Happy Thanksgiving

A day filled
With family
Young and old
Enjoying
Tasty food
Prepared by
Ones I love
Ones who
Love me
Precious
Minutes
To watch
And listen
Smile and
Wonder-
Full heart
Calm mind
Tired body
Ready to rest
In the peace
Left behind by
Thanksgiving

Not all of our family could be with us today. And though we missed them, it was a wonderful time filled with reasons to be grateful. The house was full of laughter, stories, and heart-to-hearts. My husband, Gart, worked hard to make it a great day. He is quite the chef! And I am a lucky girl! ❤

Simply Sunday

Wrestling

Why does
The heart
So often resist
Needed change
All while
The body
Is crying
Please stop!
You need to rest!

Because of fear?
Fear of what?
Disappointing someone?
Making a wrong choice?
The heart knows
The answer
All along
Yet, continues
To wrestle
Within itself
That is, until
Strong arms
Take over
Wrapping
Themselves
Around the chest
Squeezing tight
Releasing
A message
Of reassurance-
Have faith!
It will be ok

Simply Sunday

Friday evening dinner out with my sweetie. ❤️

Shared responsibilities
Sandwiched between
A lovely dinner and
A beautiful sunset
Peaceful, easy
Weekend

Beautiful sunset Saturday evening drone photo captured by my husband, Gart Morris.
Peaceful Easy Feeling-Eagles Kelley Morris, piano

Simply Sunday

Sharing a previously posted poem today. Taking my own advice…rest. 😊

Time to Rest

Notes
Rests
Sound
Silence
Working
Together
To make music
Pleasing
Not only
To the ears
But also
Body, mind, soul
And yet,
One key
Element
Is often
An afterthought-
Silence
If not
Savored
Disappears
Transposing
Sweet melody
To mere noise
Leaving
No time
To breathe
No time
To sing

Thirty Times Ten

Thirty extra minutes
If there is such a thing
Ten degrees cooler
There is such a thing
Shade provided
By clouds
A chance
To breathe
Collect
My thoughts
Both were gifts
And gifts are unique
Touchable
Or ethereal
Surprising
Or predictable
And sometimes
When welcomed
Simultaneously
Gratefulness
Is multiplied

On Your Mark

The more I sleep
The more I dream
Sleep is good
So are dreams
But if my eyes
Remain closed
For too long
And dreams end
With waking
Never to be
Considered again
What purpose did they serve?
They are not fulfilled
By wishing, but by
Opening my eyes
To the world outside
Remembering
Both the sweet
And the restless
Allowing them to
Move my feet
One step
Then another
Embracing action
Accepting rest
Avoiding idleness
Held in a cycle
Of discovery
And learning
Failures and
Successes
Seeing dreams
As the starting mark
While welcoming
The holding of hands
That will, together
Cross the finish line

School started last week. Needless to say, it was a busy week! And I am tired. I was glad to see students again. 😊

I missed reading words and thoughts from my WordPress family last week. Most evenings, my brain had no room left. That, and I could barely keep my eyes open through dinner. 😉 Hoping to play catch up this weekend. Happy Saturday!

Inner Voice

My brain hurts
Well, actually
I think it’s numb
Tired body
Tired heart
Words are
Bouncing
Around
In my head
Aim is off
Can’t seem
To find
Their way out
Maybe for the best
Probably wouldn’t
Sound the same
If I said them
Out loud
Perhaps writing
Them down
Would help…

Today, I…
Need to rest
Don’t want to listen
Don’t feel like engaging

Whew! Think I feel better!

After writing this poem, I had a revelation. If I feel this way some days, so do my students. And while I can put my feelings into words, that is not always easy for children.

Ok, so maybe this wasn’t a revelation, but it was a reminder. I need to be aware of facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice-mine and my students. Tempering my actions and reactions by keeping the clues close at heart. ❤️

Two Recommendations

Every sound
Amplified
As if a megaphone
Was pointed directly
Into my ear
Each step
Heavier than
The one before
I try to smile
It’s not all bad
But, yesterday was great!
Why does today feel so opposite?

Same place
Same plans
The same me-I think
So, what could it be?
Energy expended
Yesterday
Not recouped
For today
Just two recommendations-
First, listen as
Five and six-year-olds
Sing their favorite songs
Second, go home
And take a nap

A great day of teaching requires a great deal of energy. Those where I wake up rested and ready tend to be the best. I can focus on the students and the music, all of us engaged and having fun.

But oh, those days when I did not sleep well the night before. Or some unexpected stress. Those days can be a struggle. My lack of energy affects my focus. If I am not engaged, neither are my students.

Teaching is both challenging and rewarding work! Some days will not go as planned. But some days are not all days. Children singing, particularly songs from the movie Encanto, and naps help. 😉 ❤️

Sleeping

In the quiet
Of the morning
Stoically
Standing
Seeking no attention
Trees line its ridge
Bare, unmoving
No colors
To catch my eye
And yet, I stop
And stare
As it sleeps-
I imagine its base
Collecting warmth
From the sun’s rays
Storing the energy
Soon required for waking
Pushing flowers up
Thru the forest floor
Opening patient buds
On the trees
Crying out-
Spring is here!
But not today
Today, the mountain sleeps
And I watch
Grateful
For its presence

Pinnacle Mountain State Park

On recent visits to my parents, one-stop has become routine on my way out of town. A perfect spot for a photograph of Pinnacle Mountain. Each time shows a different aspect of the current season. And while I love the colors of Spring and Fall, the above Winter view was beautiful in its own right. It reminded me of our need for rest, renewal, and the approaching Spring.

Hopeful

I wrote these two poems as part of an Instagram writing challenge. Thought I would share them here as well. ❤️

Rest

Hurry, hurry
Push, push
Full speed ahead
Barely time to breathe
Until suddenly
An uncontrollable
Full stop
Leading to a fall
Flat on my face
Flat on my back
Unable to move
Unable to think
Unable to connect-
Don’t move
Breathe
Breathe again
Slowly rise
Take a few steps
Sit down
And rest

Spark

Photo by David Dibert on Pexels.com

One tiny match
Hesitation
Before striking
Be careful
Don’t burn your finger

One tiny spark
Share it quickly
Before it dies
Light a candle
It will light the next
From one hand
To another
Until light pushes
The darkness away