Some days call for revisiting, revising, and then sharing again. Today is one of those days. Sending Love. 💙
Thirst quenched
with a cup
of cool water
Hunger eased
with a tasty
morsel of food
Fears calmed
within the warmth
of safe shelter
Hands in
desperation
seeking to survive
Hands in
kindness
seeking to share
Hand to heart
Heart to hand
Soul to soul
Doorways opened
Pathways cleared
Kindness lived out
As I stepped out of my car,
the sound of ocean waves
filled my head-Effortless,
sea swells flowed in and out
I could almost smell
the salt water
A sudden realization-
I’m in the middle of
Oklahoma-No ocean here
But the sound was distinct
Was my mind playing tricks?
Or was it a memory trying
to make its way home
The breeze gently laughed
as it wound its way through
a nearby avenue of pines
Branches gracefully swayed
back and forth-Their greeting,
a perfect likeness to ocean waves
I suppose a kind Hello!
holds joy no matter the
language or the messenger
I didn’t write the following poem for Father’s Day. However, as I continued to read and edit, the themes of kindness and sharing kept reminding me of Dad. I am grateful for the example he set. Oh, how I miss him.
When long-standing trees
On two sides of a road
Meet in the middle
A canopy of peaceful shade
Calls travelers to pass underneath
On rainy days, water filters
Through the layers
Of branches and leaves-
They drink only what is needed
Before sharing what remains
Leftover droplets, somehow
Bigger than the originals,
Land on all who
Travel underneath
The welcoming canopy
Leaves wave and smile
Happy to share
What they received-
Understanding the rain
Was never theirs alone
Knowing the rainfall
Would only be able
To quench the most
Parched hearts
Once freely shared
Happy Father’s Day!
Seeds of hate
Sown, hidden
Left behind
To grow in
Angry souls
Like dry foliage
In the forest
During a drought
One spark
An ugly word
Or unkind act
Threatens to
Ignite an inferno
Rapidly spreading
Across the landscape
Placing those
Already in pain
In fear of completely
Disappearing
Behind the flames
But what about
A single light
One kind word
Or an act of kindness
Wouldn’t the opposite be true?
Love spreading
Across the landscape
Extinguishing hate
Quenching thirst
Easing the pain
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…Galatians 5:22
Thirst quenched
With a cup
Of cool water
Hunger eased
With a tasty
Morsel of food
Fears calmed
Within the warmth
Of safe shelter
Hands in
Desperation
Seeking
To survive
Hands in
Kindness
Seeking
To share
Hand to hand
Heart to heart
Opening
Doorways
Fostering
Pathways
Linking living souls
The most recent episode of the podcast, Revisionist History, is powerful. It really made me think about the space between talking and taking action. Tugged at my heart. Glad my daughter recommended it. Take a listen. ❤️
https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history/i-was-a-stranger-and-you-welcomed-me
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Matthew 25:35-36
The ground swells
From soaking in
The tears
Of so many
While the sky lowers
From the weight
Of sighs rising
In desperation
Space in between
Shrinks from
Surrounding
Pressure
Creating
A fear of
Imminent
Suffocation
What happens if the two meet?
The groundswell
And the lowering sky
I don’t think they can.
Other elements
Are at work-
Kind words
Caring smiles
Acts of courage
Delivering
Deep breaths
Of fresh air
A rebirth of hope
Many things feel heavy this week. Today, I was encouraged by the power of kindness. I also noticed our azaleas are about to bloom. Both helped lift a bit of the weight. 💛
A calm voice
Soothes the heart
Like a quiet breeze
Soothes the rose
A harsh voice
Stirs up conflict
Like a strong wind
Stirs up dust
What was I today?
The boisterous wind
Leaving friends
And strangers alike
With dirt in their eyes?
The gentle breeze
Leaving nothing behind
But the faint memory
Of a well-timed smile?
What will I be tomorrow?
The Oklahoma winds are strong this week. A chance of storms in our forecast. The last two afternoons, outside car duty, have left me with dirt in my eyes. That unpleasantness caused me to think of how I react in certain situations. I have a choice to be calm or stormy. Tomorrow, may I lean more toward the first.
Seeds planted
In my soul
By my own
Hands or the
Hands of others
Sources of hope
Sources of bitterness
Sowing promises
Of strength
And purpose
Or choking out
Beauty with
Fear and doubt
I must choose
Which to tend
Which to feed
Which to water
And carefully
Place in the sun
Because those will
Sprout their way
Out of my heart
Thru my expressions
Thru my words
Thru my actions
Determining what
Kind of garden
Others see in me
Our district, Union Public Schools in Tulsa, OK, currently has four sites working daily to provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner for children in our community. In one week, over 70,000 meals were distributed. Today marks the end of week four.
It takes a massive amount of work for this to happen. There are so many people behind the scenes planning, organizing, preparing for this need. And many other volunteers step in to help with distribution.
Whether they realize it or not, those working in the background are creating ripples. Not just a pebble tossed into a pond, more like a boulder lobbed from the shore. All of them working together to create a lasting, powerful ripple effect.
Just imagine. A family drives through the line. They receive enough food to feed their children for that day. And they can do the same thing the next day. Actually, every day, Monday through Friday.
The parents and children realize how much their school community cares for them. They share their experience with friends and extended family. A tiny glimmer of hope in an unsettling time.
No, this is not the answer to all of the problems families are currently facing. Many are dealing with job loss, not to mention isolation. But not having enough food? I cannot imagine the fear that brings.
I hope it is these kinds of things we will remember when this time has passed. People recognizing a need and doing whatever it takes to fill that need. People working tirelessly with no thought of their own recognition.
I hope these difficult times remind us to stop and look around. To see acts of kindness. And to recognize each as a ripple with the ability to become a wave.
A wave of compassion that has the power to wash over us all.
A ripple effect with endless possibilities for positively impacting the future.
As I opened up my computer to write this morning, all I could think was, “look at that blank page.” No idea what I wanted to write about, I just knew I needed to write. And then it occurred to me all these days at home are truly blank slates. There was no advanced plan for them. Each one is faced truly not knowing what the next one will bring.
Although that is true of our daily reality, we don’t often live that way. We make our plans, plan our trips, and dream about the future. Don’t misunderstand, those are important things to do. However, they must be balanced with the acceptance that we never truly know what tomorrow holds.
Even more than future planning, these circumstances make me think of missed opportunities. For example, if a specific person comes to mind today, I am more likely to send a quick text. Three weeks ago, I might have pushed it to the back of my mind. “Oh, I will contact them tomorrow…”
Not that I am following through on every thought, but I am working on being more intentional. I’ve already experienced the payoff in some ways that may seem small. One “Hello, how are you” text yesterday resulted in a sweet phone conversation about life and changes. It also brought much-needed tears and encouragement. That conversation will stick with me for a long time.
Another experience from earlier this week also made a lasting impression. I was thinking about dropping off a small care package to a dear friend. The plan was to leave it outside her door, get back in my car, and wave from a safe distance. Even typing it, it sounds silly. I almost didn’t do it.
Thankfully, I decided not to worry about looking silly. When my friend walked out of her front door, I found myself wanting to jump out of the car, run over, and give her a hug. She even had to remind herself not to keep walking in my direction. Driving away, I fought back tears.
My takeaway? We need each other. We miss each other. And I cannot wait to once again freely embrace my family, friends, colleagues, and students. I don’t know when that will happen.
Until it does, I will keep looking at these blank slate days with faith and hope and love. And just maybe, cover that blank slate with a little kindness. ❤
“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13: 13
Piano Girl 