The Days of My Life...

I’ve never had wealth.

I had power for a while but, 

I gave it back.

Knowledge, I’ve gained

Over the years

Serves me well when I need it

My looks are fine but 

I don’t stand out

I am just one of the crowd.

Blessings come and blessings go

Sorrows followed by bouts of joy.

Seeing the people in my world

Through loving eyes.

Walking gently through

The days of my life.

Enjoying what I can and 

Ignoring the rest.

Working hard each day

To provide for my food and shelter.

There is only one thing that I have

That you cannot have….

No matter how hard you may try.

You can never, and I will always…

Be trying to be the very best 

ME.

Let Peace Be...

Farm boys left the plow behind
Picked up a gun and went off to fight.
Landing on some far off beach, frightened
Falling, forever, before the fall of night.

Surgeons fighting desperately to save
A jagged, bleeding nearly shot-off limb.
Chaplains trying to keep souls nourished,
Saying prayers, softly; pleadingly sing a hymn

Nurses going from bed to bed
Trying to care for the wounded and dying.
Always with a smile on their faces,
No one needs to see them crying.

Astronauts fighting the world’s cold war
Lost in an instant in the capsule’s flames.
Others died in the sky, years later
Does anyone even remember their names?

Many wars have been fought by this country
Always, it seems, in the name of peace.
War declared on other countries, that’s true.
More wars fought here, to say the least.

Wars against more deadly foes
If loss of life is what we see.
War on poverty, inequality, ignorance
Disease and injustice, it seems to me.

Lives laid down in the name of freedom
Lives lost so that others might live
Lives lost to help the human race.
There is no more that one can give.

How can we ever repay those who died,
Giving the ultimate gift they had to give?
How can we honor their memory,
Except by the example that we live?

So let there be no more wars on this earth
No more death and dying needlessly
No more hurry to fight those battles
And please, Dear People, Let Peace Be.

I Cannot Help But Wonder Why???

I met a little guy, 5 years old, in my travels as a home health nurse. 

He was dirty, and skinny, and had no shoes. When he smiled, his front teeth were all metal. But when he smiled, his eyes sparkled, and I had to return the smile. He lives with his grandpa who is confined to a wheelchair. The little guy is grandpa's caregiver. He was fascinated with my nursing bag and wanted to see everything in it. I wanted to give him something, so I gave him my tape measure. You would think I had given him a winning lottery ticket! He hugged me for an eternity. 

I couldn't stop thinking about him today; and I derived no comfort from knowing that my own grandchildren live comfortably. I wrote this for that little guy.

Is there some plausible reason why

If God made us all the same,

Some people live in abject poverty

And others vacation in Spain?

Why are children born with birth defects

And heart-breaking anomalies?

Why, in the world’s richest nation

Are there so many poor families?

Prenatal care, post partum checks

Well-baby clinics and education

Why can’t this be a reality

In the world’s richest nation?

Preventative medicine, annual check-ups

Should be a routine part of health care.

Keep people well and functional

And keep them off of welfare.

Children in Appalachia

Just want to learn to read.

Their parents never learned

Too many mouths to feed.

Children in Mississippi

Just want a place to live.

Charities look for volunteers

With building skills to give.

Children wandering darkened streets,

Their parents gone, or unknown

Their fondest hope, and greatest wish

Is to find a warm and loving home.

Children who fear going home

To torture and abuse

Children living a silent tragedy

From perpetrators on the loose.

Is this just an isolated problem

Magnified by Media sensation?

Or is this a horrific travesty

In the world’s richest nation?

We have to look at these problems

The depth, and breadth, and scope

For these children are our future

These children are our hope.

I Went Down to the River Today

I went down to the river today,

Had a lot of thinking to do.

Down to the river to think for awhile.

Pleasant thoughts, all about you.

I went down to the river today,

Took off my shoes and got my feet wet.

Water was cold; I won’t go any farther,

I’m not ready to take the plunge yet.

I went down to the river today,

Watched the water as it flowed by

Washing the rocks and moving the sand

I was watching and wondering why.

I went down to the river today,

Sat on a rock at the river’s edge.

Watched the sunlight dapple on the water,

Closed my eyes and let myself veg.

I went down to the river today,

Looked at the water and shed a tear,

Thought about you, and me, and us,

Wondering: what is it that I fear?

I went down to the river today,

Thinking: what if you should go away?

Will I be able to carry on or not?

I won’t look at that sad day.

I went down to the river today,

Looked at the water and had to say:

“I know I always want to be with you,

Come down to the river with me and play.”

I went down to the river today,

What, to my surprise, did I see?

Sitting right there on that big ol’ rock,

You were waiting, and smiling, just for me!

I Give Myself Permission

To Be A Woman:

To recognize and appreciate that which makes me different from a man.

To recognize and appreciate that which attracts me to a man.

To wear dresses, and perfume, and carry a huge purse, if I want

To paint my fingernails and toenails hot pink

To wear a toe ring….a Toe Ring…….how appropriate!

To wear my favorite bangle bracelets.

To Be A Little Girl Again:

To sit on the floor and teach my granddaughter to play jacks

To color outside the lines, if I want

To play “dress-up” at the second-hand store

To sing my favorite songs, out of tune

To laugh for the pure joy of laughing

To say “EWWWWWWWWW” and “Whatever”

To Be A Professional Nurse:

To be a nurturer, a teacher, a friend, and a confidante

To be a fighter, aggressively seeking what my patients need

To be an expert, providing the quality care my patients deserve

To be funny, and fun, and smiling, bringing the sunshine into their lives

To advocate for issues that are important to me, such as child abuse

To Be A Friend:

To enjoy the gift of friendship that has been given to me

To treat each of my friends respectfully, and with caring

To appreciate the things we have in common, and 

To celebrate our differences

To “be there” for them, as they always are for me

To trust and be trusted

To Be A Lover:

To find in another the love that I seek

To appreciate, and not question it

To give of myself completely and not hold back

To treasure the gift that he gives me

To find joy in our relationship

To find love in our lifetime 

To discard expectations and value what really is

To give my heart and receive his in return

To Be All These Things At One Time:

To find my joy and infuse it in all my relationships

To seek knowledge and find it in unexpected places

To give more than I receive, at least initially

To appreciate fully the gifts that I receive from those I love

To hold dear the principles upon which I was raised

To demonstrate my concern for others every day

To laugh at myself, instead of others

To find humor, and love, and caring in out-of-the-way encounters

To be open to change, and embrace familiarity

To be a worthy occupant of this crazy world!

No More....

No more loud and boisterous nights

No more listening to all their fights.

No more friends at the front door.

No more need to keep the score.

No more legos, scattered about

No more saying: “please don’t shout!”

No need to be King Solomon wise…

No more “that’s not fair!” cries.

No more milk cartons in the fridge,

Empty, of course, not even a smidge.

No more cooking to feed an army,

No more socks smelling so smarmy.

No more sitting around the table at night

Listening to their conversations with delight.

No more lying awake at night for the sound,

Of one more kid who, Home, has found.

No more stretching the budget to feed

All those kids and any friend in need…

Of a home-cooked meal, served with love,

And a pinch and a push and a kick and a shove.

No more greetings in the early morn..

From the first, and second, and third-born.

No more hugs as they hurry on by….

No more leavings, to make Mom cry.

No more pitter-patter of chubby little feet,

No more peanut butter kisses so sweet.

So many “no mores” what am I to do?

No more kids saying “Mom, I love you!”

Sitting in my solitude, watching HGTV,

My cell phone rings, of course it’s for me.

A young man asks if, a ticket I will buy,

Earning money for camp, he’s giving it a try.

I don’t need a ticket, for heaven’s sakes,

I don’t eat breakfast, much less pancakes!

But he’s so sweet, what can I do?

“Thanks, Grandma, I love you!”

Life does come full circle, doesn’t it?

My Mother..

Her natural beauty, accentuated by her smile,

Her graceful poise, and sense of style.

Soft, flowing dresses with lace for trim,

Long, flowing hair and figure so slim.

Looking so regal, walking on Daddy’s arm,

Always getting her way, she had such charm.

Constantly busy, with good social skills,

Single-minded, with the strongest of wills.

Her laugh when she finally “got” Daddy’s joke,

Or quietly reading, beneath the cigarette smoke.

Her turned-up nose, when something appalled her,

The joy in her voice when Daddy called her.

Her meatloaf was awful, and the green beans would squeek,

Strong housecleaning skills, but cooking skills were weak.

Her garden was beautiful; she loved it out there,

And she wore a white gardenia in her dark brown hair.

She wasn’t perfect, but she always tried to be kind,

And when she wasn’t, well, I didn’t really mind.

For you see, to me, she was like no other,

A woman, so special: she was my mother.

She’s been gone now for so many years,

Yet time can’t erase my mother’s tears.

It was much too soon that we had to part….

Though she’s gone from my sight, she’s alive in my heart.

Happy Mother’s Day

Sunrise, Sunset….

Wherever you roam, wherever you be

Please come Home and spend sunset with me.

The day is long and filled with chores,

Working all day and shopping in stores.

Buying the food and fixing the meal,

I cook, you wash dishes, that’s the deal.

And finally, when the day is done

And we’re slipping fast, just like the sun

We’ll sit together on our couch, at last,

Talking quietly about the day that has passed.

The talking dies as the miracle starts….

Breathtaking red sky warms our hearts.

Together as the sun dips at last into the sea,

My hand in yours, your arm around me.

We’ve weathered together another long day,

And ended it, always, in just the same way.

Watching the sunset, regardless of the weather,

When we are once more together, always together.

And tomorrow is another day...

Thoughts On Being A Nurse..........

What should I do when all seems lost?

When it is gone, where does hope go?

When dreams die, do they fade away?

Or is there something I should know?

I work each day as a home health nurse,

Dealing always with illness and dying.

Providing support, and comfort, if I can

To those who are angry, or sad, or crying.

On and on the suffering goes

Hurting everyone in its path.

What kind of Being could be in charge?

Why are so many subject to His wrath?

Is there no light at the end of the tunnel?

No source of renewed hope and grace?

Is nothing that is done going to help the suffering?

Why is this such an awful place?

No! Stop! Don’t go there anymore!

Don’t spread the blackness and the doubt!

I reach inside my heart of hearts,

And pull a ray of sunshine out.

I smile and laugh, and hug a lot,

Giving back what has been given to me.

Seeing the goodness and worth in everyone,

Hoping that they, too, can see.

Life is a gamble, life is a challenge

For every bad thing there is something good.

If I could spread sunshine and love every day,

Trust me, I’m a nurse, and I surely would!