Graceful arms propel her forward
Legs gently float behind
Feet periodically kick-
Not forceful, only enough
to maintain momentum
Where is she heading?
Storm clouds line the horizon
She’s passed through them before
Impossible to avoid-
And time, impossible to control
The bright sun warms her face
Grace holds her heart
Mercy lifts her soul
Momentum is maintained
Perhaps the question is not
where she is headed
but instead, how she
sustains a spirit of peace
Sturdy, beautifully faded red barn
Surrounded by rolling hills of green grass
Graceful greens rolling into perfect blues
Placid blue sky dotted with fluffy white-
A beautiful scene laid out in front of me-
Postcard perfect, though,
Any photo I might take would surely
Contain unwanted obstructions –
So, I drove home, disappointed,
With only the picture in my head-
Perhaps I was searching for perfection-
What if I changed my attitude
And the direction of my gaze?
Instead of upward, maybe outward,
Downward or possibly inward?
No matter the direction
There will always be obstructions-
But new perspectives often bring
Surprisingly unexpected views
Seen in a simple glance
Felt in a single step
Eyes compelled
To focus on the source
And not the darkness
Attempting to sneak
Into my periphery–
Though it may try
It cannot block
The quiet promises
Of hope and warmth
Flowing from the light
Lengthening each glance
Strengthening each step
Assurance that this light
Will not be engulfed
Rather, that the darkness
Will eventually disappear
It is sometimes difficult to slow down in our busy world. Phrases like Just Breathe and Smell the Roses are commonly shared. Easy to say. I hesitate to offer similar advice. And certainly don’t suggest missing an event by trying to capture every moment. But when something catches your eye or your heart, it’s okay to stop and take the picture. 📸
Hello there!
I hoped we might
See you today
Always look forward
To your visits
What’s that?
Yes, I imagine
It takes a lot
Of energy
For you to make
An appearance
Yesterday’s warmth
And sunshine
Must have been
The perfect pairing
You can’t stay long?
I understand
We will enjoy
Each other’s company
As long as we are able
What a difference one sunny day makes! 💛
One may
Cause me
To cry
Another
To laugh
Maybe both
At the same time
But I cannot
Travel
Back in time or
Remain endlessly
Engrossed
In a single
Snapshot
Even when it
Has the power
To wrap me up
In a cocoon
Turning my heart
Inside out
As it mixes
The broken
With the upheld
Before releasing
This time
It snuck in
With a dream
One of those
Chaotic
Makes-no-sense
Dreams
Ending suddenly
In a moment
Of clarity-
A familiar photo
From the past
One I have seen
Many times-
And I woke up
Remembering
How much I miss you
After a great first week at my new job, I wasn’t expecting a visit from grief. But that’s how it goes. My capacity to hold this grief will continue to grow. That acceptance that death is part of life. It does not make me miss my dad any less. But it does allow me to both cry and smile over sweet memories. ❤️
Memories of you
Make me smile
Fried chicken leg
In my little hands
Sitting in your lap
At the table
You are smiling
Wearing a white t-shirt-
Maybe that is
An actual picture
Not a memory-
Little red wagon
Transportation
For your first
Grandchild, smiling
As you pulled him
Around the neighborhood
Now that one
I can recall-
No longer having
The opportunity
To make memories
With you makes me cry-
A human response
I know-time spent
In the present
In the physical
Where Memories
Are created
For the future
But we are
So much more
Than the physical
Standing
In this present
Space and time
And though I may not
Understand it all
And sometimes
Feel sadness
In every strand
Of my being
All the way
To the core
Hope lives both
In the smiles
And in the tears
What a difference one week can make. 💛
Song For You Far Away by James Taylor Kelley Morris, piano
There are
Those days
I wish time
Could freeze
Temporarily
Of course
Just long
Enough
For my heart
To capture
The images
I never want
To forget-
Just long
Enough to
File them away
For safekeeping
So upon recall
They may help
Thaw any
Heartache-
There are
Those days
I wish time
Could freeze
Piano Girl 