May we be blessed to give our children three things
as we help them to discover and develop their wings:
The confidence to always know their worth
The strength to chase their dreams…no matter how far
and the ability to understand…
how deeply loved they are.
May we be blessed to give our children three things
as we help them to discover and develop their wings:
The confidence to always know their worth
The strength to chase their dreams…no matter how far
and the ability to understand…
how deeply loved they are.
When the world around you disappoints…when on our leaders you begin to sour
If you want to change your attitude…at least for the moment…attend a baby shower.
That’s exactly what we did yesterday…and it was a wonderful place to be
as we prepared to welcome our great-granddaughter
into our diverse extended family.
It’s amazing how before she’s even born…before her parents take her for a test drive
before we’ve even met her…she’s already changed our lives.
From the moment we heard the news of this life Trista and Damien were creating
it’s astonishing how our lives have changed…as we sit on the sidelines…waiting
All the happiness she’s brought into our lives…all the joy into the world
while still inside her mothers womb…before her life’s unfurled.
Because when a woman is about to have a baby…life changes…
this truth is ironclad…
as she immediately becomes a mother and her husband becomes a dad.
From here there is a domino effect of changes…one day their baby will see
as people of all ages become grandparents, nieces, nephews…uncles, aunts
or great-grandparents like Deborah and me.
As I watched all the people at the shower…and saw their smiles
I thought…this is really sweet…
how everyone has already fallen in love…with someone we’ve yet to meet.
All these people wishing Trista and Damien well…
making it abundantly clear
there is a loving family waiting patiently….for their daughter to appear.
Who have seen the seed of a daughter begin to grow
and now….happily anticipate the flower…
who came together to celebrate…at a family baby shower.
Where love, friendship, family, and caring for one another….
were in the room for all to see….
Where for a moment our world was exactly the way
we hope the world outside that room will be.
Today my gratitude has it’s own unique appeal
it’s own beauty, grace and charm:
It’s knowing there is no greater happiness
than holding someone I love
safely in my arms
May we be blessed
in this unpredictable and oftentimes scary world…
to make it part of our plan..
to love and hold on to one other
as often as we can
Thinking about my arms always brings a smile to my face
How they’re able to open wide and welcome others into their embrace.
How every time they open they seem to make me grow…
How they work the same when someone is feeling joy
as when they’re filled with woe.
How when joy enters a person’s life…
and into my arms they come to be…
the joy that they are feeling…
melts right into me.
How when sadness enter their life
in my arms we find a way
to blend our sadness together
and wash our tears away.
Yes, I think about my arms often…
How they carry a kind of magic
a certain appeal and charm.
How the power of love is always resting and waiting…
in my open arms.
I am grateful for rainbows…
How across the sky they glide
I love the way they give me a chance
to see the sky’s smile from the other side.
Another thing I love about rainbows…
Is, as I’m standing on the ground,
They remind me I will never see one
If I’m constantly looking down.
Rainbows have a lot of meanings.
It depends on whose translating them.
but we know exactly what they mean
if we’re the ones creating them
We were driving home one late afternoon when there before our eyes
a raindrop kissed by the sun formed a rainbow across the sky.
It’s always amazing how a moment such as this…when the sky and Earth embrace
and we are lucky to be a witness…brings a smile to our face.
Since rainbows are all beautiful…I wonder why through utter cruelty and deceit
is our government trying to eliminate them from our culture
and erase them from our streets?
But something wonderful is happening…
when our government for hateful reasons wash those rainbows away…
overnight they are repainted…ready to shine in the sun the next day.
You see a government can paint over a rainbow on the street
can tear a painted rainbow apart…
but try as it might it can’t erase…the rainbow in our hearts.
And it’s not just the rainbow…
they are after anyone who doesn’t look like them or believe the things they do
and please do not kid your self…one day they’ll be coming after you.
In a way they’ve awoken the rainbow warrior in many of us..
who are saddened by the hatred that we see
and are ready to fight for what the rainbow symbolizes
Unity, hope, love, diversity and equality.
Who reject what our government is doing…
Who reject the attack on the right for everyone to be free.
Who are willing to stand up as peacefully as we can…
to this despotism and tyranny.
Warriors willing to stand up for what they believe in
in this current social and political strife.
Who understand what our country needs now…
are more rainbows in our life.
And in order to save the rainbows…
to counter this evil and hateful threat
we need more rainbow warriors…
as many as we can possibly get.
Today I’m grateful for being old enough
to be happy that my life has not always gone as planned..
and still young enough everyone and then to act like a child
and forget how old I truly am
She crawled into her Grandpa’s lap…it brought a smile to his face…
for he loved anytime they had the chance to share in the same space.
“Why do people grow old?” She asked.
“Will I ever be as old as you?”
Then she gently rubbed his face and asked,
“Will I have wrinkles too?”
Grandpa smiled. “Growing old is a gift.” He said.
“I wouldn’t be too concerned,
for every day you grow a little older is another chance
to live
to love
to learn.”
“The world is filled with miracles.” He continued. “from the biggest to the small.
and with so many miracles out there…it takes time to see them all.”
“Take that tree out back…the one you’re climbing all the time…
It took years of growing up to make it strong enough to climb."
“And that bark you love to feel…means it’s growing old gracefully…
for bark is nothing more than the wrinkles of the tree.”
“Don’t be afraid of wrinkles as you grow up…be glad you’ve acquired some…
for your wrinkles only go to show how wise you have become.”
“If you only learn one thing from me.” He said
“Let it be to grow old with fondness and affection..
and never think of it as growing old…
think of it…as aging to perfection.”
I am grateful for understanding…when it comes to love…
how we are all put on this Earth to live it…
and for knowing as wonderful it is to receive…
It is even more wonderful to give it.
May we be blessed to live in a world
Where everyone has learned…
We are created to give more love
than can ever be returned
When our world turns upside down…when evil is threatening
from the ground to the skies above
It’s times like these amidst the chaos, the suffering and the pain
we need a little love.
So today I offer a little love poem…to each and every one of you
It has to do with why we say ‘I Love You’ as often as we do:
Why do we say ‘I Love You’ so often…
Why from our lips do these words flow…
Why do we keep saying ‘I Love You’
to those who already know?”
I am not an expert on love…I don’t think I’ll ever be
but when it comes to saying“I Love You’ so often
there are two reason I can see.
The first reason the words ‘I Love You’
in our vocabulary we will never lack…
is because we are happy to have found someone we love
who also loves us back…
The second reason: if something should happen to us tomorrow…
we want those we love and who love us to know
That waiting on the other side of grief…at then end of all their tears…
are enough ‘I Love Yous’ stored in their hearts
to last for the rest of their years.
So there you have it…I’ve used ‘I Love You’ 8 times
in this little love poem to start you on your way…
and I wonder…
How many times and to whom…
will you say ‘I Love You’ today?
