Stuck on the bridge

Stuck on the bridge behind a large truck 

As we wait for a sailboat to pass through, 

I place a phone call to my daughter, 

Discussing the challenges she faces at work 

And rejoice in the beauty of the day. 

Life is good.

Enjoying the fog

For me, fog has always offered an invitation; 

An opportunity to see things anew 

Without the distractions of complexity; 

To appreciate the textures 

 Of elements close at hand 

While enjoying the simplicity 

 Of a world where black and white 

Have merged to gray…

The gift of awakening

I confess I was a little annoyed 

At having awakened so early — 

I’d have loved another hour of sleep — 

But in the summer, in a room full of windows, 

That becomes a bit of a challenge, 

And so I climbed out of bed 

And walked downstairs 

To be greeted by this fabulous sunrise, 

And somehow all my annoyance slipped away…

Preconceived notions

So many of us come into new situations 

Dragging our preconceived notions 

Like sails behind us, 

Ready to catch a prevailing wind 

And take flight at the least provocation — 

Especially when leaders rely on power, 

Rather than sharing the risks experienced 

By their followers…

Recovery

Recovery — from anything: addiction, disease, 

Losses, bad relationships, accidents, surgeries — 

Can be a very long and difficult process, 

And, standing at the beginning, it may appear 

Impossibly daunting — and yet, we persist. 

Despite the pain and the inevitable setbacks, 

We continue that upward climb 

To health, stability, serenity — whatever it is 

We’re seeking to restore — trusting, and praying, 

That our efforts will be rewarded 

And our understanding will be deepened 

By the process.

Assumptions

“Did you realize,” my friend asked,

 After I shot this picture,

 “That that was a real human person?” 

And no; having first glimpsed it from the back, 

I had assumed it was a statue, 

And my only thought was to get a shot 

Of the face, and the hands holding the flowers. 

Why is it we humans so often make assumptions 

 Based on exterior indicators — 

 Skin color, clothing, possessions — 

And fail to detect the very real person beneath?

Determination

Those who are determined to grow 

Will somehow manage to thrive 

Even in the most unlikely places. 

The very fact of their existence 

 Is then an inspiration to us all.