Hi, Dad
I could feel
Myself speaking
But the words
Were inaudible
A slight smile
At my hesitation
A glance toward
The ground
Then on to
The task at hand-
Placing new flowers
On your headstone
Peaceful purples
And deep greens
We miss you
A bright yellow
Butterfly also
Fluttered by
To say hello
Mom and I enjoyed a nice drive and a sunny day. Temps were cooler and there was a nice breeze. As Mom wisely said- I will never not miss him. But life continues and we must keep living.
Bright eyes
Focused
Little hands
Reaching
Tiny fingers
Learning to grasp
Such hard work
Heavy eyes
Fussy cries
Fighting sleep
Afraid of missing
A single minute
Held close
Rest comes
Giving in to
Sweet dreams-
I wonder
If she knows
She’s holding
My heart
As she sleeps
What a joy to have our family all together. We laughed, cried, and ate lots of good food. And, of course, our little granddaughter was the center of attention. I was thankful for the opportunity to hold her and get her to sleep. There is nothing like the sweet weight of a sleeping baby. Well, listening to her coo is pretty sweet, too.
Sitting in a rocker in front of Cracker Barrell in Alma, AR, I almost wrote 1993 instead of 2023 at the top of my journal page. This spot between Tulsa, OK, and Little Rock, AR, has been our family meeting place for years. I was waiting for my brother to drop off my mom this time.
Many a summer or spring break adventure started there. Sometimes, it was our kids going to spend a week with grandparents. Other times, it was me having some extended family time. And when you have as many cousins as me, extra time is needed.
So, what took me back to 1993? It was an eventful year for us! We were married in May, moved in July, and had a baby the following December. And that’s when it all started. Traveling the highway between Arkansas and Oklahoma, sometimes stopping in the middle for a drop-off or pick-up.
And this time, the end result was great-grandma meeting great-granddaughter for the first time. 💗
Sharing two poems from this month’s writing circle. Grateful for time to write, listen, and reflect with this sweet group of individuals. ❤️ https://flashlightbatteries.blog/ with Ali Grimshaw.
I have always
Only had one
Some people
Periodically
Choose a new one
Like my sweet niece
A new color
For each new year
But not me
Can’t let mine go-
I sometimes wonder
Why it’s my favorite
Then quickly remember
There are too many
Reasons to count-
An endless sky
On a clear summer day
The vastness of the ocean
As it fades into the horizon
The kind eyes of my dad
The bright eyes of my granddaughter
Only a few examples
From an endless list
Painted in shades of blue
Can you imagine being
Completely covered
In sticky, sweet honey?
Unable to enjoy
Even the tiniest
Of tastes
Due to the
Unpleasantness
Of clogged ears
And glazed eyes
Unable to shift
Even the smallest
Of limbs
Stuck
All alone
Waiting
To be rescued
From your immersion
In too much of
This golden goodness
Relieved
When friends arrive
And carry you
Back to your hive
Lesson learned-
A little honey goes a long way!
Music is a foundational part of my life. It is there to help me celebrate. It is there when I’m sad. Whether playing or listening, its power is undeniable. Today seems like a good time to simply share. 😉❤️
I sense an oppression
More relentless than
This current heatwave
An already heavy
Weight of Worry
Now increased by fear
From hateful words
Spewed on repeat
Intended to threaten even
The most vulnerable-
Words holding no truth
Words intending to
Burn the schoolhouse
To the ground
Leaving our children
To play in the ashes-
And yet
We know
Light shines
In the darkness
We know
Love overcomes hate
We know
Standing together
In those truths
Is the only way
To permeate
The darkest of times
The hardest of hearts
Schools are like mini-communities. Each classroom is its own family. Everyone belongs no matter what. Learning to get along, solving problems, and growing. Playing, laughing, disagreeing, forgiving. And that is only in the first thirty minutes of the day! 😉
These are challenging times for public education. There are constant attacks laced with political rhetoric that have no place in conversations regarding education. Rhetoric repeated so much it has led to threats of violence. And threats only place another layer of fear and stress on students, parents, teachers, and staff.
My friends, family, former colleagues, and former students have faced those threats this past week. And though I am no longer in the classroom, my heart is heavy. I could not let this week pass without sending them this message. I see you! I love you! What you do matters! ❤️
It seems like yesterday…
I was putting my
Hand in your face
When you tried to kiss me
Yet here we are
Thirty years of marriage later
It seems like yesterday…
We were bringing
Our first baby home
Not a clue what to do
Yet now he is married
With a baby of his own
It seems like yesterday…
I was chauffeuring
Three kids to school
Listening to them laugh
And now, sometimes
I get to be their passenger
I did not think it was possible
For time to pass any faster
But when I watch
My granddaughter sleep
See her sweet smile
I don’t want to blink
A long life
Well-lived
The center
Of attention
And rightly so
Possessing a beauty
Difficult to describe-
Like a grandmother
Whose arms were able
To reach out in
All directions
At the same time
You pulled us in
Shared your stories
And listened to ours-
You were taken
In an instant
No one will sit
In the wisdom
Of your shade again-
And my heart is broken
I am saddened by the news of wildfires in Maui, Hawaii. The one-hundred-fifty-year-old Banyan tree I sat under a few weeks ago is gone. Along with it, most of the town to which it was the center.
A quaint main street lined with local businesses and restaurants. The constant sound of ocean waves. People, nature, structures-a way of life-all taken in a terrifying instant. I couldn’t allow the day to end without expressing my love and heartache for this beautiful place.
Lahain Banyan Court Park-Destroyed by wildfires August 9, 2023.
Yesterday, I watched the movie Barbie with my friend, Marina, my daughter, Rachel, and Rachel’s friend, Olivia. The girls had already seen the movie. I was excited to go but not sure what to expect.
Well, I laughed and cried, remembered and thought. And any movie that makes me do those things? Well, I classify it as good. There was a lot to process mixed in with all the fun and I will see it again. 💗
The following line struck a chord.
“We mothers stand still so our daughters can look back to see how far they have come.” Ruth Handler
Tiny feet begin
To wobble
Their way out
Into the World
Each step
Bringing
A bit more
Confidence
A glance back
After each
Milestone
With a sly grin
And quick wave
Look at me, Mom!
Fall down, get up
Hop, skip, jump
Until steps
Turn into miles
And smiles
Turn into years
And I remain
Standing
Proudly watching
As you learn to fly
It could be the one-hundred-plus-excessive-heat-warning temperatures.
It could be because I’m missing Dad.
It’s most likely an all-of-the-above answer to any multiple-choice question you might ask.
Whatever the question or the answer, my thoughts keep drifting.
What would I give?
To rest in
The Wisdom
Of your shade
To sit beneath
Limbs-curved
And crooked from
Over a century
Of growing
Reaching
Learning to be-
Witness to
Stories unseen
Standing vigil
Thru seasons of
Darkness
And light
Firmly holding
In your arms
All those seeking rest-
What would I give?
To rest in
The Wisdom
Of your shade-
Listening
As the tide rolls in
Wondering
If you can hear it, too
Piano Girl 