In the vast big sky
the clouds march above
morphing, growing, stretching
apart at the seams,
and somehow able to defy gravity
The butterfly flits;
the busy bee visits with flowers
cuddles, coils, an intercourse
in its own merging
The bird soars high above
amongst the clouds
envision and flight
something I can never grasp as my own
So instead, I can appreciate
We are not all that different:
the trees with their ever-changing leaves;
the moon’s predictable phases;
the ocean waves ebb and flow
Each day I find the sacred
on the earth and in the sky
I take it all in, and end it all with a sigh
Can I be okay with the silence?
I see everyone around me on their phone
even in the water, they wear it around their neck
like a noose or a dog leash
I don’t know
but I don’t want to live attached to some appendage
and when it is gone you feel a loss
you don’t know how to fill in the moments,
the awkward silence
a stranger to your own mind
Inundated with opinions, media, news
It’s hard to separate the independent voice from the noise
Is there any original thought or has there never been?
We document our moments
Hosts of our own lives
oversharing and blaring
adding more to the stream of information
I want a reprieve
a break in the noise
to be okay in the void that remains
Then I get to decide what to put there:
a comfortable armchair, pillows,
a small table for cookies and tea
a blanket and nook for my book
Here I have room to breathe
we are wireless beings,
not meant to be tethered
we have freedom in the space that remains
to explore, to listen
We don’t have to post and add to find meaning
the chaos and noise will always be there
when we pick up our device
I am the conductor of my life
and today I choose the breeze,
the sunshine, even when it is smoky
I do not have to escape from the present moment
there is nowhere to go
Just here and now is all we got
I am grateful for this breath,
this strong heart that loves and holds
A freedom beats in my chest
My inner light
My inner light cannot be contained
in just skin and bone.
There is a ball of energy
all around us and beyond us.
Even the tree has its feather tendrils of light
that sprinkle down and dig deep into the earth.
We share this glorious sky and bright sun.
Though we are at mercy to mother nature’s fury and grace.
Out of nowhere the lightning cracks open the tree.
Did it deserve it? Was it at the wrong place, wrong time?
There is no reasonable, acceptable explanation.
We get knocked off-kilter, off-center
I touch the earth and I am held
if only just for this moment
and the next. It is enough.
Mistakes
We ruminate a play-by-play of the event
unable to change the outcome
it is suffering by our own hand
we inflict the pain and punishment
Eventually it gets replaced by the next mistake.
That one takes center stage,
replaying the part that can never change
Why do we do this to ourselves?
I believe the mind wants to turn the events over
and over searching to find the solution
so we don’t keep making the same mistake.
I am learning to change the script.
Mistakes make me human.
They help me to grow and evolve.
The experiences shape who I am at its core
I don’t want to avoid, ridicule or shame myself
for the past.
Now when I make a mistake,
I gently say, “Aren’t you incredibly human?”
This is the love and acceptance that we long for
And it was here all along.
I am grateful for the lessons learned.
Crossroads
You find yourself at a crossroads
there’s a choice you have to make
transformation lies ahead
which road do you choose?
There is life and beauty
on the road ahead
it is not dark or foreboding
all roads lead to home
It’s a dance
Distraction is a part of life
– internal or external –
Creative ideas, connection, expression
are also a part of life
It’s a dance of inspiration,
balance and authenticity
I embrace the dance
Together Always
Together always a dance intertwined
Sometimes you take the lead
Sometimes I take the lead
It’s a cosmic dance
We meet and re-unite
The dance floor may change
Our experiences may shift
But our love and presence
always present
always here
Seawater Spray
The seawater spray sends a kiss my way
It tumbles and roars onto the earth
with such a gentle touch after a loud turbulence
The waves make smooth curves as they roll onto themselves
over and over
a never-ending resource of give and receive
They make their way to soft land after a long journey
and the spray is an exhale like the great humpback whales
the way of love – a poem to Jeff
the way of love is not peaceful
when it knocks on your door
It can take you by surprise
and knock you off your feet
your core belief and identity
can get shaken
what you thought you knew fades away
and what you now behold is the only thing that matters
It’s not a small, trivial thing
when love knocks on the door
sometimes you solicit and put yourself out there
- so many closed, cold doors it hits you raw -
sometimes it’s a smile, an invitation,
a small gesture or a sudden happening
you get your morning coffee
knowing that there is someone you plan to meet
that just might change the trajectory of your life
and it’s not a small moment, because it ripples out
shaping all future time and space
the way of love is not quiet
it burns deep, warm at first
but passionate and raw
your exposed vulnerable heart
aches to not be hurt,
just be loved as much as it is to give
the way of love is as unique as your fingerprint
it is not a predictable journey with marked paths.
It’s the great mystery. It’s the juice that makes life
worth living and to share these moments
with another is a cherished gift
so when the way of love knocks on your door,
greet it in. Offer it an ear, an embrace
love is not to be squandered or stowed away
love is there in the air to share,
to embody spirit in pure joy
love what may come, but don’t chase it away
just when the vulnerable wings appear
on the threshold, you will find the strength to
uplift and transform on a journey to the way of love
[ Today I am celebrating 16 wonderful years of marriage to my loving husband Jeff ]
The Moon – part 2
The moon is my companion that circles and
visits at regular intervals. Its own cosmic journey
reflected toward mine. It’s a dance of give and take.
It’s the silent watch of a devoted partner
always on my side with a bright smiling face.
There are shadows and crevices worn with age and experience
but reliable a friend as any
lighting a path in the dark
reminding me I am never alone.
I send up my own hello and smile.
I know the wild nature of life is never this precise,
predictable and reliable as the moon
Healing Insights 