There’s nothing I can do
about the noise in the world
except my reaction to it
Category: shared stories
sharing our stories connects us
Seeing the world with fresh eyes
I.
Baby sparrows, so tiny and small
There’s three of them
hopping along the grass
The dew glistens all around
A new delight to discover
with every peck and nibble
Their tiny bodies wait
Their parents know what to do
while they frolic and play
They gather up their fill
to feed their new flock
The babies are distracted
and wowed at every step
II.
The baby robin follows its mama
hopping along, just two steps behind
Is it learning how to hunt and gather?
or is it just playing as it moves
along paths discovered and replayed
by ancestors that have no name;
no memory but their habits remain:
When to leave, when to nest
Where to go year after year;
It isn’t even a question
but a shared understanding
a survival of trust and knowing
We are all on the same path
of discovery, of remembering
our true Nature is never buried
for long
It lives in these bones, and this blood
that shares the same shade as you.
There is no other
There is no other
We fit together
like the waves in the ocean
leaving their mark in the sand
Temporary, but just as real
The breath beats and meets
my heart to your chest; it’s a treasure to behold
Together you and me
The challenge
It is a challenge to find your footing
when all the weight of the world feels piled on your shoulders
Yet we go out there and perform like a circus act
Day after day whether we want to or not
Some days feel easy breezy
Some days it’s hard to get your foot out the door
The energizing sun brings the spotlight
We don’t get blinded by the vastness or our greatness
We steady ourselves with the faith to do what is necessary
And do - we do - in due time
Today it’s my turn
Tomorrow yours
We walk a fine line but we are never alone
Gratitude is more than an attitude
Gratitude is more than an attitude
it’s an outlook, a lifestyle choice
it’s a way of being and seeing
and soon more blessings arrive
the world has been waiting
for this recognition
the gift is ours
the time is now
We are goddesses of the sea
We are goddesses of the sea
hand holding hand
arms outstretched
an expectant embrace
We watch the incoming waves
and guess when will they arrive,
when will they break and crash
Sometimes our timing is just right
and we jump right over the wave
that matches our leap
We dance with the sea
It’s a game of catch and be catch
Sealed with a Kiss
(S.W.A.K.)
The sea breeze sends a kiss
on my cheek a mark
of our brief encounter.
It came without warning
and I was ready
though caught by surprise.
The window to my heart
opened a heart-shaped shell
a handful of smooth stones.
I wanted for nothing but
wanted more.
An empty chamber smooth and winding
it entered and a spark ignited.
Life answered the call
and I was home
whole and wholesome.
The front door sealed shut
the encounter from my beating heart
where language and oneness
have no barrier even here
even here.
The Buffet of Depression
A sampling of insomnia.
A heapful of hopelessness.
A bottomless cup of guilt.
A dash of a fleeting suicidal thought.
A serving of no future excitement.
A boatload of rumination
and feeling trapped in my thoughts
like wandering in a maze
not sure if it’s a dead end, mousetrap
or if the escape route is
right around the corner.
Irritation and anger.
Lots of sadness
And easily prone to tears.
It’s hard to smile.
It feels like this heaviness,
This sad sorrow is all there is
All that there ever was
And all that will ever be.
And then the cycle repeats.
Another new day.
Another visit to the buffet.
[ If you are feeling overwhelmed or just need someone to talk to, dial 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; contact your healthcare provider; dial the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1‑800‑662‑HELP or visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-support/health-care-or-support or https://988lifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now/ ]
LESSONS LEARNED
I have been going through a dark time filled with lows and deep sadness. I have been writing down the vital lessons I’ve learned during this period of grief and sorrow. I do not want to keep re-learning the same lessons again when a dark time inevitably visits me in the future. I am creating a “I let go of” list to be burnt under the full moon later this week.
This list is ever evolving, just like life. I plan to continue to add to it as healing insights come. Here is my lessons learned so far:
Only I can choose my feelings.
It is safe to feel and let out my emotions.
I am loved even when I’m feeling lost.
What if the opposite were true?
(when examining my assumptions)
A crossroads, a forked path all lead to the same destination.
What if it all works out anyway?
I am more than my job title.
I am alive and that is a blessing. Each day is a gift.
Busy and full is not a measurement of success.
They say
Who understands me but me when I say this is beautiful. When the path looks crooked and torn with rocks, stumps, roots and uneven ground. I take the first step. They say I should be afraid and not wander out too far, not go out of my comfort zone: the safety net that has become a leash tethering me to this spot training me to be okay with this small plot. They say I am reckless, foolish and asking for trouble. I lace on my sneakers and head out the door. The sunlight streams through the tree branches A lighted beam pointed toward freedom: Freedom from thinking small Lighting the path to discovering my own voice and inner strength. They say the path is dangerous. Its twists and turns unknown to an untrained eye. I do not need a compass in my pocket to show me the way. I have always known this journey. I may return to it again and again Reminding myself of my true worth. My true north is an innate part of me. It cannot be scared, beaten or numbed away. I will always resurface and be a companion and a guide to my own suffering and fears of being lost, Filled with doubt or shame, Guilty for taking the first step. I am in my corner. They say it is for my own good. It is uncomfortable to go against the grain. I show up again and again Not only to prove them wrong But to show up for me. I am on my own side and free to be me.
