story.  Fake or not, I believe that this is to emphasize the important role a woman plays in the success of a man..  :)



One night President Obama and his wife Michelle decided to do something out of routine and go for a casual dinner at a restaurant that wasn’t too luxurious. When they were seated, the owner of the restaurant asked the president’s secret service if he could please speak to the First Lady in private. They obliged and Michelle had a conversation with the owner. Following this conversation President Obama asked Michelle, “Why was he so interested in talking to you.” She mentioned that in her teenage years, he had been madly in love with her. President Obama then said, “So if you had married him, you would now be the owner of this lovely restaurant,” to which Michelle responded, “No. If I had married him, he would now be the President.”

Oh, I like Michelle's response.  She's quite a clever lady.  :)



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Offline Mrs.Vang

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2012, 08:34:03 PM »
Oh, I like Michelle's response.  She's quite a clever lady.  :)


She is one bright woman. :)


January 27, 2012

What a long day!  I was very tired and kept thinking that I was going to take a nap when I get home.  I never did, though. Once I'm home, I'm not tired anymore.  Perhaps it's because I have a hundred jobs to keep me busy that I just forget to be tired anymore?   I need to just try to get to bed early so that I'm not too tired in the morning.  Every night, I feel like I had just closed my eyes, and then my alarm went off!  I don't even remember having any dreams at all.  Or maybe I just don't dream anymore?

Good question.  Why do we dream anyway?  I used to have extraordinaril y vivid dreams filled with joyful emotions.  Sometimes I'd  have frightening dreams -- the kind that feels so real that I'd wake up sweating.  I would wake up wondering why such dreams?  For what purpose do dreams serve?  Even though no one really knows the real reason to why we have dreams, in a way I believe that dreaming is essential to our mental, emotional and physical well-being. Sometimes I believe that my dreams signify something meaningful in reality.  For example, when something bad is going to happen, I usually see it in my dreams before it actually happens, like that of a sixth sense.

Well, I was told that I have some kind of psychic power in me, though, and that I will begin to know and experience weird things before a certain incident happens.  However, I laughed at the thought because I'm one of those who doubts the existence of psychic power.  Even if it's true that I have a little bit of psychic power in me, I don't feel I have the ability to unlock it.  But if anyone gives me a lot of money, maybe my psychic power will unlock itself?  ;D

To conclude tonight's reflection, I'd like to say WOOO HOOOO!!!!  It's Friday!








« Last Edit: January 27, 2012, 08:38:52 PM by Mrs.Vang »

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Offline Mrs.Vang

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2012, 08:47:02 PM »
January 29, 2012

Today the Mr. and I went out to eat.  As we went to take our seats, we passed by two Hmong women who sat right across from our table.  They were talking about some children who were bad, naughty, disobedient, this and that.  She said to her friend, "Lawv mas tsis paub cai li, phem tiag tiag li os.  Tub tub nkeeg, tsis paub ib qho hauj lwm li, tsuas paub tias yus ua tau ces txav zog los noj xwb.  Tsis yog yus yug mas cas yus saib sab twg tuaj los ntxub.  Tsis xav hlub kiag."  Apparently, the oldest was only 8 years old, the middle child was 5, and youngest was 3.  In my mind, I was thinking... if you can't love the poor souls then why marry their father?  For heaven's sake, they were just babies and their lives haven't even begun yet. 

I believe that children belong to everyone regardless of who gave birth to them.  If we love them, they will love us in return even if they are not our biological children.  The fact that they are a part of the man we love makes these children even more beautiful.  I love my step daughter.

My heroes are "Menyuam Ntsuag." I have a soft-heart for any Menyuam Ntsuag out there.  By knowing them, listening to their stories, and by crying for them and with them, I know that there are no heroes braver than they are.  They give me a sense of strength to live my life better, to laugh and to smile more often, and to not take things for granted.  I applaud them for their strong wills and spirits.  If they can still smile and laugh and live on, who couldn't?  Here's a poem I wrote for those who aren't as fortunate...

 Every day when everyone receives,
I wish peace, warmth, and good health upon you this eve.
If I could, I’d make all your dreams come true,
And wish happiness onto you all your life through.
I wish for food on your table and smiles upon your face.
May you never feel lonely, unloved, and unsafe.
And you still think of those less fortunate than you,
You still wish that their life is filled with love, too.
Because you should know that you are special,
And that you can reach out, too, and make a difference,
And that you can tell a less fortunate one that you care,
Make them believe that there is love, not only on a special day.
But throughout their lifetime in every special way.
You are my true heroes...



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Offline Mrs.Vang

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2012, 10:00:15 PM »
Dear My Best Friends,

I don't even know how to begin this.  Looking back over the years, I find myself in tears because the only memories I have of you are my fondest.  You bring tears to my eyes, not because you make me sad, but because you make me this person that I am today.  Our friendship is nothing less than a miracle itself.  The friendship we have is a bless, a strength that enables us to go on along many bumpy roads knowing things will be just fine, because at the end of the day, we know we each have someone who cares about us no matter what happens. 

Even though we all are in a different corner of the world, we are never too far at heart.  We hardly even talk on the phone anymore, and I haven't even seen you in ages... but in my heart, you're always still the closest to me.  You would listen to me whine, rant, curse, cry regardless of what hour of the day or night.  Every time I cry one tear, I know that your heart aches for me just as much, if not more.  Every time I'm in pain, your heart carries half of it, if not all.  And if I need a favor, I don't even have to ask because I just know it in my heart that you are already doing it without my knowledge.  You'd let the whole world down just so that you can make my heart dance.  Now, who'd ask for more than your friendship?  It's so hard to believe that we were once just strangers accidentally drawn to each other by an inexplicable gravitational pull, and now we are the best of friends.   

Looking back over the years and walking down memory lane, I feel very fortunate to have you girls as my very best friends.  Growing up I was always very afraid of losing a good friend, having a friend turn her back on me and betray me. But I also knew that a true friend would never hurt another friend.  When I met you, I knew it in my heart that you were different.  You have always defended me and protected me from harm.  I just want to let you know that you are everything a good friend would want and that I value and cherish every moment that I spend with you.  Please also know that whenever you feel lost and lonely, I'm just a phone call away.  I love each and every one of you very dearly.

Till we are old and gray and can't recognize each other anymore,

Mrs. Vang





« Last Edit: August 14, 2012, 12:10:21 AM by Mrs.Vang »

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"Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts."<br /><br />

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2012, 01:12:50 AM »
Dear My Best Friends,

I don't even know how to begin this.  Looking back over the years, I find myself in tears because the only memories I have of you are my fondest.  You bring tears to my eyes, not because you make me sad, but because you make me this person that I am today.  Our friendship is nothing less than a miracle itself.  The friendship we have is a bless, a strength that enables us to go on along many bumpy roads knowing things will be just fine, because at the end of the day, we know we each have someone who cares about us no matter what happens. 

Even though we all are in a different corner of the world, we are never too far at heart.  We hardly even talk on the phone anymore, and I haven't even seen you in ages... but in my heart, you're always still the closest to me.  You would listen to me whine, rant, curse, cry regardless of what hour of the day or night.  Every time I cry one tear, I know that your heart aches for me just as much, if not more.  Every time I'm in pain, your heart carries half of it, if not all.  And if I need a favor, I don't even have to ask because I just know it in my heart that you are already doing it without my knowledge.  You'd let the whole world down just so that you can make my heart dance.  Now, who'd ask for more than your friendship?  It's so hard to believe that we were once just strangers accidentally drawn to each other by an inexplicable gravitational pull, and now we are the best of friends.   

Looking back over the years and walking down memory lane, I feel very fortunate to have you girls as my very best friends.  Growing up I was always very afraid of losing a good friend, having a friend turn her back on me and betray me. But I also knew that a true friend would never hurt another friend.  When I met you, I knew it in my heart that you were different.  You have always defended me and protected me from harm.  I just want to let you know that you are everything a good friend would want and that I value and cherish every moment that I spend with you.  Please also know that whenever you feel lost and lonely, I'm just a phone call away.  I love each and every one of you very dearly.

Till we are old and gray and can't recognize each other anymore,

Mrs. Vang


 :)


Dearest, it's so sweet of you.  Likewise, I feel the same way about you.  Friends untill the end.  Love you much!


« Last Edit: August 12, 2012, 07:52:44 PM by LadyLionness »

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Offline Mrs.Vang

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Re: ~ The Road Less Traveled ~
« Reply #14 on: January 29, 2012, 01:15:15 AM »
Dearest, it's so sweet of you.  Likewise, I feel the same way about you.  Friends untill the end.  Love you much!


Thanks, Dearest.  I miss you girls immensely.  I hope we'll see each other soon. :)

ykm


« Last Edit: March 30, 2012, 07:41:43 PM by Mrs.Vang »

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"Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts."<br /><br />

 

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