Somewhere the truth is hiding

Somewhere, beneath the tangled mass

Of deception, the truth is hiding.

What will it take for her to reveal herself?

Someone who will listen with an open heart.

Pileated possibilities

Don’t think of it as banging your head against a wall;

think of it as building a better life for our children...

Stay grounded

Tread lightly; stay grounded;

Keep placing one foot before the other;

Stay on the path and trust:

However dark it seems, however scarred,

We will continue to press forward into light.

Bitter Reflections

Current events are sparking painful memories;

Bitter reflections. Anger flames.

I spend my precious meditation time

Visualizing rainbows. It doesn’t help.

An appreciative eye

There’s beauty everywhere if only you’re willing

To look with appreciative eyes...

What we choose to reflect

When we choose to become reflections

Of the beauty that surrounds us,

Nothing — not even the wind —

Will break this glass — at least, not for long.

Return to stillness, and the peace and joy

And beauty return as well.

Mindfulness

Like the flowers, alert and watchful,

we are attuned to every nuance on the wind;

Preparing for the future while still

Blessing the world with graceful presence.

The old ones dream...

Remembering the freedoms of the past

And dreaming of escape ...

Learning to appreciate

Forget about seeking perfection:

There will always be some fly in the ointment;

Something unexpected that you cannot control.

Learning to be flexible; learning to appreciate

Life’s little surprises will prove to be

A far more useful habit...

Don't blame yourself

Some things will thrive where they’re planted

And some things will not.

We don’t blame the tree for her failure;

Or assume it’s a toxic environment.

Some things just weren’t meant to be —

We may never know why.

Imagine...

Imagine a world where we could all agree

On what was true, and what was simply

A reflection of our own selfish desires...

The gift of loneliness

Think of your loneliness as an opportunity

To tenderly cradle and gently reassure

the anxious and vulnerable

Elements of your own soul.

Taking the long view

While we rejoice in the calm of the present

And the beauty of the late summer garden,

Keep us mindful of the storms in the distance

And the clouds that haunt the horizon.

Journey into Wonder

When we open ourselves to the creative process,

Allow it to flow through us and onto

the canvas or page, screen or stage,

We embark on a journey into wonder.

You can become all flame

My garden and I

Are both moving into autumn.

Together we are turning into flame...

Coming storms

Watching the news we fear for all

in the path of the coming storms...

Welcome the rain

Be like the plants, and welcome

Not just the golden caress of sun

But the darkness and the rain as well:

Each brings us gifts to feed and grow the soul.

Let's all stick together

If we all stick together,

we might find it easier

to ride out the storms...

Be mindful of the world beyond your own

Be mindful today of those who shaped

the bricks that line your path;

who picked your cotton, grew your food,

and wove the colors in your rugs,

for they, too, have families, and dreams.

Relentless troubadour

Each item we acquire may mean

something someone else can never own.

How can we ignore the relentless troubadour of acquisition

and maintain a healthy balance 

between haves and the have nots?

Longing for a simpler life

Some days the longing grows acute

for the long-lost pleasures

of a simpler life...

The dahlia's gratitude

My dahlia folds her petals

In a prayer of gratitude

For the long-awaited rain.

What are you grateful for today?

From irritation; sweetness

The humble, thorny, blackberry,

Annually reminding us

That even the most irritating and invasive

Can still bear fruit and bring

Astounding sweetness to our lives...

Cultivating compassion

I know you see the anger, but can you listen

for the fear that lies beneath?

Such listening can give rise

To compassion.

Below the depths

We all of us have our murky depths —

You’re each much deeper than I’ll ever know.

Yet still, below those depths, there lies

The clarity and light that connects us all...

I am the bowl of ocean

I am the bowl of ocean:

Fill me with your song, and let

The waves of harmony spill out

And irrigate the world.

What would you do differently?

What would you do differently today

If you finally understood

That you are bright enough, beautiful enough,

Brave enough, and good enough?

What we choose to remember...

Could we, instead of remembering,

endeavor to forget 

what our differences might be,

and simply... just appreciate what is?

A change in the weather

Somewhere not too far away

The sun is shining, and somewhere

Not too far from there it rains.

Whatever the weather where you are,

Keep trusting that at some point it will change.

Getting to the heart of forgiveness

Try to look beyond the swirl

Of emotional responses

To the bright and vulnerable heart

That lies beneath — and then forgive.