Tag: family

Guest Writer

On By Piano girl3 Comments

My daughter, Rachel, wrote the following poem not long after my dad passed away. It paints a beautiful picture of the way we need and care for each other. I asked her if I could share. ❤️

Circle of Grief

Your mom needs you
Is a call to action
I do not take lightly
My Dad said this to me
After learning my mom had lost her own father
I held her tight in my arms
Breathing deep and slow
Like she had done for me
so many times before
Your mom needs us
My Dad said to her
As they prepared to leave
I imagine she held her mom tight in her arms
Breathing deep and slow
Like she had done for her
So many times before
How precious it is
To need your mom
And be needed by her

-Rachel Morris

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl2 Comments

Hi, Dad

The day we
Laid you to rest
The sun shone brightly
The wind blew
Stronger than
A breeze
And carried
A cold bite
Uneven, at best
Like my emotions
Visited again today
Knelt down
By the dirt
And smiled
Hi, Dad
The sun shone brightly
No breeze to cool the air
The sky was a beautiful blue
Somehow, felt balanced-
Surprisingly, so did I

Hi, Honey

Soft baby blanket
Tiny pink hat
Your sweet face
All that we
Could see
All that we
Needed to see
Eyes still closed
Your new cry
Broke my heart
Hi, Honey
Your dad
Held you close
My heart filled
To overflowing
My baby
Holding
His baby

Happy Father’s Day!

Today’s Answers

On By Piano girl6 Comments


What is wrong with me? It took a couple of hours to solve the mystery. Though solving did not mean feelings subsided. The emotional range of my morning hit hard and fast. 

Why am I surprised? Sunday is our son’s first Father’s Day! It is also the first Father’s Day without Dad. So much joy and sadness co-exist. But I know I’m not alone. 

How are you today? My friend Darryl stopped by today. His home is on the streets. He appeared to be having a particularly rough day. Yet, he made a point to ask how I was doing.

Should I answer honestly? His dad also recently died. He didn’t know for several weeks. So many regrets. Told him I was struggling and mentioned that Sunday was Father’s Day.  

Sunday is Father’s Day? A first for us both. Reminded him that we have to keep going. It is ok to be sad, but we can’t stay there.  

What is wrong with me? I miss my dad. I miss my father-in-law. But I also celebrate my son. And I celebrate my husband-all great dads!

What are the answers for today? There is strength in honesty. Sorrow shared is easier to carry. And joy shared multiplies. ❤️

Family Trees

On By Piano girl4 Comments

We closely watched
As our children grew
Each part of us
Each their own
A continuation
Of family trees
With roots and branches
You and I will never know-
We’ve heard stories of
Transplanted roots
Broken branches
Colorful leaves
We’ve watched
More than once
As one season ended
And a new one began
Love and joy seeded
Along with pain
And heartache-
Seems strange
Speaking of them
In the same breath
Yet, here they are
Wise falling leaf
Innocent Spring bud
Quietly encouraging me
To embrace this current season-

Do not look too far ahead.
Do not look too far behind.
Do not hang on so tight,
That you miss
The peaceful wind
Blowing thru your hair.

Priceless Perspective

On By Piano girl4 Comments

Coming and going
Moving from one
Instant to the next
While stopping to
Revisit the past-
Those pauses
Graciously offering
A new perspective
For a new season-

A young mom
Grateful for time
With her mom

A grandmother
Knowing it’s time
For her to go home

Remembering
What it was like
To be the first

Learning
What it is like
To be the later

Imagining
How my mom
Must have felt

Understanding
More clearly
The connections
Between mamas
And babies
And grandmas
And each moment
Spent together-
Priceless!

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl11 Comments

Simply hearing
You arrived safely
And every ounce
Of worry disappeared
Simply seeing
Your sweet face
And my heart
Filled to overflowing-
I am convinced
Our capacity
To love grows
Exponentially
With the birth
Of a child
And when that baby
Is a grandchild-
Well, I will keep
Searching for words
And let you know-
It’s going to be an adventure! 💗

A happy Gigi!
A smitten Papa!
Rockstar parents!
Sweet Emilia! 💗

Living

On By Piano girlLeave a comment

I used to find the idea of regularly visiting a cemetery puzzling. Not in a disrespectful way. My thought was-Well, I know they are not there.

Today, Mom sent me a photo of Dad’s newly installed headstone. I’m beginning to understand the pull.

As I looked at the design, zooming in on details, I saw the story. Names and dates that represent what was and what continues. Birth, marriage, death-pieces of a beautiful puzzle. A puzzle to which I also belong.

I hope to visit soon. 💙


Stories etched 
In granite gray
Beginnings 
And endings 
Bordered by 
And filled in 
With love 
And hope
A serene spot 
Shaped for 
The kind of 
Remembering 
That leads  
To living

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl11 Comments

Thirty Years

What does thirty years mean to you? If we look at it in terms of math-10,950 days, 262,800 hours, and 15,768,000 minutes. And yes, I did the math. Just don’t ask me to show my work! And while those huge numbers give a little sense of the time that has passed, they don’t quite do justice.

For me, a lot of ground has been covered in thirty years. It began with what I like to call a rescue. My life was a mess when I met Gart. I suppose he could say the same. But he found me, and that was that.

We were both ready for a commitment. That decision covered seven cities, one apartment, and seven houses. It also brought new jobs and a long list of friends.

What result are we most proud of? Three grown children and one beautiful daughter-in-law. Each of them is their own person. Each with their own gifts. Each holds kindness and the ability to accept others where they are.

Well, tomorrow is our official thirty-year anniversary. It is also the day before our first granddaughter’s due date. How appropriate. The beginning of year thirty will be celebrated while waiting on the birth of this new little person we already love.

Happy Anniversary to us! ❤

Curious

On By Piano girl5 Comments

Was I looking at the sky?
Or was it a painting?
Soft brushstrokes
Blues, grays, whites
Perfectly placed
Caused a glitch
In my perception-
Even as the radiance
Of the images
Transformed
My curious smile
Did not want to accept
An answer to my questions-
Sometimes curiosity
For curiosity’s sake
Is more gratifying
Than actually discovering
A logical solution
Was I looking at the sky?
Or was it a painting?
What do you think?

Giddy is not a word I use often. But today, it is the word that chose me. I suppose it fits an about-to-be first-time Gigi. I’ve been doing a countdown. Thirteen days or less! Twelve days or less! Eleven days or less! You get the idea. Probably driving everyone crazy, including the expectant parents.

It’s a different kind of waiting, for obvious reasons, but also because it is brand new. Everything about it. A new life, a new relationship, a new role. And after hearing from the kids today, I could hardly contain my excitement, emotions, and all the above. Probably still a few days out.

While writing this poem yesterday, I thought about childhood and how we sometimes lose wonder and awe in adulthood. Here’s to grandbabies, Gigis, and the gift of curiosity. I am ready to reclaim it!

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl9 Comments

Undeniable

Ask her if
She is strong
Her response
Will follow a
Quizzical look-No
But the truth
Speaks clearly
From the past
Into the present
Instances too many
To list on a page-
On this day
With the sun
Shining brightly
On flower petals
Still wet from
Last night’s rain
These stand out-
Her beautiful
Brave smile
While in recovery
Following
Breast cancer surgery-
Her gracious
Prayer of gratitude
Standing with me
And my brother
Next to Dad’s casket-
Ask me if
She is strong
My response
Will follow an
Undeniable smile-Yes!
She’s my mom!

Happy Mother’s Day! 💐