The Learning Ladder
~ a Megan Miranda magical Thursday
story ~
written by
Jeannette Zink
August 21, 2016
Megan
Miranda knew without question that she could lasso a wish with the blink of a
star. She knew dreams could be caught
with the whispers of a butterfly’s wings.
But, most of all, she KNEW Thursday was her magical day!
Proof in the
magic of Thursdays, you may question …
Megan Miranda would quickly point to just a few of her magical Thursday
miracles …
A brand new puppy suddenly appearing
by Megan Miranda’s pillow … patiently awaiting Megan Miranda’s morning sleep to
fold into the makings of a magical Thursday.
The moon and sun playing jump rope
with 3 shiny stars each jumping with the rays of a Thursday rainbow glow.
Butterflies wearing their bonnets of spring flowers dancing with Thursday’s fresh cool magical breeze.
“Shall I
continue?” Megan Miranda would ask her imaginary audience.
“No, I think
you have made your point,” Megan Miranda’s mother would say. “Time to get ready for school, Miss Magical
Thursday.”
“Mom, please
tell me one of your magical Thursday stories,” Megan Miranda asked as she
dressed for her special day.
“Well, let’s
see … my first Learning Journey is a
favorite of mine,” said Megan Miranda’s mother.
“Please tell me that story, mom!”
said Megan Miranda.
My art
teacher, Ms. Paint Brush … no, I’m
teasing … her name was Ms. Allison, asked us to paint a picture of what we
wanted to be when we grew-up. Most of
the students knew exactly what they wanted to be, but I didn’t have a clue!
“How does one make such a decision on a Thursday morning, magical or not?” I
asked Ms. Allison. “Such a heavy question for the start of my magical Thursday!”
I whined to Ms. Allison.” So, I slinked
to my chair and began to ponder my options.
“Megan
Miranda, look at the hands on the clock!” said Megan Miranda’s mother. Your school bus will be here any minute. Hurry and finish dressing.” “But, what about your story?” asked Megan
Miranda. “I will finish the story when
you come home from school this afternoon,” said Megan Miranda’s mother.
“Hi, Megan
Miranda!” said Ms. Appleton. Megan
Miranda loved her art teacher, Ms. Appleton, and felt the magic of Thursday
when she was in Ms. Appleton’s class.
“This is an
extraordinarily magical day, Ms. Appleton!” greeted Megan Miranda.
“Yes,
indeed, it is going to be a tremendously grand Thursday!” said Ms.
Appleton. “Are you ready to take a Learning Journey?” asked Ms.
Appleton. “Oh, my goodness,” Megan
Miranda said with her best of best smiling face. “My mom was telling me a story this morning
about her first Learning Journey!”
said Megan Miranda. “A magical Thursday, for sure!” declared Megan
Miranda.
“Today, we
are going to build a Learning Ladder,”
said Ms. Appleton. “What is a Learning Ladder?” asked Megan Miranda.
“Excellent
question, Megan Miranda!” said Ms. Appleton. “You have just helped us to build
the first step for our Leaning Ladder,
Megan Miranda,” said Ms. Appleton with her cherry-red smile.
“Questions
are so magical,” said Ms. Appleton. “Each question is a step for our Learning Ladder and a marker for our road map to the perfect Learning Journey!”
“But, what
do we do with all our questions … what good are they … these step ladder questions?”
asked Megan Miranda.
“I know, I
know, I know … shouted the children.” And,
Megan Miranda smiled her all-knowing smile, “Of course, Magical Questions help us to find Magical Answers on Magical
Thursdays!”
“Excellent
job, class!” cheered Ms. Appleton. “Do
you think maybe the Magical Questions
might help us find even more Magical
Answers every day?” ask Ms. Appleton.
“I know, I
know, I know … said the children.” “YES,
YES, and YEEEESSSS!”
“Let our Learning Journey begin … one step at a
time, one answer at a time, one fantastic Learning
Journey … what a magnificent Learning
Ladder we will build on this magical Thursday!” clapped and cheered Ms.
Appleton and the children.
“Well, welcome
back home, Miss Magical Thursday,” said Megan Miranda’s mother. “How was your magical Thursday?” “Was it a
marvelously magnificent magical Thursday?”
“Great
questions, mom!” “The perfect questions for building a Learning Ladder,” giggled Megan Miranda.
“Mom, please
finish the Learning Journey story you
started this morning,” said Megan Miranda.
Megan
Miranda’s mother just smiled and said, “That is one story I hope will never be
finished, Miss Magical Thursday.” “Learning
is the magical ingredient to each of our days, Megan Miranda. Each of our
questions taking us on a magical journey of discovery.”
“Let the Learning Journey begin!” laughed Megan
Miranda.
“Love you,
mom … no question about it!”
“Love you
today and for a lifetime, Miss Magical Thursday!” said Megan Miranda’s mother.
“No question
about it!” chimed Megan Miranda and her mother.
You may enjoy visiting my blogs:
with Aunt Mae Bea and Maisee Beezee
(an Adalyn Grace
story)
written by
Jeannette Zink
July 24, 2016
Adalyn Grace
“Well, howdy partner,” said Adalyn Grace’s mother on this
fine Thursday morning. “Saddle up to the
old kitchen table and have yourself some of my special breakfast grub,” Sheriff
Adalyn Grace. “I must say you look
mighty cute in your western attire this morning, Miss, or I should say Sheriff
Adalyn Grace.” Dig in before the other
ranch hands come for their share of my superb cooking. “Mom, you are so funny
sometimes,” giggled Adalyn Grace.
“Just curious … why the western theme, Adalyn Grace?” asked
Adalyn Grace’s mother. “Well, Aunt Mae
Bea just got home from her trailblazing
trip to Antarctica,” said Adalyn Grace. “So, Maisee Beezee and I are galloping
over to see Aunt Mae Bea in our trailblazing
clothes to find out all about her trailblazing
trip!” “I see, said Adalyn Grace’s
mother, sounds reasonable to me. By the
way, what is a trailblazer?” “Good question, mom. Just the question Maisee
Beezee and I are going to ask Aunt Mae Bea!” “Well, have fun you two and give
Aunt Mae Bea my love.” “Will do,
partner,” laughed Adalyn Grace.
Sheriff Adalyn Grace and Maisee Beezee, Aunt Mae Bea’s pet bee,
saddled up their stick horse and moseyed on down the trail to visit Aunt Mae
Bea.
“Hi, Aunt Mae Bea!” “Welcome home
… Maisee Beezee and I are so happy to see you!!” How was Antarctica? Did you make new discoveries? What is a trailblazer? How can I be trailblazer? How do you like
our trailblazing clothes? Did you get
our texts all the way in Antarctica? “We have so many questions, Aunt Mae
Beas. Maisee Beezee and I have been
saving up all our questions … just waiting for your return and it is THURSDAY! You
remember Thursday is our day when all questions come out to play,” Adalyn Grace
said as she tried to catch her breath.
“Well, let me take a look at the
two of you! I have missed you so much, and all those fabulous questions of
yours.” “Love your western theme…very trailblazing,
indeed, smiled Aunt Mae Bea. Let’s sit in our special chair, and sort out all your
questions.” “PRIORTIZE!” laughed Adalyn Grace.
“First, thank you so very much, Adalyn
Grace, for taking such good care of Maisee Beezee,” said Aunt Mae Bea. “You did
a wonderful job caring for my precious Maisee Beezee while I was in Antarctica.
I am so proud of you, Adalyn Grace!” said Aunt Mae Bea as she gave Adalyn Grace
a gigantic hug. Maisee Beezee buzzed all
around Aunt Mae Bea and Adalyn Grace sharing her hugs and kisses, too.
“I just kept thinking … What would
Aunt Mae Bea do? … then I would do it!” said Adalyn Grace. “I wanted to be a trailblazer just like you, Aunt Mae Bea!” said Adalyn Grace.
“Let’s look up the word trailblazer, Adalyn Grace, and see what
we discover,” said Aunt Mae Bea. Adalyn
Grace loves books and the dictionary was one of her favorite books. The meaning of trailblazer is someone who
prepares the way for others who follow, read Adalyn Grace. “That’s definitely you, Aunt Mae Bea!” said
Adalyn Grace. “You are always showing me
how to do things so I can ‘take it to the next level,’” as you would tell me, Aunt
Mae Bea. “That’s right Adalyn Grace,” said Aunt Mae Bea. “It’s like taking care
of Maisee Beezee … I remembered what you would do and tried to follow in your
steps,” said Adalyn Grace.
“But, sometimes there are no
ready-made answers, Adalyn Grace.
Sometimes, you must find your own path to the answers to questions you
want to explore,” said Aunt Mae Bea.
“And, those very questions are the questions that someone else may also
be asking, but my precious Adalyn Grace is already preparing the untraveled path
to the answers … Adalyn Grace, trailblazer!”
“I see the spirit of a trailblazer in your joy to question and
in your bravery to try new adventures.
You have the heart and soul of a trailblazing
explorer, Adalyn Grace,” said Aunt Mae Bea.
“And, one day we will all learn from the trailblazing Adalyn Grace because she will have asked, explored and
discovered the answers to so many important questions!”
“I love our Thursdays, Aunt Mae
Bea, and I love you!” said Adalyn Grace.
“I love you, my trailblazing
Adalyn Grace!” said Aunt Mae Bea.
“Hugs and kisses, Aunt Mae Bea
and Maisee Beezee. See you next
Thursday!” Adalyn Grace said as she galloped off into the sunset.
Love you, buzzed Maisee Beezee …
all the way to next Thursday and back!!!
Bee theme inspired by Kandace
Dalcour.
Photo copyright © 2016 by Chealsie
Zink. 327 Photography by chealsie www.327photos.com/
Story copyright © 2016 by
Jeannette Zink.
All Rights Reserved.
You may enjoy visiting my blogs:
Playing with Questions on Thursdays
(an Adalyn Grace story)
written by
Jeannette Zink
July 5, 2016
Adalyn Grace is certain
of three (3) things and one (1) thing more on the rating scale of a maybe. Adalyn Grace knew without hesitation that a
wish could be caught with the blink of a star because she had chased after many
a starlight wish and had successfully caught every single one. She knew dreams took flight on the whisper of
a bee’s wings … there goes one now! But, the one thing Adalyn Grace knew with
profound assurance was the magic in Thursdays – the day when her questions all came
out to play. However, Adalyn was less certain of the necessity for the answers to her questions. So, she ranked answers a maybe … and, that became a subject to be questioned on one of her magical Thursdays.
Another reason Adalyn Grace enjoyed Thursdays was because this
was the day she would visit her Aunt Mae Bea. They had so much fun exploring
all the questions that Adalyn Grace had saved up for this special day. Aunt May Bea would listen very carefully to
all of Adalyn Grace’s questions, and help her to sort out her three (3) most
important questions for each Thursday’s visit.
Aunt May Bea was big on PRIORITIZING!
Today is Thursday and Adalyn Grace has so many questions twirling
inside her head! She can hardly wait to
start exploring her questions with Aunt Mae Bea. But, before Adalyn Grace can even begin to
ask her questions, Aunt Mae Bea has a question for her.
“Adalyn Grace, said Aunt Mae Bea, I am going to take a trip to
Antarctica in a few weeks, and I need for someone to watch after Maisee Beezee,
my pet bee.” “Would you be interested in
caring for Maisee Beezee for me?” “We
know from our studies that Antarctica is the only continent where bees do not
live. Maisee Beezee would not survive if I took her with me.”
Now, that is a QUESTION,
thought Adalyn Grace. “Do you think I am
old enough to take care of Maisee Beezee?” asked Adalyn Grace. Aunt Mae Bea smiled and told Adalyn Grace
that she was absolutely certain without
any hesitation that her precious Adalyn Grace was more than ready for this task.
“I have so many questions, said Adalyn Grace.” “What if I make a mistake and Maisee Beezee
flies away and never returns?” “What if
she doesn’t like me since I’m not you?” “What
if Maisee Beezee gets sick and I don’t know how to care for her?” “What if I
get sick and I can’t care for Maisee Beezee?”
“What if …”
Aunt Mae Bea put her hand up as if she were a big red stop
sign. “What are you trying to say with all
of your questions, Adalyn Grace?” “Your questions are really good questions,
Adalyn Grace, maybe we should search out the answers hidden inside your
questions. The answers are just as important as the questions.”
“You are right, Aunt Mae Bea, said Adalyn
Grace.” Let’s search for the
answers. “Now, I am certain answers are just as important as all of my questions!” said
Adalyn Grace.
Maisee Beezee buzzed with happiness that Adalyn Grace would
be caring for her. “See, Adalyn Grace,
Maisee Beezee is absolutely certain without any hesitation that you
will do a splendid job of taking good care of her!”
“I am absolutely certain
without any hesitation that I will be able to take care of Maisee Beezee!”
said Adalyn Grace. “No question about
it!” said Aunt Mae Bea with a twinkle in her eye.
“Questions are fun and help us to learn,” said Aunt Mae Bea. “Answers are a question’s lifetime companion …
like the prize inside the gift of each question. They need each other just as we need them to
help us make our best decisions, Adalyn Grace.”
“Thank you for believing in me, Aunt Mae Bea. I love you.”
“I love you all the way to Antarctica and back!” Aunt Mae
Bea said as she gave Adalyn Grace her best ever hugs and kisses.
Maisee Beezee buzzed and buzzed with joy, as if to say … What
another fun Thursday this has been!!!
Even educated bees do it … take a gap year
written by
Jeannette Zink
June 25, 2016
The caps and gowns are buzzing with excitement on this
special day. Graduation Day at BeeWise High! The day that all bee parents hope will
finally arrive for their bee sons and daughters. A day to celebrate, for sure. A day to commence
… a day to say goodbye to yesterday’s struggles, hello to bright and buzzing
futures … and for parents to plan what to
do with that extra space left in the beehive, now that their newly minted graduate will soon take flight for
University. Yes, life is looking like
the perfect honeycomb as a fine mist of orchid scent dances with the celebratory
air waves. The only thing left to do is
patiently hum to the rhythms of a commencement speech to be delivered by the
renowned explorer and scientist, Dr. BeezsKneezs, a former graduate of BeeWise High.
Suzzzzzz, quiet, please … Dr. B is about to commence … buzzzzzz
Commencement Speech
delivered by
Dr. BeezsKneezs,
Ph.D.
It is truly my honor today to buzzzz before you … Superintendent
Honey Bee, Principal Orchid Bee, families, friends, distinguished guests and the
Graduating Class of BeeWise High. Your
overwhelming love and respect for me and the life that I have forged upon
completing my studies at BeeWise High have sustained my moments of despair and
the exciting times of exuberant glory. This afternoon I share in your
excitement as you each will turn a page in the next chapter of your young
unchartered lives … it is your life, not mine; it is your energy, not mine; it
is your remaining time, not mine; it is your shining light, not mine … it is
your time to pave the course that only
you can travel.
Soar to the heights of greatness – that is the goal we all
aspire, right? No, not me. I just wanted to graduate from BeeWise High
and take flight to exotic far off blue skies.
I wanted to see the world, but had little interest in any of the heights of greatness or climbing the bee colony
corporate ladder. So, that is exactly what I did with the help of my loving
and supportive parents. I pursued my
heights of glory through the experiences gained during a time out, a bee gap
year.
Yes, as my academic records will attest, I had managed to reach
great academic achievement at BeeWise High, but I had not achieved the inner
peace of achievement…knowing my purpose in the buzz world, knowing the bee that
I was intended to be, or the passion that would serve a far greater
universe. How to go about making good
use of my bee gap year was the question before me. Should I just get in the air and buzz
away? Should I not have a plan before
stepping out of the colony? Should I seek
counsel with the wise Queen Bee? Should I
pray for the answers? I was very good at
coming up with a beehive of questions.
Then, one day as I hummed at my favorite Beeswax Coffee Shop, I saw a flier on the wall of the honeycomb
advertising trips to Antarctica, the lost continent of bee existence. Bee the FIRST to explore this continent of
ice and subzero beauty! Bee the FIRST to participate in scientific experiments
of bee life on Antarctica! Bee BRAVE!!!! I buzzed home to make my grand announcement
to my parents … I am going to be the FIRST bee to ever land on the continent of
Antarctica! Needless to say, my parents
were horrified. Travel to a place where no bee has been before … the temperatures alone
will kill you … what is wrong with you … no, absolutely not!!! But, with the help of my science teacher,
Mizzz Buttercutt, we were able to convenience my skeptical parents that this
was the exact adventure for my gap year and that the necessary precautions
would be taken to protect my buzz life.
What did I learn during my time on the continent of
Antarctica and my gap year ... here are a few things I would like to share with
you, and spoiler alert … the discoveries were not necessarily scientific in
nature:
·
Fear became my friend, not a feared enemy.
·
Confidence was a steady companion of my friend,
Fear; always coming to visit with each new conquest.
·
The big buzz of victory was in the success of
teamwork.
·
Passion of heart is God’s way of paving our
intended buzz purpose on this lifetime journey.
·
Treat others with respect as you would want to
be treated.
·
Great heights of achievement are worthy when balanced
with love for family, friends and beekind.
·
Seek the mysteries of the unknown for the answers
to help others.
·
Do good, bee good and live healthy so to serve a
higher purpose than yourself.
·
Knowledge is powerful and to be revered … use it
wisely.
·
Climb the corporate honeycomb, if that is your
desire, but always carry integrity, trust and character in your portfolio of life
skills and knowledge.
·
Pay forward all the good that you experience and
share the worthiness of your failures.
·
Love is the first, last and the in between to
what matters in a life well spent.
·
Bee the best that is You, not some other bee,
YOU! God loves YOU … honor this precious
gift and cherish with respect by paying it forward to the universe.
To the Class of BeeWise High School Graduates, may the lessons
learned from my gap year be my gift that
will serve you in your own unique lifetime adventures. Peace and love are the measures of value in each
individual pursuit of our perceived heights of greatness -- no matter the size
of the quest. Let your uncharted course
be the pathway that will serve the universal goodness and glory for all.
Thank you and happy buzzing, my kindred spirits.
You may enjoy visiting my blogs:
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