29. April 2011 by Marie Pinschmidt.

This is to wish a quick recovery to any and all of my readers who have lost loved ones or have been affected in any way by the recent tornado activity.  Never has it been more evident that we mortals cannot control the will of the wind. Bless all of you in your struggles to regain a normal life, and it will happen if you maintain a positive attitude.

 Sincere regards,

 Marie 

Posted in Uncategorized | Print | 5575 Comments »

11. April 2011 by Marie Pinschmidt.

This morning while showering, I indulged in some personal comtemplation regarding the amazing human body and all its parts and appendages. If you ask what this has to do with writing or painting, please indulge me and read on.

My husband was an ophthalmologist and from his patients he often heard the phrase, “I only have two eyes.” In spite of their astute awareness, and much to his dismay, they occasionally failed to follow his orders, thereby placing their gift of sight in jeopardy. We also only have two ears, two legs, two arms, two kidneys, two breasts, two lungs, etc. Isn’t it nice that we have a spare to fall back on should the need arise? What if this weren’t true? Could our family of parts look out for each other and share the duties necessary for survival?

If we had to choose, would we rather be deaf than blind? How terrible to never see a beautiful sunset or sunrise, see the sparkle in a beloved’s eyes, or read the words in a piece of excellent writing. Which would be preferable, to see the blue of the ocean or to hear the hypnotic sounds of the ebb and flow of the surf? Would it be easier to donate a kidney to your child or to donate a cornea, a lung, or your bone marrow? If we never have to make such decisions, we are fortunate indeed.

The human body is a magnificent work of art. Yet most of the time we go about our busy lives with no thought of how our various parts perform their tasks. It amazes me that our arms are just long enough to reach all our other parts. We’re so well-equipped and self’sufficient. As nice as it is to have another person wash our back, we don’t really require their help to survive. The problem is that we don’t fully appreciate the continuing function of our various parts until their use is compromised by accident or disease. We have our cars, our boats and air-conditioners periodically checked to ward off future problems. However, we often neglect our most precious and irreplaceable asset - our physical body. We can’t tolerate a dented car fender but we ignore the blemish on our skin that could be a melanoma. We spend our money on a new sofa or expensive jewelry and neglect the persistent cough that could destroy not only one lung but also the “spare” one.

The gifts of sight and hearing are precious, but so are the sense of feel and taste; they contribute immeasurably to our happiness and pleasure. What is most important to you - the sound of your child’s laughter, the whistle of a far-away train, or the sound of your husband or wife’s car entering the garage after a long day? Look around you; could you live in a world of darkness? Would you miss seeing the books in your library or the golf ball soaring for a hole-in-one under a postcard blue sky? I would be sad never again to hear Claire de Lune played on a Steinway, or view magnificent works of art. What would I do if I couldn’t paint or write? I would listen to music and maybe try a new art form like sculpture. With practice, would my hands and the sense of touch be able to take over the function of my eyes?

Most of these questions are too difficult to answer, but perhaps they will make us aware of our mental blindness and encourage us to become more successful “parts managers”.  If we should find ourselves with damaged parts; we may have to learn to see with our souls.    

Until next time -  Marie

Posted in ESSAYS | Print | 2956 Comments »

10. April 2011 by Marie Pinschmidt.

My latest book, LIFE INTERRUPTED, is a personal memoir (When the Doctor Becomes the Patient). It is a story of living, loving, learning, and accepting that which cannot be changed in one’s life. It’s also a story of a man dedicated to excellence in the medical world and having his vision blocked by personal heartbreak and ill health. Having once made the blind to see, how would he and the woman who loved him deal with this interrupted life? How would you ?

It is also my story as I walked the rocky path by his side and grew stronger with each step. I have known great love, great joy, and great sorrow. Follow my path with this remarkable man and be reassured that true love can survive life’s unexpected interruptions. Having learned that I could not control or conquer the will of the wind, I remained on board for the ride and learned what it meant to endure.

My purpose for writing this memoir is to inform and inspire anyone who is a spouse or parent in similar circumstances that their strength is immeasurable and that they are not alone.

 I truly hope this book will help you, the reader, on your own personal journey.

Available through Authorhouse.com, your local retailer, Amazon.com and other on-line booksellers. Paperback, Hardcover, and as E-book. For autographed copies, please contact me through this website, or at MariePin001@comcast.net

Posted in Uncategorized | Print | 5075 Comments »