The Wind

The Wind blows the hair from my eyes

With the wind comes clairity

With clairity comes thought

With thoughts come words

With words come tears, fears and smiles

The Wind bestows emotion

A tear rolls down my cheek

My hair is blown again

My heart is lifted

My spirit soars

The Wind is in my soul

A Mother's Wisdom

My Mother is a beautiful soul. She has so much wisdom about life and love. She is giving and kind and caring. The world would be a much better place if we all grew up with a Mom like mine.

Whenever I'm feeling down, I call my Mom and she lifts my spirits. She assures me that every thing is going to be ok. If I'm sick, she makes me feel better just by being sympathetic to what ails me. She always says "I wish I could take your pain away", just that tender gesture makes me feel better. When I'm feeling good, my Mom is right there to cheer for me and give me encouragement and hope. She's always there to lend a hand or an ear.

My Mom was born around the depression. She is from a large family. She's lived through times when she didn't have enough food to eat or money to go around. She's lived through hardships and sickness. She saw the advent of television and electric appliances. She married at the young age 17 and is still married to my Dad of 57 years. She knows what it is like to handle strife and challenges and chaos. She is nothing short of remarkable. And she is my best friend.

She may not have a college degree, but as far as I'm concerned, she has a Masters Degree in Life. She has the answers to pretty much anything I can throw at her. Especially when it comes to relationships. My Mom is the Queen of relationships. If there is anyone out there that can figure out the male psyche it's my Mom. I'm not sure what gives her this insight, whether it's having so many brothers or just being married for so long, she knows how a man thinks and she knows how to handle them. If it's true men are from Mars and Women are from Venus, my Mom is fluent in the Marsian language. It's truly a gift.

I credit my sensibility to my Mom and honestly my Grandma too. My sweet little Swedish Grandma was filled with the same kind of wisdom. She knew how to get to the heart of things. Her little Grandma-isms were simple, but true. Things like:
"If you don't want to be fat, don't eat so much"
"It's not a lie if you don't say it out loud"
"I can see you wherever you are, so be good"
or my favorite…"I'll have to worry about that tomorrow, I don't have time today"

Sometimes it's the simple words and simple thoughts that are the most intelligent. My Mom and my Grandma have the ability to put things into perspective with their gestures and words to some how make life seem less complex.

After all, when it comes down to it, we all face the same issues from day to day. We struggle with love. We struggle with self-image. We struggle with work and money and family. Perhaps if we simplified the way in which we perceive our problems life would make more sense.

Listen to your Mother's, they know from which they speak.

A Question

I asked three people the same question.

One's reply was, "I' know nothing about that, I can't help you."

The second said, "Yes, I know about that, but you will have to figure that out for yourself."

The third said, I'm not exactly sure, but let's figure that out together.

Why is it that three people I know all have such different answers? They are all people that I would consider having the same level of intelligence and success, probably similar political viewpoints.

You would think that the people I associate with would all agree on the simple fundamentals of the type of person they are.

But I'm realizing now that more often then not, they don't.

Is that a bad thing?

A good thing?

What type of person are you?

A Grateful Heart

"Always Live Your Life with a Grateful Heart"


No truer words were ever spoken. I'm not sure who said that but I think it's a beautiful way to live.

When you think about it, if we looked at life from a grateful perspective wouldn't we feel so much happier about our lives, our famlies, our world?

Instead of thinking how much your job sucks, why not appreciate the fact that in this economy you still have a job, a steady paycheck and thusly a home and car.

Instead of thinking about how you don't get along with your siblings you can turn that into at least I have a family, so many people don't. I have some where to go on Christmas and people who will welcome me in.

When you complain that you don't have new furniture or carpeting for your house; think about those that have no home at all. Be grateful that you have shelter.

If you are grumpy because you have some aches and pains from growing older. Remember that there are those with no limbs or no feeling at all. Be glad you can still walk.

As a society we need to be appreciative of the little things, the friendly smile of a server, the wish to "have a good day" from a customer. Appreciate the beauty of a simple sunset or sparkle of the sun on the window.

I prefer to live with that grateful heart in life. I know that little gestures of kindness matter. They lift the spirit of those feeling down; and in turn you will find your own spirits rise by being kind.

Assumptions

I found myself assuming that I would be bored, that I would have nothing in common with those I hadn't thought of in 20-some years.

For we weren't friends then, what would make me think I would be friends now.

I assumed wrong.

For what I discovered was another soul like me. Another creative mind seeking ways to release themselves in art, in words, in life.

A new old friend perhaps.

Some new adventures I hope.

As I come into the light I see that I am more then the culmination of my shy past. I have things to say and designs to create.

I will assume no more.

Loner

I've realized that for the last 10 years or so I've kind of been a loner. I work alone 80% of the time. And with so much communication done by email now, some days it feels like I hardly talk to anyone.

After leaving Advertising, I needed some downtime. Daily life there was pretty chaotic. I was majorly stressed and on overload. There was a particular person at the agency that made me absolutely miserable and I had to leave or I knew I would lose it. So I made a sudden move to my current position. And life suddenly got a lot more quiet.

My once merry-go-round world got real confined, real quick.

Even at home I feel alone. My husband works odd hours and a lot of the time our schedules clash. And sometimes even when he's home he falls asleep early, so I feel alone.

My kids live in different towns some distance away so we hardly see each other. My friends all have kids and lots of family activities which keeps them pretty busy. So I can go for months it seems before I get to see anyone beyond my daily existence. And let's face it, life can end up pretty routine. We get stuck in our wake-work-family-sleep cycle and forget that there is life beyond that.

So being alone a lot leaves me a lot of time with my thoughts. And most of the time I think my world feels pretty small.

As a kid I was pretty shy with strangers, and sometimes in a non-work related environment I still feel like that shy girl. I'm not sure why, as a general rule I feel pretty confident that I'm able to talk to almost anyone and make a connection. But when I'm unsure of myself, I retreat inward where it's safe.

But now, in this new phase of my life, I'm ready to shake it up again. I've had a chance to re-group. To re-think my goals, to remember what I'm passionate about. And I'm ready. Ready for some new interests, new challenges and new people.

Going to my networking group has been really good for me. It gets me out there and involved. It makes my world seem bigger. It makes it feel like there are endless opportunities at hand. It reminds me that life should be filled with passion and experiences. And it gets my wheels turning, ideas are coming to me at all hours. Ideas that finally seem within reach. So all I have to do now, is stretch.

Have You Ever Seen a Moonset?

"Have you ever seen a moonset?"
My husband whispered quietly in my ear.
"What's that", I asked as I opened my eyes and reached to draw him near.
"It's something special we should share,
come watch with me my love.
You'll see the darkness fade away
and the heavens rise above."
"It's so quiet", I said as I opened the window slowly to peer into the night—
The dew kissed grass and garden fragrance
filled our senses with delight.

The moon was full, white as snow,
and sat low in the western skies.
It gently dipped beyond the trees
as the sun was on the rise.
It was as if the world awakened;
the birds and insects filled with song.
The sky was scarlet and oh so bright,
the quiet moon now had gone.
Now and then when the moon is full,
I wake early hoping to see—
The fading moon and glorious sunrise

the Moonset once brought to me.

Her Souls Dream

Inside she's crying, her face shows no tears--
She's lost in the world alone with her fears.

In the night comes a vision of a love she will find-
With it comes happiness and laughter and finally

peace of mind.

She sees a candle flicker, lit softly by the fireplace glow-
It warms the midnight air as the thunder thrashes so.

Heated blues on CD create a mood of mystique-
As two lovers move together, two souls finally meet.

Their bodies form a rhythm and their hearts begin to pound- Their feelings are strong and passionate,

for love's been finally found.

But in the early morning light she slowly comes to see-
That this vision of love is empty, it is only but a dream.

Her heart aches now with sadness; this time she quietly cries.
Alone her soul is barren; alone she slowly dies.

Girlfriendship

There are some people that are meant to be in your life for just one day, some for years.
There are others that are there for when times get rough or others just for the party.

I've been blessed to call a few good women my friends. They are the kind of women I'm pretty sure I will know all of my life. Some I've had since childhood, most since high school. They've all drifted in and out of my life over the years, sometimes very present, some times gone for years at a time. But I would like to believe that if I needed them they would be there.

I've had one close friend since I was in 2nd grade. We spent afternoons after school together watching Gilligan's Island and the Brady Bunch re-runs. We played Yatzee and card games and climbed trees. She even tried to kill me on a skateboard once, but I forgave her, after all she did piggyback me into her house and have her mom fix me up. We've had our tiffs over the years, but I think the friendship of our youth kept us friends even when our adolescence said otherwise. She's one of those people that I can call, even if we haven't spoken to each other in a year, and pick up where we left off.

Another gal I hold dear I've been friends with since the summer after 6th grade. We were neighbors; I lived just down the hill from her. I spent so many days at her house that her parents actually considered me one of their kids. I am #5. The feeling is mutual. I always thought of her house as my second home and called her parent's Ma and Dad. We've had some great times to say the least. We slept in her yard with tents made of blankets and close lines. We snuck both in and out of her house upon occasion. And I know deep down in my heart, that she is the kind of person that I will always be able to count on, no matter what, no matter when, she'll be there. I expect to one day have to sneak in or out of the nursing home with her and I know it will be a blast.

Then there's this other gal; she is hilarious. I can always count on her for great conversation. We have a lot in common, a lot of laughs, and she's there if I just need to vent about something and bitch for a minute. She's drifted in and out of my life from time to time and lately it's been hard for us to hook up, but I know in my heart she's on my team.

The other girls in my group are the party gals. They are the ones that gather 3 or 4 times a year for Girls weekends, garden parties and Christmas. Not to downplay their friendship, because Lord knows we've been through a lot together; weddings, births, sicknesses, and deaths. They are the ones that throw you a shower, invite you to their kid's graduations and are there when your parents are sick. They are my home-girls and I will always hold them dear to my heart.

Then there are the people who come into your life briefly, for a day, a month, maybe a year. They are the kind souls that helped you when you had a flat tire, the gentle nurse that comforted you when your Dad had an operation or a co-worker that listened and offered advise when you were stressed. Maybe you only knew them for a short time, but their kindness and actions left an imprint on you. They may not be someone you will ever talk to again, but that doesn't mean they had any less impact on your life. I choose to go through my life believing that all people are good at heart. That if you show kindness to a stranger they will some how pass that kindness on to others. So I open doors for busy Moms and sweet little old ladies. I buy the next person in line a cup of coffee now and again. I let others merge in front of me on the highway and I wave in gratitude when they let me merge in.

I think that if we treated strangers like friends that people would begin to believe in the goodness of other's instead of the bad. And maybe, just maybe, the world would begin to change.