Random Thoughts of Amy Potts

Last week I learned about a 12 year old boy from my home town who took his own life.  The word on the street is that he suffered with depression and he was bullied.  Both of which are so difficult.  There were many thoughts expressed as well as questions.  The question that was asked most frequently was, “how does a 12 year old feel that hopeless”.  He was a child.  I wrestled with this into the night when I learned about it.  Yesterday I saw his picture along with his obituary that told of the things that he enjoyed.  His picture still haunts me.  Why?  I didn’t even know him or his family.  I suppose there are many asking the question that I am asking today; what could have been done to save him?  Instead of trying to come up with an answer to any of it, I went to National Alliance on Mental Illness website www.nami.org .   There is a well written guide called “What Families Need to Know About Adolescent Depression”....

It’s Easter and instead of going to church like Christians around the world, I chose to go for a bike ride.  Before you set your fingers a sail on your keyboard to respond to what may appear to be rebellion, please know that only your freedom of speech will be applauded.  I did what I did because I wanted to spend some time alone and with nature today.  The sermon I heard as I rode along the stream in the middle of our busy city spoke profoundly of God, creation and a resurrection of life.  Sun shining through after a rainy day… …I celebrate in its warmth Little birds chirping from a nest in the tree… …I celebrate the gift of life Flowers peaking through the weeds in the rough… …I celebrate your unexpected beauty Young couples walking hand in hand… …I celebrate love and friendship Little girl on the swings with her dad… …I celebrate parents who know how to play Gentle stream trickling through the trees… …I celebrate living water In the quiet spot where I chose...

This “letter to the editor” still makes me laugh and I wanted to share it with my readers.  Enjoy! A snowy Sunday morning laugh How wonderful to wake up to 8.5 inches of snow and find my Journal waiting for me.  Even better that I brought a laugh on a snowy Sunday morning in the form of the Letter from the disgruntled male who wanted to know why there are more male “Jeopardy” champs than women.  Could it be because the women are home working, taking care of the house and kids so their hubbies can have the luxury of venturing forth to show their knowledge of trivia? The writer was also upset about the portrayal of men on certain TV shows.  I would like to point out the shows he referred to are sitcoms, which stands for situation comedies (little bit of trivea that might come in handy on “Jeopardy”) Anyway, the word comedy should indicate the shows are fictional and supposed to make one laugh.  Don’t worry, we women understand the whole fiction conce...

Tiny little fingers Even smaller toes Curly brown hair Little button nose You were born in winter The world outside was cold You had to grow up fast No time for games and tears You became a young survivor Wise beyond your years You were born in winter The world outside was cold. You were born in winter  The world outside was cold. Amy Lynn Michael

“But now old friends are acting strange, they shake their heads, they say I've changed.  Well something’s lost but something’s gained in living every day” Joni Mitchell I love life in some small way every day because I experience at least one good thing that I didn’t the day before.  Every year we look back and reflect on the things we want to repeat, and the things that we hope never happen again.  We say sad goodbyes to loved ones, while we welcome new friendships.  We change careers.  We change geographic locations.  Any and all of these things can happen in what seems like the blink of an eye when you are the one whose life is directly affected. Some changes leave us emotionally barren, while others overwhelm us with feelings of ecstasy that can’t be contained.  But no matter what we do, no matter how hard we try to control it, life will happen and we may as well accept it on its terms. Some that will read this blog have known me most of my life ...

Recently I had to be away from home on business for two full weeks.  This meant being away from my husband.  With each day that I was gone I became more aware of how much I enjoy having Mike in my everyday life and I just plain missed his presence.  I do love technology and although I haven’t yet mastered Skype, we talked on the phone as often as we could and sent text messages.  Mike writes a love note for me most every day and while I was away that didn’t stop.  In fact he still wrote them with pen on paper.  He then photographed and e-mailed them to me so that I would be able to read them at the end of my work day just like I do when I’m at home.  That was an amazing thing but still I missed his smile, his eyes and his touch.  These are things that cannot be substituted. Love is blind they say.  “They” also say that my affections for my husband and this incredible desire to share every day with him will pass with time.  It seems that...

It has been nearly two full months since I have written a blog post.  In fact I have barely written anything at all with the exception of notes to myself reminding me what I need to accomplish on any given day.  I have been busy with work and with life just like everybody else.  That never stopped me from writing before, so why now?  In October I lost one of my dearest friends to cancer.  She was not just any friend.  She was the friend who helped me find a way to climb out of the deep dark pit I was in after having lost my first husband to the same disease.  Lynn watched me spiral in and out of emotional ruins, never losing sight of the person I was beneath it all.  She believed in God, she believed in me and sometimes she believed in God “for” me. Even though I had known for nearly a year that the day may come when she would no longer be with us, somehow I wanted to believe different.  I wanted to cling to the heart to heart conversation...