Another Day...

The day is ending
Night is falling
Life comes
To its sweet repose.

So many plans
So much to do
Now must wait
For another dawn.

Life is like that
A daily series
Of things to do
And experiences.

No need to audit
Or count the goals
Both met and left
For another day.

The joy is in
The experiences
Just to be
And see and feel.

When the day is over
And night has come
Sweet sleep prepares us
For another chance.

Another day
Another cycle
Adding to the joys
Of a simple life.

Mile After Mile...

Where are you going, Dearest Friend of Mine?
What are you looking for, as you walk along?
Do you know I'm by your side, walking with you?
And do you see that I will never leave you?

What are you thinking, Dearest Friend of Mine?
What thoughts are driving your steps as you walk
Ever farther, ever longer, towards the end
Of time, as we know it, and the End of Life?



What joys have you found, as you walk beside me?
What happiness is yours, Dearest Friend of Mine?
Is it holding my hand, as we walk? Or talking to me?
Or seeing life as we share it, every day?

Do you see the joy in being? The beauty that surrounds us?
Ah yes, you see it, Dearest Friend of Mine....it's there in your smile.
As life goes on, and love endures, greeting changes every day...
We are together, always together.....walking hand in hand,

Mile after mile.

Quiet Glory...

Another day has happened...

Another day is coming to a close.

Did things happen the way I wanted?

Did events occur just as I chose?

If I could go back through my life

And edit out the things I should,

Would I still be who I am today,

If I achieved all the things I could?

Or would I be someone else?

Living life in a different space?

Would that other me be the same?

Or have the same voice and face?

Would I still have the happiness

That has found me at long last?

Or would I live sorrowfully,

Defeated by the life that passed?

I guess it doesn't matter

Where I think I might have been,

For I know that it is gone,

I shall never pass this way again.

And so I count my blessings

My memories, gather round.

And for whatever reasons,

Rejoice in the joy I have found.

If life is a tangled journey,

From birth to wherever we are,

I'm glad I made my own path,

And followed my own star.

As my day and my life are ending,

And I'm nearer the end of the story,

I'm thankful for the opportunity,

To live in my own, quiet glory.

Memories....A Poem...

Life seems to be such a quandary....

Living somewhere besides where I want to be.

Spending my time in memories of the past

Why is it only the memories that last?

Life is happening all around

But, in the past, is where I'm found.

Life is so precious Life is so dear

Why can't I live right now, right here?

Why do I feel so all alone?

Togetherness is what my memories have shown.

People I love People so near

Being together brings love and good cheer.

So I'll hold close, my memories, and then

Go forward, to my future and leave where I've been.

My memories, so precious, with all the strength they give,

Here and now is where I am; and here and now, is where I'll live.

Rich, layered memories of seasons past...

Live beside moments that are passing too fast.

With memories of the past and those folks I hold dear,

I'll live in the moment and be of good cheer.

For tomorrow will come before we know...

Today's memories will linger like new-fallen snow.

So pretty, so ethereal, so white and so cold.

Now passes too fast and soon, I'll be old.

Gathering my memories, and these fresh moments, too

I am moving forward....heading, always, toward you.

Memories from the past, precious moments in time

Past, present and future, in our love, entwined.

Baking Cookies....

Today, I cleaned up my old kitchen

In preparation for some baking

For here is where it all happens,

Those memories in the making.

Windows fogged up from the heated oven,

Crowned in curtains, made long ago by me.

Ingredients lovingly strewn on the counter,

Soon become cookies, as you will see.

Sights and smells and sounds galore

All bring back memories of Christmases past,

Baking cookies, by foggy windows,

Candles burning and memories that last.

The laughter of her little children

Lives in a mother’s heart forever,

And baking cookies for those children’s children

Seems like such a noble endeavor.

Watching little faces light up as they smile

And spy the cookies that Grandma has made.

And smell the smells, and see the treats,

That’s the stuff of memories that don’t fade.

So, come into this grandma’s kitchen,

Sit down, please, and stay awhile

Have a cookie, and a glass of milk.

And we’ll talk……. and we’ll smile.

Tap, Tap, Tap

Nimble fingers tapping the keys...

Words appear as if by magic...

On the screen in front of me...

Words that say what I am thinking.

How strange it seems, tap, tap, tap..

To spend my life forming letters..

That in turn form the words that express..

What my heart is feeling and my mind can think.

Toiling over the keys for hours, tap, tap, tap...

The sound is soothing and so rhythmic, too..

Tapping out the beat of my heart...

Relieving my mind of its burden of thought.

How can it be that I have so much to say?

Do I not have a chance to speak all day long?

Or is it just the words of my heart,

Overflowing and needing to feel the freedom of air.

Knowing that the thoughts I express

Are shared with someone of like mind...

Someone who knows my thoughts before I do...

And sees the visions that swirl in my head.

Have I been hypnotized by the tap, tap, tap?

Are the words expressed somehow possessed?

Or is it just my heart shared with my fingers...

The thoughts that only I know, and you have guessed.

Tap, tap, tap, more thoughts come to be written,

More words express more thoughts, I think....

Writing, writing for hours on end...

Bringing me ever closer to Love's brink...

Tapping, tapping so tentatively...

Hoping that you will feel the same..

My fingers stop, but there's still tapping...

Your heart is whispering my name..

Tap, tap, tap, again it starts..

The words flow freely, now more than ever.

Is it Love that makes my fingers fly?

A never endng Love that is Always and Forever?

Pets...

Furry bodies,

Precious faces.

I always found them

In the strangest places.

Shivering in fright,

With looks so pleading..

A warm place to live

Was all they were needing.

No money to pay,

For their room and board,

Unconditional love

Is its own reward.

Funny and curious,

Adventurous and bright,

Why do they always

Want to play at night?

Always content to be

Curled up in my lap,

Safe and sound

And taking a nap.

“Who wants a cookie?

Wag your tail if you do.”

To others, I’m a nurse,

But I’m “mom” to you!

Sorrow comes and sorrow goes....

Sorrow comes and sorrow goes…

The feeling is fleeting but the pain lingers.

How can I live a life filled with sorrow?

When did the joy slip through my fingers?

I have known pain and crushing disappointment,

I gave them their due, then sent them away.

Sometimes lingering in a pool of self-pity,

Other times, losing them in the light of day.

Life is full of those moments of sorrow…

That turn into days and weeks and years.

Seconds, and minutes and hours lost

Because I gave in to my worst fears.

I cannot predict what sorrows are waiting

To inflict pain at the worst possible time.

But then, again, what time is best?

Does pain ever have any reason or rhyme?

And can we really live in a happy world?

Devoid of pain and suffering and sorrow?

How can I appreciate the sunshine today,

Unless I know that it might rain tomorrow?

So every day, I appreciate life’s little joys

They help me assuage the moments of sorrow.

And if the clouds are raining today,

Then the sun will surely shine tomorrow.

Such a simple verse you are reading,

And really not so very clever.

But these simple thoughts expressed

Abide with me, in my heart, forever.

My Life...

A hundred thousand people,

Through my life have marched.

Some assuaged my thirst,

And some left me parched.

All have left their mark,

On my soul, in some strange way,

Some by their actions,

Others by what they say.

The ones I felt drawn to,

Those who meant the most,

Have always been the humble ones,

Not given to ever boast.

Some have told me lies,

And hurt me, or made me mad.

But all in all, the goodness,

Far outweighs the bad.

Those who share my joy

At dancing in the rain,

Are the ones who are always

Welcome to come back again.

The Meaning of Life........(mine anyway)

I have been a member of the social network site, "Eons", for over a year now. I have made a lot of friends, joined a few groups, written over two hundred blogs and, most importantly, I have learned a lot. My online friends and acquaintances have generously shared their wisdom with me, either on purpose, or accidentally.

In that time, I have learned of the dangers inherent in “female upset”, the pleasures of jelly beans, the joy of hearing the sounds of nature, the pain of trying to find love again, and the most important lesson in my life, so far. In "talking" to a friend, quite accidentally, she shared the Meaning of Life with me. Well, at least the Meaning of My Life:

All a real woman needs is the right Tool…..

I had my first Tool several years ago. It was a necessity: I had a screw loose and needed to fix it. I needed a Tool. I went online to one of “those sites” and did my research. Found out what size would be best for me, how much power I needed, and whether or not it needed batteries.

With this important information grasped firmly in my trembling hand, I drove to “that store”. As I looked around, somewhat embarrassed to even be there, a salesman walked up and asked: “may I help you?” I turned beet red!!

Now, I happen to know a good salesman: he knows how to make his customers feel important and how to determine what they are looking for, and how to get the right part for the right job. He makes the world a better place, one part at a time!

This salesman was NOT that salesman! This one just looked at me blankly and said: “that Tool is too big for you, you need this little one.” But I didn’t want the little tool, I wanted the Big Tool. As he was talking, and rolling his eyes, I glanced next to him and saw exactly what I wanted on the shelf. “Thank you!” I said as he walked off in a huff.

Tool in hand, I headed victoriously to the check-out. I was so excited that I couldn’t drive fast enough to get home and fix that loose screw! Naturally, I had to wait for the batteries to charge but, it was worth it! When my wait was over, I used my Tool to fix my loose screw!

I have purchased several Tools since then. Now that I know how to use them, I just can’t get enough! Sometimes I make up excuses to use them. And, when I do use them, it is never disappointing! I am, however, longing for another Tool. It is the one I cannot live without yet, here I am, living without it.

I first saw the Tool awhile back. I was helping Frazier put up crown molding in my living room. I don’t know what Frazier’s first name is, I just call him Frazier. He has a problem with his eyes: one is looking up and out while the other is looking sort of straight ahead. I never know when we are looking “eye-to-eye.”

We were both standing on ladders; he was nailing the crown molding into the wall, and I was about 8 feet away, holding the other end. He looked at me; I’m not sure but, I think we were looking eye-to-eye. He saw the desire in my eyes; he grinned. “Would you like to use my Tool?” “Yes!” I fairly shouted back at him.

Gently, he placed the Tool in my hand. It was heavy but, it felt good to hold it! He moved his ladder closer so he could show me how to hold it just right and press the trigger. Chnk! Chnk again! And again, and again! I was in heaven!

“Whoa! Slow down, little lady! That’s too close together!” he said. But it was no use: I was unstoppable! I had found My Tool and I was gonna use it! And use it! I was trying to think of other things that needed to be nailed……..anything……..anything at all! Just please, please don’t make me give up My Tool, okay??

Well, he did make me stop, and, when he left, he took My Tool with him. And the cute little “baby” air compressor that ran it. I was heartbroken! I finally found my True Love, and lost it, all in one day! It didn’t matter that I didn’t have anything else to nail; all I could think about was how good it felt to hold it!

I know what you’re thinking: either this woman is incredibly naïve, or she knows how to use a double entendre! Let me give you a hint: I hang out with the Toe, ya know!

A woman and her Tool,

It’s a beautiful sight.

Think I’ll hang out

With my Tool tonight.

We’ll screw something together

Or maybe, take it apart.

Or saw it in a thousand pieces,

That would surely warm my heart!

But as I use these Tools

And have my evening fun,

I know they’re just a substitute

For my beloved Nail Gun!

Someday I will have my Tool,

You know, the Real One,

He and I will nail away,

And have a lot of fun!

The Comforters....

They are everywhere, in every land,

Their numbers are legion.

Living in every city, in every town,

In every village and every region.

They do good works so quietly,

Not wasting their time on praise,

Good thoughts, kind gestures, a touch

Fill many moments of their days.

They are The Comforters of this world,

Helping others with their giving,

Bringing comfort to those who need it,

And giving Life back to the living.

The Comforters know, in their hearts,

That the deed is in the doing,

No need to publicize or share,

Good deeds are not for viewing.

The joy is in the giving to others,

The peace is in knowing who you are,

And The Comforters shine brightly,

Like each quiet and brilliant star.

For every kind and caring gesture,

To every heart that is battered and torn,

The Comforter can only hope,

That a new Comforter has been born.

And, if that dream comes to fruition,

And each inner Comforter is released,

This world will be a much different one,

Full of quiet, and comforting, peace.

Sometimes I Get Introspective........

There are two forms of solitude:

One is loneliness, an unfortunate state,

And aloneness, which is chosen.

Loneliness leads to isolation and despair

Aloneness provides a time for repair.

Making choices that preserve my sense of self

Is not the same as being abandoned by another.

Sometimes abandonment is accidental

And my someone did not want to leave.

Other times, it is done with a purpose

Either way, it causes me to grieve.

Is it harder to grieve the loss of someone

Who did not want to go away?

Or is the pain more palpable when

The other is still living and just decided to stray?

Can the difference between the types

Of solitude be measured or judged?

Can aloneness provide comfort

That loneliness can’t?

Is there any joy to be had in finding out

That the choice to abandon me was calculated

To cause maximum grief on my part?

There is no joy in loneliness but

There can be great joy in mastering aloneness.

Learning to be comfortable with myself;

Leisurely learning what makes me tick.

Testing my strength and endurance

By placing me in the thick of it.

Having the time, in my aloneness,

To come to the realization:

I know who I am, I know where I’m going

And I know what it is that I want.

In my aloneness, through introspection

Deep in my heart of hearts,

I find that the Whole of me,

Is greater than my Parts.

And when I am in this place,

Looking carefully at my needs,

Sometimes I see that the Sum of me

Is made up of good deeds.

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!

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...

And So, I Closed the Door…..

Long ago, I loved a boy

Our love was the stuff of dreams.

He loved me, too, and told me so,

Every minute, or so it seems.

Our parents did not approve,

They wanted us to be apart.

His parents sent him away to school, 

And broke my teenage heart.

He wrote for awhile, faithfully

And then he wrote no more.

I had to think he didn’t love me,

And so I closed the door.

I cleaned out the attic and found a box

Full of unopened letters from him.

Mailed to me, at least twice a week

Hidden away in the attic dim.

Romeo and Juliette

Was no more of a tragedy

Than keeping his love letters

From ever coming to me.

Denied the knowledge of his loving words

I thought he had forgotten me.

I moved on to other loves

And thought it was meant to be.

Why did these precious letters

Show up long after my teenage years?

Where were they when we were in love

And why do they bring me tears?

A love that was lost is precious

It grows inside my mind

Out of proportion to reality

Into something undefined.

Was it really so wonderful?

Could he have been my one true love?

Did we possess something special?

Was it like a hand in a glove?

I thought that I would never know

Until the doorbell rang;

I opened the door, there he stood

Suddenly, my heart sang.

He looked at me with loving eyes

He smiled from ear to ear.

I came to ask your parents

Where I might find you, Dear.

Just then a curly-headed little boy

Looked up at him and said “hi”

Yes, my love, this is my son,

Our time together has passed us by.

Still smiling faintly, he looked at me

I could feel my poor heart melt

For walking away, down the front steps

Was the greatest love I ever felt.

Spring….

Winter’s pale, dark days have given way

To the joys of Spring, once again.

Frigid Arctic cold has retreated

Now blustery winds blow puffy clouds around.

Melting snows provide the thirsty ground

With nourishment.

Flowers bloom, against all odds.

Events that caused such discomfort

Give way to things that now delight.

Dark, shivering cold reluctantly gives way

To golden sunshine and all things bright.

Renewed, refreshed, revitalized, reborn

From Winter’s death, we have arisen,

To walk along the garden path,

Taking time to smell the roses

As we pass by.

Life is full of seasons, too…

Just like each calendar year.

As one time gives way to another,

We look back at memories made,

And ahead with a heart full of hope.

Stay, my friends, on the garden path,

Don’t give in to the slippery slope.

Some say we should heed Nature’s call.

The Envy Tree

I once had a friend,
Or she had me
Til I found out she lived
Under The Envy Tree.

If I had a boyfriend
She had two.
What I couldn’t handle
She could do.

If I had a chore to do
That wasn’t much fun
She had to do the same
But she was already done.

If I read a good book
She’d already read it twice
If I felt bad about being naughty
She bragged about being nice.

If I had new shoes
She already had a pair.
If I was going on a trip
She’d already been there..

If I wrote a poem
Verse by verse
Hers was better
And mine was worse.

If I was happy
And my life was going well
She was feeling tragic
And looking like hell.

She chastised me once
For just being lucky
I always lived in sunshine
And everything was ducky.

I saw the light
And set myself free.
I left her, still living
Under The Envy Tree.

Choices...

Each day, when I wake up,
I make a conscious choice:
Hide myself in silence
Or bravely find my voice.

Go out and do the work
That I’ve been trained to do?
Or take another direction
And leave the work for you.

It isn’t always easy
Or even a lot of fun
But I know I feel better
When my work is done.

I’m really nobody special
I’m just another nurse.
Sometimes I care for the sick,
And sometimes, I write verse.

Life is not all good
And life is not all bad
I just try to make each day
The best one I’ve ever had.

Am I just an idiot?
Too dumb to see my Fate?
Or is my Happy Heart,
A very lucky trait?

Whatever life’s meaning,
No matter what the reason,
I’ll deal with things head-on
Each in its due season.

Please don’t think ‘cause I’m smiling
That I don’t know the score.
I know how anger and grief feel,
I just like Happy more!

Words

Words swirling, flying about
As if they are attacking me.
Words coming from my head
Just wanting to be set free.

Words that tell the story
Of the daily life I live.
Words that paint a picture,
To My Beloved, I will give.

Letters form the syllables
And syllables form the words
Words then come together
And soar just like the birds.

Words that let me describe
The beauty on this earth
Words that help to quantify
What all this beauty is worth.

Words that offer a description
Of the daily wonders that I see
Things that populate my world
And do bring such joy to me.

Descriptive words, in sentences
That sometimes need to rhyme,
Words congregated in such a way
Their meaning lasts for all time.

Love Softly Spoken...

His words fall gently
On my happy heart
Visions are created
From the very start.

Lulling me so sweetly
With peaceful meaning
Professions of Love
My heart is gleaning.

Tenderness portrayed
In the spoken word
Feelings expressed
And softly heard.

Time together
Such precious time
Time to share
A Love divine

Closeness achieved
In such simple ways
Bonds that last
Through all our days.

Love defined
Love expressed
Love that is shared
Is always the best.