Newly Published Poet in Town: Christy Dance-Greenhut

I recently read the book, “The Shift Cafe, How to Step into the Power of your Potential," which includes several poems by Hope's Christy Dance-Greenhut, a former Hope Community Center teacher. Once starting, I could not stop with each page holding my interest.

In the opening pages, the author presents the meaning of shift as: “A conscious movement away from disappointing aspects of your life so that you can welcome in life enhancing experiences and feelings that truly serve your highest well-being.”

Presently, I am facilitating a book study on “Solve for Happy” by Mo Gawdat, and Mo certainly stresses to readers that they need to shift their brains in order to find happiness. I suspect there will be many book study groups focusing on the words presented so brilliantly in “The Shift Cafe” by Cindy Allen-Stuckey with Karen Packwood.

Christy's interest in writing poetry started in 1976 during the American Bicentennial Celebration when constructing a poem in fourth grade about Betsy Ross at West Grove Elementary in Center Grove. There are four poems of inspiring depth in the book by Christy. I will just give a “sip” of each. (The chapters in the book are referred to as sips which I find quite creative.) Following, you will find the page number, the titles of Christy's poems, and a few lines from each:

Pgs. 44 and 306, “The Legacy”
“I can't claim these values simply as mine alone,
I was gifted along the way with the angels I have known,
I have borrowed parts of their legacy to pass along to you,
And I hope that I have left you something that you can borrow too.”

Pg. 112, “Seedling”
“A tiny seed deep in the ground,
sees nothing but darkness when it looks around.
Yet, rather than thinking, 'I'm stuck in a rut and all alone,'
it yearns for something that it's never known.”

Pg. 193, “The Secret of Life”
“Suddenly you realize you're not just living … but living well.
You are now writing the story your legacy will tell.
There are hopes and dreams, sorrows and pains.
There's healing and blessings, and sometimes scars that remain.
But you have made it, living a life designed just for you.
Now is the time to reach out and help other's dreams come true."

Pg. 250, “Something More”
“There were things she hadn't accomplished – yet.
Many years ago she'd set them aside. It had been a choice-not a regret.
She'd loved those years she'd spent teaching others to mountain climb.
Then one day she woke up to her inner voice saying:
This is Your Time”

There is also an article from 2014 Hauser graduate, Jonathan Isbill, about food. While at Ball State University, Jonathan received a master's degree in nutrition and dietetics. His interest in that field of study evolved while trying to help his mom with her Crohn's Disease battle. Following, you will find a small part of Jonathan's article:

Pgs. 196-199, “Food is Medicine?”
“Food is Communication-Our human body listens and learns what to do with the food we consume based on messages sent between the food and our cells. While food can nourish us from the inside out, not all food sends positive messages of health for our body and brain to grow from.”

And the author, Cindy Allen Stuckey, also has Hope connections while living around Schaefer Lake at one time, the same area my wife and I have been a part of for years. Unfortunately, we have never met even though her husband, Tim, tuned our piano just last year. Cindy's credentials are quite impressive, as well as Karen Packwood. In the Acknowledgments, Cindy gives credit to many including Christy in stating, “Thank you to Christy Dance-Greenhut for contributing your amazing gifts of creativity, kindness, humor and compassion to the editorial team. I am truly grateful!”

While talking with Christy, she emphasized that one of her goals is for people to improve their inner voice and is particularly pleased about one related chapter of the book, “Nurturing Acceptance,” which you will find a small but important sentence below:

“We hear so much about forgiveness and while forgiving others can be a good thing, true healing comes from being able to accept and release those painful events from your past, especially if they're the reason for negative self-talk and the inability to move forward.”

I would highly recommend reading Christy's well thought out poems and this book in its entirety, less than five hours as suggested by the author even though there are wonderful activities that one could spend much time completing and reflecting on. Due to writing a book myself and helping other authors in Hope, Rena Blake Dillman and Janice Lawson, I am aware of what is involved is the process and greatly appreciate the hours spent on “The Shift Cafe.” You can check it out from the Hope Library or purchase it through Amazon where it has received a high rating of 4.9 which is not at all surprising to this reader. I think Christy could be convinced to facilitate a book study, which I could foresee easily lasting many sessions with participants immensely enjoying each one while sipping hot coffee or hot tea.