THE SWING DOWN BY THE LAKE

She spent the springtime of her life there…

Whenever she had a break 

she’d run down to her swing

in her tree down by the lake.

She still remembers how it felt

suspended from her tree

swaying back and forth 

so innocent and free…

She returns now after years away

still remembering the bond they shared

and is excited to find her cherished swing

patiently waiting there…

She smiles, closes her eyes

and once again is suspended from her tree

swaying back and forth

so innocent and free…

Happy to reunite.

Happy once again whenever she has a break

to spend the autumn of her life 

in her swing down by the lake

WALKING BACK IN TIME

On our morning walk the other day as we headed to the shore

we passed a house I am certain we’ve passed a thousand times before

But that day my morning routine didn’t follow its usual paradigm

I found myself as we neared the house…walking back in time.

I remember long ago a ‘For Sale’ sign…standing proudly on this lawn

I remember walking by one day and the ‘For Sale’ sign was gone.

I remember the young couple who bought this house

their two cars in this driveway…how their happiness filled the air

I remember one year later…only one car parking there.

I remember the black Labrador who lived here…

We would pet him…see his toys strewn upon the lawn

each year he seemed to walk a little slower

then one day…he was gone…

I remember a new ‘For Sale’ sign…

Going up…coming down…and thinking…isn’t it strange…

how as we’ve walked by this house each day…lives have rearranged?

And as we returned to our house I had to smile at all the changes we have seen

from our first days together…to this moment…and all those moments in between.

We’ve been blessed with many moments…moments we adore

Children…grandchildren…friends and pets…have all walked through our door.

And though the house isn’t as crowded as it once was…

time flows steadily…ever fast

the silent, quiet moments still mix with echoes of the past.

There will come a day I imagine when the two of us will be gone

and there will be a for sale sign standing proudly on our lawn…

I hope when that day comes another couple will shift their normal paradigm

pause a moment in the present…and enjoy a walk back into time. 

PICKIN' PEACHES

The older we get the more our family spreads out…that’s the way it’s supposed to be

for that is the nature of family…its intention…its destiny.

Time and space make it more difficult…we need to compare schedules…we need to plan… 

Which is why we learn to cherish moments…and grab them when we can.

So when our daughter called and asked if we wanted to pick peaches…

We did not hesitate….

“Tell us where to meet!” we said. “Give us the time and date.”

And so there we were part of our family…the part that was here any way

out in an orchard pickin’ peaches…on a beautiful warm Spring day.

Peaches grow in little clusters…kind of like little families hanging on the tree.

Each peach is an individual with its own fate…its own destiny.

This one will be picked by a young girl…who can only reach so high

This one will end up on someone’ s cereal…this one in a cobbler or a pie.

I hadn’t thought much about it, but there in the orchard it occurred to me

just how much our family, any family, is like peaches on a tree…

We start out in little clusters…close together on one tree

and we each pick different paths leading to different destinies…

But unlike peaches families are blessed…this much I have learned

for once we leave the family tree…we have the ability to return.

For that is also a family’s destiny…perhaps its greatest…grandest design

to keep returning, creating moments, for our lives to intertwine…

And a question popped into my head…quickly floating in on the breeze

as we met up to say goodbye after pickin’ peaches off the trees…

I wonder: 

Does a family thrive in times like these coming together to share a moment…or two?

The answer came to me as quickly…

I’ll bet my peach pickin’ heart they do!

HIS GRANDMOTHER AND HE

He’s not sure exactly when it formed…can anyone ever be?

but they had a special bond…his grandmother and he.

She used to tell him he was her favorite grandson…that he was the most fun

even though, as they both knew, he was her only one.

And when his parents died…in an accident…unexpectedly

they were the only two people in the world…

his grandmother…and he.

“Try not to worry too much.” she said…as into his hand her hand slid.

“I promise I’ll take care of you.”…and that’s just what she did!

She became his mom and dad…and when all is said and done

he went from being her only grandson…to being her only son.

As age began to envelop her…one day to his surprise

she said, “Promise me you will be here the last time I close my eyes.”

“Of that you never have to worry.” he said as into her hand his hand slid.

“I promise I will be here.”…and that’s exactly what he did!

He was far away when he got the call…the doctor said she wouldn’t last

that she was asking for him…and could he get there…fast.

He drove as fast as he could…along the way…he cried

but he made it to the hospital in time…and he knelt by Grandma’s side.

“I knew you’d come she said to him.”…as a smile crossed her face

She raised up as he leaned down…and gently they embraced.

“We made a promise to each other.” he said, “when our two lives intertwined.”

“You kept your promise to me…and now I’m keeping mine. “

Grandma nodded then she whispered…”I love you son…goodbye.”

then she smiled, squeezed his hand and…for the last time…closed her eyes.

And a smile sneaked in through his tears that night…in bed…before he slept

as he marveled how two lives were made so beautiful by the two promises they kept.

LOVE SONNET

He doesn’t know how it happens

it is difficult to explain

how so many times throughout the day

his heart beats out your name.

HIS FINAL NOTE

They were sad to watch the disease take his mind

at such a slow and steady pace

watching the emotions..

the joy…

the happiness

drain out of his face.

They often wondered what it was like for him

as his life faded into blur. 

Did he anticipate and dread the day

he would not know who they were?

Yes, he knew what was happening…

a least for a while he did

and he left a final message for them

as into the fog he slid…

‘My dearest family’ it read

‘whatever you may do

please do not forget me

after I’ve forgotten you.’

IF

“If you had your life to live over again,” she asked, “would you change it in any way?”

“I would.” he said with a smile, “I’d start looking for you right away.”

WHERE DO CLOUDS GO?

It’s a game that began when he was young.

Apparently it was something he just had to know

He and his Dad were watching the clouds when he asked,

“Daddy, where do all these clouds go?”

“As they’ve move across the sky…how cool would it be knowing

Where they all end up…where they all are going.”

He remembers his dad sitting up…this innocent question making him proud.

“That depends”, he said, “it’s different…for each and every cloud.”

“You see that shark up there?” he said pointing…

”The one that’s moving in slow motion..

I imagine he’s swimming in the breeze…on his way out to the ocean.”

“That angel is heading off to heaven…see how his wings are flowing…

and see that devil over there…I think we know where he is going.”

“And now it’s your turn.” His dad said, “Set your imagination free!

Take a look at all these clouds…and tell me what you see.”

“OK”, he smiled,  “I see a dragon!”…then his eyes got big and bright

“He’s flying pretty fast…and look! Behind him is a knight.”

“See that big cloud over there?  It looks just like a ship to me.

I imagine it has a crew of pirates…and they’re heading out to sea.”

And from that simple beginning a life-long game was born

finding elephants and horses…castles…and unicorns.

Watching clouds float across the sky…moving fast or moving slow

finding shapes and forms and faces…and imagining where they go.

Today his memory drifts to that day so many years ago…

When he overhears his son ask his father…

“Grandpa….where do all these clouds go?”

EARTH DAY

Today is the one day of the year set aside to celebrate our planet Earth.

A day to think how much she means to us...of her value and her worth.

I have a problem with Earth Day…something doesn’t seem right to me…

bear with me for a moment…I’ll reveal it presently.

First let’s take a moment and talk about this orb on which we dwell.

how all the parts of the Earth work together to keep her healthy…keep her well

There is an interdependence in nature...where does it all begin?

when seeds affix themselves to animals or are carried by the wind.

This is how regeneration occurs in our flowers, plants and trees

which are fertilized when pollen is transferred from the legs of buzzing bees.

This simple interconnection is paramount for all Earth plants to thrive.

They in turn provide the oxygen which allows us to survive.

When we see how every species on Earth is dependent on one another

we begin to realize though her name is Earth…why we also call her mother.

But somewhere along the way our relationship with Earth became obscure

when we forgot she’s not only here for us…but we are here for her.

We have ignored one important lesson...more important than all the others.

that we must admire, we must respect and we must be gentle with our mother.

Unless we learn to use the Earth like the bee uses the flower

I’m afraid the consequences of our actions will be harsh, sever and dour.

It’s a simple lesson which if not learned will be the cause of great alarm

The bee helps itself to the flowers sweetness but does the flower no harm.

When we only take and give nothing back…we…have committed a theft

and if we continue in this manner...there will be nothing left.

So here’s my issue with today, and hopefully it’s food for thought...

My problem is not that today is Earth Day…

it’s that every day is not!

THEY ASKED THEIR GOD

They asked their God:

“Why is there poverty, famine and injustice in the world?

Then pleaded…”Please, God, what are you going to do?”

“For as long as I can remember”, their God answered,

“Those are the same questions I’ve been asking you.”

THE BEAUTY OF TEH CARDINAL

He landed in the tree the two of us were sitting under

a lonely cardinal…red

Immediately we began to wonder:

Is that a relative whose dead?

Because we both are aware of the platitude

when you see a cardinal near

you should be filled with gratitude

it means an angel has appeared.

The platitude does not say with any certainty

(Which in the end I think is a plus)

as to which relative that might be

It leaves that decision up to us.

I closed my eyes…without a care

and in that moment I felt glad

glad there was a cardinal there

to make me think about my dad

I looked over at my wife

happiness on her face shown

as the person with whom I share my life

was lost in a memory of her own.

We sat in silence as he flew away

not a word between us….said

certain he had other visits to make that day..

our lonely cardinal…red.

For is that not the beauty of this bird?

Is that not his destiny?

To appear silently…without a word

and awaken a memory.

GROWING OLD WITH NO REGRETS

A funny thing about growing old (which happens to all of us equally)

is that our hearts and minds keep telling us we’re young…

but our bodies don’t always agree.

Take Deborah and I for instance…in the 30 odd years since we were engaged

while our hearts have grown a little younger…it’s our bodies that have aged.

It appears however young our hearts feel…our bodies like to tease.

We don’t see or hear as well, we’re getting shorter and we both have faulty knees.

Our young minds want us to do things…and they are often quite persistent

but when we ask our bodies to perform…they can be quite resistant.

Oh, our hearts and minds generally win out…usually get their way

but our bodies tend to be upset and scold us the next day.

Another funny thing about growing old (this is something worth shouting about!)

When you find someone to grow old with…you learn to help each other out.

When I don’t see or hear something…Deborah’s assistance I enlist

to tell me what just happened…to show me what I missed.

When Deborah is too short to reach something…or if it’s too high for her to see

She doesn’t fret…she doesn’t stew…she just calls on me.

If my knees give out…if I should fall…and land upon my seat

I know Deborah will be right there to help me to my feet.

Yes, it seems as we grow older…another fact we can’t ignore

when one of us is able to do a little less…the other helps a little more

And we know from past experience…a truth we happily proclaim

whenever they are needed…our friends and family will do the same.

Which means with all this love around us 

we can grow old with no regrets…

allowing our hearts and minds to stay young…

no matter how old our bodies get.

A TOAST

It was their 50th wedding anniversary

A truly memorable milepost

when, near the end of the evening,

the husband stood up to deliver a toast…

I was recently asked when was the first time I fell in love with my wife, he began

and I have to admit…that’s difficult to say…

the answer’s not as simple as you might expect

as there are many first times…every day

The first time I see her in the morning, 

The first time she utters my name

The first time I see her smile

I always feel the same.

I don’t understand how it happens

but from the first time that we met

and every first time after

It’s a feeling I’ll never forget. 

The first time we touch, the first kiss of the day

The first time she looks into my eyes

The first time she speaks, the first time she sings

The first time she laughs…or she cries.

Love is a magical feeling

It is subjective and difficult to explain

but I feel it every first time I see her

In my heart,

In my soul

In my brain.

I’m sure I loved her from the first time we met…he said raising his glass

by the way my legs went numb

so here’s to that very first time

and all the first times to come