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Saturday, June 30, 2012

In Appreciation.....

A correction:
December 28, 2011 was the first day of my blog
(my first 'In Appreciation' post stated December 31, 2011)

December 28, 2011 - the first day of my blog. 
Today, six months later, is an anniversary of 
beginnings, middles and ends:  
a commitment that I made 
to myself
for myself.  
It has blossomed in so many ways 
and for that I have many to thank. 
My sister Kate continues to inspire me to keep moving forward and find the joy in my own creative endeavors, whatever they may be. 
Her blog site is <movingforwardlookingforthejoy.blogspot.com>
Many of my other family members, past and present, have shown me a myriad of ways to express creativity, and so have taught me how to be practical and creative.

My next thanks is to you, my readers:
my family ~ so disparate geographically that we have few opportunities to know each other
my friends ~ childhood friends, colleagues, friends from places I have lived ~ new and old friends, as well as people that I have not, nor probably will ever meet.
You have each suggested to me, by comments and by accessing my blog, that what I write is heard and appreciated.
Personal confidence has built each day as I take your words into my heart, each day speaking my own authentic truth.

Thank you to my writing group ~ Writer’s Ink.  You have been so patient with me for many years, listening to the next project that began, and then....fell by the wayside.  And in this last six months listening to my blogging adventure.  Many of you follow my blog and for that I am truly grateful.

A huge thank you goes out to my creativity coach, Connie Frey (www.creativitycoaching.ca).
You and I began this journey very serendipitously, and over many weeks, months and years you have patiently coached me in the art of seeing, knowing and developing my own muse. Coming from a focussed and narrow career in hospital and health care, this has been quite a challenge.

Thank you to Carolyn Bateman at (www.carolynbateman.blogspot.ca).  Your editorial wisdom has made me think more analytically about words, their placement and their power to rework, reframe and revise.

Thank you to Dorothy Appleton, a good friend, for the painting of me on this blog site page.  You captured my writer persona in a way that I have been unable to see.  I so enjoy being able to share this portrait with others.

Thank you to Blogspot for providing this venue that allows me to speak what is in my heart 
unravel feeling and emotions 
share activities
journey back, and forward, through my nursing career
discuss my relationship with the disease of epilepsy
all the while sharing my Daily Muse with the world.
Thank you to Facebook for providing a such a wonderful vehicle.

I still have so much to learn about the writing life and it is such an honour to be able to share a part of this life with all of you.  For those of you that I may have missed, I do apologize.  For your contribution to my growth, I thank you.
“I can no other answer make, 
but thanks, and thanks.”
~ William Shakespeare

Friday, June 29, 2012

Cityscapes vs Landscapes

Belief that life has a happy ending may not be true ~
too caught up in the business of the world with all of the shoulds, musts and politically correct poses 
directing our lives from 
tall windowed cliffs 
blocking the sun, 
cooling the water.

But what is this?
They aren't cliffs?
dark pavement flows with cars spewing fumes, 
intensifying the stifling heat of the day. 
iridescent necked, soft gray pigeons 
shit on everything, cooing gently as they do.

Finally, rafting through the city, 
I find tall rock cliffs and cool blue water
and a wonderful variety of twittering birds.
green trees and tall grasses wave
flowers grow in unlikely crevasses.
heat bounces off of rock walls, 
cooled by shadows of trees and rock cliffs.

“We are in danger of making our cities places where business 
goes on but where life, in its real sense, is lost.”
~  Hubert H. Humphrey

Thursday, June 28, 2012

A Dance We Must Dance

I have written about 
life force,
luminescent and good.
I have written about
rage and anger,
destructive and not so good.

How to balance our life force?
How to keep it all good so 
unbalanced emotions
over reasoning minds
do not hold sway?

This dance we all must dance ~
learning swirling steps to joy or sorrow
honoring both sadness and excitement
being brave and courageous but not blind or arrogant
dancing gracefully across bridges between them all
learning from many teachers, young and old, how to
calm and clear hearts and minds.

“It is only when we silence the blaring sounds of our daily existence 
that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals 
to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts.”
 ~ K.T.Jong

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Firestorm - 1


Rage
Bright bursts of long tongued fire roar and burn everything in sight.
Leaving smoking ruins.
Unsavory stench of burning wood.
Smoldering ruins ignored.

Smoke settles
Cool breezes blow in
Stench diluted with
drenching rain onto
face, eyes, hair and clothes
washing the awfulness of the giant burn.

Anger
A bright flash of fire
not from a flame thrower.
Merely a lighter in my hand.
Flicking the hot flame 
quickly on and off, 
my hand grows tired.
The lighter goes in my pocket
Flicking fire flashes 
Unnecessary
Unproductive
Gigantic fire anger dampened
Embers no longer even smoldering.
Ash returning to earth at my feet.
Greenery, bearing beauty and food,
grows silently around me.

The lighter stays quiet,
resting but ready 
to spring into action....
when I need to light the barbeque

Rage
A thing of the past.

“Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who
 angers, for each rage leaves him less than he 
had been before - it takes something from him.”
~ Louis L'Amour

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Life Force ~ #1

Life force burns 
brightly or dimly
in each of us.

Each cell of our bodies glows from within. 

Seen by a very privileged few, it can always be sensed.

With each joy, we allow 
our life forcePoeetry
to shine through

With each sadness
the force of life is darkened

When we seek to heal,
new joys soften even old scars,
stretching our hearts to find 
safety in the warmth of our own light.

“Luminous beings are we,
not this crude matter.”
~ Yoda

Monday, June 25, 2012

Soul Perceptions

The soul shines on what
eyes cannot see
ears cannot hear
minds cannot fathom

Skin prickles
Neck hair stands to attention
Gut churns
Heart beats drum rolls
Bones chill

Gentleness flows in,
whooshing through life as souls pass.

Hands dance with
brushes
pens

Fingers run over
violins
pianos

Soul speaks softly
through 
our skin
our tissues
our very bones 

The air grows still
with wonder.
Hush.
Hear your soul speak.

“The human body is the best 
picture of the human soul “
~ Ludwig Wittgenstein

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Engaging with Life

I began this morning’s muse with thoughts of engaging with life.

Appreciate the moment.
Pay attention to body messages.
Take time for yourself.
Give yourself enough time in the morning to make the day your own first.
(When children and families involved this may be no easy task!)

In conversation
On radio
On television
it is often said that an individual has ‘lost their battle with ______’ 
(fill in the blank with the name of a disease).

This troubles me because Battle brings
images of blood and gore
stories of aggression and stealth.
memories of helplessness in the face of dying and death.
Unpleasant and frightening all.

A couple of hours later, on CBC’s Cross Country Check-up
(Suhanna Meharchand was hosting for Rex Murphy today)
the question was about assisted suicide due to the recent Supreme Court decision in BC.

My thoughts about engaging with life
seemed trivial and insignificant.
However, the more I listened the more I returned to 
my belief that engaging with life
in sickness
in health
when death comes knocking, or sneaking in the back door,
is an important piece of self care so frequently missing.

Will engaging in life by 
healthy diet
healthy relationships
regular exercise
regular sleep patterns
spontaneous, and sometimes outrageous, fun and games
prevent disease?

Engaging with life may not prevent disease,
however learning to live in the moment
teaches how to roll with the bumps in the road
and whatever else might be in the way.

Engaging with life teaches us how to be present ~
to look in the face the pleasant and the unpleasant.
to honour our lives from birth to death.

“Invent your world. Surround yourself with 
people, color, sounds and work that nourish you.”
~ Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy