Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Christmas Tree

Years ago, I started the tradition of giving my children one Christmas tree decorations every year.  A soccer ball, a ballet slipper, coffee mug, pickle, princess, angel each fitting the time and personality of my precious ones lives.  Our tree every year now droops with the weight of 43 kid ornaments, seven years of collecting them before child, plus a few collectibles from our childhood, store bought ones, gifts from others and of course, the ugliest handmade ones we’re too proud of to destroy.  It’s enough to even kill a fake tree.  Nobody puts it in their day planner, but it’s the most beautiful thing how we seem to gather each year to decorate it.  The laughs, the memories, the significance of each ornament, all the while building a unique thing of beauty.  Our lives together hang on those limbs.  It’s a symbol of being a part of something bigger than yourself.  There are no presents wrapped underneath, but the family spirit glows brighter than the star or angel on top. This is when the holiday season begins for me, but in my home it will always be called a Christmas tree..........


Monday, November 28, 2011

Christmas Wishes

May you be blessed with greater joys

Than presents under your tree

May you be energized by big, excited eyes

Of a little girl or boy

May you be surrounded by the love

Of special friends and precious family

 

May you be of good health

Do something kind and worthwhile

Find time to make another smile

Feel good inside about yourself

May you discover money

Is not the true measure of wealth

 

May you follow your heart

Chase after dreams

Today is time to start

Life is shorter than it seems

 

May you find the courage

To stand up for what is right

May you take less than you give

And sleep peacefully at night

Teach your children to love and live

 

May you carry the magic of the season

And sing a happy song

Share it freely with others

Everyday, all year long

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Christmas As We Knew It


The North Pole melted
The elves could not swim
Either could poor Rudolph
He electrocuted them
Search and rescue gave up hope
Recovery unit sent in
Christmas as we knew it
Won’t be the same again

Without the red beacon to guide old Santa’s sleigh
He crashed and burned going the wrong way
The powerful decided scaring children just wasn’t right
Wanted dead or alive
Read the post office sign
Santa, the bearded baby terrorist
Top of the most wanted list
They captured him that Christmas Eve night

Put him in an orange jumpsuit
Confiscated his big bag of loot
Shaved his whiskers to the bone
Locked him up all alone
Those in charge proclaimed, “ We win”
But, Christmas as we knew it
Won’t be the same again

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Simple Christmas Wishes

            The sky no longer warm and clear
Barefoot summer long gone from here
Leaves lay in the lawn
Christmas season must be on

More and more not quite enough 
Bargains hunters addicted to stuff
Turkey bellies jam malls pre-dawn
Christmas another business con

Selfish greed just can’t hide
Walmart riots nationwide
Rest of the world, are they so wrong
Flagrant excess going strong

Time to change the status quo
Fill the world with mistletoe
Cures what ails most everyone
Tranquility wherever hung
That’s my simple Christmas wish
My gift to you, a hug and kiss

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Nothing Don’t Rhyme With Orange


Just ask your Mother
Nothing rhymes with something
But not red and yellow mixed together
People have different pronunciations
After I finish my bowl of porridge
Gonna get my imagination out of storage
My fun way of communication
I’ve been on a writing binge
Pen and paper singe
I always like a challenge
If someone tells you nothing rhymes
With a certain color or fruit
Be on high alert
Look for signs of syringes
Or scars from the mosh pit brute
Don’t let him become a sponge
Let him down gently
There’s no more grunge

Monday, November 14, 2011

Fixing Things


               A couple months ago my car was running rough.  Serves me right, I had neglected normal maintenance due to the minor detail of no income.  So, I clunked it in to the shop.  I trust the mechanics I take it to and they gave it a thorough look over.  Thought they had fixed everything when they discovered a radiator leak and repaired that before I picked it up.
               I’ve taken my dogs to the vet when they’ve been running rough too.  Shoot, you take them in for shots and they inspect their eyes, mouth, teeth, heart, stomach and paws.  Like my mechanic, they treat the whole machine.
               That’s not what happens if you go to the doctor.  They will only want to look at one specific thing per visit.  You have three minutes at $100 per second to discuss one ailment exclusively, get a diagnosis and remedy, which is usually a prescription because they are the legal drug dealers.  And the medicine they dish out has warnings that it will make you feel even more miserable and in some cases kill you.  That is so comforting.  So you go in for an painful ingrown toenail, get an anti-inflammatory prescription, also known as steroids, and a lecture to reduce your sodium intake and definitely don’t smoke or drink.
               I have to ask you what the heck does my salt intake have to do with an ingrown toenail?  And why can I only discuss one ailment when they give advice for other issues?  We treat our vehicles and pets better in this society than human health care.  Another co-pay and clinics suck the insurance companies teat for each ache.
               Learning the hard way how injury claims work in auto accidents too.  Instead of the guilty party’s insurance covering medical bills directly, your insurance pays them and then looks for reimbursement.  Seems to be a racket and huge waste of time and money.  I am starting to understand why premiums are so expensive.  Perhaps there is a benefit for the injured to have representation if there is resistance by the liable carrier, but why not wait until an issue arises?
               Is it any wonder that a few awakened  Americans have participated in the Occupy protests?  The majority just allow the rich to get wealthier and grab whatever scraps they can.  Instead, it should be the minority sitting on the sidelines fearful that their greed has been exposed.
               The time has come to fix some things.  Let’s start treating people at least as well as our cars and pets.  It will go a long way to bring peace in this world.  There will continue to be unrest until greed is replaced with love and compassion.       

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Poem By Portia Nelson

Autobiography in 5 Short Chapters
 
I
I walk down the street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in
I am lost… I’m helpless
It isn’t my fault
It takes forever to find a way out

II
I walk down the same street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I pretend I don’t see it
I fall in again
I can’t believe I am in the same place
But, it isn’t my fault
It still takes a long time to get out

III
I walk down the same street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I see it is there
I still fall in… it’s a habit
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault
I get out immediately

IV
I walk down the same street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I walk around it

V
I walk down another street

Friday, November 11, 2011

Emptiness

With a sociology background, I am an observer of people and social interaction.  As I have aged, it has become acutely apparent that everyone has an emptiness of some kind in their life.  The wealthy might mask it with aesthetics, the poor display it with despair.  The beautiful feel ugly, the kind think they could have given more.  The emotionally starved are famished, the hungry have empty stomachs, the sick want to be fed health.
Everybody seems to be going through life with a void of some kind.  The career girl is jealous of her friend with two babies, the mother envious of her friend’s business success.  The examples are endless if you look at your friends, family and associates.  Every one of them carries around a big load of empty.  Some hide it better than others.  They most likely won’t admit it, but you can see it if you really look.
Like a gazillion others before me, I must conclude that all are lacking love in some aspect of their life.  Some need affection and attention, some need self-esteem boosting, some need clean water and food, some need real medical treatment.  Some need to grow a conscience and others need to discover compassion and understanding for our fellow world citizens.
Emptiness is an lonely, hollow feeling.  We are all meant to live a full life.  Start filling your well with love and inspire others to do the same.  Allow those around you to find their happiness.  Set an example by your actions, not just your words.  Get out there and start filling the emptiness with goodwill.  It will do you and the world some good.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Life

All too often, we take it for granted.  We walk around grousing about somebody or something in this little speck of the universe.  It’s an amazing speck, but miniscule in the big picture of time and space.  Life is our most precious commodity.  Those with compassion live it to the fullest.  They tend to touch the hearts of others and create inspiration.  Selfishly, we struggle to allow them to leave us when the great creator needs them elsewhere.  All we can hold onto is the spirit they leave behind.
That becomes the cherished miracle we caress in our heart.  We all have somebody inside that is a part of us.  We must never forget the love and passion they gave and taught.  Their mission accomplished here, we are obligated to pass on the wisdom and love we learned and received.  It is our duty and tribute to them.

     ~Life~

Why listen, not feel
Why stop instead of go
How does the wind
Know which way to blow

Endless choices
Consequences each
What to leave behind
What to keep

That star attracts
Afraid to reach
Pain or glory
Experience teach



“For what is real but compassion as we move from birth to death.”  Greg Brown

Catastrophe



It might not be a big deal to you and it’s not like I lost a living soul, but I discovered I am losing two soles.  My beloved sandals are disintegrating.  No tears will be shed, but fallen rain soak my arches.  It’s as depressing as the autumn clouds and frosty mornings.  I gave them plenty of vacation time in the summer weather and now they fail me.
Time to open the scary closet with dress shirts and slacks, suits and other ridiculous clothing like long pants.  On the floor in my one-eighth of a closet is a box of footwear on the floor.  Hoping amongst the polished shoes that double as mirrors, the sneakers and other torturous foot prisons, I can find a new friend of sandals.  I hope we’ll hit it off and can travel joyfully down the path ahead.
Going to miss you, old friends.  I am grateful for your service and getting me to this point, but your treads are shot and I need to keep moving on.  There will be no socks at your funeral, I promise.  That drawer most likely has cobwebs in it.  I’ll go barefoot before I surrender to cloth toes.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Thanksgiving

I gave and gave all I could
Thanked everyone like I should
But too many who crossed my path
Turned around and bit my ass
Only turkey I want in my life
Is the kind I can carve with a knife
Pass the cranberries and potatoes
Gravy, green beans and homemade rolls
My oh my, this pumpkin pie
Sure tastes good
Ate too much again
Like I knew I would
A burp, a fluff, an innocent grin