My Life Work

It took me 18 years to completely, deeply, and with radical commitment, answer that irksome question that often is asked at social engagements, "So, Kim, what do you do?"
For too many years that question always seemed to catch me off guard and prompt a vague feeling inadequacy.

It is not that a scattering of framed documents showing various credentials over the years are not valid or important, but I just have never taken any one endeavor and run the entire gauntlet –– an Associates Degree in Social Service; a certificate from Naropa University & Rigpa Spiritual Care in Contemplative End-of-Life Care; a recent graduate to Usui Reiki Master level with a side of Karuna Reiki; 8 years as a local hospice volunteer with a year of Spiritual Care Provider under my belt. I greatly value and appreciate  the life learning opened up to me through all those avenues.  

But all those things I have done do not hold a candle to what my true life work has been and continues to be.
It is now at nearly 50 years of age, and no race to win, nobodies to impress that I, without hesitation and in the blink of an eye, point over at my son and affirm, "I do that. For over 18 years  I have been consciously and radically committed to growing one dynamic, creative, intelligent, compassionate, humorous human potential for our future."  And if I never do another thing while drawing breath on this planet, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to give the future of our planet something I put my heart and soul into...a gift I run the gauntlet for...my life work. I call him Wes.

Two, Two, Two STERRS for the Price of One

BAHS announces October students of the month

Nov 18, 2011

Courtesy of: Belfast Area High School Front row, from left to right are: Sarah James, Chase McIntire, Maddison Cummings, Abigail Wessels and Maria Swebilius; back row, from left to right are: Evan Schweikert, Wes Sterrs and Owen Sterrs. 

 

Belfast — In an effort to raise student aspirations at Belfast Area High School, the staff instituted a “Student of the Month” program, beginning in April of 2011. This program will recognize a boy and a girl at each grade level based on teacher nominations, with subsequent voting by all staff.
The CORE Mission Statement of the school will provide the criteria for selection: a clear and effective communicator, a self-directed and life-long learner, a creative and practical problem solver, a responsible and involved citizen, a collaborative and quality worker, and an integrative and informative thinker.
The students will receive a t-shirt, a certificate of recognition, and enjoy a pizza luncheon with the principal. Additionally, each student will have his or her picture prominently displayed in the school lobby and on the school’s website.
October honorees are: 9th graders, Sarah James and Chase McIntire; 10th graders, Maddison Cummings and Evan Schweikert; 11th graders, Maria Swebilius and Owen Sterrs; and 12th graders, Abigail Wessels and Wes Sterrs.
  
Congratulations Owen and Wes ~ You guys are awesome!

Senior Wes Sterrs in the News

Belfast High School Students Get To See Options After Graduation

by Meghan Hayward - October 27th 2011 04:06pm - Read more Local News

Belfast - Many high school students don't know what they want to do after graduation. Belfast students got to see some of the options out there.
"It's a college fair. It's a way to get a lot of colleges to come visit schools. Most of the colleges visiting are from Maine. What we've done at Belfast is attach a career fair so we have a lot of career people in the community coming in to talk about their careers."
Organizers say these events often help students see the paths they need to take.
" To connect where they're headed to what they're doing now in the classroom that's the immediate goal and hopefully that will pay off."
They understand college isn't for everyone.
" There's a big push in Maine about college ready for all kids. But not all kids want to go to college. So we feel it's important we expose all kids to all different options."
There were five sessions. Students had to visit at least two colleges. They had a variety of careers to check out. From diesel mechanics and masonry to nursing.
" I'm way more of a hands on learner so this is a lot better for me to actually see people who are doing stuff I want to do later in life."
Senior Wes Sterrs was happy to see jobs he's interested in.
" I've been doing video stuff since I could walk so I'm always looking to learn more about video production and film stuff."
Organizers are always looking to improve the fair, heeding student feedback.
" They'll do an evaluation at the end of the day. We take that feedback seriously and a lot of the career presenters we invite back. On occasion if it didn't go over well we might make some adjustments."

An Architecture of Another

Stained Glass

"My souls (characters) are conglomerations of past and present stages of civilization, bits from books and newspapers, scraps of humanity, rags and tatters of fine clothing, patched together as is the human soul. And I have added a little evolutionary history by making the weaker steal and repeat the words of the stronger, and by making the characters borrow ideas or "suggestions" from one another."

 
~ Johan August Strinderg(author's foreword to Miss Julie, in Six Plays of Strindberg, 1955)

 

We are a sort of stained glass.

Pieces of life and learning assembled over time and attached to bodies like wings.

We fit snugly into the space for which we were meant, resistant to wind and rain, supporting our own weight, and withstanding time.

We are simultaneously fragile and strong.

We are opacity and transparency.

An architecture of self and others.

Meant to be shared.

To fulfill the purpose for which we were created -To shine.

Isabel Augusto

Not your Ordinary Juice Box

Wes Sterrs

Wes Sterrs,  Student,  Filmmaker

Wes Sterrs is a student filmmaker from Belfast, Maine.  He has been making short films from age 11 and has expanded his portfolio since then.  Wes has attended the summer program at the New York Film Academy, produced/directed/edited numerous short films and has found work as a cinematographer/editor on a myriad of projects ranging from music videos to corporate events.
Recently, Sterrs (in collaboration with fellow student filmmaker John Loxterkamp) directed a short film titled “The Fly” that placed first at the Maine Student Film Festival.  The film follows a man who encounters a late-night insect that won’t leave him alone.  Wes hopes to go to film school with a focus in cinematography and to go on to work in television on wildlife nature programs.
 
For more information on Juice follow Wes at http://juiceconference.org/content/wes-sterrs

With All Good Intentions

It's never come easily to me, this writing prowess.
It did however, at least, come with some measure of sporadic reliability.
Every time I reach into the Hannaford cooler and wrap my hand around an organic milk carton, I expect to read, "Have you Seen this Missing Blog?" when checking its expiration date.

I am not certain when my motivation or my creativity went missing, but I have my suspicions that foul play on the walls of a certain cult-like network called FaceBook may be responsible for such an abduction of imagination and initiation.
It is only a theory.


Having finally come to this abandoned and lonely blog, I stumbled upon numerous good intentions that were kicked to the blurb (that's blogspeak for curb,) or possibly hijacked for and or by that FaceBook character.
So in the spirit of creativity and saving face with my blog, I have decided to post a sampling of "Would'a, Could'a, Should have been Our Heart Centered Life Posts."

In the meantime, should you buy milk soon and notice some resemblance to this post, please notify your local authorities. Who knows, a safe return of my imagination may result in finishing future po

Believing in Miracles

Here Comes the Sun, Here Comes the Sun, and I Say It's All Right

& high time to spring clean this blog!

April 8, 1940 ~ February 13, 2007

Dear Dad,

Thank you for loving me into being.

Today it has been four years ~ and although it has been one of the most emotionally difficult weeks of grieving since your death, in so many other ways, in particular, recently more than ever before, 

I have felt your presence supporting me.

I especially love the moments when I sense so strongly, 

your hand upon my shoulder!

I love you, Dad

kimberly

Isn't it ironic, when you're all growed up, life gives you your beginnings

Singing out a Happy Birthday to our Sterrs-among-Sterrs Father's,
Nicholas Appel - Sterrs!


Nicholas may not be barcalounging, sleeping through any night soon, going to work with anything less than the smell of talc and tooshy on his tie...but DAMN, take one look at the genetic genius the God 's have bestowed ...

Yes, all is RIGHT with your future gifts to the beauty, grace, and survival of the planet (Reagan can see to this single-handedly;)  BUT isn't there a lustful Daddy wish in your heart?
Like a Perkins Pancake Sunday Brunch?  Or a cave dwelling where a man can scratch privately (his lottery tickets!)

Nick, from the looks of it, you have it all...for now...until ...Well, let' us just keep you in bliss for a bit longer.

May you get to sleep in Happy Birthday, Nicholas!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Friday, February 11th is my beautiful mother's birthday. 

The following is a hint as to where, how, and with whom 

she'll be spending her day...

A Day of Relaxation & Pampering at Cloud 9 Spa

The fine print reads ~

Arriving at 9:30am

Betty will have a Warm Stone Facial

followed by Lunch ~ delivered to the Spa Dining Area

at 12 noon

Betty & Kim will enjoy Manicures 

Happy Birthday to Mom

& 

Happy Belated Birthday to Me

(am using gift certificates given to me last March for my birthday ~ from my husband!)

sigh

Dragonfly

this may be grief
it sure walks and talks like pissed off rage
but this may be grief.
and of all days the hospice newsletter has me by the throat - trying to choke out anything, anything at all related to .... related to ... sigh. 
oh, again with all the sighing.
i'm beaten and mad and sad and i miss my dad....and my aunt connie

damn it...
my beautiful dragonfly flew in bearing grief on its wings.

Healings Begin at Home

Sending Distant Healing using Antahkarana

no time to capitalize!

the winter has been busy busy busy 

with no time for punctuation or blogging

because 

i am evolving 

into the next phase

of my lifes purpose

~

Heart Centered Healing

Master Usui / Karuna Reiki Practitioner

kim Snyder Sterrs

with love guidance and support of those who surround me

Oh, give me silver, blue, & gold

the color of the sky, I'm told

Of Friendship, Family, Gratitude, and PIE!

Another Thanksgiving celebration with our best friends, The Jones!

Three Turkeys...Can you spot them?

Apple - Tree- First Born - Handsomeness!

Bros - Mischief in the Making

Huh?

...Now that"s more like it!

Adam and Kimmie

Beautiful Maria!

Thanksgiving 2010

..."So you are going to share that, right?"

my anam cara writes a poem

summer settles

a golden bear to slumber,

bees lost to darkening ether
like secret prayer -
summer faces her fate with grace

winter hovers
on the precipice -
concise indigo sky
punctured by stars of ember
and moon, a silver scythe

winter hesitates
stunned by insolent leaves
and seductive bonfires,
enthralled by tender deer
and the fox that is autumn

this is the season loved best
by poet, shaman, and farmer -

this is the brisk jig
before the deep sleep

by k.j. o’shea

My Tribe

Adam, Wes, Kim, & Larry

the gorgeous end of the gene pool

...the sometimes confusing emotions between . . .

a sense of deep sadness mixed with a feeling of compassionate relief, as now I can imagine her freedom from suffering ~

I'm wrapping myself up in quiet mode for a bit ... thank you all for kind text messages, emails, and facebook posts ... going to be with our family to celebrate the brave and beautiful life of Aunt Connie.

 

To Kelly - On those days when people are just too damn warm & fuzzy...

Disclaimer:
Stella is under contract.
Never was she in harm's way/mistreated/psychologically damaged by such rogue shenanigans.
Stella receives celebrity compensation (doggie spa treatments, grooming to ensure removal of any residual blood spatter, special treats, etc.)
Stella is mildly amused by humans thinking she actually listens and/or obeys commands.