Awakening
When my eyes closed,
Your image remained
For hours and hours
Afterward
You walked my dreams
Blessed me with love
For hours and hours
Through the night
Your arms held me
Your kisses bathed me
For hours and hours
With tenderness
When I awoke
You were at my side
For minutes and minutes
In unity
In awe I stared
Into your eyes
For seconds and seconds
Holding you
We drift through time
In loving moments
For years and years
To eternity
well-loved children with sparkling eyes,
rosy cheeks, and happy smiles
glittering with unbounded joy
freely bestowing generous hugs and
warm kisses that leave cheeks glistening
with reminders of their passing.
laughter peels from hallway rooms,
giggles rising to the gloriously blue sky,
caressing souls, nourishing hearts
better than steak and potatoes
or a well-read book.
warm arms, tickling fingers
and conversations uninhibited by age.
playground games fairly played
indoors under the watchful eyes
of guardian parents, checking safety,
guarding friendships from the
ills of sibling rivalry.
growing up together in love.
meals broken and shared.
prayers offered with heartfelt sincerity.
special times protecting doors
to teenage rebellion, that tears
families apart, breaking hearts
and erasing the good times shared.
for now, though, life is good.
quiet times of reflection broken only
by stories told and songs sung.
well-love children with sparkling eyes,
rosy cheeks, and happy smiles
glittering with unbounded joy.
Keep those vampires away from me
No deadly bites to set me free
No living for eternity
Stop all attacks from mutant men
Whose strength and power rate a “ten”
I’ll never need to call on them
Goblins and ghosts can travel far
Above all creatures, without par
But my life, they need never mar
No superheroes in my face
No spirits hurrying my pace
No aliens crowding in my space
Normality is always fine
I prefer to walk on the line
To me, this is the life divine
winds blow me away
to a land where
peace prospers
respect rules
equality exists
carry me far, far from here
to someplace new
wonders wait
marvels multiply
magic mystifies
above the blossoming clouds
freer than feathery friends
bouncing bravely
viewing vistas
amazingly awed
allow me to soar on breezes
free-wheelin’
experience ecstasy
senses stretched
eyes enlightened
I await the revelation
the days of glory revealed
whispery winds
far-flung journeys
colossal clouds
wonders whisper
awe-struck ageless
eyes envision
a land where
winds will blow me away
Peter Pan taught us that our shadow is a critical part of who we are. When visiting Wendy and the boys, the dog Nana barked, scaring Peter’s shadow so badly that it became unattached. Peter understands that he needs the shadow in order to live his life in a childlike trance and so he begs Wendy to help him reattach it.
For most people, a shadow is simply a dark spot connected to our feet, but to Peter it was a tangible sprite that could dance, play and roust about. It’s not unusual for children like Peter to believe that their shadows are playthings simply because their shadow follows them about at times twisting into strange inhuman shapes. Growing up means giving up that belief, something Peter did not want to do.
As adults we understand that the angle of the sun on a clear day influences the outline and presence of our shadows. Our morning shadow is different from our noon shadow which is also different from our late afternoon shadow. It we are walking north it takes on one shape, but when we reverse and go south, it changes.
Normally our shadows are representative of our body’s natural shape. The shadow consists of head, shoulders, trunk, arms and legs. Rarely does our shadow approximate our actual size, instead taking on the outline of comic-book monsters with truncated upper bodies and elongated lower. Or the reverse.
There was a time not too long ago when I didn’t like my shadow. It wasn’t its fault, for it only showed bits and pieces of my true shape. That was the problem. My head was always round like a melon, my arms thick as tree trunks, my body wide as a truck. No one likes to look that way in real life, let alone as a shadow on a sidewalk.
But that was who I was: a short, fat woman.
Today when walking with my husband I noticed my shadow for the first time in years. It had changed! The fat woman had been replaced by a trim person. Everything looked in proportion. My head, shoulders, stomach and legs belonged to an average-build human being.
When it followed me, I wasn’t embarrassed. Instead I smiled. It made me proud that my determination to lose weight was reflected in my black shadow companion.
In a way, at that moment I became like Peter Pan. My shadow had been reattached, this time taking the form of the person I wanted to be, not the one I was. Peter might have wanted to stay a boy and live the carefree life of an adventurer, but he also knew the importance of being whole. When Wendy sewed Peter’s shadow onto his shoe, Peter was complete.
When I saw my new shadow, I also became complete. My shadow and I are now friends who can spend the rest of our lives together.
What a marvelously happy ending.
As a child
I pondered the existence
of my soul
it’s location,
how it affected
my heart, my brain
my being
how it was like a balloon
awaiting my sins
to fill it up, one by one
black mark after black mark
the sisters never spoke of
forgiveness
erasing the blackness
God’s eternal love
I imagined my evilness
pulling me down
into the undertow of hell
As an adult
I understood that my soul
is linked to my heart
nestled closely like lovers
beating in unison
a romantic rhythm
My soul sings of happiness,
fulfillment
belief in accomplishment
it thrives on goodness
like an addict hooked on chocolate
the sweetness erases errant
thoughts
lines the soul with a
protective coating
I know that we are one,
my soul and me
it cannot exist without me,
nor I without it
together, we succeed
A true friend is a gift from God.
No more, no less.
Ears, eyes, heart
finely tuned
to every thought
action
need
A friend seeks balance,
craving only that which
is offered
and not one drop more
Giving, sharing
even the smallest things.
A warm hug,
kiss, smile
A friend knows when
to step up
and when to step down.
Never pushing or demanding
Reaching fingers
with open palm.
Electric energy pulsing
across the gap,
joining two strangers
into one compact unit.
A friend asks for nothing,
but is grateful
when something
drips into the heart,
warming the soul’s
ties.
Prayers offered
and heard.
Thanks given
for the smallest
of gestures
A friend is all
and more.
I’m tired, so tired of:
Persistent whiners,
Constant complainers,
Naysayers and
Ne’er-do-wells
Who get their jollies
By belittling others
As playground bullies.
I’m tired, so tired of:
Lazy non performers,
Excuse finders,
Procrastinators and
Incompetents
Who destroy the efforts
Of hard-working people
Through gross manipulation.
I’m tired, so tired of:
Jealous intellects,
Devilish reviewers,
Self-protective chumps,
And feeling-bashers
Who denigrate works
To bolster their own
Feelings of competence.
Instead of finding fault,
Look for joy.
Instead of shining,
Seek peace.
Instead of creating havoc,
Settle the inner voice.
Instead of destroying dreams,
Offer solace through
Kind words,
Constructive criticism
Designed to improve
Rather than ruin.
For everyone thrives
When voices of hope
Fill the earth.
And then I’ll no longer
Be tired.000000
On any given day we are bombarded with stories of fear and intimidation, of cruelty and loss. When we read them, sadness fills our soul. That’s the expected reaction because if we didn’t experience the horror, one might question our inner light.
It’s not easy to push those thoughts aside especially when they are replayed over and over on social media. We can choose to learn from what evil others do and behave in some way to counteract the actions that offend us or we swallow it down, sending it deep inside us.
Being an activist is not easy. It takes courage to stand up for one’s beliefs knowing that out there are people who will spit on you, call you offensive names and even threaten your life. We should applaud those we choose to disregard the safety of their lives in order to bring injustices to the forefront, thereby forcing the public to rethink attitudes and beliefs.
The sunny path is not always smooth. There are pitfalls that can suck you in and hold you there, consumed by despair. You can sit there and wallow or pull yourself up and continue down the path.
Soon another obstacle will arise, making you choose, once again, how you will react. Too many roadblocks might cause you to give up. But if you jump over each, if you move one person to act with you, if you change one mind, think of the rewards.
No one will give you a medal, but many will follow in your shoes.
That’s why we choose to walk in the sunshine: to feel goodness and light, joy and power.
Imagine how different the world would be if every child, no matter how rich or poor, heard those words on a regular basis. Think about how special they would feel after their guardian tucked them in at night and spoke those words.
There might be no bullies because, if you feel worthy, you have no need to belittle others. No one would be afraid of trying new things, of being rejected, of being pushed aside.
What a beautiful place the world would be!
As a child I never felt special in any positive way. What if my mom had told me that I was born to shine? Would I have been a different child? Would my attitude toward school have been different? My grades better? When meeting people, would I have been more outgoing because that confidence sat on my shoulders?
I know that I never said those words to my children. I wish I had. I did, however, sign them up for classes and swim lessons and sports hoping that they would discover something that they could enjoy for the rest of their lives. I helped with schoolwork and met with some of their teachers. I volunteered at their schools, as a team mom in little league, as a scorekeeper in baseball and as a soccer coach and referee. I did these things because I wanted to share those experiences with them, but also because I enjoyed it.
Born to Shine. Powerful words. My children grew up to be wonderful adults. They all contribute to society in different ways, yes, but they are helping future generations shine.
If I could go back in time, instead of reading books aloud as I cradled my kids, I would tell them that they were born to shine. As I watched them struggle in sports or academics, I’d say those words and then watch the effect they had.
Even though I don’t recall a single word of praise or encouragement, I told myself that I was born to shine. Perhaps not in those exact words, but the message was the same. Often I thought I was lying to myself, but I persevered nonetheless. When I was feeling inferior to my siblings, I’d think of the things that I could do better than them.
For example, I was the better athlete at a time when girls played few sports. I picked up languages quite quickly and enjoyed learning about different places and cultures. I was an excellent math student, so good that I got a full-ride scholarship.
But I also struggled with self-esteem and self-confidence. What if my dad had told me I was born to shine? Those words would have meant more to me than a bucket of gold. I would have known that he saw something valuable in me. My self-esteem would have risen. I wold have liked myself better.
Born to shine. I wish that every parent would say those words to their kids, no matter how old. Over and over, look them in the eye and say born to shine. Pat them on the back, give them a hug, turn it into a song. Say the words weekly, daily, hour by hour.
Slowly, ever so slowly the world would change.
Born to shine. Power.
Words and Thoughts 