There will be watchers

There will always be watchers, 

Ready to assess the wisdom of your choices.

 It’s good to listen for other possibilities, 

But in the end the wisdom 

 Of the informed heart must prevail.

Peace in the forest

Our souls are fed by the leafy greenness 

Of the forest: such a blessing! 

Let your eyes and hearts feast on the scent 

Of cedars, ferns and moss, 

And may the susurrance of the water 

Bring you peace.

Proximity

As the calla lilies bloom 

Beneath the holly tree, 

Inevitably a gift appears; proximity 

With others, different than ourselves, 

Can often work that way. 

It helps, this being open 

To what the other offers: 

Together we might arrive 

At something new; something totally delightful.

Beach roses

And now they come, the beach roses, 

Bright harbingers of the summer to come, 

Gathering in thick, messy hedges everywhere 

To share their bold pink promises

 Of the warmth to come: like us, 

Each one unique, yet viewed in multiplicity 

 They’re really all the same:

 Rooted in the same earth, 

Craving the same water and light,

 Evolving slowly toward the next phase 

Of their existence; 

 The fruit that will inevitably emerge.

Mutual support

Take a walk in the forest 

And notice, just beneath or beside your feet, 

How the dying stump offers nurture 

And protection to the tiny flowers 

Just beginning to bloom, 

And they in turn draw attention 

To the mossy beauty of her fur.

 When will we learn to see our own lives 

As offerings, in support of one another?

Together we rock

Today I just want to say 

I’m grateful for all the partnerships 

I’ve experienced over the years; 

The friends who’ve nurtured and supported me 

And helped me to a fuller understanding 

Of both my gifts and responsibilities: 

Together we’ve accomplished more 

Than I might ever have dreamed of 

Or been able to bring to fruition on my own. 

Together we rock!

Idealized notions

It might be time to set aside 

Your idealized notions of home and family;

 To appreciate what you do have 

While working toward a brighter future 

Instead of always wishing for more 

And bemoaning present limitations.