Mother's Day 2009 (At the Fire House)

Mother's Day was really special this year...sweet. Our children put together a luncheon in honor of the mothers at, my daughter, Regina's job site, the Fire House on Academy Street in Newark. The AIDS Resource Center is housed there. Regina and Tiffany, Marcie's daughter did most of the cooking and we had a wonderful time. We felt loved and we all exchanged gifts. I feel very strongly that we were also honoring the late great Corine Fitch, my mother and our grand matriarch. She loved these kind of gatherings and lived for the occasions. The next day we visited her grave site in Weehawken.

Standing: Mona Fitch, Marcella Fitch, Kiwan Fitch

Seated: Keisha ..., Anita Fitch with Nathan on her lap, and Angela Fitch.

Sometimes life is so good. Like when you walk out the classroom the last time from one of the hardest courses you ever took. And like when you walk out of the classroom from the other hardest course you ever took. Ahhhhh....then you wait for the grade. There were two old people in my class. Yeah I was one of them! The other one said: "If you cannot be satisfied with a B+, then you have other issues". He said that to me! Its a useful mantra, I suppose. But my slogan is "Go for the 'A'". Ask anybody.

Sometimes you have an experience that washes and renews you. That was what I had on Monday June 8th. It was just a fluke that I caught Ashford and Simpson doing their part to support public television. They got me to support the station too just so I could get to see them. Angie came with me and it was fantastic. Two sisters who were seated next to us gave us their "meet and greet" invites and we got to go backstage and chat with the performers. They are really a phenomenal and inspiring team!

I love the people I work with!!! (Even the scientist-composers)

(Sung to the tune of AMAZING GRACE :)
By Howard Alpert, Chemistry Dept., HCS
I'm Mona Fitch, I love the sound,
of English spoken clear (ly)
I teach, I pray and now I'm bound
To practice grammar ev'ry day.

I've studied much in my life time
and gotten many a degree.
But I will know success at last
When I get my PhD!

I've taught so much in my lifetime
and helped those that are in need,
But I will know happiness at last
When Greg gets his college degree!

STONE

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING
THROUGH THE DESERT.
DURING SOME POINT OF THE
JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN
ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND
SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE
IN THE FACE.

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED
WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT
SAYING ANYTHING,
WROTE IN THE SAND.

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

THEY KEPT ON WALKING,
UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,
WHERE THEY DECIDED
TO TAKE A BATH.

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN
SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE
MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING,
BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM
THE NEAR DROWNING,
HE WROTE ON A STONE:

'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SAVED MY LIFE'

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED
AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND
ASKED HIM,

'AFTER I HURT YOU,
YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,

YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED
'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US
WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN
IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF
FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.

BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES
SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,
WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE
WHERE NO WIND
CAN EVER ERASE IT'

LEARN TO WRITE
YOUR HURTS IN
THE SAND AND TO
CARVE YOUR
BENEFITS IN STONE.

THEY SAY IT TAKES A

MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL
PERSON,

AN HOUR TO
APPRECIATE THEM,

A DAY
TO LOVE THEM,

BUT THEN ,

AN ENTIRE LIFE
TO FORGET THEM.

TAKE THE TIME TO LIVE!

DO NOT VALUE THE THINGS
YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE,

BUT VALUE WHO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE!

'BE KINDER THAN NECESSARY,

FOR EVERYONE YOU MEET IS FIGHTING SOME KIND OF BATTLE'

We Have the Power - We are cracked Vessels

You know we all have Power from the least among us, across the board. We all have Power. It is the power to Influence, to hurt, to inspire, to love, to make peace, to affirm, to tear down. What do we do with the power we have? I have had some hurts lately and they made me feel really bad. I admit I am sensitive to the power that others around me have. There is that saying: it not you, it's me. But it is me...I am sensitive. On the other hand it is you, too! Even a child has the ability to wound us, to hurt our feelings. It might be our boss. It may be a significant other. A lot of times we don't even realize that we have hurt another person or that we have been wounded. But the last couple of days I knew I was wounded. IT HURT! When people were saying to me: Are you alright. I was saying: NO. I was acutely aware of the pain. But you know what? There is an anecdote to this hurt.
And what happened was I was walking down the street and I saw an acquaintance riding by on a bicycle, in the street. I said hello as he sailed by and as I stepped into the street. A few feet away, he jammed on his breaks realizing that he had not recognized me at first. He did stop to acknowledge me. He really stopped and he began to engage me in conversation. In the course of that conversation as we caught up about what was going on in our lives, I was able to share that I am currently in a Masters program studying English at Rutgers-Newark. Our conversation led to this person getting in touch with their own desire to go back to school. He asked me a lot of questions about what he might persue and where. I had the information he needed. He had some reservations and I addressed those reservations. He pedalled slowly along side me discussing his vocation for a city block. Finally he thanked me and said his church was encouraging him to pursue some additional professional training. We talked about the possibility of a Doctor of Ministry which he could easily fit into his current church profession. He said that I had inspired him with gratitude and amazement on his face. Unexpected! But more than that, he had restored me, from a state where was feeling like a dejected victim to a place where I was not only a vulnerable person, but reminded that I am also a vessel that might be nourishment. I am cracked and broken but also a vessel full of influence too.

Retrospect - Ready to Soar

I took my Christmas tree down this weekend. You may think that is not a big deal but it is, really! This could go on into February. this tree thing, till it starts leaning over... but thanks to my new year's resolutions it is down early: #5 and #10 - DON'T PROCRASTINATE. It must be important; its on the list twice and I decided there must be a good reason for that. Taking the Xmas tree down is kind of cleansing somehow...it led to cleaning out the refrigerator, too! I must be at the end of something and at the beginning of something with all this cleansing activity going on. 2008 was exciting but the fall season was more than stressful. I have to give my self credit that even though it was very very stressful, I did great... I still have a perfect grade point average. But because of the difficulties, I am ready to start over, with a new year and a new president and a new semester. A new resolve to get further along with the challenges and goals I hope to accomplish. My resolutions are not all that specific. There are a few like that - save money and exercise, that type of thing. The rest are really about spirituality and state of mind, like - get honest, forgive others, don't obsess, get more rest, pray, seek happiness, practice discipline, relax, use time wisely, eat better, don't overwork, give thanks, be good to others, live and let God... I just see that I was giving so much, worrying so much, working so much, that life can really get kind of pointless and that is changing. Now I will be playing up what I love and playing down what I don't. Cathartic...huh? I am stretching...kind of spreading my wings and I am poised to soar in this new year. Thanks be to God for my family and friends and so many blessings and opportunities that I cannot even count them.