About Me:

Aloha! I'm Wendy Kennar. I'm the mother of a seven-year-old son and a wife living in Los Angeles. I was a public school teacher for twelve years until a chronic medical condition made it necessary to leave my teaching career.

I've always been described as "quiet" - really, I'm just biting my tongue. I've got lots to say, and lots of thoughts to share, I just prefer to write them. That's the purpose of this blog. Each Wednesday, I post a personal essay offering my observations and thoughts.

A few fun facts about me: I've wanted to be a writer since second grade, when my teacher, Mrs. Jones, made me a "book" with a yellow construction paper cover. I have never learned to whistle, have always preferred sunflowers to roses, and have spent my life living within the same zip code.

Through the years, my writing has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, United Teacher, GreenPrints, L.A. Parent, DivineCaroline.com, RoleReboot.org, XOJane, and Brain, Child Magazine. Additionally, my personal essays have been included in several anthologies, including: The Barefoot Review, Beyond the Diaper Bag, Lessons From My Parents, Write for Light, Being a Grown-Up: A User's Manual for the Real World, Ka-Pow!, How Writing Can Get You Through Tough Times, Breath and Shadow, The Grey Wolfe Storybook, and Sisters Born, Sisters Found.
I am a regular contributor at MomsLA.com, and you can also find me at Goodreads.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. Feel free to comment and share my blog with others!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Dance and Sing, Live and Love

“Dance as though no one is watching,
Love as though you have never loved before,
Sing as though no one can hear you,
Live as though heaven is on Earth.”
Those words adorn a butterfly plaque hanging above my living room couch. 
I’ve always wanted to be the type of person who is comfortable in her own skin.  And to a certain extent I am - I wear eight rings because I want to, I wear clogs because they’re comfortable, and I don’t wear eyeliner because I don’t want a wand-shaped beauty tool coming near my eye.  
And like many things in life, I suddenly just “got it.”  I realized that I now do fully understand what it means to dance as though no one is watching me, to love as I have truly never loved before, to sing as though no one hears me, and to live each day believing with all my soul that heaven is here on Earth.
I understand this now because of my son.  With Ryan, I sing and dance for the pleasure it bring us.  I pay no attention to anyone else’s glances.  And, let’s be honest, if they’re watching, they are most likely watching my adorable son not me.  I do love like I have never loved before, because being a mother is an experience unlike any I have ever had.  I love my son with a passion and intensity and purity unlike any other love I have known.
Being a mother has brought my life a higher purpose and shown me a bit of heaven here on Earth.
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4 comments:

  1. VictoriaJune 22, 2011 at 10:10 PM

    Thank you for this awesome post! I hope that one day I can experience such an intense love as you describe having for Ryan. I love those times when I can sing and dance just for the joy and pleasure it brings me. Keep up the fabulous writing! I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. honey7214June 23, 2011 at 4:35 AM

    This blog is BEAUTIFUL.Having children changes everything about a person(or it certainly should).It is a love like no other.Ryan is so very lucky to have you as his mommy.I feel so blessed to have you as my daughter.
    love,mommy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Paul KennarJune 23, 2011 at 6:31 AM

    Honey,

    You are an incredible mother to Ryan!
    I love seeing the two of you playing "squish"!
    He really does light up our world everyday.

    I Love You!

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  4. msfraseJune 23, 2011 at 3:20 PM

    I Love you & your son. This is a well written article.

    Love, Dad

    ReplyDelete

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