THE OPTIMIST

I consider myself lucky to be afflicted with optimism for after all is said and done

You have to concede that optimism makes life a whole lot more fun.

I believe I was born an optimist, it circulates through my blood

It helps me survive life’s little adversities and withstand it’s terrors and floods.

It’s not that bad things don’t happen to me, that my life is without misfortune or strife

But optimism reminds me I’m just having a bad day...in what is a wonderful life.

I know I’m lucky to be an optimist, hopefully it’s a philosophy I shall never forsake

But that’s the thing about optimism...it’s a choice every person can make.

I’m not disparaging pessimism, it too can be a fine attribute

For while optimism created the airplane, without pessimism we’d have no parachute.

It’s possible in the end a pessimist may be correct, and can say so with dignity and pride

But even a pessimist would have to agree, optimism is a much more enjoyable ride.

So I’ll stick with my optimism. I’ll use it to help me waltz through the pain.

I’ll use it to weather the storms that arrive. I’ll use it to dance in the rain.

And when the world turns its darkest and I’m feeling bruised and ministering to all my scars

I’ll use it to remind me it’s only in darkness, if you look up you can see the stars.

If you wonder if there are more optimists or pessimists in the world...think of this the next time you’re in a pinch,

Why is the average pencil 7 inches long but the eraser’s only one-half an inch?

It’s because there are a lot of optimists...on a cloudy day we find the sun

You might think this optimistic of me...but it’s true..you see I’m also married to one.

CHANGE

I’ve been thinking a lot about change lately as I get older and more grey

How all of us are changing every second of every day.

Certainly there are the obvious things that are a little hard to miss

For instance I’m a few seconds older than when I started writing this.

Take Facebook for instance...as through the different postings we explore

People sharing today are a little different than they were the day before.

There is only one sure thing in life...and although it does sound strange

The only thing for certain is that everything will change.

Flowers bloom, children grow, people marry and change their name.

We are destined to live in a world where nothing stays the same.

Some people choose to fight this change and are constantly sad and stressed

Others take out their surfboards and ride along the crest.

Brenda and Carol, good friends of ours, have been in love for many years

Five times North Carolina refused to marry them, five times they left in tears.

But they road the surf to New York City...it was equality they sought

And there amidst their friends and family they finally tied the knot.

Humans have this wonderful capacity, it’s a gift from heaven above,

To find a mate that brings them happiness...to find someone to love.

A love that changes throughout our lives as each day we endeavor...

But the underlying love we feel, if we’re lucky, lasts forever.

And those in love know it is blind...she sees only with the heart.

It’s the people who can see that try to tear that love apart.

But the times they are a changing...as I’m sure you will agree

Perhaps it’s time for everyone to start accepting what they see.

We love Brenda and Carol. Their love is beautiful and brave...

You can fight them North Carolina or grab your surfboard...catch the wave!

(Yes, change is a funny thing...I wasn’t sure where I was going when these words I started blending

But sitting back and reading it...I’m happy where it’s ending.)

THE OLD HOUSE ON THE CORNER LOT

Deborah and I take a walk in the morning, sharing memories and dreams along the way

We have found in our lifetime together it’s a great way to start a new day.

We’ve been walking together for years...we’ve seen the neighborhood ebb and flow.

We’ve watched houses change their colors and families come and go.

Lately as we’ve been walking we find ourselves a little distraught

When, early on our walk, we pass a beautiful old house that sits on a corner lot.

Years ago on a huge flatbed truck this house was moved from another part of town

It was decided to bring her to this corner lot instead of tearing her down.

For a few years the house was filled with joy and laughter, that is until the day

The family that moved her onto this lot for some reason moved away.

Since then the house has been vacant, we’ve watched the foundation crack

Perhaps when she realized the family who once lived in her is never coming back.

With no one to care, our walk past this house has become a bit surreal.

Her front porch is rotting, there are weeds in the yard and her paint is beginning to peel.

We greet that old house every morning, occasionally in her windows we’ll peek 

As we climb her decaying front porch steps, she tries not to, but we hear her creak.

There’s a hole in the ceiling and mold on the walls of this house we’ve come to adore

And as if to add insult to injury there are plants growing up through the floor.

But she tries to stands tall, as the mold and plants grow, struggling to look dignified

After all even when we’re old and a little run down we still have our sense of pride.

We hope someone comes to her rescue before she experiences any more pain

For it appears there is still time to rebuild her before she tumbles under the strain.

If we had the money we’d buy this old house, oh how I hope some family does

A family who will kindly restore her to the lovely old house she once was.

One day soon we’d like to see her become a home again...some new family’s Camelot.

That’s a dream we share as we walk every morning by this old house on the corner lot.

4 BUNS

Have you heard the old story about a hungry man who came up with an easy way

A timesaver, as it were, to make his hunger go away.

When told 4 buns would quell his hunger, this man thought...and then he said,

“I know an easier way for my hunger to be fed.”

“It’s simple math.” He continued. “With the magic number four

If I quickly eat the fourth bun I won’t be hungry anymore.”

Or how about the lady who saw a commercial on TV

And came up with a plan to make her life as easy as can be.

She saw a vacuum cleaner so powerful it would cut her sweeping time in half

Her solution was so simple it makes me want her autograph.

“If one vacuum cuts my time in half,” she smiled, “I know just what I’ll do.”

So she drove o the store, walked up to the counter and...wait for it...she bought 2.

We’ve all fallen into similar traps; why every day we see

Shortcuts to success as we watch commercials on TV.

You want to lose those excess pounds, it doesn’t matter how much you weigh

No need for diet or exercise, one pill melts those pounds away.

You want to look years younger in minutes, wipe those wrinkles from your face

Just purchase this jar of miracle cream and spread it on your face.

Don’t have time to cook a meal, no problem, just listen to your TV

You can feed them fast and healthily from McDonalds or KFC.

When will we learn there are no shortcuts, no easy way, no perks

The goals we make, if we’re to succeed, take both time and hard work.

Until we do we’ll be like that hungry man in this life that we are carving

We’ll keep eating all those 4th buns and wonder why we’re starving.

THE MUSIC OF NATURE

One day a man saw birds sitting on electrical wires and noticed this detail

The birds and the wires together resembled the musical scale.

So he attached notes to all these feathered friends and without writing any words

When he played them he had a musical score composed solely by the birds.

The music was quite beautiful, it would take your breath away.

Which led me to wonder what other melodies does Nature routinely play.

I’ve heard the soothing tempo of the ocean’s mighty roar

The waves keeping a rhythmic beat as they crash against the shore.

I’ve heard the crickets awaken at twilight, I’ve heard the frogs that croak at noon

I’ve heard the howl of the coyotes as they bellow at the moon.

I’ve heard the mighty eagle sing, I’ve heard the gentle breeze

I’ve heard the drum of thunder, and raindrops falling through the trees.

I’ve heard the buzzing of the bees, I’ve heard the wind whistle, whine and scream

I’ve heard the hollow bamboo echo, I’ve heard harmony in a stream.

All we need to do is listen and we would be aware

Of the melody of nature...of music in the air.

Nature is the conductor waving her baton so effortlessly...

Blending the sounds together creating a daily symphony.

FLORIDA...THE FORGOTTEN STATE

I grew up in Ohio with 4 seasons; each one normal, proud and strong

A season would last about 3 months before the next one came along.

If we were struggling through a bad season, too much heat, or snow, or cold

We knew soon the pain would end as a new season would unfold.

You see, that is the way with seasons, it’s been their pattern since time began

Yet Florida seems to have been ignored in Mother Nature’s quaternary plan?

So if you’re planning a visit to Florida...a quick lesson if I may...

To help you know when you can visit us...and when to stay away.

The only way to know it’s fall in Florida (as a friend of mine often states)

Is the change in color, not the leaves, but on those out of state license plates.

Winters are usually mild in Florida, it can be almost too beautiful for words

Hence the yearly migration to the south of that northerner species...Snowbirds.

As I write this, spring has come to Florida...oh how nature does deceive

For spring in Florida brings with her the falling of the leaves.

In Florida, however, summer is dominant with her high humidity and heat

She makes spring and fall and winter all cower at her feet.

If you venture out in summer no doubt you’re going to fry

You pray someone will take a spatula, turn you over and let you die.

Summer can be so controlling we never know if the other seasons will appear

Or if summer in her obstinance will hang around all year.

In fact when looking at the Florida weather there can be such a wide array

That it’s possible to experience all 4 seasons in the course of a single day.

Yes, it can be cold and cool and hot and humid all in one day...I swear

So if you’re planning a trip to Florida bring everything you can wear.

Unless you visit in summer (why would you!) then for sure you’re going to be hot.

Because when you visit Florida you visit the state Mother Nature forgot.

(Oh, I should mention Florida does have one season you may want to remember 

It’s called hurricane season and it spans from June until November!)

WAVING FROM THE STANDS

I watched Ava play baseball last night and was immediately carried away

To another baseball field...another team...another time....another day.

I was playing right field then. There I stood with glove in hand

My parents cheered my every move while waving from the stands.

I blinked; I was at a soccer game there was Bryan...he looked so small

“Bryan,” I yelled my encouragement,”Don’t forget to kick the ball.”

I blinked again and when I opened my eyes another memory revealed... 

I was cheering Ryan this time from a different soccer field.

Another blink and Ali was playing volleyball in Middle School

She had this little grunt when she served which I thought was pretty cool.

Blink! Now it was Damien and Taylor playing soccer. Look at those two go!

Blink! There was Aden kicking up a storm at his class in Tae Kwon Do.

Ping! I was back watching Ava and saw that smile on her face

As she hit the ball then took off running...ending safely at first base.

I couldn’t help smiling, but I have to say at first I was perplexed

To think how quickly life moves on from one memory to the next.

But then I was glad to see how easily these memories synthesize and blend

And how we hope as we get older this memories never end.

Watching Ava I couldn’t help thinking life is like baseball, I must admit,

Sometimes our children will strike out and sometimes they’ll get a hit.

Yet, no matter what the outcome...no matter where that ball may land

They have a group of people who will cheer them on...while waving from the stands.