All I saw was glorious clouds
reflected in shades of peach
from the setting sun
shredded banks,
long strips
or little puffs
I had to stop, lift my eyes and
breathe deeply of the soft evening.
Where was even one other child
to share in that magnificent sight?
“We teach children how to measure and how to weigh.
We fail to teach them how to revere, how to ease wonder and awe.”
~ Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, author, lecturer
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| Hummingbird nest on Hornby Island, B.C.' |
You don’t have to move quickly
You need only to rest and
continue to glide as one
No need to beg forgiveness
of memory’s guidelines
Reason only to respect today
for tomorrow has yet to arrive
Remembering that even birds in flight
come to rest in their nests of twigs and feathers.
“Meanwhile the world goes on.”
~ Mary Oliver, Wild Geese
**Inspired by a morning random thought and the poem Wild Geese, by Mary Oliver
They say that charity begins at home. Tonight, home was at Nicky’s Café and Catering at 1005 8th Ave., a popular Regina fixture for over 35 years. A diverse group of friends and family enjoyed meals from choices of Chicken Cordon Bleu, Ribs or Steak. There was a raffle of the donations from local businesses. Thanks to everyone who organized and volunteered for this lovely evening. We ate well and visiting was lively! Funds received will go the Regina Native Outreach Ministry, a local Outreach non-profit organization with the United Church of Canada.
“Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.”
~ Francis of Assisi
How does one live a full life?
The spaces of home can feel empty,
when plans have gone awry,
the fullness flown away,
as deflated as a party balloon
energy sapped.
But joy has only hidden for a moment.
When the quietness of the day
offers a notebook to write upon
a sock monkey to make
a fresh salad to enjoy
a nap to slip into
music to colour the quietness
How does one live a full life?
Grasp what is present
Sense it, lean into it and just relax!
“How we spend our days is of course, how we spend our lives.”
~ Annie Dillard
Every year
when I do not go
to a cenotaph to honour
the soldiers of past wars,
a tiny stab of guilt is in my heart.
yes I would get cold,
yes, my body would ache
yes, a crowd of strangers would be difficult.
And then I think
of the mud soldiers slogged through
of crowded POW camps
of grinding cold of a war in winter,
of wet that seeped into boots,
of military rations, the only food available.
My guilt is dwarfed by gratitude.
Gratitude that I have a choice today.
Choice to stay home, stay warm, stay safe.
“When our perils are past, shall our gratitude sleep?”
~ George Canning, former Foreign Secretary
(1770 - 1827)
Deigning to
say hello,
to nod,
to smile just because.
Because I don’t know you
and you don’t know me.
Wrong this is, for we do know
each other as fellow humans
deserving of kindness.
It may be a day when only
my smile and nod
is the only kindness in a bleak day.
It is a kindness
to say hello,
to smile just because.
“It was sweet and lovely, that smile, perhaps the more so because
it wasn’t complicated by much in the way of thought.”
~ Stephen King, The Green Mile
Elegance of a setting sun
nuanced by grey clouds,
framed by winter branches
may seem a poor relative to
the grand prairie sunsets
flamboyant and full of romance.
But its very elegance caught my breath,
And despite the cold, my gloves came off
as it was worthy of click of my camera
and a short piece of poetry.
“Elegance is not an outer quality, but a part
of the soul that is visible to others.”
~ Paul Coelho, Lyricist
