A highway lined
With Aspen groves
Their golden leaves
Smiling golden smiles
Covering me with affection
A winding road lined
With massive boulders
In their current state
Of stacked strength
Covering me with shade-
Different, yet each
Conveys the feeling
Of being snuggly wrapped
In my favorite blanket-
Warmth and security
Sometimes come from
The most surprising places
A few clung tightly
To green tree leaves
Even after most of
The others had fallen-
Falling was the
Ultimate goal
Surrendering
To the ground
Patiently waiting below-
Their landing providing
Refreshing
Nourishment
The power to change
An entire landscape-
Why would some choose to hang on?
Perhaps fear
Of the unknown
Perhaps love
To fall with
A gentle touch
Teaching this passing traveler
A valuable lesson-
Though alone for a moment
Surrounded by many for a lifetime
All it takes
Is one early
Spring shower
And bright
Green smiles
Suddenly appear
Around every corner
The color is so vibrant
So fresh and new
It causes me
To question
Whether or not
It is genuine-
Then, a quiet breeze
Happens to pass
And baby leaves
Begin to wave
Their friendly wave
The smiles growing
Instantly wider
-Theirs and mine-
And I am gently
Reminded to embrace
Each new season
With hope and faith
Oh, and maybe a smile
When the Spring tree
Notices its green leaves
Shimmering as it peers
Into the clear blue lake
When the setting sun
Shares its warm glow
Lighting the leafless tree
With its dusky orange
When I see past
The marks of time
And see a bit of you
In my changing reflection
When I see myself
In your sweet smile
And wonder…
Do you see it, too?
Colors fading
Frail frame
Shivers
Awaiting
Winter’s coat
Yet, in the light
Of the morning sun
Beauty shines
Unmistakable
In a life well-lived
Grace on display-
Perhaps time
Is not a thief
Afterall
And instead
Brings us
To a place
Of inspiration
Able to set
A wise example
For those afraid
Of what’s to come-
Reassurance
Revealed
In the wisdom
Of so many seasons
Come and gone
Playing hide-n-seek
Among the trees
Leaves of Paintbrush Red
And Sunflower Yellow
Wave at purple grasses
Standing strong
In the red clay dirt-
Steady evergreens
Hold tight to
Their needles, while
At the same time
Coaxing those
Approaching
A season of
Visible change
To boldly share
Their transformation-
Oh, they, too
Know change
Roots grown deeper
Branches broken
And re-grown
Changes that
Bring wisdom
Wisdom that
Inspires gratitude
For each new season
This week was heavy. I’ve thought about our recent trip to Maui a lot. The shop owners, waiters, waitresses, hotel workers, tattoo artists, and people who rented us snorkel gear-all kind and friendly. Living their lives in that beautiful place, now destroyed.
Yesterday’s news showed the Banyan tree at the center of Lahina. It is scorched but still standing. Time will tell. A tiny sliver of hope amid unthinkable tragedy.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5
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.
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
Colors of Fall
Were slow
To appear
On certain trees
Dry conditions
Threatened
To hinder
The beauty
Of the season
But the leaves
Clung tightly
Waiting for
Rain to come
It was a cold rain
That fashioned
These delayed
Bursts of color
Just as others were
Beginning to wane
Yet even the faded
Appeared vibrant
Standing beside
The evergreens
Against the gray
And white backdrop
Painted on recent skies-
Everything in its time
Not competing
But complementing
In my not yet
Ready for Winter
Surroundings
Piano Girl 