THANKFUL FOR THE THINGS I DO NOT KNOW

I taught students with Autism for 39 years, people thought I was well trained

They would congratulate me on my knowledge and the expertise I had attained.

I was quick to tell them I was no expert and their argument I’d spurn

For I knew no matter how much I taught, there was still so much to learn.

In fact it was my students who taught me (it was part of their magnificence),

To look to each day as a blessing through the eyes of innocence.

They helped me realize it’s OK if on many things I have no clue

That way the world still holds some mystery and many things seems new.

The other day Deborah and I went for a hike and as we wandered to and fro

I found myself so thankful for the things I did not know.

I did not know one cloud from another as they floated in the sky

So each cloud seemed as beautiful as the last as I watched them drifting by.

I did not know the names of the birds or where they ranked in artistry

So every bird I saw seemed magnificent to me.

I did not know one bird’s warble from the next bird’s song I’d hear

So every sound I listened to was music to my ears.

I did not know the names of the plants, I’ve never had a need.

So I was free to see the beauty in the flower and the weed.

As we walked amidst the beauty and watched nature put on her show

I had to thank my lucky stars for all the things I did not know.

Once again I thank my students who taught me to see with innocent eyes

So that a simple hike in the woods is a wonder, and every day is a surprise.

BE THE CHANGE

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world” is one of Deborah’s favorite quotes

She paints it, reminds our children and grandchildren and writes it down in notes.

Gandhi never spoke those exact words...no need to worry or lament

They were paraphrased from his writings and I’m sure that’s what he meant.

For he believed in telling the truth and that all people should be free

He believed in protest but was adamant that it be done nonviolently.

He led India to independence to his country’s sheer delight

And continued to work around the world for freedom and civil rights.

He was a peaceful man whose only goal was to help the human race

You could hear the kindness in his voice and see the gentleness on his face.

He will be remembered for how he lived a life nonviolent and dignified

And, sadly, for the irony in the manner in which he died.

January 30, 1948 on his way to a prayer meeting and no doubt feeling blessed

An assassin walked right up to him and put three bullets in his chest.

The world knew right away that act of violence was wrong

Proof of what Mohandas Gandhi was saying all along.

In a world filled with violence and hatred Gandhi was unique

I have no doubt if he had survived he would have turned the other cheek.

For he knew violence upon violence will be the bane of all mankind

When he said and eye for an eye will only succeed in making the whole world blind.

This simple man who lived a simple life knew what the effects of violence would do...

Someday I hope the rest of the world will understand it too.

Oh there’s one more thing I’m sure Gandhi knew, when all is said and done

You can kill the person speaking but you can’t silence his message with a gun

That’s why today long after his death his message continues to unfurl

Anyone can be the change...and gently shake the world.

THANK YOU PETE

Pete Seger died yesterday. He was 94 years old

He’s famous for his songs and the stories that they told.

He was a folk singer and activist whose passion never ceased

As he wrote and sang songs about love...nonviolence...and peace.

If I Had a Hammer, and Where Have All the Flowers Gone he would croon

And as a young man growing up in the 70’s I liked the message in his tunes.

His death yesterday came in a world still filled with war and violence and hate

Not the world, I’m sure, he was hoping to create.

It seems there are many people out there who still need to fight, abhor and kill

Perhaps they did not hear his message...perhaps they never will. 

But I believe as Pete did, that there are many, many more

Who strive each day to make this world a little better than the day before.

Who instead of making enemies believe in making friends

Who believe that love and kindness will win out in the end.

So thank you Pete for the words and music you so masterfully combined

And may the whole world practice living the legacy you left behind.

SOUL MATES

Everyone has a soul mate, which adds to our mystiques

That is if we are to believe the mythology of the Greeks

Zeus was the Father of the Gods, his power was unchecked

Yet even in his omnipotence he was a nervous wreck.

Take when the first humans were created, well Zeus was traumatized

When we came out with two sets of everything including legs and eyes.

He thought these strange looking creatures would someday him betray

He worried they would steal his throne and take his powers away 

So Zeus came up with a plan to solve his little riddle?

He made an executive decision to split each human down the middle.

Then Zeus would look down Mount Olympus throne and laugh

As we humans wandered aimlessly in search of our other half.

Zeus figured he needn’t worry, that his powers would never abate

I mean what are the chances of one person every finding their soul mate?

But Zeus didn’t count on the compassion of his daughter as he ruled from up above

Aphrodite was her name and she was the Greek Goddess of Love.

To help you find your soul mate, here Aphrodite was quite wise.

She gave us the ability to recognize them when we look into their eyes.

It makes sense, the same eyes you shared before Zeus divided you in two

Is where you’ll find your soul mate...staring back at you.

Zeus and Aphrodite are gone now as is belief in Greek Mythology

But the idea of a soul mate...is not a myth to me.

You may have found your soul mate, or perhaps you may have not

It’s possible you may have never given soul mates a first or second thought.

But for me there is a satisfaction in knowing my soul mate came my way

It’s why I take a moment to thank Aphrodite every day.

POLITICAL ADS

Is there an election around the corner? I didn’t think so but there must be

Because I’m starting to see political ads airing on TV.

The ads show the candidate with an angelic smile beaming on his or her face

Attempting to show their good side as they enter the political race.

You see the ad and think, “There’s a person who’s honest, wise and smart.”

And if the ad is accurate, has a kind and gentle heart.

“I’ll vote for him or her,” you say, for our political climate has been strange

And it’s great to finally find a candidate who promises a change.

But then you see conflicting ads that say these candidates are bad

And you find the candidate you liked at first has, indeed, approved this ad.

The candidate you thought you’d vote for now makes you feel uneasy

And that angelic smile you liked at first now seems a little sleazy.

Once again you realize each candidate has ads meant to agitate and inflame

And the climate you thought was changing has, indeed, remained the same.

I wish all political ads could be written, filmed and eventually shown

By independent organizations with no agenda of their own.

That way it might be possible for us, our candidates to explore

And truly know the person who we’ll be voting for.

Until then when a political ad pops up as quickly as can be

I’ll close my eyes, feel for my remote then change the channel on my TV.

HEROES

When I was young I thought it would be great if I could be a hero...

The one who slays the dragon, or defeats the invincible foe.

The guy who saves the baby from the burning building before she’s engulfed in flames

Then everyone would recognize my courage and forever remember my name.

The heroes I had when I was a boy revolved around sports, the movies and TV

When I grew up so did my heroes, with names like Lincoln, Franklin, and Kennedy.

But as I learned more about my heroes..I was astounded by what I found.

Abe couldn’t discipline his children, Ben abandoned his wife and Johnny fooled around.

How could my heroes not act in real life like they did in books or on TV?

Who would have thought my heroes were human, just like me.

I believe I was looking in the wrong places for heroes, now I think wherever we roam

Our heroes should be more personal, we can find them closer to home.

They are the people who have loved us, who’s guidance and inspiration we have sought

The ones who have stood by us whether we’ve slain a dragon or not.

Could it be our heroes don’t have to save the world or make that winning score?

Could it be our heroes have always been as close as our own front door?

Yes, now that I am older, (some might say past my prime).

I find the heroes I most look up too have been with me all the time.

I still think it would be great to be a hero but now I look more objectively

My heroes are kind, accepting and supportive people...at least they strive to be.

If I get the chance I’ll still save that baby before she’s engulfed in flames

But now I only care that my friends and family shall forever remember my name.

WHAT'S YOUR HOUSE WORTH?

I love picking up the mail each day even thought it may seem orthodox

Because you never know what the mail man has left you in the box.

Today’s mail was prosaic, causing the usual amusement, irritation and mirth

But one realtor’s card caught my attention for it asked, “What’s your house worth?”

It got me to thinking...the value of our house as I’m sure we’d all agree

Is quite different for the realtor than it is for Deborah and me.

They might look at that bedroom door and as realtors might frown

They don’t know I hung it myself, that’s why I left it upside down.

They might want those broken parts fixed along the outside backyard wall

They don’t know that’s where Ryan, when he was young, used to kick his soccer ball.

They might want that closet door fixed, they might see it as a drawback

They don’t know that from the day Ali came to live with us it’s been coming off the track.

They might ask us to take down that sculpture, the one that looks poorly made

They don’t know Bryan made it by hand when he was in 1st grade.

They may want that old swing in the backyard removed, it’s old and shows its wear. 

They don’t know our children and grandchildren have grown up swinging there.

They may want those cracks in the ceiling and along that one wall erased

They don’t see them as we do, like wrinkles on this old house’s face.

They might look at our house and see imperfections behind every window and every door

They don’t understand in our house, it’s those imperfections we’ve come to adore

No, to the realtor this is just another house as in search of houses they roam 

But a long time ago it became more than that to us, when it became our home.

So back to the question of the moment, how much is this old house worth

The house that has seen us through sadness and joy; through marriages and births.

The house where for over 25 years our family has laughed and cried and sat...

The answer is quite simple, you can’t put a price on that.

At least that’s what I was thinking as that card mentioned they’d pay cash.

And why I smiled so contentedly as I tossed it in the trash.

ESKIMO PIE DAY

Christian Kent Nelson, although unknown to most, is important...let me tell you why.

He got melted chocolate to adhere to ice cream when he created the Eskimo Pie.

He originally named them I-Scream bars but that name just wouldn’t do

So at Russell Stover’s urging the Eskimo Pie was christened in 1922.

January 24th 1922 to be exact, that’s when Mr. Nelson’s patent was approved

And since that day the Eskimo pie has never needed to be improved.

Because if you’ve ever eaten that scrumptiously delicious ice cream bar confection

Then you know, no matter how much you try, you cannot improve perfection.

True he didn’t discover penicillin, television or even the electric heater

But there’s something to be said for someone who made our world a little sweeter.

So today let’s celebrate Christian Kent Nelson and now you know the reason why

For where would our world be today...without the delectable Eskimo Pie.

ARE YOU BEAUTIFUL?

Are you beautiful? Don’t compare yourselves to magazines or women on TV

Look past the mirror image and tell me what you see.

For beauty, true beauty is entirely within your control

Look past the reflected image and gaze into your soul.

When we only think of beauty in superficial ways

We forget everyone is beautiful in his or her own way.

When we learn to see that beauty then we are truly blessed

Because finding it in others uncovers the beauty we possess.

Our looks are bound to change as we get old and grey

But the beauty in our soul grows stronger every day.

That is the beauty we should nurture, the beauty of which we need to be aware

Not the ever changing outside appearance, but the beauty that’s always there.

With this in mind I’ll repeat the question? For the answer you don’t have to look far

So, once again, are you beautiful?....Smile...of course you are.

A WALK IN THE PARK

There is an island not too far from our home, a famous Florida landmark

With pristine beaches and nature trails, known as Honeymoon Island State park.

In the 1940’s huts were built for newlyweds to enjoy the seclusion of the dunes

And the name Hog Island was (thankfully) changed to the more engaging, Honeymoon.

The huts are long gone but when the weather’s fair and we don’t care about the clock

It is still a wonderful place of solitude...and to take a little walk.

Since it’s an island no matter where you are you can hear the ocean roar

As you watch a family of dolphin frolic or collect seashells upon the shore.

If you take the nature trail, in no time at all you are aware

Of the many ospreys, owls, eagles and smaller birds all nesting there.

You never know what you may see as the options before you unfold

If you’re lucky you’ll meet a gopher tortoise (their species they’re quite old!)

If you wander where you shouldn’t you might provoke a hefty rattlesnake’s wrath

Although we’ve been lucky for in all our years of walking one has never crossed our path.  :)

As you meander through you can smell the clean air infused with ocean brine

And the unmistakable aroma of those tall Australian pines.

Today we watched an armadillo ignore us as he rooted around some plants

Searching for his dinner among a menu of insects, worms or ants.

A large heron too dismissed us, stoically waiting for his opportunity

To snatch whatever tasty animal was scurrying up a tree.   

And while our eyes and nose were feasting on the beauty all around

Our ears were also treated to a myriad of sounds.

From the constant rumble of the ocean surf, to the birds mellifluous tune

It’s easy to understand why they named this island Honeymoon.

For just like on our Honeymoon, we didn’t have to travel very far

To realize what a great life we have and how lucky we both are.

I guess when you stop to think about it, it’s those little things that leave their mark

Like the time you spend together while walking in the park.

HAPPY NATIONAL HUGGING DAY

Just in case you were unaware and I imagine you were, I daresay,

Today, January the 21st, is National Hugging day.

It’s not a get-out-of-work holiday, it’s not well known or commonplace

Still it’s a holiday like no other for it’s a day everyone can embrace.

Hugging has proved beneficial it’s one way in which we feel whole

Experts say hugging is healthy, that it’s good for our hearts and our souls.

Studies show as our children grow up, hugging them should be a must,

It helps build their communication skills and is one way they learn how to trust.

A hug is an easy gift to give, we use it to say hello or bid someone adieu

It’s free, you can give it over and over and the only wrapping you need is you.

If you stop to think about the hug itself...it’s beautiful in its design

For not only do you get something from the person you hug but you live a little of yourself behind. 

Why not give someone a hug today, after all you never know

How long that hug you’ve just given will last...once the two of you have let go.

So Happy National Hugging day...think of hugging as part of God’s endearing charm

After all if he didn’t want us to hug one another why did he give us two arms?

A CROOKED OLD TREE

There was once an ancient Chinese philosopher sitting under a crooked old tree

Who spoke on the subject of judging others, and how we need to think differently.

“When this tree was younger,” he said, “it caused many people to gape

It was covered with bulges and its trunk and branches were contorted way out of shape.

Master carpenters, the ones who use wood in the ships and the homes they create

Were not looking for wood that was twisted, they needed their wood to be straight.

When they looked at the gnarly and misshapen branches displayed in this crooked old tree

They deemed it to be useless for their needs and decided to just let it be.

Consequently that tree was never cut down, it grew and it grew, and in time

It offered shade from the sun, quiet solitude and it’s branches were easy to climb.

This same tree once labeled useless is now treasured by the people in this town

Who are thankful for all that it offers and glad it was never cut down.”

“Neither should humans,” he continued, “be judged by their shape or their size

For like this old tree we’re sitting under, their destiny may too surprise.

So never accept other people’s judgement of you; do not let them limit who you can be,

And do not dismiss anyone in this world but treat everyone with dignity.”

It’s a lesson I try to remember when I am judged or I judge others quickly.

I try to stop and remember that Chinese philosopher and that beautiful crooked old tree. 

AVA'S SOCCER

I love watching Ava play soccer, the girls don’t play for money or acclaim

To them it’s not a matter of life or death, to them, it’s just a game.

They’re so young they don’t play with a goalie and they don’t even keep score

They have a chalk-lined field but, basically, the girls just run around outdoors.

The two teams line up to begin the game like two opposing walls.

When the whistles blown, as if drawn my a magnet, they converge upon the ball.

Their coaches yell instructions hoping what they learned in practice will be applied.

While the parents scream their own directions from the field’s other side.

The girls all smile, oh they seem to listen, their hair bouncing as they run,

But they care less about game strategy and more about having fun.

“Here it comes, kick the ball, Kicki it!” the coaches and parents cry

But a girl has stopped to pick a flower as the ball goes rolling by.

“Run to the ball! Kick it! Go get it now!” They yell, “Don’t wait.”

But a girl has turned and is waving hello to a relative who came late.

As I stand as an observer watching the children’s joy and parent’s strife

I’m glad for soccer as the girls are learning some lessons they’ll apply in life.

They are learning a little bit about themselves, if they make a mistake they know it’s not a crime

They keep smiling and hope they’ll do better when they get the ball next time.

When two opposing players bump and fall, there’s no major anger blowup

They brush themselves off, smile, then help each other up.

When the game is over, it’s over, there’s no repercussions, no anticlimax

The kids all run through the family bridge and race to get their snacks.

It seems to me the lesson they’re learning is not about winning or losing or fame

No, they’re learning how to have some fun and most importantly...it’s just a game.

As for the score, grandparents keep it differently, you see Ava will always be our hero

Which is why as we walked away from the game it was Ava 2 and the other team zero.

ANOTHER SAD DAY

Thursday was another sad day as another life went unfulfilled

A colleague of a friend of mine was waiting for a bus when he was shot and killed.

This man was coming to the hospital to assist with an emergency surgery

When he was murdered right out on the street; part of a bungled robbery.

How sadly ironic that this man, who, like every man, is our brother

Had his life taken away from him on his way to help save another.

It was just another shooting in America Thursday, there are usually 289 

What made this one different is he was a friend of a friend of mine.

Otherwise would it have registered?...Oh, I seriously doubt it

In fact since it happened in Ohio I probably wouldn’t have even heard about it.

We have become accustomed to this type of violence, we no longer ask the question Why?

We know out of the 289 people shot each day 87 of them are going to die.

I’m not sure what is sadder that each day 289 shootings are taking place

Or that the number no longer bothers us as shootings have become commonplace.

Perhaps if every murder every day was splashed across the evening news

That would make a difference, that would finally change our views.

Would it be different if we knew that every 17 minutes in the rise and setting of our sun

Someone in America is killed at the hands of someone with a gun.

When we look at the sheer numbers how can we not weep or shriek

When we do the math and calculate we lose over 600 people every week?

It is sad to think my friend’s friend is gone when he was here one day before

And even sadder to think we can multiply that family’s grief by over 600 more.

This is a problem in our society, the numbers do not lie

It leaves many of us frustrated as for another death we cry.

Until something is done to curb this violence that everyone deplores

I’m afraid today will be as sad or sadder than it was the day before.

SMILE

The other day while people watching I had to stop a while

To revel in the beauty and simplicity of a smile.

The airport is a wonderful venue as people travel from east to west

To observe the smile in all it’s glory; to see it at it’s best.

Everyone is waiting...all lingering in the same place

Until they recognize their person, and a smile engulfs their face.

As I stood there watching so many different people smiling effortlessly

And thinking how the smile is ubiquitous, an old story occurred to me.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery whose book, The Little Prince, brought him acclaim

Is also remembered for his smile and a problem he overcame.

In the Spanish American War he was captured and quickly taken away.

He was thrown in jail and was certain he’d be executed the next day.

He found a cigarette in his pocket, one that had escaped the jailers sight

He motioned to that jailer, “Excuse me sir, have you got a light?”

The jailer shrugged then walked over trying to stay detached 

And in the silence of the jail he gently lit the match.

As he was lighting Antoine’s cigarette his hatred he would belie

When that jailer inadvertently looked Antoine in the eye.

At that point the jailer, his enemy, was suddenly beguiled

When Antoine in a fit of nervousness looked back at him and smiled.

As we know smiles are infectious, the jailers demeanor began to crack

For he had no choice but to look at Antoine and simply smile back.

Although they didn’t speak the same language they shared photos and hopes and fears

And as Antoine spoke of never seeing his family again four eyes filled up with tears.

Suddenly, in the stillness, Antoine’s cell opened surreptitiously 

The jailer led him to the edge of town and with a smile, set him free.

Antoine returned his smile then waved and quickly ran away

Convinced throughout the rest of his life his smile saved him on that day.

Yes, the smile is universal, it’s healthy and it can ease all kinds of strife

And you never know when a simple smile might somehow save your life.

RV SHOW

Deborah and I went to an RV show yesterday for we have always adored

Walking in and out of humongous things we could never afford.

Once inside, I must admit to feeling a little bereft

For some of the campers we looked at were bigger than the house we just left.

We toured a coach that had more room than the largest greyhound bus

But when they made us cover our shoes to walk in it, we knew it wasn’t for us.

We saw RV’s that looked enormous but with the touch of a button or trigger

Those behemoths somehow transformed themselves into something even bigger.

Is it possible all these big coaches have but one artist who decorates their frame?

Because the colors and designs on the exteriors always look the same.

And who decorates the interiors? Although to some they may look like heaven

I have to tell you, I looked it up, Liberace’s been dead since ‘87!

So I have a question for you RV makers, would it hurt you to finally decide

To bring the interior out of the 1940’s and splash a little color on the outside?

Our favorites were the Airstreams, we have always like their shape and style

However the price tag of an Airstream is something we can’t reconcile.

If my calculations are correct then this I must acknowledge

The smallest Airstream cost’s as much as sending Damien to college.

Yes we promised Damien we’d help him...but...college attendance is on the decline

I imagine he can get a nice degree if he took all his courses on line.

As I thought about the University of Phoenix, or Keiser, or Devry

While looking at these Airstreams, a dilemma caught my eye.

I’d love for Deborah to have her camper and Damien to go to college to

But of course that would be impossible...so what was I going to do?

Then as if by magic, out of thin air the solution appeared to me

I’ll paint 4 wheels on the side of our house and pretend it’s a giant RV.

Damien happily goes off to college and amidst the joy the celebration

Deborah gets the camper of her dreams...with a little imagination.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

While out shopping in December I couldn’t possibly have foreseen

What happened when I sat down at one of those blood pressure machines.

I thought, why not take advantage of this free medical exam

And find out, in the grocery store, just how healthy a man I am.

I was feeling pretty good about myself, my health was up to par

Until the machine, in order to check my weight, said, put your feet upon the bar.

I obeyed, and the screen lit up as if it was somehow mocking me.

It kept flashing over and over again: One hundred and eighty three.

Well that’s got to be a mistake I said, as my face started to pale

And I quickly looked around to see if someone had their finger on the scale.

But the machine wasn’t finished yet, (this machine I was beginning to hate!)

A red light lit up and started flashing, you are overweight.

I can’t believe this is happening, this can’t be true, I winced

Then I immediately jumped out of the seat and wiped off my fingerprints.

When I got home that afternoon I thought I’d set the record straight

So I went onto the Internet to research my ideal weight.

For a 61 year old man who’s 5 feet 8 came news I couldn’t ignore

My ideal weight is between one hundred twenty one and one hundred sixty four.

This can’t be true I thought to myself as through more web sites I scrolled

The last time I weighed 121...I think I was 5 years old.

So I thought I’d shoot for 164...even that seems a bit absurd

I mean weighing in at 164 pounds....what am I a bird!

But something happens when you lose some weight, the wrong body parts are affected.

As the weight comes off in places you never would have expected.

Your shoulders look smaller, your face gets thinner and you look for someone to blame

Because that spot of weight around your middle still remains the same.

Yes the parts you want to get thin, well they remain as thick

And people start to ask you if you’re dying or you’re sick.

So to fix this I’ve made one resolution at the start of 2014

Never again will I sit down at any blood pressure machine!

HEAVEN ON EARTH

Have you ever experienced Heaven on Earth, I imagine everyone has

It could be a walk on the beach, a beautiful sunset, or perhaps a little jazz.

The point is Heaven on Earth is individual, it’s different for you and me

I guess that’s so we have many chances to experience it’s symmetry.

If we’re lucky we feel it many times in many different ways

As a way to complement our nights and to intensify our days.

I can’t speak for the rest of you but Heaven on Earth is simple for me

I feel it many times, like when I’m surrounded by family.

Bryan flew in yesterday with his friend Jonathan

And they were joined by the rest of our family before the day was done.

We cooked out, lit a campfire, it was a great way to start the week

We sat around and talked and laughed as the grandkids played hide and seek.

In the midst of all the food, the laughter and the mirth

I stood under the moonlit night and thought, this is Heaven On Earth.

I have been blessed with many such moments in my life, from the moment of my birth

Moments that when I stop to think about seem just like Heaven on Earth.

And I have to wonder am I blessed to have these special moments in the life I have partook?

Or, is the blessing I have received in knowing where to look?

TOILET PAPER AND MARRIAGE

Couples fight about money, about communication and control.

But an unsung cause of trouble in a marriage is the toilet paper roll.

The experts never mention it; in books you won’t even come upon it.

But divorces are caused by that little roll and the paper that goes on it. 

A wife’s number one complaint and the reason she screams and shouts

Is her husband’s won’t refill the roll once the paper has run out.

And it drives a wife crazy, oh how she’ll complain and gripe and grouse

When her husband doesn’t seem to care if there’s any paper in the house.

If there is an ample supply of paper you’d think this would make her feel great

Not true...for she must also win the great toilet paper debate.

When you look at the marriage vows...Whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder

There is no mention if the toilet paper should hang over or hang under.

(By the way if you’re not sure and another fight you want to prevent

Over is preferred to under by a whopping 70%.)

Why are these things important to our wives?  Why does it cause them so much stress,

While for the most part when it comes to toilet paper most husbands could care less?

Oh of course we’d like to have some but if we find the toilet paper’s gone

Most men come prepared for this, we bring a newspaper to the john.

And we don’t ever notice if the paper’s over, under, rough or plush

We read our article or play words with friends and when we’re done we flush.

But husbands don’t you worry let me come to your rescues

And help you find an easy way to beat these toilet paper blues.

Since you don’t usually care anyway do not enter into the fray 

The best advice I can give you is to do everything her way.

By doing what she wants, when she wants, here’s something you can’t deny

Your marriage will be stronger than ever...perhaps even 3 ply.

It’s a simple solution really, why it’s what marriage is all about 

Compromise and making sure the toilet paper won’t run out.

Who could have known when you sat down and wrote your matrimonial goal

That your marriage might just depend on that toilet paper roll.

But it does! So the next time you’re staring at that empty toilet paper roll

Smile as you refill it...and remember whose in control.

THE DREAMALIST

My Mom had a unique way of looking at the world, for it would always seem

She had a way of mixing reality with a her imagination and some dreams.

Consequently the truths she told us were sprinkled with all kinds of twists

We called her world a dreamality and she was the dreamalist.

Sitting out in our yard in the evening it wouldn’t be too bizarre

For Mom to point up to the sky and say, “I think we all have a star.”

“You mean a lucky star?” we’d ask “Oh heaven’s no!” she would reply

“More like our own light that in the darkness helps to brighten up in the sky.”

“Look closely at the stars.” She’d say, (for this story bears repeating)

“Notice how, some are brighter than others and some of them are beating.”

When she asked us why, I was able to explain the science of light diffusion,

How the brightness and the beating are just an optical illusion.

She smiled at the logic and the science my answer contained

Then said, “What if there are answers, Jim, that science can’t explain?”

“What if a star is created in the heavens for every daughter and every son

To announce to all the people of the world that a new life has begun.”

“What if the beating of our star matches the beating of our heart?

What if bright stars are the newest and faint ones are preparing to depart?”

“What if the star remains aglow until the day we die...Oh wouldn’t it be nice...

To think our star swoops down and carries our soul right up to paradise?”

When I mentioned they all look the same and asked her which was my star

She said, “That’s to remind the peoples of the world how much alike we are.”

“We never know until we die which star is ours and ours alone

But that didn’t stop us that very night from adopting a star of our own.

“Close your eyes,” Mom said, “then open up and choose the first one that you see.”

To this day when I go out at night I know which star belongs to me.”

Mom’s star burned out years ago and, yes, I consider it quite nice

To think it swooped down and carried her soul right up to paradise.

Many nights I still greet my star...it’s something I can’t resist.

I regard it as a gift...given to me a long time ago, by my Mom, the dreamalist.

YOU NEVER KNOW

You never know when you get up in the morning what might happen in your day

Because whatever plans you may have had can change along the way.

Yesterday Deborah and I went for a ride a little after four

We thought we’d get some shopping in at the local grocery store.

“What a beautiful day,” Deborah commented then acting on a lark

We decided to forgo the store and take sandwiches to the park.

Weaver Park is where we ended up, it’s one of our favorite places to go

We had our dinner at a picnic table overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

We ate our subs, played some cards and were genuinely feeling blessed

When we decided to walk across the street and watch the sun set in the west.

As the sun reached the horizon and an orange hue filled the sky

A man with his Border Collie on a leash happened to walk by.

He had his camera with him and he asked apologetically

“If you don’t mind would you please take a few pictures of my dog and me.”

“I want a photograph of our last sunset,” he said with a huge frown

You see she’s old and she is sick and tomorrow I put her down.”

“I’ve had her since she was a puppy, and she’s 12 years old this week

In truth my heart is breaking, even as we speak.”

“I would love to have one last photo together, one more memory before the end.”

So we gladly snapped some pictures of that man and his best friend.

It was a beautiful sunset and as the sun gently fell from the sky

I thought this is such a wonderful way for them to say goodbye.

We stayed around and talked with him about what a good dog she has been

All the while Deborah petted her back while I rubbed that old dog’s chin.

When they departed we were glad for the sunset, glad for the beautiful weather

And glad that we played a small part in their last night together.

When we left the house yesterday afternoon we didn’t end up where we started to go.

But that’s what makes life interesting because some days...you never know.

THE PHOTOGRAPH

This Christmas Ali and her family gave Deborah and I a gift we thought was splendid

A framed photograph of Deborah and I at a recent wedding we attended.

I love it and I put it next to my computer where I write these rhymes each day

Now let me tell you of a minor problem that occurred along the way.

A mirror image is fleeting, I mean I don’t have to comb my hair anymore

So I shower, shave, brush my teeth then I’m headed out the door.

I have no time to linger as I’m otherwise engaged

Consequently I have no time to see how much I’ve aged.

But a photograph is permanent which means everyday I see

The old man I’ve become...he’s staring back at me.

I can look in the mirror and tell myself I’m still that same young guy

But everyone knows, and it’s plain to see, a photograph doesn’t lie.

When I look daily at myself and see that once young baby boomer

I think the proof is right in front of me that God has a sense of humor.

Why else would he let our ears keep growing, I’m surprised people don’t stare

Because mine are as big as a garage...you can park a small car in there.

And to keep our big ears company, look it up you’ll see it’s true,

He decided that our noses should keep on growing too.

And of course there’s the hair thing, for this fact I must concede

My nose and ears look even bigger the more my hair recedes.

(FYI, here’s a semantic difference for which Deborah is appalled

I say my hair’s receding....she says that I am bald.)

I’m starting to be covered in spots that I can only describe as inky

And there are so many wrinkles in my neck I look just like a slinky.

Yes, everyday I’m reminded I’m not the young man I used to be

But the more I look at that photograph...that’s OK with me.

Because next to me in the photograph, Deborah is standing there

And I’m reminded of all the moments in life we’ve been lucky enough to share.

Since this photo was a gift from Ali, thanks to her I’ll always be

Reminded of a daughter’s love and the wonder of family.

I briefly thought of moving that photo, or laying it out flat

But the more I look at it the more I think...it’s fine just where it’s at.

Because within the frames of that photograph, you know what most appeals to me?

It’s not the things that are apparent but the things I cannot see.

GOODBYE CHRISTMAS TREE

We finally took our Christmas tree down; it was time but I might add

Every year taking the tree down makes me a little sad.

The ornaments and lights are stored and all that’s left is the tree

Soon everything about Christmas is just a memory.

Oh their good memories, don’t get me wrong, I just wish they had extended

Because taking down the tree means Christmas has finally ended.

Now this Christmas joins all Christmases past and with other memories is combined

And the only way to visit them is in the corners of our mind.

They join memories of Deborah’s mom and dad, memories we adore

They join Whitman our old golden, whose essence still waits by the door.

They join memories of our children and grandchildren and all memories new and old

I’m always amazed at the amount of memories this old house can hold.

Taking down the Christmas tree reminds me of how we live only in the present

And that life is so ephemeral, so sudden, so evanescent.

It reminds me to cherish each moment while that memory’s being made

For soon that moment’s over and even memories can fade.

Sometimes I wish those happy moments would last eternally

But then I realize if that were true we’d make no new memories.

No, Life is meant to keep moving, that’s the way it has been cast

And it’s up to us to move with it and not linger in the past.

But that won’t stop me from enjoying this most recent memory

Or always being a little sad when we take down our Christmas tree. 

COFFEE

It seems there are two types of people in this world, at least as far as I can see

There are those people who drink coffee and then there’s Deborah and me.

When we tell our friends we don’t drink coffee they act like we have fleas

Or worse like we are serial killers or have some strange disease.

“Don’t drink coffee,” they remark, oh they’re polite to us, but then

Once the meals over, we’re never asked out again.

What is it with you coffee drinkers and your love for the coffee bean?

Why do you put up with an absence of flavor just to soak up that caffeine?

Oh you’ll add some sugar, milk or cream to get the flavor that you seek

But then your one cup of coffee has enough calories for the week.

And some of you drink decaf...you say you’ve liked the flavor all along

Well let me state now for the record, I’m sorry that’s just wrong!

And what is it with Starbucks? Pardon me for being curt

But why pay all that hard-earned money for a drink that tastes like dirt?

Our friends say there are so many ways to drink it now, come on and try a swig...

I say you can dress a pig in an evening gown but in the end it’s still a pig.

We will never stop you from drinking coffee or watching you get obese

But please don’t make us drink that stuff and let us live in peace.

And quit acting like it is Deborah and I who are crazy or afflicted

When it’s quite obvious by your behavior that it is you who are addicted.

One day you’ll finish your 12 step program and your teeth will be stain free

Then, when you go out for lunch, don’t forget to invite Deborah and me.

Until the day when there’s no more sign of caffein in your blood

Think about this, why is that stuff you drink also known as mud?

DEAR COFFEE DRINKERS:

Although Jim has a right to his opinion, his views we will not defend

For we believe without coffee, coffee drinkers and Starbucks the world as we know it would end...

So please don’t listen to his ranting, keep drinking your coffee, frequenting Starbucks and never feel blue

And we apologize for an discomfort this poem may have caused in you.

THE MANAGEMENT

PERSPECTIVE

Yesterday the high in Florida was 73, you might say our weather was quite fair

We even turned the air conditioner on to take the humidity out of the air.

As we were enjoying this balmy day we heard some news that was displeasing.

Tomorrow, the weather man said, the temperature will be freezing.

As we were discussing how, in Florida, the temperature could dip so low

Bryan called from Asheville to say with the wind chill is 50 below.

It seems how we look at any news is always a bit subjective

Depending on the context, our attitude and perspective. 

I remember many years ago I was nominated for a national award

When I came home from vacation to find a letter from their Board.

I snatched the letter once I saw it and opened it energetically

And then I read not everyone can win...not everyone meaning me.

As I was reading the disappointing news I noticed the light on our answering machine was on

I listened to find out Phil, a dear friend, had surgery while we were gone.

“They found cancer in his leg,” Lee said (I could hear the anxiety in his wife)

“They had to amputate,” she quivered, “in order to save his life.”

I dropped what I was doing and immediately took a drive

To the hospital where I found Lee and a one-legged Phil glad to be alive.

Gingerly I entered Phil’s room and when I got to his bedside

He smiled...we talked, we laughed, and occasionally we cried.

When visiting hours ended Lee stood up and wiped her tears

Then tried to kiss her husband; they’d been married 60 years.

But he had trouble leaning up and she was unstable on her feet

So I gently pushed their heads together and allowed their lips to meet.

As I took Lees arm and together we walked slowly to her car

She said “Sometimes we forget in life just how fortunate we are.”

We worry about so many little things as in life we try to strive

But the only thing that matters today is that Phil is still alive.

She smiled when we reached her car and she gave my cheek a kiss

And while I watched her drive away, that award...I didn’t miss.

That’s why I’m never too upset when things go wrong or the temperature is low

Because I learned a lesson about perspective in that parking lot years ago.

THE GOLDEN RULE

As I watch many world religions fight, acting inhumane and cruel

It makes me ask the question, what’s happened to the Golden Rule?

Countries at war with one another, soldiers dying, a world of dread

Again I ask, has the Golden Rule been buried with the dead?

People going hungry every day, so many in the world oppressed

Is it possible the Golden Rule has been forgotten or suppressed?

We read of people murdering one another, even children, and we’re stunned

And I ask as we wipe our tears, has the Golden Rule been shunned?

Yes, so many sorrowful stories we hear each day...we hope they can’t be true,

And we ask, have we forgotten Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?

As I see people hating people just because of how they look or who they are

I think to myself...Do unto others hasn’t really evolved very far.

In a world where we are so connected we should look within our hearts

And find the reason why, when we’re so close, we still so far apart.

I believe the answer is a simple one and will come as no surprise

For it’s been around since the dawn of man sitting right before our eyes.

If you look at most of the world’s religions, (I remember learning this in school)

A basic lesson in all of them is some form of The Golden Rule.

Ah, but it’s not enough for the religions of the world, the Golden Rule to teach

Another thing I Iearned in school...we must practice what we preach.

We can point fingers as to the cause but we all shoulder part of the blame

For it’s up to each of us to follow the rule and treat everyone the same.

Is it possible the answer is so simple or am I once again the fool?

For thinking the world would be a better place if we all practiced the Golden Rule.

If it worked, if starting today we all practiced The Golden Rule

And the world became a better place...then I would gladly play the fool.

THE CHARLES SCHULZ PHILOSOPHY

The other day I was cleaning out a cabinet, (you never know what you might see)

When I ran across an old paper I’d saved entitled ‘Charles Schulz Philosophy’.

(Charles Schulz created the Peanuts comic strip to wide appeal and acclaim

Did you know he didn’t come up with the title and always hated that name?)

Be that as it may, his comic strip was very funny and usually quite topical

And he prided himself in the fact it was also philosophical.

I’d like to take a minute and give you all a chance to see

The simply beauty behind the Charles Schulz Philosophy.

He expressed his philosophy in the form of questions, two sets for you to compare 

(That is a tactic philosophers like to use to help us become aware).

He said think of the five wealthiest people in the world, can you name them all?

How about the last five Heisman trophy winners how many can you recall?

Can you name the last five Miss Americas if you could I would be floored.

How about the last 6 actors or actresses who won academy awards?

Who won the last ten World Series, no need to apologize

I imagine you also don’t know the last ten winners of the Nobel prize.

Then just as Mr. Schulz had us thinking, amidst our wonder and our doubt

He added a second set of questions for us to think about.

Can you name a few teachers who aided you on your upward climb?

Or three friends who helped you navigate a particularly difficult time?

Can you name five people who made you feel special or taught you something grand?

How about a few people whom you enjoy, or offered a helping hand?

There you have it in a ‘peanutshell’ I believe Mr. Schulz was trying to help us see

That life is really a lot simpler than we make it out to be.

Which questions were effortless to answer? If you know then you have the key

To unlocking the simple truth of the Charles Schulz philosophy.

It really is quite obvious: know who the most important people in your life are.

They might not be the smartest, most athletic, or drive the biggest car.

They may not, have won and Academy award or be a millionaire 

No, the people who make a difference in our lives, are simply, the ones who care.

DEAD RACCOON

I was walking in my back yard the other day a little after noon

When I spotted what I thought was a fox, but turned out to be a raccoon.

“That’s not a fox, it’s a raccoon”, Deborah said letting out a chuckle she couldn’t resist

In my defense I was a teacher for 39 years...not a zoologist.

“It’s possible he’s just resting.  We don’t want to disturb his slumber.” I said.

“Jim”, Deborah insisted, “I’m pretty sure he’s dead.”

“Judging by the lividity, it’s a fate we can’t deny.

I realized at that point Deborah’s been watching too much CSI.

Upon further inspection Deborah was correct, a fact I must bemoan

As the dead raccoon in front of us was not yet fully grown.

His death appeared to come peacefully, he wasn’t bruised, or cut, or marred

It looked like he just fell asleep while laying in our yard.

We could only speculate as to the cause, did he fall, did he break a bone?

And we couldn’t help but be saddened that he died so far from home.

So we dug a grave in the corner of our yard with reverence and with care

We tenderly picked up his body and gently buried him there.

If you believe we are all connected as we contemplate the sun or wonder at the moon

Then any death disheartens us, even the death of a baby raccoon.

For all life should be precious, it’s something we should all pursue 

How often in today’s world do we forget that this is true?

I’m glad I was reminded of this the other day a little after noon

When Deborah and I gave a moment of silence for the death of a raccoon.

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY

We live in a world that doesn’t slow down, it’s seems everyone’s in a hurry

Which causes us lots of stress, lots of anxiety, and an abundance of worry.

We worry about money, our health, our children, we worry about being late

We worry about getting older, about our jobs and gaining weight.

I imagine amidst all this hustle, all this bustle, all this hapless hurrying

There are even people out there who worry about worrying!

Worrying can be debilitating, it can be an enemy and a curse

And everyone knows telling someone not to worry, only makes it worse.

So what do we do for our worriers, what can we tell them that would suffice?

How ‘bout if we scour the Internet and offer them other people’s advice.

For there is something everyone knows whether you’re 7 or 92

If you find it on the Internet then, by God, it has to be true.

OK all you worriers, and you know who you are.

Here’s sage advice from the Internet to add to your repertoire. 

Don’t worry be happy is good advice we should never disavow

When you worry ask yourself this question, will this matter a year from now?

Worry doesn’t help with any future tribulation

At best it is a a misuse of ones imagination.

Worry never robs tomorrow of it’s sorrow, no matter what people might say

All it does is zap the joy and happiness from today.

And a big mistake we can make in life when all is said and done

Would be not acting because we’re worried about actually making one.

How many of us gather bundles of sticks, think of all the time we’ve lost

As we use those sticks to build bridges which we’ll likely never cross.

Yes if we think about it how much of our lives have to this point been blurred

By all the misfortunes we’ve had, that never actually occurred?

By the looks of all the people giving advice it seems that worrying has grown

If nothing else, isn’t it nice to know that as a worrier you’re not alone?

Does any of this help?  Some of you may say yes others of you will doubt it

Did I just plagiarize a bunch of people? I shall not worry about it.

Because it won’t change the outcome, no matter how I worry or complain

And there ain’t no use puttin’ up my umbrella...that is, until it rains.