Many trees along the Boise River lean way over the edge—toward the water—bringing to mind a cheer we used in high school:
Lean to the left
Lean to the right
Stand up, sit down
Fight, fight, fight
It’s a wonderful feeling to know that you’ve got someone on your side; someone rooting for you!
Who are you cheering for? On the flip side (pun intended), who’s cheering for you?
Tuesdays with Laurie 
Cute photo–how have you not changed over the years, Laurie?
My family and friends cheer for me, and I cheer for them!
Merril — I’m glad you enjoyed the vintage (40 year old) photo. And I agree with you that having the love and support of one’s family and friends is The Best! 🙂
🙂
I like to cheer for everyone, especially those considered the underdog. They need an extra boost to keep at the tough work of winning in a world that can be so overwhelming.
Joan — My hat is off to you for being an advocate for the underdog!
Seems to me it’s really important to cheer for ourselves, as well as for each other. 🙂
Lori — Amen siSTAR! 🙂
I am cheering for my wonderful oldest son who I know has it all locked up deep inside him and if I can just support and cheer, amazingness will ignite. Who’s cheering for me? I could make a list, but if I’m not on the top of it, what does any of it matter? I’ve recently realized I need to cheer on myself and root for me;)
Lana — Smart cookie, YOU! 🙂
Love the cheer picture!!
Chase & Chance’s Mom — I’m glad you enjoyed that OLDIE! 🙂
What a deft move today from cheer-leading squad to leaning trees. You are so good at being flexible, and I’ll bet you are one of the few cheer-leaders on your H. S. team that has made a life work out of coaching/ cheering others along.
Like Merril, my family and friends cheer for me, and I cheer for them. Sometimes I too have to cheer for the underdog, giving them a voice. Your photos inspire me too, especially the vintage one!
Marian — I can tell from your blog posts that your an olympic cheerleader for your family and friends, and they in turn, for you.
I’m glad you enjoyed the 40 year old cheer photo 🙂
I cheer for myself and my friends and family, and, on the flip side, they cheer for themselves and for me.
I would of never put that together, the trees leaning over the water….my first thought is always what strong roots they have to be able to lean so far out and watch the fish swim by…cheering for myself first then the underdogs…my family cheers for me, as I cheer for them….I will always think of that cheer when I see those tress leaning over on the river banks….RAH RAH RAH…Go TEAM….
New Journey — I love that you brought in the “strong roots” factor! And you’re absolutely right about cheering for ourselves first, so that we’re strong enough and able to root for others 🙂
Lovely photos. I’ve been wondering myself, more in recent times.
Olga — It’s good “food for thought.”
My physical therapist is definitely rooting for me right now. 2 times a week the encouragement flows. I am rooting for us to sell our house and find a new space just right. And too, for 3 daughters in transition. Fun post Laurie
Patricia — I’m so glad that you’re on the mend. Having relocated ourselves (just over a year ago), I think you’re going to enjoy the process of finding new “just right” space — we sure did! 🙂
My son Martin cheers for me as do my real friends. Real friends cheer and listen, not control. I cheer for my son and my friends and those who have hit the bottom of the pit in life.
i love trees – ever since the ice storm in southern Ontario in December 2013 I have learned to respect trees and paid attention to the many trees that are gone (not just from this disaster) but just gone. But I am grateful for the trees that survive, that grow.
Sharon — It’s wonderful to have our now-adult sons in the cheering section rooting us on!
An avid admirer of our deeply-rooted friends, my hat is off to all respecter of trees 🙂
I am cheering for all of those aspiring authors out there! Cute photo, Laurie.
Melissa — Great to see you here. I love who you’re rooting for! 🙂
Hi Laurie,
I am slightly overwhelmed by the “Cheer” that you shared from your youth.
Lean to the left – Democrats
Lean to the right – Republicans
Stand up – get involved
Sit down – become resigned or otherwise disconnected
Fight, fight, fight – unrestrained competition at all levels.
Such a deep political commentary on US society – in a simple chant.
I am cheering for all humanity, to be so much more than that.
I am cheering for the possibility of a world that is based in cooperation, and supported by highly automated technology that allows every individual to creatively explore any aspect of the realm of the possible in whatever way they responsibly choose, where responsibility in this sense means showing a practical respect for the life and freedom of every other sapient entity (which by logical extension includes all the ecosystems of life that we rely upon to survive and to gain inspiration from).
It seems that each and every one of us has to go through a process of development.
At the lowest levels we are simple stimulus response beings, responding to the world in which we find ourselves on the basis of the systems our genetic heritage has delivered to us. In this mode we start to learn at ever more complex and recursive levels. In the first instance we learn, make distinctions, absorb culture and language.
At some point it seems we use language to declare a new form of self awareness into being.
It seems that the simplest of distinctions we can make in any domain is a binary. Simple ideas like light and dark, hot and cold, heavy and light, smooth and sharp, true and false, right and wrong.
It seems that reality is for the most part composed of far more diversity that such simple distinctions allow for.
It seems that most possibilities are infinite (even if at any specific instant reality is finite).
So all people have to start with simple ideas, like true and false, right and wrong; and it seems powerful to go beyond them into infinite grades of distinction, and from knowing in the sense of absolute and unchangeable truth to knowing in the sense of a probability that one can be confident of in specific realms that are well known, and less confident of in realms where one has less experience.
It seems that evolution is an amazing process.
It starts out simply, and from the simple filter of differential survival of variants (competition), evolves successive levels of complexity by combining new levels of cooperation into the systems.
We as human beings appear capable of developing technologies that support us in delivering global universal security of life and liberty to every individual – through cooperation; yet many of the dominant competitive modes of our past are in the way.
So I am cheering for each and every one of us.
I am cheering for every individual developing a level of awareness that allows for them to see past the truths of their youth, and to acknowledge the profound uncertainty in all knowledge of reality; at the same time as they acknowledge the logical power of cooperation at all levels.
I am cheering for a world beyond the scarcity and competition based values of money and markets – a world of abundance and freedom and security beyond anything experienced in history.
I am cheering for universal abundance, and the profound diversity and tolerance of difference that this requires.
I am cheering for the profound magic that exists in the vast complexity that is every human being, every sapient entity (human and non-human, biological and non-biological).
Ted — I love that you’re cheering for a world beyond scarcity; a world of universal abundance.
[Please know that at ages 15 and 16, no one on our cheering squad attributed any political significance to the cheer in any way. We’d literally lean our physical bodies to the left, then to the right, then we’d stand up, sit on the bleachers, and yell fight-fight-fight” — all in an attempt to spur our football time on to victory] 🙂
Hi Laurie
Yeah – I get that – on one level.
And in our brains everything is connected.
Subtle patterns and influences at every level.
The imagery in my mind this morning was just so powerful.
At one level it is about choosing teams – I go for the biggest team we can imagine.
At another level it is about extending levels of connectedness, levels of abstraction.
Going beyond simple distinctions to the most diverse and connected distinctions we can create.
And by age 6 I was thinking about universal issues – of the reasons for war, the possibility of peace, and alternative meanings hidden in plain sight. Been doing it for over 50 years 😉
Ted — I would have enjoyed meeting you when you were six! 🙂
Love that photo of you! Right now I am leaning toward matrimony, Dennis bought a ring and proposed this last week. So at this point you could say I am leaning towards him, he is leaning towards me and some time in December we will meet in the middle.
Congratulations!!!
Ted, thanks! Other than waving my hand around at church Sunday, this is the first time I’ve “gone public” with the news. Still feels a little funny….
Sandi — I’m so excited for you guys. I’m rooting for you and Dennis, BIG time! 🙂
Thank you, Laurie!
I could spot that smile anywhere Laurie . Cheer leading looks so much fun . I suppose the last time anyone cheered me on was when I stood up to read my poem in a room full of people . I was terrified . Their applause was certainly worth it .
Cherryx
Cherry — Had I been in that room listening to you read your poem, I would have whooped and hollered for you, too 🙂
The only person that I am 100% certain is cheering for me is my husband of 26 years! Right now the person that I am cheering the loudest for is a dear friend who is only 53 years old that is fighting her way back from a stroke. And I am my kids biggest cheerleader of course!!
Gigi — I love your enthusiastic response. And please know that my hat is off to you for cheering your friend on! 🙂
I like to cheer on other writers by commenting on blogs and sharing a few tips I’ve learned. And, of course, my grandchildren get my unabashed joy just for BEING. My mother was my cheerleader first and foremost, and learning from her, I became one myself.
I was away from my computer screen yesterday, Laurie. But I’m back to cheer you on.
Who am I cheering for?
My husband. He goes to work everyday so that I can write. He leaves our beautiful island home twice a week so I can click away on magical keys. All the clicking, all that magic leads to story.
Who’s cheering me on?
I’m very blessed. Over the years many people have helped and continue to help me work towards my goal of building an author career. I’m so thankful for those who have given me feedback on my writing; those who have listened to me read my writing; and those who visit my blog. I live in a world of abundance. : )
Leanne — I love your shiny penny attitude! You’re one of the most sunny-side-up people I know 🙂
Laurie, you are such a captivating writer and the discussion in your comments is SO RICH! I am cheering on many different levels this week.
I cheer for my kids, taking brave steps in the world.
I cheer for my husband, doing his new work in the world.
I cheer for my peers, like you, modeling awareness and connection in new ways.
And I do cheer for myself, showing up every day.
You cheer for me, especially on Twitter, and I really appreciate that.
I have many friends who cheer for me. Tuesday I read a piece of my
writing at The Mount in Lenox and two of my neighbors were in the audience.
These are people who have not encountered me as a writer, at all, ever.
Their words of support and enjoyment meant so much to me.
A commenter on LLD wrote, “Your words build bridges.”
I share that same feeling for your words Laurie.
Many blessings and lots of cheer.
S
Suzi — As an avid reader of LAUNDRY LINE DIVINE, I wholeheartedly agree with your neighbors’ assessment of your writing: “YOUR WORDS BUILD BRIDGES.”
To read that you have the same sentiment for my words has just made my day — thank you!
Quite a few people, luckily. 🙂
FatimaSaySell — Woot Woot! 🙂
Laurie, I am fascinated how your posts generate such an enthusiastic and rich response from so many! You are the head cheerleader. It’s very important that we support one another so I cheer for my family, friends and fellow writers.Love the vintage photo.
Kathy — I oh so agree with your words of wisdom: “It’s very important that we support one another.”
I completely agree with ‘krpooler’ that Laurie is in poll position when it comes to support and positive energy. Alas, with all the family milestones of the past year, I am rooting for them all, and I know the sentiments are reciprocal. The leaning tree metaphor is extraordinary my friend!
Sam — You’ve, indeed, had a wide brushstroke of family milestones to celebrate this year. Woot Woot!
[I hope your knee is fully healed and serving you in a friendly, pain-free manner]…
I cheer for those who keep persevering even though they run into many stumbling blocks. I watched “Woman in Gold,” last evening. Loved it. I have a blog post scheduled on it for Monday morning. It was a good example of victory through perseverance. I also cheer for my family because many of them have cheered me along on my way through life.
TimelessLady — WOMAN IN GOLD is on our must-see list. I love stories of victory through perseverance 🙂
Late for this game! I am glad cheering is still going on!! First part of me can not believe you were a cheerleader! You go girl!
I am cheering that the world continues to wake up, that through all life’s challenges humanity continues to move forward in positive all inclusive way. I have to cheer myself each day to experience life at it fullest, even through those days when it seems nothing is happening…
I know that there are many other there who cheer me on…
Before “ego” makes a mess here “Let’s do this!”
Jeff — I love your enthusiastic response. Further, I admire the way you approach life. Go Team! 🙂
That’s so life doesn’t sneak up and bite me in the ass! Ha Ha!