PERFECT MORNING

When you take a walk in nature…you discover wonderful creations

And you realize perfection is in constant transformation.

Take today for instance…everywhere we walked we could feel a connection.

You might say this morning’s walk was one of sheer perfection.

The sun was peeking from behind the clouds…the clouds scattering to make room…

The birds were singing back and forth…the azaleas in bloom

A tiny tree frog crossed our path…heading only he knows where.

A cool breeze wafted through the trees…the smell of jasmine in the air.

When we reached the water we looked up…the ospreys high above us soared

An old man walking all alone…drawing hearts upon the shore.

Fiddler crabs scurrying speedily back into their little caves

Mullets jumping out of the water where the ripples meet the waves.

Egrets and Ibises using their beaks as if they were their hands

searching for their breakfast…in the water…on the land.

As we headed home I spotted a rose and gently bent to smell it…

I would mention the bougainvillea…but I don’t now how to spell it!

Just before reaching our house…a ladybug, on my shoulder…stopped to play…

It was a perfect beginning…to another perfect day.

Yes, we never know when we step out…what wonders will awake…

Which is why we look forward to tomorrow…

to see what form perfection takes.

YOU HAVE TO DREAM

She loved to dream when she was young…

on starlight and moonbeams…

She’d sit alone…let out a sigh…

close her eyes…and dream…

of adventures she’d be taking

on the land…the air…the sea….

of all the places she’d be going…

of the person she would be.

She loved to dream when she grew up

Sometimes she dreamed of fortune, love and fame…

But she’d often catch herself and smile…

for some dreams remained the same…

She’s older now and when she’s asked

Why do you still dream the way you do?

She smiles… “First you have to have the dream.” she says,

“if you ever want them to come true.”

WHEN SHE KNEW

“When did you know Dad loved you?” her daughter asked.

“On our third date.” her mom replied

“The night was clear and beautiful…

we held hands…walked side by side”

I knew there and then he loved me 

as we walked beside the sea…

You see the sky was full of stars that night…

But your Dad…

he was staring at me. 

IT IS LIGHT

It is light that symbolizes their friendship…during the day…throughout the night

In silent moments when they think about their intimacy…its begin and ends with light.

Their friendship grew upon sunlit waters…sharing happiness along the bay.

Now they share each other’s sunlight…helping light each other’s way.

Their friendship blossomed under the moon…sharing joy and soothing scars 

talking until the morning light…wishing on the stars.

And still today when there is sorrow…like the moon…they share their light…

for when does the moon shine brightest if not in the darkest night?

Ask them what makes for friendship…their faces will smile…shining bright…

They will think of their years together…then they’ll whisper…”It is light.”

THERE IS STILL HOPE

THERE IS STILL HOPE

I’ve been disappointed in my country this week…with what’s been happening across this land

How more and more people are being massacred yet assault rifles are not banned.

I am sad to live in a country that isn’t guarding its children and its youth…

where lies flow out of our politicians mouth as easily as truth.

Where their solution to this problem…their way to protect their daughters and their sons

is to add more firearms to the equation…. and have our teachers carry guns.

I have watched what’s happening with a heavy heart…watched and tried to cope

but lately, despite trying to stay positive…I have been losing hope…

And then…

This week I saw students come together after their lives were tragically rearranged….

standing up to our ineffectual politicians…and determined to make change.

And this week as I watched the leaders of our country and felt agitated and annoyed

two friends of ours had babies… two beautiful baby boys.

And this week…with the biggest smile on her face…in fact it was only yesterday…

another friend of ours became a citizen…a citizen of the USA.

And yesterday I was reminded of family when Damien, our eldest grandson,

who I’ve watch grow from a baby to a man…had a birthday…. 21!

And all this made me realize…

Yes there’s a lot of bad happening in the world…which means there’s still so much to do

but if you stop to look around …there’s joy and happiness too….

So I can choose to see only the bad in life…and sit around and mope

Or I can accept life’s disappointments…and never give up hope.

Hope that there is hope for America…that perhaps it’s not too late…

Hope that in the long run…

love will conquer hate.

DREAM ANOTHER DREAM

Her life was not an easy one…she’d experienced misfortune, heartache… pain…

but every time she’d fall in life…she’d get back up again…

She’d brush herself off, massage her scars, stand tall and all the while

she’d find a way to move on…and she’d always wear a smile.

We asked her one day: How do you do it?

How do you keep your spirits high?

Is there a secret to your happiness…if so, please tell us why.

She said the answer for me is simple…nothing too extreme

The key to my happiness has always been in my ability to dream.

Life will have its ups and downs…filled with losing…and redeeming… 

but I keep finding happiness…as long as I keep dreaming.

When life hands me a disappointment…when I’ve lost some self-esteem…

when one dream fails or is broken…I just dream another dream.

When one dream is over…good or bad…I take a moment to rejoice…or cry

then I remind myself there are as many dreams as there are stars up in the sky

Then I choose another star to dream on…and if that one leads to scars…

I look up to the heavens…and I choose another star.

And then I dream another dream she said…and when each day is through

I stop and take a moment to count…

how many dreams came true.

WHICH GOD ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT?

I love chocolate ice cream!

In my mind no other ice cream out there can beat it.

But wouldn’t it be wrong of me to dismiss all other ice creams

and of chocolate…make everybody eat it?

I love the paintings of Monet!

I love the impression in his work…the way his colors interplay

But wouldn’t it be wrong of me to make every other artist in the world

paint just like Monet?

I love to read a good mystery…

Love the action, the heroes…the foils…

But wouldn’t it be wrong of me to make every writer in the world

write like Arthur Conan Doyle?

I love the haunting sounds that emanate from the violin?

They take me places I love to go

But wouldn’t it be wrong of me to make every musician in the world

play with strings and bow?

I believe in the laws of nature…a higher consciousness…

some people call it God…

But wouldn’t it be wrong of me to force everyone else to believe

in the existence of my God?

There are people who say we need more God in our lives

of this I have no doubt

as long as we allow each person to decide 

which God they are talking about.

TWO RIVERS

Two rivers flowing independently…their waters fast and wide

Two rivers flowing freely across the countryside…

Two rivers come together…two rivers forming one.

Two rivers now united…from rising moon to setting sun.

Two rivers sharing all they have…down the mountains…through the dells

How long will these two rivers flow together?

Only time will tell.

For when they come together…when one river they will be…

They may flow together as one river…until their waters reach the sea.

Or they may flow together for a while…one river with one heart…

Until they reach a crossroads…until two rivers, then, must part…

They may be sad when parted…now that their time united is done

remembering how they once flowed together…two rivers that were one.

Remembering how they shared the air, the moon, the sun…their shores

Knowing they are stronger now then they ever were before.

And they will remember their time together with tenderness…

flowing as one to the sea.

Knowing even though their waters parted

some drops remain...throughout eternity.

And for the rest of their lives...every now and then

they will stop…to pause a while

to recall a time when they flowed as one

and when they remember…

they will smile.

WOUNDS THAT CAN'T BE SEEN

We heard about the shooting on the news and on TV.

We saw scenes of another mass murder…another killing spree.

The faces of the frightened children, their parents…everyone

witnesses and victims on the wrong side of a gun.

And we feel for all the victims…everybody at the scene

for even those who were not shot…have wounds that can’t be seen.

We hear about people at war…on our computers…on the news

The scenes of devastation…the panoramic camera views.

And we feel for all the victims…we can’t take it anymore…

but the killing keeps on coming…that is a consequence of war.

And we realize it’s not just the victims…not only those there at the scene

but even we who see and hear the news…have wounds that can’t be seen.

And we look to the leaders of our countries…to try to intercede…

To help the troubled ones and their families get the kind of help they need.

And we look to the leaders of our countries…to try and make the killing cease…

to face the problems…to end the wars…to create a world of peace.

And we beg our leaders to do something…anything…as we cry for those affected

and we beg their leaders to do something…anything…to keep us all protected.

To stop the wars…the fighting…the mass murders with a gun…

To make the world a safer place to live…for everyone…

So the next generation of children will not find war and massacres routine….

So the next generation of children will not have wounds that can’t be seen. 

WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE

We grew up together, he and I…and recently he appeared within my thoughts

for I kept growing have had a full life…but he…well, he did not.

He died when we were young…to young…certainly too young to die…

He died before he got the chance to live…before I had the chance to say goodbye.

Before he had the chance to experience all the wonders that were due him

Before I had the chance to thank him…in the short time that I knew him.

To thank him for his friendship, before his world went numb

For helping me be the person I was back then…and the person I have become.

Everyone who crosses our paths impacts us is like a shining star

glowing, if even for short while, and influencing who we are.

I remember once we were playing with matches when our plans when a little haywire

and the open field across the street from his house…

well…we set the whole thing of fire.

No one was hurt, nothing damaged…but we both caught a lot of grief…

You see his father wasn’t just his father…he was our city’s fire chief.

Perhaps there are better examples…that if I searched my memories I could find 

but for whatever reason this is the first memory that popped into my mind.

It reminds me of a time we were young and innocent …before the time he died…

When making mistakes was easier…with a friend right by your side.

Perhaps that’s why I remembered this moment 

because, before his life would end,

he taught me a most important lesson…

how to be a friend.

Perhaps that’s what memories do…

they allow us to remember the who, the how…the why

so even when a friends is gone…

we don’t have to say goodbye.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHILDREN?

As I watch our country send it’s people away…while trying to keep others out

I wonder about the flame that warms our melting pot…when did that flame go out?

As I watch our president stir up hate and anger so talk about building a wall can begin

I wonder…what happened to our founding fathers who invited everybody in…

As I watch what the adults are doing with our world…how everything they do seems so wrong…

I wonder…what happened to the children…who were taught to get along?

As I watch a world at war with itself…filled with hate and discontent…

I wonder…what happened to the children who were once so pure and innocent?

As I watch people hate other people because of their skin…their religion…their name

I wonder…what happened to the children…once taught to treat everyone the same?

As I watch religious people use their religion to hate lesbians and gays…

I wonder what happened to those innocent children…the ones we taught to pray…

To pray for love throughout the world…to pray that war and hatred would cease…

To pray that everyone would live together in harmony and peace.

And then I remember those children…the ones who laughed…who wanted only to have fun…

Since 1999 from Columbine to Stoneman High…

we’ve been killing them with guns.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?

On the day his grandson was born, when they placed him in his arms

Grandpa instantly fell in love…immediately taken by his charms.

He walked over to the window…shielding his grandson from the winter chill…

“Do you believe in miracles?” He asked…”Someday…I hope you will.”

He was in his arms again his first Christmas when Grandpa smiled and paused….

“Do you believe in miracles?” he asked…then he spoke of Santa Claus…

About a man who but once a year to each house comes to call

bringing a message of love…of peace on Earth…and good will to us all.

On his first Easter Grandpa scooped him up…the day was bright and sunny

“Do you believe in miracles?” He asked, then he spoke of the Easter Bunny.

A giant but sweet bunny who hops over in a bonnet and blue jeans

to celebrate the end of winter and bring us jellybeans.

On the night he lost his first tooth, in the glow of his bedside light

Grandpa asked, “Do you believe in miracles?” 

then spoke of a fairy who comes at night.

To rescue that tooth from under his pillow, leaving a little money in a pile

She combines that tooth with others she’s gathered…

to help people who have lost their smile.

On his wedding day, Grandpa gave him a hug…then gently tousled his hair

“Do you believe miracles he asked, then he spoke of the love two people share.”

“That there even is this feeling called love”, he said taking his hand in his….

“and that two people can share it…if that’s not a miracle…what is?”

“Do you believe in miracles?” Grandpa asked 

it was his last day…he was old and ill.

“Grandpa!” his grandson whispered in his ear,

“Because of you…I always will.”

On the day his granddaughter was born, the grandson, now a Grandpa himself,

took his new granddaughter to the window sill

“Do you believe in miracles?” he asked…

”Someday…I hope you will.”

A FEW THINGS THAT HE KNEW

I try to befriend old people…call it a crazy vice

but I think they have a lot to offer so I seek out their advice.

I remember one I met years ago…I remember…like it was yesterday

I remember his expression and all the words he had to say…

I don’t give advice, he told me but there are a few things that I know

I know no one is perfect…I know it’s better to go slow.

I know a smile can change a person’s day, I know not to ridicule

I know religions can be wonderful…I know religions can be cruel.

I know love and family are important from childhood to adult

but chocolate in the right amounts can achieve similar results.

I know a smile and a kind word can help wipe away a tear.

I know that joy is sometimes waiting on the other side of fear.

I know we should listen more to nature…I know I love a good bookstore.

I know I love our soldiers…but I hate that there is war.

I know there is more love in this world when all is said and done.

I know innocent people should never die…from a bullet…from a gun.

I know dogs pass away too early and children grow up too fast

I know we should all do everything we can to make each moment last…

I know everyone is beautiful…I know it’s okay to cry.

I know compassion and acceptance are powerful things, 

I know we should all give them a try.

When he was finished the old man smiled then got up and walked away…

For someone who didn’t give advice…he had a lot to say.