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Archive for December, 2020

One Old Lost Calendar, a poem

Posted in inspiration, tagged , , , , , , on December 29, 2020| 1 Comment »

I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don’t intend to waste any of mine. (Neil Armstrong)

 I don’t remember when I wrote this poem, but the year 2020 didn’t exist. This year’s events would have belonged to science fiction. Yet, somehow, the poem fits. I pray hope and beauty live in the manure these twelve months have provided. Peace. For all.

ONE OLD LOST CALENDAR

I find an old, unmarked calendar.

Three-hundred-sixty-five blocks of freedom

promised in small pristine white boxes.

Twenty-eight to thirty-one on each page.

It had been a difficult year,

better forgotten in a dusty closet.

And yet, like soil that is no more than

ordinary dirt, the kind that grinds

under the fingernails,

hope and beauty

were planted into the grime.

And their seeds

continue to grow, inventing bizarre

and beautiful surprises.

 

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A Different Kind of Holiday

Posted in inspiration, tagged , , , , , on December 23, 2020| Leave a Comment »

From the Distant Music of the Hounds. (E. B. White)

To perceive Christmas through its wrapping becomes more difficult with every year.

Seasonal music plays on TV or the radio, yet it can’t fill the vast space known as social distance. Necessary. But new, different. I am forced to look inside. At the person I see backward in the mirror. At what I give, not what I receive.

My older granddaughters call. They love their gifts. Sweatshirts. They chose the designs. I cherish their gratitude. Hugs need to come over the phone or on Facetime.

“I love you, Grandma.”

What other gifts do I need?

In past years did I celebrate or accept the season as an entitlement?

Time. Precious. Each passing second. Survival, not to be taken for granted.

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A Question About Laundry Detergents

Posted in inspiration, question, tagged , , , , , on December 16, 2020| Leave a Comment »

It’s not only for unanswered questions that we seek knowledge but also for the examination of unquestioned answers. (Anodea Judith)

 The mechanic came to our house to fix our ailing washing machine. On-time. He didn’t need to say he was overwhelmed. His face and actions proved it. Of course, we had waited two weeks for the repair. His schedule had to be longer than Santa’s naughty politician list.

 The gentleman did not take his frustration out on me. He found the problem quickly. Then he explained something about the pump world. Not in detail. Perhaps my expression relayed how little I knew about nuts, bolts, and mechanical existence.

 He said that I was overloading the tub and using too much he-detergent. Okay. That part could be easily resolved. However, he also said that Tide detergent contains sodium laureth sulfate, a product that will destroy the pump in my machine. Eventually. Sodium laureth sulfate is added to a cleaning product to create bubbling.

 He also said the chemical could cause cancer. I looked up websites that debunked his last statement. Maybe. Maybe not. I found a natural detergent anyway. No harm in choosing au naturel.

 The photo in this entry is part of mundane history. The contents are being washed, spun, and dried. A privilege. Not everyone owns a house, a space for a washing machine and dryer, a reasonably good life. I am grateful.  

 I am also grateful for a beautiful neighbor who let me use her washing machine while I waited for a repair. Yes, I think about you a lot, friend.

 Peace to all. And if anyone has practical info, share it. I am not an expert. May answers find deeper answers.

 

 

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To See or To Understand?

Posted in inspiration, tagged , , , , , on December 9, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision. (Stevie Wonder)

I close my eyes and imagine

redwoods, orchids, open seas

as another scene sneaks inside

my skull. A friend with a white cane.

****

I recall an afternoon as I ask,

“How do you remember

so many phone numbers?”

She shrugs. Instead, she says,

****

“See, my cane tells me where the

step begins.” Laughing, she grabs my arm.

“Next time. I’ll drive.” Yet, I know

she has never seen clouds, a half or full moon.

****

She knows words like red, yellow, orange.

Does she understand color the way

I comprehend infinity?

“What time should I take you

****

to the store next week?” I ask.

She answers. Gratitude wrinkles

 a smile through her mask.

“See you on Tuesday,” I say.

****

See? I think.

I’m working on it.

I open my eyes,

perhaps a tad wider.

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The Pond (A Poem)

Posted in inspiration, positive thinking, tagged , , , , on December 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »

 

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