BUT I THINK DIFFERENTLY

 

 One of the material things left behind in our cabin

by Deborah’s father…Fred

was the pith helmet he wore in the garden

that, luckily, fit’s my head.

I love to wear it when working around the cabin

I’ll wear it when planting a garden down on bended knee

I like being reminded of Deborah’s dad every time I wear the hat 

he passed down to me.

It is one way to honor him and remind me to be like him

to enjoy life and take it slow

while hoping that hat still has enough magic in it

to help our garden grow.

I was wearing the pith helmet the other day…

as we were unpacking boxes that filled the cabin floor

and when I finished I set it on the hat rack

that now stands beside the door.

That evening sitting on our couch…as contentment I was feeling

I noticed the shadow of a heart projected on the ceiling.

It was created as the light below formed the shadow 

of Deborah’s dad’s old hat

and looked exactly like a heart…from the position where I sat.

Some people may think it’s just an optical illusion…

just my feeling and emotions playing tricks on me

That I’m seeing in that shadow exactly what I want to see.

That I have allowed my affection for him and my imagination to soar

That the shadow is just a shadow…just a shadow…nothing more

That my heart and mind are somehow influencing

the shadow that I see

But knowing the man who once wore that pith helmet around the cabin

I think differently

A WORLD OF WONDERLANDS

 

It’s only been nine months but Violet, our great-granddaughter 

is growing up in a happy home.

Her parents and family will always be there to shower her with love…

to lend a helping hand…

It is our hope that her first memories 

will be of a home 

she calls her wonderland.

Her parents, family and friends have covered her land

with everything they consider worthwhile… 

She will never want for love…a touch, a hug, a kiss…a smile.

Everything we say and do…are meant to make her smile…

to enhance her self-esteem…

to create a cozy and pleasant wonderland

where she will be inspired to wish and hope and dream.

Wow! We’re proud of you! Great job reaching for the sky!

We knew you could do it! We believe in you! Congratulations!…

Way to go! Nice try!

We know with every word of support and encouragement

even if she’s heard these words before…

her courage and resolve will strengthen

and her confidence will soar.

So one day when she’s older her parents will sit back and smile

knowing they had a hand

In providing her the foundation…to build her own wonderland.

As I watch Violet’s Mom, Dad, Grammy and Great-Nana

everyone…gently pick her up…and hold her…

and see the smiles on all their faces 

as she lays her head upon their shoulders

It gives me hope…that if we could channel this feeling of love into everyone…

If we all took the time to lend more helping hands…

We would find ourselves living happily

in a world of wonderlands.

WHERE EAGLES FLY

 

 We have a friend who grew up in the house across the street

Laci is the name she goes by…

We watched her from the time she could walk

until the day she learned to fly.

I suppose if there is one wish we have for our children

all children everywhere…from New York to Singapore…

It’s not only that they learn to fly…

but one day…they will soar.

Laci made her way to the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka

where she helps birds who are hurt and have forgotten how to fly

she nurses them back to health…then returns them to the sky.

It is Laci’s and the Alaska Raptor Center’s plan

to take in any bird that’s been injured…

whether in nature or by the hands of man

 

Eagles, owls, every bird regardless of their color, shape or size

who’ve been hurt or injured in any way

and nurse them back to health…then watch them fly away.

It’s amazing to see the pride written on their faces

as they watch birds they have cared for fly off to new and unknown spaces

When I think about Laci and the Raptor center…

sometimes I’m at a loss for words….

to describe my admiration for the ones who save the birds.

When I look around the world at human behavior…

often finding it absurd…

it makes me wish humans treated their fellow humans 

the way Laci and her colleagues treat the birds

Think of how many of our children 

would be soaring in the sky…

if we treated everyone like Laci and her colleagues do 

in the place where eagles fly

MORNING FOG

 

 I love rising in the morning a little before the sun

when everything is painted in shades of black and grey…

and being mesmerized as the daylight 

reveals what nature has in store for me this day.

Today as the light of day began to break…

what was a mountain valley yesterday

this morning was a mountain lake.

A fitting beginning to this new day’s travelogue…

as the lake that lay before me was created out of fog!

As I watched the sun rise higher…before I had time to think

this beautiful lake of fog slowly began to sink.

It sunk as nature had intended…

no need to be concerned

until the lake had disappeared 

and the valley had returned.

And I felt fortunate to be immersed in nature

at the onset of this day…

fortunate to have witnessed the creation of a foggy mountain lake

and watch her slowly fade away

SEA OTTERS

 

 When it comes to creating the kind of world we’d like our world to be

Is it possible one answer could be

swimming…

with the otters of the sea..

Sea otters are keystone species…meaning as through the ocean they glide 

they help to maintain balance in the kelp forests where they reside.

As they live their life in harmony with the ocean deep

one thing I find enchanting is the way sea otters sleep.

Since the ocean is their home…you could say it is their Mother

they link paws when they sleep 

so they won’t drift away from one another.

They sleep in groups together…a large otter raft they form…

where you can even see them cuddling to keep each other safe and warm

 

Which makes me wonder…could this be one solution 

for stopping hate and poverty and war…

If every human maintained balance by linking together,

cuddling and holding hands a little more.

Another lesson from our Earth…

who we also call our Mother…

One way to ensure we as humans 

don’t drift away from one another…

KATYDID

 

 A katydid stopped by this morning…landing on the porch next to me.

I decided to name her Katy…after all…what else should her name be?

When she joined me in the silence and as we sat among the trees.

I was glad for this small reminder of all the beauty surrounding me.

And I thought as I greeted this insect I had never met before…

How I will never tire of the surprises life and nature have in store.

I will never tire of sunrises and sunsets…

of a valley or a mountainous terrain

of a morning fog, of clouds, of rainbows

or of the aroma that lingers after a rain.

I will never tire of watching the flowers bloom in Spring,

how the Summer sunshine makes the ocean glow,

how the leaves change colors in the Fall 

or a blanket of Winter snow.

I will never tire of seeing deer, raccoons and turkeys, 

the sunlight peeking through the trees

the birds that whistle and warble and sing all day long…

ladybugs, butterflies or bees.

I will never tire of walking by a river, watching a baby crawl

counting the stars that dot the evening sky…a cascading waterfall.

I will never tire of traveling…visiting people in far off places

hearing the voices of those I love…seeing the smiles on their faces.

I sat on our porch this morning…

smiling at all these things I started thinking of…

All the things that bring me joy

All things I love.

And I stopped to thank that little green insect

as off the porch she slid….

because when it came to reminding me of the beauty of life

This morning…

that’s exactly what Katy did.