Shattered Back Together

The most beautiful lessons in love are on the other side of disappointment and failures.  People will let you down in this life.  You cannot seek happiness only in people.  A deeper love of self, of your being is necessary to weather the storms. 

Looking back, during painful moments of my life, I had to dig deeper into my soul and hold on to who I was.  I had to be resilient and not let that go.  No one can take that from you unless you release it. 

We block out truth to survive because it is less painful to face.  When it is revealed it can be crushing but it's okay to be broken.  Sometimes it's the only way for the light to shine in.

Haiku for Pakistan: My Lambs Are Gone

Wolves came in the night.

My precious lambs are not found.

My heart is broken.

It's strange how concerns can change in a second.  The last thought on my mind before sleeping was to not forget my daughter's birthday cake in the morning.  I awoke to the devastating story of the tragedy in Pakistan.  I feel connected to these people though I'm on the other side of the world.  I am Christian and I have children like them.  They are most precious to me above anything on earth.  If I lost a child, a piece of me would be gone forever and I would have to go on through life less whole.  I am praying for comfort to fill the hearts of those mourning on this most sacred day.  

Gypsy Soul

The one true thing
for him was the road.
The one true reality
a traveling show.
The one true vision
a puff of smoke.
and the one true woman
a gypsy soul.

Inspired by espionage.  A spy is an artist who not only crafts a lie but also a world around that lie.  The result is a tall tale you willingly accept as reality. 

People Call Me Old Fashioned

The darkest part of my life was when I was living contrary to who I was.  I wasn't authentic to me.  Why did I try to fit into a crowd that didn't accept me the way I was?  Why did I feel the need to adapt and fit in?  I think it is because we are all beings in need of connection.  It felt good to be accepted by a lot of people.  It makes us feel valuable but, what is that worth when you cannot accept who you have become in the process.  What is it worth when you lose connection to you.

Today I am grounded.  Gone are the days of insecurity.  One of the ways I stay grounded is by studying history.  A history book is being written about you in someone's mind right now.  How does that book read?  Did you do something significant?  Were you authentic?  Did you do something quirky and original?  Don't be a mirror of someone else, be YOU.  Become aware of who that is and own it. 

I write because I can.  Many women in the world cannot.  I'm not afraid of what people think anymore.  I don't know the highlights of the last episode of "Walking Dead."  I'm not into the latest eyebrow trend and I don't even have a tattoo.  If that's you then I'll love you for it and we can connect in other ways.  Please understand that I am just as happy on the beach with my guitar singing to a sunset.  If that makes me old fashioned, guess I am.

Guinevere

The Goddess

With hair black as pitch.

A crimson dress light as mist.

May I steal a glance?

Haiku inspired by my mother's dream.  She dreamt of an ancestor that her family named "The Goddess."  It is disrespectful to call her by her real name.  In the dream she saw the Goddess sitting by the waters edge on a pier.  She was stirring the water gently with her hand.  My mother peered at her through a pocket mirror.  Her beauty was striking and that's a good thing because, if she likes you she will appear as a young beautiful woman.  If you catch her on a bad day, not so much. 

Truth

Inspired by Truth.

     I have come to realize that people are not good at keeping secrets.  The Buddah said it best:

"Three things cannot long be hidden:

the sun, the moon, and the truth."

The Price

Inspired by love.  

     If you are not willing to give all of your effort, you are not loving properly.  Everyone deserves some level of love.  It is what makes us human.  We all entered the world naked, fragile, and in need of love and care.  Holding back love is not in our nature.  Yes sometimes we love and are hurt in return.  How can we possibly trust someone with this precious gift again?  Love of self is the key.  When you have a strong sense of self, you will no longer need to seek love in others.  You will look for others to share in your abundance.

Storms

Inspired by adversity.  

     My mother is from a tiny chain of coral atolls called Kiribati.  The islands run along the equator and are just a few feet above sea level.  Sometimes storms at sea would wash ashore curious objects and resources that their tiny islands could not provide.  In one such case, a tempest carried large logs of hardwood trees to their shores.  They praised the storm for the blessing and used the wood to build a meeting house.  Life's storms bring us great blessings that we could receive no other way, as long as we can gain the perspective to see it.  

Unforgettable

Inspired by the loss of a loved one who's life was celebrated even in death.