markie d: : The Tender Reed! FRAGILE HANDLE WITH CARE

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

The Tender Reed! FRAGILE HANDLE WITH CARE

Well, needless to say that my hair grew back, as you can see - at least by sixth grade.... (you would have to see the last blog post to understand why I am talking about my hair growing back).

Wouldn't you agree that we're all pretty fragile to some degree. Every kid has dreams, goals, and aspirations - hopes for the future. I think we all need someone to believe in us. Today - FIND SOMEONE AND FAN THEIR DREAM. Greet them, hug them - tell them that you believe.

A TENDER REED

Today I walked among the majestic oaks.

Careless and consumed with me

Mindless trampling underfoot

Life struggling below the dense canopy.

A broken reed is what I found

Crushed and bruised upon the ground

Pressed on by life, do I pass by

Or invest the moment, lest it die.

I placed it in my caring hand

To find it was but rooted in shifting sand

Kneaded into dark rich earth

I prayed that new life would take birth

I watered and checked on my new friend

Whose attended soul hastened to mend

From the water and love I freely gave

Grew a majestic oak I helped saved.

While shaded by the large lush tree

A soft still whisper came to me

Little Children are like this once tender reed

And you are the soil to nurture the seed.

by Mark Dahlin

15 comments:

Coman722May 7, 2013 at 8:56 PM
okay, okay, that was pretty good.
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UnknownMay 7, 2013 at 9:04 PM
Nicely done!!
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mamahobbsMay 8, 2013 at 12:58 AM
If all your English and Literature teachers knew there really was a creative and complex mind, You may not have gotten away with hiding in the coat room and making faces above Sister Edith... I am so glad to be connected again after all these years.. Very thoughtful poem xx Jonsey
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sharonMay 8, 2013 at 4:41 PM
Really love the tender reed!! From G-ma with love!!
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KarenHMay 8, 2013 at 9:12 PM
Love how the wild radish seedling plays the part of an oak in the photos. A plant with an acting career! Maybe next time I'll think twice before ripping out a wild radish. But I'll still rip it out.

Uh--nice poem, by the way.
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mamahobbsMay 9, 2013 at 3:52 PM
Share away Mark, I am alway up for a good story especially when I know the people involved... I surely would share this blog as everyone I know can surely get something out of it.. Jonsey
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UnknownMay 12, 2013 at 8:38 PM
Hi, Mark! Just read your poem. Looking forward to your posts on Facebook. 8-)
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No Other Family Like Ours - seriously

WHAT OTHER FAMILY IN THE WORLD let all of the monkeys out of the Zoo, been pranked by the sitting President of the United States in a rouge encounter, chased in cities, chased out of cities and chased down by the cops. Who in their right mind voluntarily electrocute themselves just for fun and dared to electrify the nuns around the corner—who neither volunteered nor had fun? WHAT OTHER FAMILY has had more broken bones, pulled more pranks, have had a plethora of runaway rattlesnakes and other large reptiles terrorize their neighborhood. WHAT OTHER FAMILY grew Mexican Tomato plants that never grew tomatoes and had leaky boats that refuse to float or Escaped death more times? Who had cars on blocks, trucks as trash barges and flowerbeds sprouting rusted bikes, mislaid sparkplugs and abandoned carburetors instead of flowers? Meet the DAHLINS

And to think we survived and came out normal—well, mostly.

The Truimph of Overcoming

I use the word dysfunction with deliberate intention and with great respect in serving the main point of this blog. In the wild ramblings of a kid I ruminate on the idea that my family was not just dysfunctional but was the “most dysfunctional family” on the planet—that’s the set up.

As I look to the other “normal” plain-wrap families next door and across the street that had tidy yards and flowerbeds believing that the grass is greener on the other side (well the grass was greener), it shouldn’t shock anyone to realize that there is dysfunction in all of us—often times masked by tidy lawns and clean exteriors. Along with joy, success and adventure, life is filled with disappointment, failure, pain, and betrayal from those who have let us down. This is what it means to be human. I admit that I faced some disappointment in trying to fit in and longed for acceptance as the youngest boy of our wolf pack, but in large part I can honestly say that I had more fun and more adventure, in what I would call a happy childhood—despite the numerous broken bones. Yet, I would be remiss if I did not brag a bit and say, “Yeah, but...Look at all the great stories.”

Though, I dig deep into the mind and explore the full range of emotions of this young kid who felt detached, wondered about his existence, about his place in the family and his connection to the universe—He came out okay.

The older Markie D loves his brothers and sisters and holds no grudges.

Markie D has found this elusive connection to the universe and is well adjusted—and yes, still a little bit crazy. He has been married for 34 years to an amazing artist, Kerry, and has four incredibly gifted and talented adult children.

Oh, BTW… He mows his lawn, parks a car in the garage and has flowers in the flowerbeds and desires boats that float and less adventure in every outing and more "plain-wrap."

May you find your connection to the universe that brings healing, wholeness, forgiveness and a sense of hope as you look to your future.

Not too long ago on a pale blue dot, third from the sun, people and events converged in the space/time continuum that would forever change the course of history. The setting is a huge Victorian home that slightly leaned on its crumbling foundation, groaning under the weight of unruly kids and hoards of junk. In the era of Ozzie and Harriet and Father’s Knows Best, I was born into a family dysfunction of epic proportions. This decrepit masterpiece in Venice would rival the Addams Family’s house, and the cast of characters would prove to be more incredible and wacky than The Munsters. The big problem was that I was the seventh born, the youngest boy and the runt of the litter.

To have 10 in a family in our catholic neighborhood was underachieving. To compete with the larger families, my mom gladly took in strays. The official-nonofficial count was more in the neighborhood of 14 ―mostly boys and all older than me.

All sibling rivalry and mischief flowed downhill and ended up on my platter, whether I had any say in the matter or not. For fun, we held on to the live wires that were left hanging out of a wall from a unfinished remodel. We were the only family I knew who voluntarily electrocuted themselves with 110 volt household current, and are the only family in the history of the world to single-handedly let all of the monkeys out of the LA zoo. We got chased out of cities; pursued by the Highway Patrol; and sought after by the entire Needles California Police force. Wherever we went, we made a spectacular splash which usually ended up on the front page of the local newspaper.

After being buried in pits, caged, hunted, left behind and electrocuted, I somehow managed to survive my childhood but felt numb, disconnected and alone although part of a big family. In college while searching for acceptance and connection, I experienced an event that would alter the course of my life. I graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Communications. I coached water polo and swimming at Saint Monica’s my High School Alma Mater and enjoyed major success in investment real estate. After a financial crisis, I committed myself to serving in ministry, working with Youth and Family, as an associate pastor of a large church in Southern California. I graduated with a Masters at the top of my class from Azusa Pacific Graduate School of Theology and was ordained a licensed Pastor.

I am married to an avid artist and have four children: three boys and a girl who takes after her mother’s creativity.

Currently, I am a senior Pastor of a church in Roseville, CA, and adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies at a Bible college, and live in Sacramento with my wife and daughter.

markie d:

'72 swim team

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

The Tender Reed! FRAGILE HANDLE WITH CARE

15 comments:

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