Amid Red Upper Lips and High Fevers

May 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Twitt

hannah1

Photo of Hannah Young

 

By Charm Moreto Damon

 

The weekend begins with red upper lips,

For five straight minutes, her nose bleeds,

As my husband and I try to stop the bleeding and console her,

Our daughter, confused and frightened by the red fluid trickling down her soft upper lip.

Oh, how these moments break my heart.

 

We conclude what happened is from a broken blood vessel from nose picking,

And continue with our plan for the day,

With chicken for lunch and sample treats at the store,

The two kids especially enjoy our weekend errands.

Oh, how these moments make me smile.

 

Then to the car wash we go before heading home,

When it was whimpering for the boy and girl before,

It was now excitement to see Spongebob and Dora,

With squeals and giggles as we pass the tunnel to wave at Taz and Clifford.

Oh, how these moments warm my heart.

 

But on I-75 on the car ride home,

I turn around to see yet again red little fingers,

With the car stopped roadside and cars whizzing by for five minutes,

I succeed to halt another nosebleed, another frazzled crying babe.

Oh, how I want to switch places with her.

 

So, to the ER we go to resolve our doubts now,

But after a long process of waiting, chasing around a still active toddler,

And watching Yo Gabba Gabba in the waiting area,

It is indeed concluded to be just a broken blood vessel inside her nose.

Oh, how this news relieves my heart.

 

Fifteen hours later, it is my son’s turn,

What allergies he and his sister share,

Has now turned into low then high fevers,

With a trip and tests for both at the doctor’s, thankfully they just have a cold,

Oh, but his fevers, I wish they’d go away.

 

What is typically a playful and boisterous boy,

Is now irritable, whiny, and snotty,

Just watching television, blowing his nose every other minute,

Not even a single attempt to tease his sister dear.

Oh, the very few times I wish he actually would.

 

Tonight, after dinner,

While I cuddle my son, chatting with him,

My daughter comes with her toy stainless pot complete with a lid,

And as if to offer it whole-heartedly, she says in her sweetest voice, “Zoup Dale.”

Oh, how everything in this moment completes today and everyday.

 

Finally, what a blessing just red upper lips and high fevers are,

And to realize that things could be worse, but are thankfully not,

How humbling it is to be reminded of the gift of good health that we often take for granted,

And to cherish our loved ones on healthy and “red upper lips and high fever” days.

 

 

P.S. Yes, amid red upper lips and high fevers, I am grateful for the general calm I had in my heart and mind this past weekend and today.  I am grateful that the Universe injected modest but meaningful moments with my family that I will forever cherish despite several unpleasant “first-times.” What modest but meaningful moments did you share with loved ones today? Yesterday?

 

 

Charm Moreto Damon is a mother, a TESOL professional and a freelance editor.  She graduated from the University of the Philippines, and pursued graduate studies at the Ohio State University, where she also taught academic writing and research to international students.  She is currently a stay-at-home-mom, and keeps herself busy with family, friends, and editorial work.   She writes foramsdaily.net regularly. She may be contacted at charm.damon@gmail.com.

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Caffe, Amore e Sorriso Sospeso Coming Right Up!

April 9, 2013 By 2 Comments
Twitt

hannah2

Photo of Hannah Young

 

By Charm Moreto Damon

 

A friend shared an Internet article on “suspended coffee” about a week ago.  Curious, I read the article, and was left with more hope and enthusiasm for humanity.  The caffe sospeso movement, with roots originating in Naples, Italy, has been a century-long practice in which an individual pays for two (or more) coffee orders where coffee is sold, but takes only one, hence reserving the extra for another patron who is unable to pay for the beverage.  To me, this practice not only depicts a coffee-scale generosity, but also a celebration of humanity’s sensibility for other’s needs, which I believe inevitably trickles down to many aspects of our lives, similar to the pay-it-forward and domino effect concepts.

 

Inspired by the caffe sospeso concept, I thought, “Why not also subscribe to an amore e sorriso sospeso mentality (with a slight twist), especially when the going gets a little less than desirable? Moreover, I thought, having a “suspended love and smile” frame of mind could actually be an excellent tool that many parents like us would want handy at home, with our own kids.  As parents, my husband and I find ourselves both lenient and strict with our little ones in various circumstances. Most of the time, fortunately, we find ourselves joyful for the precious gifts that unconditionally demonstrate love and smile to us in happy moments, and even right after tantrum episodes.

 

Hence, with the slight twist I was referring to above, instead of waiting for someone to voluntarily give you “love and smiles,” why not bank love and smiles each time your child illustrates them (although I am convinced that the Universe knows how to use our loved ones to give and teach us about love and smiles)?  Later then, when you yourself need either or both when your child challenges you, you are readily able to pull love and a smile from your amore e sorriso sospeso bank, and turn a potential conflict into a nurturing opportunity.  The same practice works when another adult, a loved one or a stranger, challenges you – think of the uplifting century-old Neapolitan tradition, and tell yourself, “Amore e sorriso sospeso coming right up!” over coffee, tea, or extra smiles!

 

But you have no children, you say? Why not turn to the most loving, smiley, compassionate, forgiving, generous, wise person you know and begin filling up your _______ sospeso bank? You never know when you’re going to need to withdraw such “virtues!”

 

Tonight, as my family sits down for dinner, I will continue to fill my love and smile bank from the love and smiles I will receive from them, not so much with the anticipation of needing love and smiles to deflect a confrontation, but to simply offer love and smiles to a friend currently going through a challenging time.

 

Pay it inward, forward or whichever way! Cheers to you, yours, all our sospeso banks, and a better world today, tomorrow and always.

 

 

 

 

Charm Moreto Damon is a mother, a TESOL professional and a freelance editor.  She graduated from the University of the Philippines, and pursued graduate studies at the Ohio State University, where she also taught academic writing and research to international students.  She is currently a stay-at-home-mom, and keeps herself busy with family, friends, and editorial work.   She writes for amsdaily.net regularly. She may be contacted at charm.damon@gmail.com.

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Not Just The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow

March 5, 2013 By 3 Comments
Twitt

rainbow painting

Painting of Dale Damon

By Charm Moreto Damon

 

The first quarter of 2013 is almost over; it seems like we were all just celebrating its beginning, and setting humble and grand goals for ourselves.  As we evaluate what we have so far accomplished, how many of us could say that we are where we want to be in our goals timeline despite life’s demands and surprises? How many steps forward have we taken to achieve our goals only to have to take a few steps back to accommodate life? As frustrating as this situation may be, I’d like to remind myself, especially this month of that ever so sparkly “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

 

Just as there are multiple other sayings and metaphors in different cultures that echo the same message,  “a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow” seems to be a picturesque, calm journey, even designed for us to find an even better ending to our journey, versus the “light at the end of the tunnel” that alludes to experiencing “dark” before “light. Now, if only our journey in life mimicked such a colorful experience from beginning to end! Wait, it could! If we want it to!

 

So, whenever that grey hue (or “you”) tries sneaking in your already colorful life, think not just of the pot of gold of the end of the rainbow, but also the red, orange, yellow and other vibrant colors of everyday if or when you:

 

  1. Lose your wallet on the subway (a reason to buy a new one!);
  2. Hear about a friend’s dishonesty (another reason to evaluate your own values!);
  3. Don’t land your dream job at the United Nations (an opportunity to better your craft);
  4. Mess up a doctored pancake recipe (a chance to discover your ability to double-doctor the same batter and succeed with the help of the oven!); and
  5. Not have an article completed due today and decide to dilly-dally even more by playing artist with your child, instead (a fantastic reminder about holding hands with life and loved ones, and surely being inspired to finish that article!).

 

What color will you paint that seemingly grey moment today?

Happy “Rainbowing!”

 

Charm Moreto Damon is a mother, a TESOL professional and a freelance editor.  She graduated from the University of the Philippines, and pursued graduate studies at the Ohio State University, where she also taught academic writing and research to international students.  She is currently a stay-at-home-mom, and keeps herself busy with family, friends, and editorial work.   She writes for amsdaily.net regularly. She may be contacted at charm.damon@gmail.com.

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A Life of M&M English Muffins

January 29, 2013 By 1 Comment
Twitt

hannah

Photo of Hannah Young

 

By Charm Moreto Damon

 

First, let me tell you how much my son LOVES English muffins; he enjoys the cinnamon raisins the most. Last year, he ate about two to THREE!!!! muffins a day, so I made sure to stock up on them whenever they’re 11 for $10 at Meijer, a local grocery story here in town. In the past few months, however, he had not been interested in eating them for snacks, until recently, when he discovered how delicious they are with Nutella.  His quest for improving these fluffy yeasty yummies evidently did not end at spreading Nutella on them, when last week he utters:

 

“Mommy, let’s tell Meijer to put M&Ms in the English muffins. They’d taste so good!”

 

Hey, what better way to combine his two favorites – free M&M kid cookies from Meijer and English muffins? Like the many things our son says that make my husband and I chuckle, his vision for a local grocery story to produce M&M English muffins (a rather peculiar mix) made me think about my visions in life – our visions in life, especially in 2013 and beyond. 

 

Aside from the yearly repeated resolutions we promise ourselves to accomplish, what new, daring resolutions have we added to our list? What grand visions about self-improvement and service to others have we slated for the new year? Attainable or not, sometimes just envisioning the best versions of ourselves is enough success in our first steps to achieving our goals.  As silly as asking a big company to manufacture a baked product that would probably not sell to adult English muffin consumers, a child’s vision of the naïve reality and possibility is one reminder to me and to us all to not limit what we could vision, attain and ask for.  I am also reminded of the following inspirational quote from the author Nora Roberts:

 

If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.

 

This week, what does your life of M&M English muffins look like? What would you like to go after? What would you like to ask for? And where will your next step forward lead you?

 

This week, I will:

  1. Go after the motivation to get back on a consistent Pilates schedule;
  2. Ask the “Universe” for a laundry folding machine, and;
  3. Take a step to updating my website where I donate items my family no longer needs to other families in the area.

 

P.S. And maybe help my son “write” a letter to Meijer. Happy week!

 

Charm Moreto Damon is a mother, a TESOL professional and a freelance editor.  She graduated from the University of the Philippines, and pursued graduate studies at the Ohio State University, where she also taught academic writing and research to international students.  She is currently a stay-at-home-mom, and keeps herself busy with family, friends, and editorial work.   She writes for amsdaily.net regularly. She may be contacted at charm.damon@gmail.com.

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Is it tomorrow yet?

December 21, 2012 By 1 Comment
Twitt

By Charm Moreto Damon

 

Is it tomorrow yet?

Because today, I am flabbergasted by the inexplicably terrible news,

News that I only think occurs in someone’s imagination,

But I was wrong, because all of this is true, the country has lost many lives too soon.

 

I am angry, I am confused, I am sad, and I have cried,

Because today, I am flabbergasted by the inexplicably terrible news,

I am a parent, but not of the angels that were taken from theirs,

So I could only imagine what they feel and think, if someone so distant like me could feel so hurt and lost.

 

They were our children, and they were our teachers, no less,

But today, I am flabbergasted by the inexplicably terrible news,

How, oh why, could anyone think that taking others and himself is the answer to his pain?

And I could only imagine what his parents feel and think, if someone so distant like me could also feel so hurt and lost.

 

Is it tomorrow yet?

Because today, the country is mourning,

The country and every heart is mourning,

Because maybe tomorrow there is less pain and crying.

 

But tomorrow is too far away,

Today is another day, another day to mourn, to smile, to hug and to forgive,

Today, we can choose what the day will be, to choose to celebrate lives,

Lives that were lost, and lives that still are.

 

Tomorrow and today, we will not forget the angels and heroes taken from us,

And today and tomorrow, let us celebrate the angels and heroes that are still here with us,

Because waiting for tomorrow may be one second too late,

To let our loved ones and ourselves know that they are loved,

That we are loved.

That you are loved.

 

About the Author: Charm Moreto Damon is a mother, a TESOL professional and a freelance editor.  She graduated from the University of the Philippines, and pursued graduate studies at the Ohio State University, where she also taught academic writing and research to international students.  She is currently a stay-at-home-mom, and keeps herself busy with family, friends, and editorial work.   She writes for amsdaily.net regularly. She may be contacted at charm.damon@gmail.com.

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