Simply Sunday is back! I participated in an author event yesterday, and several friends stopped by. 🩷
It has the power
to convey a lifetime
Transcending years past
Instant recall
of sweet memories
as well as difficult days
Its beauty lives in the eyes
The way they twinkle,
glimmer with tears
A message
Clearly conveyed
I see you, I remember
And sometimes,
that sweet smile
acts as a magnet
Connecting past with
present, offering
hope for the future
Their hair, now white
But their faces hold
familiarity, reassurance
Logic causes confusion
And my brain and heart
disagree over time’s passing
As they stand nearby
Smiling and talking
I feel a flicker of childhood
My reflection disagrees
But for a brief moment
I am once again carefree
What do they see when they look at me?
We listen more intently
Our hugs linger a bit longer
And I understand it took a village
Another goodbye followed by
A renewed sense of gratitude
for this familiar reassurance
Layering itself within the everyday,
grief flows between memory and
emotion through eyes, ears, heart-
Leaving me with new reasons to miss you.
Johnny Cash spinning on your
granddaughter’s turntable.
We listened to Johnny Cash
on a long drive in my car.
Your grandson wearing
one of your straw hats.
I found a picture of you
wearing said hat, smiling.
My sweet granddaughter
and her blue sky eyes.
You would have been
so excited to meet her.
Your voice in my head, fading.
How’s my little girl?
Grief flows between memory and emotion through eyes, ears, heart-
Leaving me grateful, yet
wishing you were still here.
Mom and I had a recent conversation about how we sometimes struggle to talk about the ones we miss. I get it. There’s a fear of causing tears, sadness, and increasing grief. But I’m finding that talking about my dad, remembering good times, brings peace. Yes, it may also bring tears, but tears have the power to restore. ❤️
Take the photo
out of the frame
Hold it in your hand
Feel the precious paper
between your fingers
Study the image
An image someone
chose to capture
Were you there?
Was it before your time?
Is the one pictured
someone you know?
Someone you miss?
Perhaps it is a place
that holds meaning
Or simply beautiful scenery
Take the photo
out of the frame
Hold it in your heart
I wrote this after digging through photos at Mom’s last weekend. School photos, trips, holidays…family. I brought a few of them home. ❤️
I am standing in a field
holding tight to the
middle of a rope
A foolish attempt to
bring balance in an
unexpected tug-of-war
On my right, grief
grips the cord
with all its might
On my left, love
holds firm
Always fierce
Suddenly, I understand-
Neither one can let go
They are forever bound
Now I’m faced with a choice-
Allow the tug-of-war
to continue within me
or let go of the rope
Reach for images,
past and present,
patiently waiting in
the back of my mind
Watch, as grief and love
fall into each other,
simultaneously releasing
laughter and tears
I am lying in a field
having let go
of the rope-
Exhausted, grateful, content
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
The reasons are many,
both logical and emotional.
Reasons we hesitate to speak
the names of those we miss.
Concern about how
Others may respond, or
how we ourselves may react.
Yes, emotions can be unpredictable,
But it is imperative to remember.
It reminds us of the immense
capacity of our hearts
to hold love along with grief.
So, go ahead, speak their
names. Let the sound of
Memories wash over you.
The last of the Fall leaves
let go, falling to the ground
Bare branches stretch,
reaching toward the Sun
Wonders hidden in the
heart of the tree, protected
from the elements at
their most vulnerable,
now sit in plain sight
A carefully woven nest that
once held delicate eggs,
patient parents and fragile
chicks-now, its walls hold
only the echoes of life
The cracking of shells
by tiny beaks, little chirps
sweetly announcing
We have arrived!
Sleeping, eating, growing, learning to fly
Whether the leaves,
The mama bird, or
each of us-Letting go is difficult
But, oh, what wonders
wait to be revealed
May my hands always
stretch toward the Light
as my heart remains open
to that which needs protecting-
Even when only for a season
Happy Christmas Eve! ❤️💚
Always a welcome guest
Your brightness,
not to be ignored
As you gently alight
on the fence
I catch my breath
You seem to smile as
Snowflakes land on
your scarlet feathers-
A perfect contrast
Perhaps that is why
You so often shake
me out of my grief
Taken back by your beauty,
I sweetly reminisce
And for just a moment,
See the faces of those I miss
If I were to write a thankful list,
It would be a list of names.
Names of those who,
through the years,
planted seeds in my heart.
My only fear is forgetting.
Though forgetting your name
would certainly not negate
any seed you planted. You are
so much more than a name.
You are shared smiles and tears.
Strong hands, reaching, so arms
can fiercely wrap around hurts
in a comforting embrace.
You are kind words,
encouraging high-fives,
and celebrating victories.
You are faces, memories
of hope, present on
the darkest of days.
You are one soul seeing
the beauty and purpose in another.
And I am thankful to have
sometimes been that other.
I am thankful for all the yous
written on the list carried in my heart.
Piano Girl 