CONTENTMENT

Nature is full of surprises…you never know what she will make:

on our favorite beach..a stone’s throw from the ocean…she’s created a lake.

And I wonder about the water in the lake…if it ever yearns or dreams or craves

to leave the safety of the lake…and join the ocean waves.

Ever wonders what it’s like to be so wild and free

never knowing where it will end up as it travels across the sea.

And I wonder about the ocean waves…what kind of dreams they make…

Do they ever wish upon their return to join the waters of the lake?

To have a spot to call their home…a quiet place out of harms way

surrounded by the trees and sand…visited by the same birds every day.

But I imagine these are my thoughts…easy for me to make

not the thoughts of the waves upon the ocean or the water in the lake…

I imagine they are happy and this kind of thinking in them never arises…

I imagine this is one of nature’s gift…another one of her surprises.

To all her creations: 

the ones that remain in one spot or the ones that travel far

she has given the gift of contentment…

for whatever and wherever they are…

And we would be wise to learn this lesson…

and all envy in us…dispel

for as nature is trying to shows us…

It is in contentment where happiness dwells.

BAKING NANA'S COOKIES

Over the years watching Deborah bake cookies with our children and grandchildren

has always been a treat…

because after they do all the work…I get all the cookies I can eat.

Her cookies have been eaten in our house and on the beginning of many a trip

and I think I speak for the family when I say our favorite cookie is chocolate chip.

They’re made with peanut butter, chocolate chips, a cake mix 

and on a cookie sheet are formed

and they melt in your mouth if you’re lucky enough to eat them when they’re warm.

Cooking with Nana is easy…there’s no pressure…no strain…no stress

In Nana’s kitchen you’re supposed to have fun…and it’s okay to make a mess.

The other day I appreciated all the baking lessons Nana ever taught her

when I had occasion to bake chocolate chip cookies with Ava…our granddaughter.

Somewhere in the baking process…while watching Ava working with the dough 

I began to understand why Nana loves it so.

When I saw our smiles mirrored in the oven window 

while her chocolate chip cookies were baking

I realized the cookies weren’t as important as the memory we were making.

The cookies, although essential to the process, are actually secondary 

The time we spent together is the memory we’ll carry.

When Ava said, “These taste just like Nana’s.” It was music to my ears…

and if I was a sentimental fellow I might have shed some tears…

Thinking how Ava learned Nana’s lessons well

She made sure we had fun 

she was messy…not very neat…

and most importantly…

she did all the work

and I got all the cookies I could to eat.

Yes…I would have shed a few tears thinking how this memory turned out great…

If I wasn’t so busy eating cookies…I stopped counting…after eight.

ONE THING I'LL NEVER TIRE OF

A walk along the beach…with someone whom I love

is just one of the many things I will never tire of

I’ll never tire watching the waves as they paint their watercolor patterns on the land,

the taste of salt upon my lips 

or making footprints in the sand.

I’ll never tire of the wind…

how it quickly changes from a bluster to a gentle breeze 

as it scampers across the sand 

and exits through the trees.

I’ll never tire of searching for that unique shell 

one I’ve never seen before

or wondering how all these shells have found their way onto this shore.

I’ll never tire of the clouds and sky and the grandeur of the view

of how the white sands of the beach blend with the ocean and sky blue

There is a simple beauty here

It is soothing

hypnotic

surreal

It always amazes me when waking on the beach

how wonderful I feel.

and how blessed I am to be sharing this walk 

with someone I love…

perhaps the most important thing…

I will never tire of…

A VIVID DREAM

He had this vivid dream the other night 

of the day his mother died

And though they hadn’t been close in many years

in his dream

when he heard the news…he cried.

It’s funny he should dream that dream

for she long ago left his heart

and it was their contrasting dreams 

that tore their lives apart

Her dream for him was that his life

would flow down this one particular stream

and though he loved the water

he had a different dream.

She was bitter…disappointed

and couldn’t find it in her heart to be kind

when he chose to follow his dream

and leave her dream behind.

They didn’t speak for many years

and on the day she really died

although he felt a twinge of sadness

he felt no sorrow…he never cried.

So what was the meaning of this dream he wondered

for he knew the way things were…

Perhaps to show him after all these years 

his heart still had room for her…

FAMILY TRADITION

We have a tradition in our family…it’s as old as the wind…I’m guessing…

When a baby enters our world…the eldest member gives this blessing.

With the entire family gathered round…it’s a time for celebration

as this blessing is passed down to our newest generation:

May you grow up healthy and happy in a loving family

In a world that knows only of peace…where everyone is free.

May you be accepting of all people…and of all temptation…may you resist

and with every person of this world may you happily co-exist.

May you live to enjoy the seasons…winter, spring…summer and fall

May you respect the Earth and all her creations however great or small.

May you have success in life but realize you will fail too

and may you pick yourself up and try again…every time you do.

May you be surrounded by good friends wherever you may dwell

and may they know that you…are a good friend as well.

And finally may you grow up to be gentle, compassionate and wise

and may you always see the world through your innocent child eyes.

We’ve heard this blessing so many times we all know it by heart

We know every stanza, every rhyme, every sentence…every part…

And that is as it should be…for when we are the eldest at the celebration

It will be up to us to pass this blessing on…to our newest generation.

THE BEST GIFTS

The first gift we ever received

was a gift no-one had to buy

It was the gift of life…

Have you ever wondered why?

Why was I given this gift?

How did I come to be?

and what did the giver of this gift…have in mind for me?

This gift was also given to the mountains and the seas

to the animals

to the rivers

to the flowers and the trees.

This gift was given freely

asking for nothing in return

So what are we to understand from this?

What are we to learn?

Since we all received the same gift 

perhaps the giver wanted us to see

how we are all connected and meant to live in harmony.

Since one moment we are not here

and the next moment we are living…

perhaps the giver wanted us to see

a gift is in the giving

And perhaps by giving a gift we never asked for

the giver of life suggested

the best gift we can ever give

is a gift that’s un-requested.

MY LIST

I have this list…I keep it in my head…an ever-expanding file

of things that make me happy…things that make me smile.

What makes this list so amazing is that it’s always very near

and I never know from day to day…which items will appear

On this list are my friends and family…

and individual moments we have shared

moments that were planned out…and moments unprepared.

Moments walking along the beach

Skipping stones or holding hands

When our children and grandchildren were young 

and we built castles in the sand.

Standing under sunrises and sunsets

In the city watching crowds

Seeing the waves move across the ocean

or the changing colors in the clouds.

Listening to bird songs

or the wind whistle through the trees

Walking barefoot in the grass

feeling the mist in a morning breeze.

The feel of a baby’s skin

The taste of sugar cane

The aroma of cookies baking

The smell of a forest after rain

My list is in no apparent order…

thoughts float in then float away

I’m never sure what’s coming next…

and I kind of like it that way.

It means whenever I call up my list

when I stop and visit it a while 

I am never far from happiness.

and the things that make me smile.