So many things I take for granted. Today, I am embracing the simple. Thankful that the sun is shining. Thankful that the breeze is crisp. Thankful for the ability to talk on the phone. Hearing my dad, You will always be my little girl. Hearing my mom, I am ok. We will trust God to take care of us. Dad is in the hospital in Arkansas. Mom is there with him. I am at home in Oklahoma. Such is this life. And that is ok.
My email inbox is quick to get overloaded. Because I tend to ignore it. Until the thousands of unread messages are overwhelming.
My daughter gets after me about this habit quite often. But she is also quick to help. And I must admit, it is a relief to see that empty inbox.
Today, its state is somewhere in between control and chaos. Cluttered, but not enough where I might miss an important message.
…like the one that arrived this morning with a swoosh.
I have met so many amazing people through the writing circle process. One of those sweet friends recently asked if I’d like to be on her mailing list. She sends a weekly letter out to a few friends.
Due to the often out-of-control state of my inbox, I almost declined. So thankful that I did not.
Her words are always timely, and today was no exception. Acknowledging the worries of this world while also brightly shining her light. Honest and challenging. Reading her words, I often find myself saying, Me,too! That fact alone places her emails at the top of my must-read column.
So, if you are feeling heavy today, you are not alone. And just as I received encouragement, long distance-may I offer some to you?
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. Proverbs 12:25
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24
Thinking I need to re-read.❤️
“All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors—in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver.” -Fred Rogers
I see the notes Gracefully strung Across the staff My hands Gently fall Onto the keys Music drifts Thru the air Is this progression always the same? So many things to consider Things that may Cause my eyes to fall Leave my hands to drift The music silenced Tucked away On its pages Waiting patiently For its turn Once again To speak Drift thru the air And keep me From falling
I have been participating in writing circles with Ali Grimshaw https://flashlightbatteries.blog/ for almost two years now. Each experience reminds me that distance is not a determiner of meaningful connections. Ali provides a safe space for writing and sharing. Always with a reminder to send my critical voice to the other room.
Yesterday, I listened to an uplifting story on the morning news. An unlikely connection between two people living on different continents.
Their initial meeting was over the phone, a call intended to scam. But the man on the receiving end of the call heard something besides the rehearsed message.
In his own words, “…something in that young man’s voice. I could feel that he was a broken person.” He initiated a conversation that turned into a friendship.
This story led to the following poem. It also made me think of a song, He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother. Think I will save that for another day. 😉
Each Other’s Keepers
Sometimes heard In the voice Not thru words In subtle timbres Tiny waves of uncertainty Rustling their way Out from under Rubble of worries Cautiously searching For one listening ear One open heart Two reaching hands Willing to help Carry the burden Lessen the weight If only for a moment
Will my ears hear the waves in your voice? Will my heart see the need in your eyes? Will my hands reach out and lift you?
In certain Seasons Distance Seems To play The role Of villain Stealing away The moments If only I could be In two places At the same time I can’t be Two places At once At least Not my body But my heart… It is here It is there Distance Not really A villain Merely life And me Wishing The miles Between us Were fewer
How far is too far? To travel For one Conversation Over a meal Or a cup of coffee For one hug Combining Both greeting And goodbye Considering time As the crucial Measurement These may Seem minor Unimportant Except for years Of living That reveal In certain times With certain Loved ones That one conversation Over a meal Or a cup of coffee That one hug Combining Both greeting And goodbye May hold the key To a treasure trove Of memories Enough to Last a lifetime Face to face Heart to heart No thought Given to Time Distance Or the drive There and back
Anxiously waiting for Family to arrive Coming from what, In my young heart Seemed like a Faraway place- Used to be a short walk Down the hill A knock on the door Hello! Come out and play? Now visits were Few, but precious Filled with late nights Laughter, memories Never enough time Never ready to say Goodbye… I see myself standing at The end of the sidewalk Unable to contain my tears Waving until their faces Drove out of sight- Already anticipating Our next visit