Back to Front Juxtaposition

She entered the bank ahead of me.

Everything about her seemed too big.

Broad shoulders pinned in 

a red, too tight jacket. 

Stick-straight, short black skirt 

Black pumps supported by 

four inch high, thick square tall heels.

Calves wide, strongly muscled

Blond, coarse, dark-rooted hair ~ 

long, back combed, styled high, 

dry and a bit wind blown.

Without the black pumps, she would be short, stocky and strong. 

She turned briefly to speak quickly to her gentleman companion,

her round, smiling, and softly feminine face 

in juxtaposition to her solid, stern and tailored stature.

She smiled brightly and held her head high ~

A woman animated and strong in herself.

“Creativity is that marvelous capacity to grasp mutually 

distinct realities and draw a spark from their juxtaposition.”

~ Max Ernst

Grief of the Fall

Thick gray clouds rain

thin and steady moisture

onto a land not familiar with dryness.

Late blooming roses and asters, 

gardens thirsting for moisture

have died back slowly.

The grief of fall feels like 

deep fog in the harbour,

claustrophic and blind.

Trees with red-gold leaves brighten

the grayness of street and sky 

offering certainty that all will be well.

A time of rest is upon us.

Move slowly and carefully

through the fog.

The light and warmth of the sun

is merely behind the cloud.

"There is peace and rest and comfort in sorrow."

~ Soren Kierkegaard

"She gathered up her skirts and ran.....

She gathered her skirts and ran lightly down the steps in the Long Branch Saloon, sliding her hand down the polished oak banister. Miss Kitty was waiting for Melanie at the bar. The lovely young girl in the yellow dress had met a young cowboy the night before who promised to take her for a surrey ride through the country-side outside of Dodge City.

Melanie dressed carefully, her only good dress a yellow muslin gown with long sleeves, a full skirt and a high collar. Tiny lace trim ruffled the edges of collar and cuff. But she worried as she got dressed. She was trying to dress like a lady, but had no hat, only her white, lace trimmed gloves. Melanie's quiet sobs were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Miss Kitty. What could she want? But Miss Kitty had come to her rescue. As Miss Kitty had passed the young girl’s door, she had heard muffled sobs and remembered her own young life. 

Melanie had always thought that Miss Kitty looked like such a stern and tough woman, pleasant to customers but so very stern. And here this intimidating woman had gone into her own selection of hats and bonnets just for her. Miss Kitty had given the young woman a miniature yellow top hat with yellow plumes gracing the black satin band. Melanie perched it saucily atop her glossy brunette curls, admiring the effect in the mirror.

As she passed through the saloon, Miss Kitty nodded and winked.  “You young folks have a good afternoon, y’hear? Cook put a picnic basket in the surrey. Your young fella is waitin’ outside.”

On the long wooden verandah of the Long Branch, Melanie gathered up her skirts again. The young cowboy took one white gloved hand in his and helped her from the steps into the surrey. The ‘young folks’ drove off into the countryside for a lovely afternoon.

“Kindness is tenderness.  Kindness is love, but perhaps greater than love.  

Kindness is good will.  Kindness says, I want you to be happy.”

~ Randolph Ray

From Linen Closet to Writing Desk

Such a rapid 44 years!

Almost five decades!

It is really quite amazing.

As a young nurse that came 

from the linen closet

to this writing desk,

stopping along the way

in hospitals and bedsides,

homes and detox facilities,

I have gathered bits and pieces of knowledge 

about the human spirit,

it’s tenacity and fragility.

My own spirit has grown stronger 

passing through the years,

built with the warmth and acceptance shown to me

by passing family, friends and strangers.

When a whispery inner voice assures me 

of some nonexistent failing, 

each of those times, good or bad, tell the truth.

Today, working with young nurses,

watching younger generations of family and friends

just beginning their own amazing journeys,

there is still much room for me to grow and learn,

chasing my own curiosity, with

capability to continue my own amazing trek.

“You can learn new things at any time in your life if 

you’re willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to 

like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you.”

~ Barbara Sher

'Act as if....'

An ordinary day 

at work and home, yet

busy, satisfying and 

coming to a close.

My thoughts have mused 

on these three little words,

used many times if life 

has slipped sideways ~ 

a bit chaotic,

sad or infuriating.....

“Act as if” ~ tailor made for anyone’s inner child, who,

beckoned to come out to play a game of 'let's pretend',

with costumes and a cake,

celebrates whether feeling like it or not

makes smily faces in the mirror or

maybe wears a spooky, growly mask to hide behind.

Using a few little words to get us through the rough spots

can be the glue that keeps each minute ticking along

until there is a song in our hearts once more.

“We have to live today by what truth we can get today 

and be ready tomorrow to call it a falsehood.”

~ William James

Cloud Drift

On this Thankgiving Monday,

thoughts of detachment wander through my mind.

They seem quite unfitting 

when gratitude should be the theme.

Yet like drifts of wayward clouds on a sunny day

detachment calls my attention.

Detachment ~

with passing time

people, places, things that may

have been delightful or sad

given peace or fury,

give way to other people, places and things

Many times, my heartstrings stretched, but never gave way.

Detachment as simple or complex as 

a leaf letting go from a branch

the coupling on train cars separating

a letter slipped through the mailbox slot.

waving good by at a station

children growing up and away.

Ah...but there is benefit to detachment

once the heartstrings stop thrumming so loudly.

Opportunities open to new 

growth

connections

communication

welcome home

achievements

The list can go on ....................

So on this Thanksgiving day ~

My gratitude is for the lesson of detachment ~

expansion of life, career and family.

“In detachment lies the wisdom of uncertainty......”

~ Deepak Chopra

Lessons from Friends

The lesson slipped up by my side,

at first unnoticed, 

when like a faint trill of elfin music,

it struck a chord deep within.

A tiny bit of discomfort niggled -

self doubt readied to take the floor.

Softly the musical voice offered wisdom so tender that

any self doubt gently and kindly 

stepped aside.

Bending once more 
over my Morning Pages, 
pen in hand, 
page open to receive,
the lesson was sketched from the gentle air of quiet wisdom.

“Words mean more than what is set down on paper.

It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.”

~ Maya Angelou