Emerging Courageous Newsletter
Marilyn Dixon Pfanstiel, Editor
Volume 1, Issue 13, Feb. 26, 2003

  *Hello, dear friends.
I’ve been offline for a week since the ice storm hit Kentucky and left over 100,000 without electricity Feb. 15th. I was one of the fortunate ones with gas fireplace, gas stove and gas water heater. It kept my house about 60 degrees and I did have a way to cook and keep fairly warm. I helped me to appreciate what I have. Following is what I witnessed during the devastating storm. MDP

  Nature's Destructive Power by Marilyn Dixon Pfanstiel

An inch of ice coats the Kentucky landscape
Forming nearly immovable ice sculptures of everything in it's path.
In the stillness, it appears a winter wonderland
But, not for long...
Slowly the weight of the cascading limbs and branches
Reaching to earth, give way to gravity.
The eerie silence is broken by loud pops and cracks.
Following the sounds, I watch as the branches snap and break under the weight.
Shards of ice splinter into a torrential downpour.
The majestic pines droop their laden arms toward the ground
Some beginning to lean as the great creatures moan as gravity conquers all.
Roots are upheaveled and the trees fall in slow release
Landing with a horrendous crash as the earth trembles.
Others release their branches one by one
Leaving the lone trunk to stand majestically in defiance.
An eerie stillness lies between the cracking, breaking and crashing of limbs.
Years of growth are reduced to kindling as nature prunes its trees.
The weak, fragile and diseased are attacked
While eventually culling the old and magnificent.
The beauty surrounds me in this fantasy world,
As I watch in awe at the destruction.
It is beautiful...yet frightening...
These ravages of nature...against itself.
by Marilyn Dixon Pfanstiel 2/16/2003

  Letters from the Mailbag:

*Very good writings. Poem, ”After the Storm” is awesome!
So true, as ones' resolve to accomplish a task is the start to the eventual finish.
Thanks for the encouragement as a little goes a real long way.
Stay Gold and continue to share your talents! Brian Jett [email protected]

Olga Stewart [email protected]    reNourish Your Soul page 

  Inspirational Quotes:
* “Our Ultimate freedom is the right and power
to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us.”
Stephen Covey  submitted by Kathryn Hansen Kubley

*  “Be more splendid, more extraordinary. Use every moment to fill yourself up.”
Oprah Winfrey

  Writers: Share your stories and poetry to enlighten and inspire others.
In Emerging Courageous online Magazine. www.emergingcourageous.com
Share your heart messages. Keep in Touch. Marilyn Dixon Pfanstiel, Editor
[email protected]

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