Awesome Stories 281

My favorite in the batch of “Awesome Stories” is the one about the two women on opposite sides of a conflict in Columbia. Both are in prison for killing people in the conflict. They found common ground in that they are human and demonstrate a “Model of Reconciliation.” Listening to the story of someone we consider our enemy builds a bridge to peace and even friendship.

writing to freedom

This week Awesome Stories brings you cardboard homes, prison friendship, solar success and precious jewelry.

Amazing Cardboard Homes

This is a pretty interesting project. Students built homes made from cardboard to demonstrate easier and more sustainable construction possibilities. I wish I could find an article with more info. Here is a nice collection of photos of their amazing cardboard homes.

Prison Friendship

This is a remarkable story of healing and forgiveness. Claudia and Ciliana are two women from opposite sides of the conflict in Columbia. Both are serving time in prison for killing people in the uprisings. After being assigned as cellmates, they began to get to know the person beyond the roles they played and found that they had much in common. Most of all, they didn’t want to cause any more harm. They realized it was time to go beyond the ideologies that create conflict and war, and…

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Water (A Stream of Consciousness Reconciliation)

I used yesterday’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday post to rant. Maybe I needed to rant, because I don’t do that much. Just sometimes, and then it’s usually just inside my head. But now that that’s out of my system,  I wish I’d written about water. Linda Hill’s  prompt included the key word: element, as in earth/wind/fire/water. Though I love them all- I love to walk in the woods, and breathe the smell of the earth- I think water is my favorite. Today anyway. I wonder if it’s because I’m a fire sign (according to the zodiac) and water calms my fire.

Water is smooth, even when she’s crashing full of energy.

I love to let her waves caress my skin.

Or splash me awake,

Or tickle me with foam.

I love to watch the wavy patterns of light

Dancing on the bottom of the blue pool.

Under water is deep peace.

A dream to live there and not have to come up;

Breathing magically, moving gracefully.

Maybe I was a whale.

Water is what I am made of.

Water calms my fire,

Quiets my fear.

Deep down inside me.