MOMENTS OF CONTENTMENT

A parent knows life can be fleeting...which could be cause for some resentment

That is why they search their lives for moments of contentment.

It’s why you often find them at family gatherings sitting quietly in one place

As they observe what’s going on with a contented smile on their face.

They need those quiet seconds of reflection with all their family near

To capture those moments of contentment before they disappear.

We recently had the family over and I sat quietly in one place

Capturing those moments as they brought a smile to my face...

Sitting around the dinner table listening to what all our children think

Playing catch with an old football, making an origami Sphinx.

Remembering the old adventures as the new ones all unfold

A baby falls, a mommy lifts him and that baby is consoled.

Children running all around, playing games...climbing our climbing tree.

Swinging on our only swing...blowing bubbles innocently.

Wondering how many chips and guacamole one small child can consume

The happiness one feels with his family in one room.

The excitement generated on a ride around the block in a weathered old golf cart

The tenderness of the hugs when everyone departs.

These are just a few moments of contentment I captured recently

On a beautiful afternoon in Spring...surrounded by family.

These moments are different for all of us...for every woman...every man

But we all know, since they are momentary, we must catch them when we can.

For when the world goes back to normal and the next day dawns anew.

It’s these captured moments of contentment that help to see us through.

HAPPY NURSE AND TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY

Today we salute nurses and teachers and I, for one, can see

Why we would take a day to praise them collectively.

The most important lesson they’ve learned was not discovered in any school

They learned it as they’ve lived their lives...it’s called The Golden Rule.

They know a smile can brighten a day, it’s another lesson they have learned

And all they ask is that we give them...a smile in return.

They both administer to people and their roles are frequently reversed

For how often does a nurse become a teacher...and a teacher become a nurse?

They have days where all goes well and they know that they have thrived

And other days when they are happy if they just get out alive.

They know when to be hard on us...they know when to be sweet

They’re tired at the end of the day after spending hours on their feet.

They are calm in the face of adversity for matter how loud we shout

They’ve seen or heard it all before...and we will never gross them out.

But no matter what...they never give up..they work, they toil...they pray

For they believe in miracles and await them every day.

They both know what it’s like to be important and how it feels to be needed

And they know if they touch but one person in life...then in life they have succeeded.

So today we stop to thank them both...for no matter how you spin it

The life we live is a better life with nurses and teachers in it.

CINCO DE MAYO

Happy Cinco de Mayo, a day to party while clad in red and white and green

To drink Coronas and eat Mexican rice with a side of refried beans.

You could drink a Margarita, or around a glass of Dos Equis your hand might be curled

As you believe at least for a day you could be the most interesting man in the world.

But there is something you should know about Cinco de Mayo...something to remember.

It does not celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day, (that’s the 16th of September).

Today celebrates the Battle of Puebla where a small number of Mexicans stopped the advance

Of the larger, more equipped and better trained oncoming army of France.

It celebrates freedom and courage and pride in the face of an unbeatable foe

It celebrates the Mexican heritage and the people of Mexico.

In truth when we take the time to celebrate another countries spirit it’s not very far from our thoughts

To remember and celebrate our own country and the battles for freedom we’ve fought.

It reminds us that freedom is precious, and should come with some chivalry

For we know the only way to enjoy freedom is for everyone to be free.

It’s a time to remember that freedom has a price, not just today but every day.

For there are many people out in the world who would take that freedom away.

So as you raise a glass this Cinco de Mayo as you celebrate vociferously

Remember in a way you’re celebrating all people who fight for the right to be free.

FAVORITES

Deborah has a host of favorites in her life...so many from which to choose

Favorite colors, favorite foods, favorite houses...favorite shoes.

Favorite authors, favorite actors, favorite places...things to cook

Favorite music, favorite movies, favorite animals...favorite books.

I used to kid her about the word favorite, after all the word means paramount

Yet she has so many favorites, I believe I have lost count.

But the more I’ve watched her over the years finding favorites all along

The more I think that she is right and I have been all wrong.

Yes I have teased her fickleness of favorites but now I see it’s she whose wise

As she observes the world around us through wide and innocent eyes.

Again I’m reminded as we travel the road of life, as we somehow muddle through it

It’s not only important what we see, but how we choose to view it.

How wonderful it is for her...how extraordinarily rare

To go through life, to look around and find favorites everywhere.

Imagine the anticipation...the excitement you feel along the way

If you know in the morning when you wake this could be your favorite day.

Imagine if you were open to it...if you were so inclined

All the miracles you’d discover...all the favorites you might find.

If you can find favorites in the moment...in what that moment has comprised

You are continually amazed at life and constantly surprised.

You’d fall asleep at night contented, happy, thankful....and then

You’d wake up in the morning and start all over again.

So the next time she picks a favorite...I have no reason to tease or doubt her

Because having so many favorites...is one of my favorite things about her.

THE OLD MAN AND THE LEAVES

I just completed reading Hemingway’s The Old Man And The Sea

And will now relate a similar battle that transpired...regarding me.

In case you’re unfamiliar, the story’s about an old fisherman from long ago

He’s down on his luck and loves baseball...especially Joe DiMaggio.

He travels far out to sea and catches a fish so big it must be tied along his boat 

Only to be eaten by the sharks as toward his home port he does float.

It is a story of optimism and determination, of being pushed to the edge and then

Losing everything but your spirit and starting over again.

I have a similar battle with the leaves that fall each year

No matter when I rake them up the next day more appear.

Yesterday I took my old rake...for it was time I did believe

To once again begin the story of the Old Man And The Leaves.

I raked for hours fighting sweat and pain in my arms that today still lingers,

Braving mosquitoes, low hanging branches and blisters on my fingers.

My muscles ached from bending, I hurt from my head down to my feet

As I filled the bags with old, dead leaves and placed them by the street.

But like the Old Man in his little skiff, I fought through all my pain

I even began talking to myself...and answering...is that insane!

But on I raked and on I bagged as I coughed and sighed and sneezed

Every moment hoping for a cold front or at least a little breeze.

When I finished and I was feeling a moment of delight

I heard on the news my Tampa Bay Rays lost again last night.

“Well at least,” I said through my aching bones, “All the leaves are gone.”

Just then a gust came from the heavens and dropped more leaves upon the lawn.

I had to smile at my luck remembering how Fate sometimes deceives

And tomorrow the story continues of the Old Man And The Leaves.

HAPPY BABY DAY

Today’s obscure holiday is Baby Day; it is the subject of this rhyme

If for no other reason than to remember...we were babies at one time.

But we’ve all grown up and away from those innocent days of yore

And certainly we all realize...we’re not babies anymore.

But on a day that celebrates the baby wouldn’t it be great to find a way

To treat everyone we meet...like they’re a baby for a day.

It’s actually not a bad idea...imagine the consequences...the reach

(Although I draw the line at letting everyone run naked on the beach.)

Let’s take a look at what would happen if today everyone we see

We would find in them the baby...and treat them differently.

We would smile in their presence and for effort we wouldn’t lack

As we tried in every way we could to make them smile back.

We would comment on their beauty, their face, their eyes, their hair

We would try to make them feel special anyplace and anywhere.

We would applaud the little things they do, when they stand up, when they crawl

We would encourage their independence but help them when they fall.

We would treat them with love and kindness, help to heal their pains and aches

We would be accepting, we’d be gentle and we’d forgive them their mistakes.

We would find more time to play with them, we’d have more time to share

We would show them by our actions they’re important and we care.

We would enjoy the little things they do, all these people whom we meet

And realize it’s those little things that make our life complete.

I wonder if we treated everyone with compassion, with dignity and grace?

If we treated them like babies...wouldn’t this be a better place?

Obscure or not I like this holiday and I’m going to find a way

To celebrate by treating everyone as if they were a baby for a day.

THE INTRICACIES OF THE GAME

I remember years ago taking our children to the ballpark on a bright and sunny day.

We wore baseball caps, sat in the stands and watched grown men at play.

We’d been sitting for a few innings when I heard my daughter exclaim

“Daddy, this is boring...what do you like about this game?”

It seemed at their young age my children didn’t share my adoration

And I’m sure they weren’t quite ready for a lengthy explanation.

As we basked in the sunshine eating hot dogs with ketchup and mustard on our buns

I could have explained the rules of the game, what are strikes and balls and runs.

I could have taken that opportunity surrounded by my children and my wife

To explain how baseball, if we let it, can teach us about life.

I could have pointed out although it is individual player’s name we scream

Baseball teaches people to work together as a team.

That baseball teaches humility for no matter how hard you work, or what path you choose

Sometimes you’re going to win...and sometimes you’re going to lose.

That baseball teacher perseverance, determination, tenacity and grit

That you shouldn’t worry when you strike out for you’ll get another chance to hit.

That you must endure the slumps in your life and the havoc they may wreak

If you’re also to enjoy the jubilance when you’re on a winning streak.

I wanted to say no matter how many bases you run...no matter where you roam

That life will circle back and you’ll always feel safe at home.

All these thoughts went through my mind as we sat in the park that day

Wondering what to tell my children as we watched grown men at play.

“What do I like about baseball,” I said smiling for suddenly I knew

“What I like best about baseball” I said...is sharing it with you.

Our children are all grown now, as far as baseball...that’s a shame

Because I never got to explain to them the intricacies of the game.