The Flower Shop

Perhaps because it was
My thirty-first
Wedding anniversary 
Perhaps because your 
Silvery white hair
Brought memories of Dad
And the anniversaries 
He and Mom celebrated-
I don’t know why
I noticed you walking
Into the flower shop
While sitting in
The drive-thru line
Next door, waiting
For my lunch
But I wondered
Why you were there-
You looked distinguished 
In your dark navy slacks
Light blue button-down
And silvery white hair
So many possibilities 
For your stop at
The flower shop-
If only I could wait
To see what flowers
You purchased-
But I couldn’t wait
There were cars behind
And work ahead-
I chose to picture you
And your lovely wife
Celebrating your anniversary
Fifty or sixty years, perhaps?
I guess I’ll never know
But I’m thankful
My thoughts had
The chance to wander

Days

My best ones
Are with you
Those from
Before you
Are blurry
Well, at least
The bad ones
Oh, we’ve had
Our challenges
But we faced
Each one
Together-
Here’s to another
Eleven thousand
Three hundred
And fifteen-
Happy 31st Anniversary! ❤️

Simply Sunday

A sacred space
Exists between
Birth and death
No matter the
Length of time
It is so much
More than time
Influenced by
Persons
Places
Choices
Everyone
Experiencing it
Differently-
We embrace it
Hide from it
Run away from it
But it finds us
And sometimes
Miraculously
Surprise us

Simply Sunday

As a new Mom, I had much to learn. On-the-job training at its finest! There were many changes and emotions to process. I was barely able to catch my breath. And I haven’t even mentioned the lack of sleep. But, oh, so much love.

As a new Gigi, there is still much to learn. Much of it through reflecting. Seeing my babies as I hold my granddaughter. Understanding how my mom must have felt holding my children for the first time. And again, so much love.

Motherhood is a beautiful circle of strength and love sewn with unbreakable threads. It causes us to need each other in ways we may never completely understand. It leaves me humbled and grateful.

Happy Mother’s Day! 💗

Describing Faith

The way sunbeams
Pierce the gray
Morning clouds

The way a melody
Sweetly greets
My morning yawn

A quiet breeze
Causing the trees
To gently sway

A blade of grass
Singly illuminated
By the afternoon sun

The way pinks and reds
Grace the horizon
Right before nightfall

The way Grace
Eases the fears that
Arrive with the dark

Each experience
Accepted with
No sense of doubt

Knowing the Source
Is always present
Even though unseen

Simply Sunday

Fragile


Old hurts suddenly
Rear their ugly head
Bringing new
Aches and pains
To the surface-
Fear closely follows
Afraid the fractures
In an already
Fragile armor
Might give way
Leaving behind
A pile of rubble
To sift through-
Then I remember
Strength resides
On the inside
It feels the hurt
But also sees the light
Finding its way
Through the rifts
Into the Hidden
Recesses where
Healing continues

The light shines in the darkness
And the darkness
Has not overcome it.
John 1:5

Paint-by-Number

We all begin
As a clean slate
Or do we?
How much of my mom
Was present from
The beginning?
What about my dad?
The physical likenesses
Are obvious, even expected
But what about nature-
Was I already more
Like one than the other?
Or did watching
Their example
Produce gradual growth
Transforming me not
From a blank slate
But from the outline
Of a complex
Paint-by-number portrait
Coming into view
As each new color
Is added and blended
Brushstrokes
Of emotions
And experiences
And connections
Rendering
My journey
Of Becoming


The Life of Leaves

This year carried
An increased awareness
Concerning the
Life of leaves
Usually, there’s
An excitement
With the appearance
Of new buds
A sweet sigh of relief
A sure sign of
Surviving the cold-
And, of course,
There is always
Oohing and Awing
Over their magical
Color changes in Fall-
But this year…
This year, it was
The bright green
Of newly opened leaves
That filled me with
Joy and hope-
Just like the smile
In my granddaughter’s eyes

Another poem from the writing circle. Thank you, Ali ❤️ https://flashlightbatteries.blog/

Simply Sunday

Dear Mom

I love that
You send me
Pictures of clouds
Telling me how
Pretty they are
On a particular day
Where you are
I love that you
Take time to notice
Assuring me it is ok
For me to pause
And take notice
Of the clouds
Assuring me it is not
Time wasted
But rather a time
For deep breaths
That leaves behind a
Happy, thankful heart

Simply Sunday

I decided to look back a year and see what I posted. Decided to share it again today with a new pic. I love the flowers of Spring and the hope that accompanies them. 💛🌼

Conversation in the Sun

One lonely
Bloom
Fighting
To stand up
Underneath
The weight
Of recent winds
And rain
A tiny speck
In the vastness
Of this world
Has anyone noticed?
Bent so low
Only able to
See my shadow
On the ground
As the sun
Shines above

Hey! Over here!
Bend your ear
My way
It seems you have
Grown weak under
The pressures of
Life in this garden
Don’t lose hope
Rest, recharge
Together

Our roots will
Grow stronger
And you will
Once again
Stand up tall
Your face
Soaking up
The sun’s rays