Connection

Spring

Bird song,
The quiet of winter melts.
The cold grip that clung to the trees
Exhales at winter’s end.

I am wide awake to a yet
Unoccupied Spring
On the cusp,
The verge of new life.

The cycle begins.
The seeds of intention are planted.
I patiently wait to receive
The beauty,
The gifts.

I’m ready for what’s next,
Even while stepping into the unknown.
Connection

The blank page is my refuge (part 2)

The blank canvas
The blank page
The clutter-free desk
The cleared-off cooking space.

The beginning of something not yet created.
The infinite potential
The spark of creativity or action.
To create something
And fill up that space with something new
That never existed.

And that’s why I return 
again and again
to the page:
To a clean space,
To make/create something.

It is the meaning of life.
If we are all creative,
It’s the perfect medium to create.
I can set the tone of my day,
Which sets the tone of my
Creative, connected life.

On full moons,
I always have vivid dreams
And creative insight.
I capture it here.

The page holds all of my fears
And creative dreams.
It makes my creativity a reality.

It is a give and take.
A creative relationship
That I take action toward
And life works.

It works for me.
I feel light
And in a mastery of my life.


Connection

Duality

It’s still pretty dark out.
The morning commuters drive by
And then there are crickets.
That’s a metaphor for life.

It can be a whirlwind of noise and activity.
And it can also be quiet, and it’s welcomed 
And okay to embody that silence.
For it’s not a permanent feature of life.

The roller coaster of ups and downs
Hard work/effort and ease.
Duality
At times, starkingly different.

The downs can be thrilling too
Like a roller coaster.
The downs create the momentum 
To push us back up.
And once again, we’re on top of the world.


Connection

Fulfillment

We seek fulfillment.
Our bodies take it all in.
We find nourishment	
In the foods we eat
And in the information
We consume.

We seek fulfillment
From the outside world,
Which can nourish.
It can hold.
It can bind.

We seek satiation
And satisfaction.
Taking from the earth
We feel filled up
And lifted up.

We can be held in each other’s arms.
Our own thoughts and prayers
Guide us on the path.

Our minds can bind us
To the truth
Or to one fixed view.

We take in and seek fulfillment
In a focused moment
Or a broader view.

It can feel hard if not impossible
To let go
What we’ve become accustomed to:
The same familiar foods,
Deeply held emotions and beliefs.

It can feel that we ourselves are also being consumed
If we can’t take care of each other
And be mindful of what is acceptable
And beneficial to consume.

Does it nourish?
It all becomes integrated and a part of our cells.

So let’s choose wisely.
Not just for a single fleeting moment
But all precious moments.
Fulfillment is possible.
Connection

Made of Stars

Each day is a gift
If we get off the rat race
Long enough to see.

That THIS is all there IS to be.

We can fight.
We can struggle.
We can wish it was different
Or deny what we see.
But it isn’t so.

This is what we got.
This is the stuff
The stars are made of.

We, too, are among the stars.
That in itself is a miracle.
 
Connection

Hassle Tassel

The freshly fallen snow
May just be a morning commute hassle.
Like a tassel that a cat toys with.
Batted and bounced around
Back and forth.
Pulled and shredded 
With differing sized strands.

One moment a cat’s delight.
Next, it’s so boring
That it’s cast aside.
No longer good enough
To keep a cat entertained.

A hassle is similar.  
It’s in our face.
We didn’t ask for it.
It feels like it’s happening to us
And now we’re confronted.

We can have our hand at it.
Try to control its frazzled edges,
Which we often do for a while.
Then the problem is solved.
The puzzle was put together
And it’s over and done with.

Not a big deal after all.
An annoyance really.
And we move on with our days.
Soon it is forgotten
Just like that cat toy.

Connection

My Inner Warning System

Why can’t I just be satisfied?
The happy, fulfilled factor is always a temporary state.
Once I receive my desired dream, 
shouldn’t I feel bliss all the time?
Pesky little irritations should have no power.

Is it selfish to do what I want, for a change?
Like a short gratitude yoga practice.
Can that be allowed?

Is there space for me, too?
And when I can’t find the space,
Exhaustion, overwhelm, irritability
And frustration take the helm.

Each one is a teacher,
A guide that I’ve forgotten to put myself first.
The groundwork has not been laid.
So, of course, I am easily thrown off course.

When you’re stuck in the weeds,
All you see is weeds.
There is no space for a higher perspective 
To see a clear pathway out.
The pause button is lost, too.

Oh, this is my inner warning system 
That I forgot to check in with myself today.

When I connect to myself,
Through journaling, yoga, or meditation,
I remember that I always have a choice
And that I am a work in progress.

I fall.  I get back up again.
I remember.  I forget.
And that’s okay, too.

Connection

Wings and a Prayer

Autumn mornings are quiet and dark.
There is no bird song, 
No early sun out my window.
Just the hum of taxying planes at the airport.

People start their workdays so early.
But they showed up
So we can all get to our destinations
And on with our day.

Another example of our interconnection.

And the small prayers, 
the anxious breath, 
the trust and faith.
All on the line.

A prayer for safety,
A prayer for the pilot and staff
Happening right outside my window
With each taxying plane.

The roaring, powerful jet engines
Remind me to breathe and meditate
And to send good journey vibes
To my fellow travelers in this life.

Connection

I am here. I am present.

When life gets complicated,
When there’s a distraction at every turn
And I feel overwhelmed,
Why add a further layer on top 
of an already full load?

I am here.  I am present.
That’s the only moment that counts.
I can embody that space.

I can feel love, connection, and gratitude
Only when I am in the present moment.

Sometimes I forget what’s so profound and simple.

But I am willing to learn and re-learn
To live this one precious life
In the present moment.