Lori Olivier's Posts - RhettandLinKommunity2024-03-29T01:22:00ZLori Olivierhttps://rhettandlinkommunity.com/profile/LoriOlivierhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1544335100?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://rhettandlinkommunity.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=188jtsye8cixv&xn_auth=noThe Adventurertag:rhettandlinkommunity.com,2016-02-11:2452419:BlogPost:21180032016-02-11T03:52:17.000ZLori Olivierhttps://rhettandlinkommunity.com/profile/LoriOlivier
A kid in the back of an old Chevy truck<br />
Stares out in wonder to a world he calls "Up"<br />
Over the hills and down winding, steep roads<br />
His imagination takes flight and away it goes<br />
<br />
Behind sea green eyes blaze a trail of places<br />
With old, ragged cowboys and rodeo clown faces<br />
In towns with odd names that never found it to maps<br />
Where adventure beckons on past the brims of old hats<br />
<br />
A kite and a key on a dark, dark, dark night<br />
A first apprentice to the first brothers on the first manned plane…
A kid in the back of an old Chevy truck<br />
Stares out in wonder to a world he calls "Up"<br />
Over the hills and down winding, steep roads<br />
His imagination takes flight and away it goes<br />
<br />
Behind sea green eyes blaze a trail of places<br />
With old, ragged cowboys and rodeo clown faces<br />
In towns with odd names that never found it to maps<br />
Where adventure beckons on past the brims of old hats<br />
<br />
A kite and a key on a dark, dark, dark night<br />
A first apprentice to the first brothers on the first manned plane flight<br />
Up, up and away in a hot air balloon<br />
Touching down and taking step one onto the moon<br />
<br />
One small step for man, a giant leap, there he goes<br />
Balancing the ever growing length of Pinnochio's nose<br />
"Walk the plank!" on a pirate ship of a pirate most feared<br />
That now our young hero has bravely commandeered<br />
<br />
Traversing rock after rock through a Hawaiian lava flow<br />
Dodging great boulders and rapids while navigating the Colorado<br />
Whizzing down a mountain on a bike nicknamed "Chance"<br />
Commanding a triumphant victory at the Tour de France<br />
<br />
In a wagon headed west down the Oregon trail<br />
Riding shotgun with the Pony Express delivering mail<br />
Miles and miles ridden, but no time to slow down<br />
Because tomorrow the great World's Fair comes to town<br />
<br />
A sudden blast from that old Chevy's horn<br />
Brings him back from the place where imagination is born<br />
Back to the bed of that old pickup truck<br />
Back from an 8 second ride on an old bronking buck<br />
<br />
The old Chevy truck turns onto a worn out old road<br />
Worn out and tired, the boy is glad to be home<br />
Adventuring all day is a serious undertaking<br />
When one is to become a great adventurer in the making<br />
<br />
Laying his head on his pillow, he closes his eyes<br />
Eager for a new adventure surprise<br />
As he drifts into dream town, the day comes to an end<br />
And in the morning the adventure starts all over againShoestag:rhettandlinkommunity.com,2016-02-07:2452419:BlogPost:21147072016-02-07T02:19:27.000ZLori Olivierhttps://rhettandlinkommunity.com/profile/LoriOlivier
Through darkened streets on lamp lit paths<br />
My pulse begins to race<br />
Seven years I've wearily wandered this path<br />
And have yet to see one single face<br />
<br />
Not one pair of eyes, nor hair, nor smiles<br />
What they wear I haven't a clue<br />
But I unmistakably recognize character<br />
As I pass by people's shoes<br />
<br />
The untied shoes of youngsters<br />
That skip past me without care<br />
To the boots of a construction worker<br />
Working diligently for his fair share<br />
<br />
High-heeled stilettos and stylish flats<br />
Pass me by on their way home…
Through darkened streets on lamp lit paths<br />
My pulse begins to race<br />
Seven years I've wearily wandered this path<br />
And have yet to see one single face<br />
<br />
Not one pair of eyes, nor hair, nor smiles<br />
What they wear I haven't a clue<br />
But I unmistakably recognize character<br />
As I pass by people's shoes<br />
<br />
The untied shoes of youngsters<br />
That skip past me without care<br />
To the boots of a construction worker<br />
Working diligently for his fair share<br />
<br />
High-heeled stilettos and stylish flats<br />
Pass me by on their way home from here and there<br />
Quickened paces and trudging steps I hear<br />
But look up, I do not dare<br />
<br />
I recognize color, pattern and style<br />
Whether worn out or brand new<br />
But to recognize you any other way<br />
I simply cannot do<br />
<br />
Looking up is a frightening thought<br />
For I never know who or what I might face<br />
Judgment, ridicule, scorn, or cruelty<br />
As your look tells me I don't belong in this place<br />
<br />
So I dart through shadows, blend into walls<br />
Become invisible to those all around<br />
And I concentrate solely on what you wear<br />
On your feet as my eyes meet the ground<br />
<br />
The musician on the corner in loafers<br />
Playing his heart out for a few dollars more<br />
To the cop with his black belted boots<br />
Who, for me, kindly holds open a door<br />
<br />
To the weary mother of three<br />
Whose white tennis shoes are worn straight through<br />
But she'll gladly work every shift she can get<br />
To keep her kids under a warm, dry roof<br />
<br />
Stories crowd these busy streets<br />
As each footstep tells a tale<br />
Of struggle and strife and victory<br />
When the struggling overcomer prevails<br />
<br />
Another day, another dark street<br />
Envelopes me safely once again<br />
As I go unnoticed in shadowy silence<br />
Observing quietly from within<br />
<br />
I feel the weight of your stressful days<br />
As you work to pay your dues<br />
It's amazing what you can learn about someone<br />
By just looking at their shoesDear Lori, circa 1995tag:rhettandlinkommunity.com,2016-01-30:2452419:BlogPost:21107942016-01-30T05:21:10.000ZLori Olivierhttps://rhettandlinkommunity.com/profile/LoriOlivier
Dear Lori of the 1995 variety-<br />
<br />
Greetings from 2016. I'm you. A different version of you, but you nonetheless. As always and often, letters start out kind of awkward. You will be happy to know that part has not changed. We are still as awkward as ever. You know what? That's okay. Let me tell you about a few more things that I have learned along this crazy thing called life.<br />
<br />
1). You are still listening to much of the same music now that you did then. Seriously, music hasn't really gotten much…
Dear Lori of the 1995 variety-<br />
<br />
Greetings from 2016. I'm you. A different version of you, but you nonetheless. As always and often, letters start out kind of awkward. You will be happy to know that part has not changed. We are still as awkward as ever. You know what? That's okay. Let me tell you about a few more things that I have learned along this crazy thing called life.<br />
<br />
1). You are still listening to much of the same music now that you did then. Seriously, music hasn't really gotten much better since the golden era of the '90's that you love so much. Play it safe. Stick to the classics. Here are some helpful tools to navigate the barren wasteland of the 2016 music terrain: Spotify and iTunes. You will thank me later.<br />
<br />
2). Everything is becoming abbreviated and people are slowly losing their ability to speak or write complete sentences. If someone says "BRB", refrain from asking what it means. It's a trap. Once you start down the slippery slope of abbreviated words, it will be a nearly impossible climb back up to the land of decent grammar. Take the detour around that one.<br />
<br />
3). The Internet. We have come a long way from "Oregon Trail" Friday<br />
on the good ole Apple IIe. You can search for everything anytime,<br />
anyplace on "smartphones". iPads are flat computers that you can take<br />
anywhere. It helps people stay connected. However, there is still nothing<br />
better than coffee with a friend in person and genuine conversation. Don't trade in genuine connection for instant gratification. It's a terrible trade. People are more important, and friendship is worth all of the work you put into it. Yes, you drink coffee now. You should drink less. Get on that.<br />
<br />
4). Relationships are hard. It's still hard now, but you are getting better at it. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are liked and loved by the people who you are blessed to call friends. AND......YOU are an aunt....TWICE! A beautiful niece and a handsome nephew. Love is a struggle still, but the moment you held those beautiful children as babies for the first time was when true love really found you. It is also when your super protective instincts kicked in. We are very fond of these little munchkins and love them immensely. You are capable of love. Don't sell yourself short. You are capable of more than you could possibly imagine. I promise you, all of the stuff that you are about to go through is worth it. Just hang on through it.<br />
<br />
5). You will work with kids. Lots of them. They are going to teach you all sorts of new skills, like patience, conflict resolution, battle strategy, negotiation strategies, peace treaty negotiations, how to be an effective hostage negotiator and the finer points of effective public speaking. They will drive you crazy. You will want to hide from them at times. But when you get a hug from a kid and it's genuine and they tell you that you<br />
are their favorite, it makes it all worth it. You love them all. And they love you in their own way. And you would protect them with your life. You are a kid person. Get used to it.<br />
<br />
6). Single? Yes. Content there? Finally. Yes. It's okay. Not everyone is going to find someone. AND THAT IS OKAY. Don't beat yourself up over it. I already know that you do, but see it as a blessing. God is prepping you for something awesome. Our lives are not defined by being married or having kids or the house with the white picket fence. You, my dear one, are defined by God and God alone. What you think of yourself should be in direct correlation with who God created you to be. YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE. God has a good plan. Trust Him. He knows<br />
what He is doing.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the ride. You will get here soon enough. Take in all of the memories and the people and the little things that make you who you are. Be creative. Write down everything. Be brave and bold. You got this. I'm pulling for you.<br />
<br />
Sincerely-<br />
Lori, 2016A Tree Called "Belong"tag:rhettandlinkommunity.com,2016-01-28:2452419:BlogPost:21096572016-01-28T05:17:26.000ZLori Olivierhttps://rhettandlinkommunity.com/profile/LoriOlivier
*It's just a rough draft I'm working on so it might be, well, rough. :)*<br />
<br />
<br />
Just before sunset on a long forgotten gravel road, I caught a twinkle<br />
of something out of the corner of my eye.<br />
<br />
I squinted in the direction of the sinking sun and beheld the outline<br />
of a mighty tree on a high hill.<br />
<br />
In all of my years walking down this lonely country road, I could<br />
not remember ever seeing this tree before.<br />
<br />
As my gaze rested on the distant tree, my feet began to follow what could<br />
only be described as…
*It's just a rough draft I'm working on so it might be, well, rough. :)*<br />
<br />
<br />
Just before sunset on a long forgotten gravel road, I caught a twinkle<br />
of something out of the corner of my eye.<br />
<br />
I squinted in the direction of the sinking sun and beheld the outline<br />
of a mighty tree on a high hill.<br />
<br />
In all of my years walking down this lonely country road, I could<br />
not remember ever seeing this tree before.<br />
<br />
As my gaze rested on the distant tree, my feet began to follow what could<br />
only be described as a.....pull. I was mesmerized. My steps somehow found a path<br />
I had not yet discovered that led to this mighty tree on a hill.<br />
<br />
Before I knew it, I was at the base of the massive tree. It rivaled the mighty trees of<br />
my Minnesota prairie. It stood solitude, proud. Anchored as if life itself<br />
depended upon it.<br />
<br />
It was still and peaceful. Slowly the sun set as if it were being tucked<br />
in. The wind floated on the tall grass surrounding the tree, as if softly singing<br />
it to sleep.<br />
<br />
I heard the prairie wind rustle calmly through the leaves and branches, but as<br />
I looked up, and as my eyes adjusted to the dimming light, I realized those<br />
were not leaves at all.<br />
<br />
These leaves were made of paper.<br />
<br />
I walked slowly around the base of the trunk. Around the back<br />
side in the light of a setting sun, there was a sign that read "Belong".<br />
<br />
Strange. A tree in the middle of nowhere with a sign that read "Belong"?<br />
<br />
I stood, baffled. Where had the tree come from? Who put it here?<br />
Then, quite startlingly, something fell on my head and landed on<br />
the ground near my feet.<br />
<br />
It was paper from the tree. A leaf-shaped paper with something written<br />
on it. "Tommy". A name. And on the backside of the leaf was one simple word:<br />
Belong.<br />
<br />
I sat down by the sign and turned the paper leaf over and over in my hands.<br />
<br />
Belong. The word itself created a tidal wave of emotion that broke over<br />
my anxious heart. I hadn't felt like I really belonged anywhere for years.<br />
Sure, I had existed. I worked. I did the same day to day things on a<br />
day to day basis, but it never made me feel like I fit. Like I was a part of it.<br />
Like I belonged.<br />
<br />
I turned that word over and over in my mind as I leaned against the tree.<br />
<br />
The tree. Nothing rational explained this tree. Or the paper leaf. Or why I was<br />
sitting here at the end of an unfamiliar path to an otherwise nonexistent tree.<br />
<br />
The horizon turned slowly into the color of night as I stood to leave the tree.<br />
As I stood, I lost my balance and used the sign to steady myself. It was only then<br />
that I noticed that this sign said more than just "belong":<br />
<br />
"Greetings weary traveler on this road called life.<br />
I am glad you found this place.<br />
There are a million different reasons why people end up here,<br />
but the end result is always the same.<br />
Everyone needs somewhere to belong.<br />
<br />
You have questions. Good. You should.<br />
We all seem to have the same questions.<br />
Life questions. Why questions. How questions.<br />
And the most important question:<br />
Where do I fit in and do I fit in at all?<br />
<br />
Child, you do. You belong for a million different reasons<br />
in a million different ways that matter greatly.<br />
You have something deep inside that only you can contribute.<br />
That, dear one, makes you unique. Special.<br />
It makes you you.<br />
<br />
You have found a place of rest and peace.<br />
This tree has seen many people.<br />
It has been a strong support for those weathering storms.<br />
An old friend to those in the beauty of their twilight years.<br />
A junction for the lost and lonely.<br />
A common bond for all who don't feel that they belong.<br />
<br />
Much as you do now. But you have a great deal in common.<br />
You and the many names on this tree.<br />
The weathered travelers, the lonely hearts.<br />
You all have stories to share. Here. At this spot.<br />
You are woven together into a tapestry that binds you together.<br />
<br />
Away from the hustle and bustle of a life you settled for.<br />
Now is the time to dream out loud.<br />
Have the courage to dream bigger, live louder, be excited.<br />
You were created to bring color and life into this world.<br />
I should know. I made you that way.<br />
<br />
You are mine. You belong."<br />
<br />
I read those words again through blurred vision. I belong.<br />
I belong.<br />
<br />
I took the leaf in my hands and placed it back on a branch,<br />
taking great care to be gentle. I didn't know what Tommy's dreams<br />
were, or even who he was. But at some point, he found this tree<br />
as I did. He has a story. He belongs.<br />
<br />
And so did I.Paper Castlestag:rhettandlinkommunity.com,2016-01-27:2452419:BlogPost:21084632016-01-27T03:00:18.000ZLori Olivierhttps://rhettandlinkommunity.com/profile/LoriOlivier
I stored my dreams in paper castles<br />
They lay like rags upon the floors<br />
Some stacked neatly in the corners<br />
Others hiding silently behind the doors<br />
<br />
I stored them there many years ago<br />
Thinking I'd revisit them soon enough<br />
But years and years have whisked slowly by<br />
And those dreams now hide beneath dusty stuff<br />
<br />
Beneath "realistic" goals and "attainable" work<br />
Beneath "maybe, should of, could of"<br />
Beneath disguises and masks and "tried too hard"<br />
Beneath "just settling" and "almost would of"<br />
<br />
Through…
I stored my dreams in paper castles<br />
They lay like rags upon the floors<br />
Some stacked neatly in the corners<br />
Others hiding silently behind the doors<br />
<br />
I stored them there many years ago<br />
Thinking I'd revisit them soon enough<br />
But years and years have whisked slowly by<br />
And those dreams now hide beneath dusty stuff<br />
<br />
Beneath "realistic" goals and "attainable" work<br />
Beneath "maybe, should of, could of"<br />
Beneath disguises and masks and "tried too hard"<br />
Beneath "just settling" and "almost would of"<br />
<br />
Through layers of failed opportunities<br />
And dusty piles of doubts and dead ends<br />
Just beneath the surface of "you're not qualified"<br />
I think these dreams could rise again<br />
<br />
A Phoenix among the ashes<br />
Of these brittle, paper walls<br />
The dreams that once made these castles strong<br />
And roamed freely through these halls<br />
<br />
I watch those paper castles with cautious curiosity<br />
They sway and bend as my mind drifts back<br />
The familiar winds of dreams and ideas forgotten<br />
Shake the walls and beckon me back<br />
<br />
The paper castles are now falling<br />
Tumbling and swirling on the breeze<br />
Laying bare those dreams in paper castles<br />
Dust them off, clean them up, and proceed