Category: Family

A Soul Beyond Eclipse, difficult times, Encouragement, Faith, Family, Frank de Acosta, poetry, Wisdom

A Soul Beyond Eclipse

Mona Alvarado Frazier

Getty Images



This morning I felt like this photograph and it’s accompanying poem:


                                                        A Soul Beyond Eclipse 


Sometimes I feel weary in mind, heart, and spirit. 
Yet I breathe, opening my eyes of failing sight; 
somehow finding strength to carry on in faith. 
Despite a beaming sun and lucent sky,
the shadow of the moon chills me 
bone & marrow. 
The eclipse of my soul obscures the illumination of hope, only the stinging scars of youth and frailties of today I see. 
Suddenly a face I see as in a dream: 
a nameless muse who with but one touch animates new life.
A song wells up within me & aspiration fills my wings; 
melodic words become a circle of fire breaching the dark. 
Light of dusk fills me with a prayer of healing & creation;
I offer my burdens at the altar and slumber, becoming as ceremony smoke. 
Renewed I rise with dawn, filled with songs, poems, & prayers; 
the circle of fire becomes my arc of resurrection… 
En Lak Etch… 


Frank de Jesus Acosta


Amid the fast paced weekend of visiting with friends certain themes came up in conversation. Several people in my life are facing much stress and heavy emotional burdens lately.They or their family members are facing terminal illness, drug addiction, struggles with children, and other issues. 


It is so hard for those undergoing these burdens and the one listening  feels so helpless. 


What can one offer to their friend who is going through these times except a listening ear, some words of support? Sometimes there is that fine line, what can one say that won’t be trite or misconstrued? 

When I went through my own difficult times, I didn’t feel any better when someone said, “Everything will be okay.” 
 I wanted to blurt out, “how do you know?” 

In fact that phrase got me angry, because what was happening to me really sucked.
Could someone just say, “That sucks big time?” 
Actually, I did overhear that, from a young teenager saying that to one of my kids, who nodded his head gravely. I think he felt understood. 

I know people don’t say “Everything will be okay,”  to be unkind, so it begs the question,
what can someone say when we want to let friends know we feel badly for them?

So I listened to my friends, nodded my head, offered my opinion only if they asked, and tried to show support with a hug or whisper. I know I said “that sucks,” at least twice. 

I don’t think there are any ‘rules,’ on how to support someone who’s going through a rough time, except not to start off with “Everything will be okay,” 
or at least put that sentence at the very end. 

So, it was a great comfort when I came across this poem by Frank de Acosta. I read it a few times. I felt he understood. The words offered hope. I felt, this is something that has to be shared, so I posted it on my Facebook and then wrote about it here. 

Although I don’t have the answers to life’s burden’s, I just thought I’d share his poem because I felt he understood and that hopefully sooner, than later, that 
everything will be okay. 
Diabetes, Dr. Oz on diabetes, Family, Health, Healthy eating, National Women's Health Week

4 Ways to Beat Back Diabetes 2

Mona Alvarado Frazier

It’s still National Women’s Health Week, so post and tweets are all about things we can do to get healthier. A major concern to women, and me, is Diabetes. It’s been called an epidemic with predictions of increasing numbers in children. Type 2 Diabetics are four times likely to die from heart disease. For an eyeopener on what diabetes does to the body, watch this short Oprah video.


Can 90% of type 2 diabetes really be prevented by lifestyle changes? Numerous studies say ‘yes’ we can prevent or control Diabetes 2 with changes to our eating and activity level. 


I’m a believer in lifestyle changes, mainly  because my mother has had Diabetes 2 for 45 years. Unfortunately I can’t say she is in tip top health, but she does pretty darn well for 84 years-although for the past 7 years she’s been legally blind (lost vision due to diabetes) and has constant pain in her legs (poor circulation). 


Last year I posted a story about Mom and the battle for the three layer chocolate cake. I know first hand how difficult controlling diabetes can be. Lots of times it’s a meal by meal battle.  


This morning she wanted to go out to eat, after an appointment, and she didn’t care if it was afternoon, she wanted pancakes, not a salad. So off we went. She was in a good mood, so she took my recommendations for multi-grain pancakes and sugar free syrup. I lost on the bacon issue (limiting red meat or processed meat lowers your risk of diabetes).


“I’m old, let me have some pleasure,” she wailed. 
My Vegan son smiled and told me, “It’s a little late now, isn’t it?” 
I still managed to whisper “no butter on the pancakes,” to the waitress.


Lately, Mom’s been trying to make better food choices, not because of her 4 children, but because she loves Dr. Oz. 



So in honor of NWHW, my mom, and Dr. Oz, I thought I’d share four ways he recommends to beat back diabetes:(from June ’12 issue of Oprah magazine).

  1. Eat wisely: chose whole grains, fill up on fiber (berries, veggies), enjoy the antioxidants of a few cups of java (light on sugar,cream) which studies found to reduce blood sugar levels.  
  2. Sweat it out, get moving: walk that dog, spouse, child-whatever, just get out there for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Get your heart rate up. Build muscle-strength train for 10-15 minutes four times a week, take the stairs, ride a bike, skate, chase your toddler. 
  3. Start supplementing: Fortify with magnesium which is found in beans, green veggies,nuts and whole grains. Use cinnamon, about 2 teaspoons, in your coffee, oatmeal, tea, baked apple. Add Alpha-Lipoic Acid (mom’s current favorite). Dr. Oz says it protects retinas from glucose damage and lowers triglycerides.
  4. Change your attitude:   Be mindful of your health, Insulin levels are strongly linked to melatonin (the sleep hormone), when you have poor sleep it can cause fluctuations in blood sugar-so get your 8 hours. Relax: listen to music, find a positive support system, meditate for 10 minutes, stop and take deep belly breathes. 

Take the Diabetes risk quiz on the ADA site. They have several more tips on living with Diabetes, food and fitness, and research. Give some of these suggestions a chance and remember the NWHW theme: It’s Your Time.


Do you have concerns with diabetes or have to do battle with your parents or loved ones? What works for you?