The weekend was filled with family time. It went by too fast, as usual. But it left me with a grateful heart. 🩷
Tiny drops of rain
Barely noticeable
Land gently
On your nose
While others collect
To form a puddle
Deep enough to cover
Your little feet
As we splash together-
No hesitation
Smiling big enough
To show your two
Bottom front teeth
Before curiously pointing
Toward the gray clouds
Responsible for the sweet rain
Securely wrapped
In the soft, pale
Purple of morning
There you stood
In green grass
Almost over your head-
I wasn’t sure if
I’d see you
Considering the coming
Season of change-
Changes in the name
Of progress, of course
Giving little consideration
To your home-
At the tree line’s edge
Your mom stands steady
Her gaze fixed
As your head tilts
And your ears perk
Curious about this
Big beautiful world-
She is still
While you explore
Both securely wrapped
In the soft, pale
Purple of morning
Delicate lace flowing
Across natural curves
Gently draping
The sturdy frame –
A frame strong enough
To carry heartache
From great loss
While sharing joy
From great love-
Delicate and Sturdy
Words that don’t seem
To complement-
Say them out loud
Delicate and Sturdy
One rolls off the tongue
While the other lands flat-
Even the one landing is
An integral part of the foundation
From where love and joy
And heartache and grief
Have the freedom to flow
Last night, I had the pleasure of writing with Ali Grimshaw. Ali’s blog Our circle was smaller than usual, but nonetheless filled with joy. ❤️
Broken hearts
Happy hearts
Both are a part
Of this life
When we feel lost
Waiting to be found
When we are found
Hoping never
To be lost again
The heart measures
Time Differently
It never forgets
Being filled
Broken
Mended
Filled again
It never forgets
Growing, loving
Beating in sync
With another
Like the tick-tock
Of the clock
Even though an
Inaccurate gauge
Where hearts
Are concerned-
Time is fluid
Holding all
The possibilities
Of the universe
Within the rhythm
Of each heartbeat
Sharing a poem from my recent collection, Quiet Embers-A Poetry of Faith. Available at the following: Amazon, Lulu, Barnes & Noble
We hesitate to say
It is so good to see you!
When the circumstances
Bringing us together
Are times of sadness
Yet, those are the times
Seeing you is most needed-
A knowing smile
Through the tears
A quick but strong
Grasp of the hand
A sweet, simple hug
The truth that one person’s life
Has the power to influence so many
On display in real-time with real people
Gathered in an honest attempt
To provide loving support-
Go ahead and say it
It is so good to see you!
Connections interlaced
With grace and
Gratefulness
While seated at a funeral yesterday, we noticed many familiar faces. Memories of my father-in-law’s service eight years ago immediately came flooding back. Many of the same faces were in attendance that day.
Eight years ago, we were the family sitting up front. Yesterday, we were part of the support. Connections across years of life’s experiences.
It begins
With a clear
Statement
Of rules and
Regulations-
Wait.
Is that right?
I don’t think
That sounds right
A newborn baby
Senses it
Responds to it
Before comprehending
The security
That will grow
From a foundation
Built on trust
Parents express it
With gestures
And words
Unconditional
Yet, still growing
In their understanding
Of its power
As it is received
Without question-
What is love?
It is a commitment
To the messy
And the beautiful
The Unexpected
And the routine
As simple as your smile
And the light in your eyes
Washing away my fears
What kind of footprints
Am I leaving behind
As I walk through each day?
Are they easily erased
By the wind and rain?
When walking alone
That may be the case-
But what if my feet
Are like those of a child
Following the impressions
Left by those walking ahead?
Confident or unsure
It does not matter
They are not mine alone
But instead, a grain of sand
Within one layer of history
Where many who walked
And continue walking
Will faithfully
And gently call me back
When my feet
Step off the path
This morning, I cried from disappointment. Then I cried from gratefulness. Later, I cried in relief. Then, one more time from gratitude and a little exhaustion.
Plans often do not work as expected. Even if the first solution seems like the best solution, when it crashes, questions creep in, and faith begins to fade. Prayers feel unanswered or on hold until answers arrive in the most beautiful ways.
Generosity and compassion are a powerful combination. And when a request is answered with both, it is humbling.
That was my day today. And now, at the end of it, I am overwhelmed by the generosity and compassion of family, friends, and strangers.
Our sweet friend will have her dental work on Monday. Thank you! ❤️
This is not a typical blog post. But I love this community and know there may be some that want to help. Thank you for reading.
My former student is in need of dental work.
I have described it before
A safety net
Of people and memories
Sewn together with care
Each stitch increasing
The vastness and strength
Of the shelter
Fashioning a living
Security blanket
To wrap me
And those I love
In the knowledge that
We are never alone-
Now grown
I see myself in the stitches
Understanding even more
The comfort and
Encouragement
In this welcoming refuge
Where whether weak or strong
I am never out of place
Piano Girl 