Hard to believe I ever spent time Digging In the dirt But I remember… So much fun Imaginations Running wild In the dirt Seems silly now The things once Thought possible In a little girl’s plans… Sometimes the dirt Was not forgiving Washing it away Required extra Scrubbing-But, oh The sweet smell Of playing In the dirt Right before The rain Perhaps, it is time To get my hands dirty Do a little more Digging Wake that old Imagination From its dirt-free Slumber and not Worry so much About looking clean
I continue to be amazed and grateful for the connections created through poetry circles facilitated by Ali Grimshaw. ❤️ https://flashlightbatteries.blog/
I first met the birthday girl a little over thirty years ago. She was kind and accepting even then. It is hard to believe she was my age when we met. Maybe a little younger. A mom and grandma, it seemed her life was already complete. At least, that was my perspective.
Here we are, thirty years later. It seems a lot more life has happened in that time. More grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the death of a spouse after fifty-plus years of marriage.
So now, as we celebrate her, I try to imagine her perspective. Those thirty years, though eventful, only represent a portion of her life. She did a lot of living prior.
She speaks lovingly of her parents. Just yesterday, about how her dad played the piano. Talks regularly to her siblings who are still living. Keeps up with distant relatives and old friends.
Has a love of horses that began as a child. She recalls fondly walking with her girlfriend to the stables. Pretending to gallop as they walked, then riding horses before returning home. She even bought two horses in her lifetime!
Her second horse was sold before she moved from California to New York. A job as a flight attendant at American Airlines called. And that move, that job, lead to meeting her husband. The rest is history, as they say.
So, how would such a girl celebrate her 80th birthday? Surrounded by daughters, granddaughters, great-granddaughters, daughter-in-law, granddaughter-in-law…you get the picture. Eating, laughing, remembering, and enjoying time together. And, of course, attending a horse show.
This birthday girl wears her crown of white with pride. As well as her life experiences. Sharing what we are willing to hear. Continuing to move forward, making new memories.
Magic In a tiny Cardboard disc Cutout windows Evenly spaced Around its edges Each one holding Transparent film Unclear images Until said disc Is carefully placed In the slot on top Of the viewfinder- Eyes glued To the lenses Held up to the light And a whole new Word emerges Click the side button To continue the journey Image after image Sharing a story Worth telling- We all have a story Worth telling Our very own Cardboard disc Filled with Windows To the soul
Sharing another poetry circle poem. Thankful for opportunities and connections. ❤️
Begin with Determination Remembering As the slope Increases Baby steps Are best Requiring Less energy Rest stops Are necessary But never Long enough At some point The destination Will feel farther Away than when You started But once the end Is in sight Relief floods Body, mind, soul Celebrating while Begging for rest Time to just be In the place you Struggled to reach Grateful, tho once again Never long enough…
Yesterday, my husband and I cheered on our daughter as she ran her first 5K! Yesterday, our youngest son was in Texas, helping our oldest son and his wife move to a new apartment! Today, I remember how we were all together just two months ago, hiking to Browns Falls in Colorado. Today, I am grateful. ❤️
There are few things I enjoy more than celebrating our children’s birthdays. Favorite meals, cake and ice cream, candles, family and friends singing.
These days fill me with questions about the passing of time. It appears so logical when looking at a calendar or clock. And yet, within the heart cannot be explained. For there, it is intertwined with memories and feelings.
Today is the twenty-fifth birthday of our daughter. And I find myself pulled between two points in time.
First, remembering those early days. Crying all the time, both of us. 😉 Never physically far away from each other. Feeling exhausted but so happy.
And the present…watching her passion for life, others, and education. Her strength and determination. Enjoying our conversations and shopping trips. Feeling proud of who she is.
Two different times, with lots of journeying in between.
Not sure which Took my breath Away first… Beauty Or elevation A 360 degree Perspective No formations Blocking my view I could see Where I was going And where I’d been All of it Storms ahead Storms behind Cool breezes And sunlight In between Clarity of lessons Learned quickly As well as those Requiring repetition Each one Revealing purpose In passing landscapes No wish To speed ahead No wish To slow down Only the desire to be Only the desire to live
I love spending time in Colorado. One specific area holds many memories. Family vacations with parents, kids, grandparents, grandchildren, and great-grandparents. Honeymoons and holidays, hiking, and fishing. Feeding the chipmunks. And, of course, beautiful scenery.
Gart and I are traveling to this spot with our three grown kids and daughter-in-law. What a treat! This sentimental mom can’t help looking back and looking forward. But mostly, I’m just enjoying all of us being together.
The past two years brought health challenges for my dad. Open-heart surgery and heart failure were encapsulated by complications from diabetes. I am grateful he is still with us. And he is thriving.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
He and my mom have coped well with the struggles of health combined with pandemic living. I know it has not been easy, and I am proud of them.
On this Father’s Day, I miss my father-in-law, Bob. I often wonder what he would think about the current state of the world. The political divide in our country? He would be disappointed. The challenges of living through a pandemic…not sure how he would have fared. Isolation from family and friends would have been difficult. He lived for his family and was quick to whip us into shape. 😉❤️
But, oh, what good things have happened. Grandchildren graduated from high school and college. Several are now married. And three new great-grandchildren have joined our family.
Anytime we are together as a family, I know he is smiling. He is smiling, and we are remembering.
I know she said it Without a doubt Though I can’t Pinpoint one Specific instance
Wonder if that’s ‘cause I heard it so often?
I say it often enough To my students Said it to my kids When they were little Anyone feeling A bit grumpy Acting a bit Out of sorts
Do you know what my grandma always said? You can get glad in the same pants you got mad in.
Boy, do I wish I could hear Her say it One more time Pretty sure I need To hear it Or, at least, I needed To hear it Yesterday
Recipe for Success
Yes! You, too, Can be successful In just four easy steps
Study hard Work hard Work harder Retire and travel
Is that really the recipe? Seems a bit bland If you ask me
True success Is experienced only In the minuscule
A tear lovingly wiped away A raised eyebrow understood only by the one you love The sweet laugh of a child The final breath of a friend
And those are just The starting points Not four sentences In a paragraph But chapters In the narrative of your life
I continue to enjoy the poetry circle process with Ali Grimshaw https://flashlightbatteries.blog/. Such lovely connections, as well as surprises. I never know what will show up on the page. Or how the words of another will touch my heart.
Piano Girl 