Refusing to Fade

Refusing to Fade

She refused to become invisible. Fading into dated wallpaper would be far too easy. Be part of the decor of a previous generation. Let the ‘youngsters’ take over. It was something she had heard her aunts and her mother chatter over. She hadn’t understood it then. When the creep of invisibity wavered around the edges of her awareness, she shivered. Not ready to bow out, she didn’t see any reason why she should. Invisibility had never been a part of her life’s repertoire; reserved and possibly quiet, but never intentionally invisible. Putting her sweater on, the comfy one knitted over many days and evenings, she continued on her way living an active and authentic life.

“The authentic self is the soul made visible.”

~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

Bouncing Back

Stigma

silently invisible with loud voices

thick, spongy walls of judgement

blocking real advances

broken bits swept under the rug 

believability challenged and strained

bouncing back ~ 

    challenged and strained

“Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

A Calling

Addicts

Alcoholics

Recovered ~ a word with high and hurry up expectations  ~ recovered from what?

bad, sometimes criminal, substance induced behaviour?

emotional distortions also substance induced?

Assumption: their fault ~ 

so, ineffectively throw rotten tomatoes and hurl invectives!

a better choice is calling those folks to be accountable ~

when they are ~  and many, many answer the call to accountability ~ they become invisible

brushing by on the street,

reception and greeting in offices and businesses,

giving medical and nursing care

local grocer or butcher.......the list goes on....and on.....and on.......

“It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one’s acts.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Home Feel

Memories of cinnamon toast at bedtime

nutmeg in homemade eggnog at Christmas

dried apricots, pineapple chunks and nuts ~

treats seldom seen or tasted.

porridge thick with oatmeal or flax, drizzled with honey.

Slow baked crunchy and honey sweet granola

browning rich aroma melts into the air.

Home-feel slips invisibly around my heart.

“Smell is important. It reminds a person of all the things

he’s been through; it is a sheath of memories and security.”

~ Tove Jansson, The Summer Book

Recipe for Country Inn Granola at:

chefmichaelsmith.com/recipe/country-inn-granola/

Child's Play ~ 2

Blue water churning, splashing

Elvis Presley pumping rhythm

“Arms up....rotate forward....now rotate back!”

Biceps barely bulging

Exquisite ache demands rest.

Quick dip and shake in time to the music

“Jog in place!”

Balance in water is delicate

Falling over not possible.

Extra paunches light and flappy in the water.

“Now rocking horse...opposite leg and arm....now faster!”

(And I thought rocking horses were child’s play)

Under water, precision is invisible.

“A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.”

~ A.A.Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Penny for your Thoughts?

Ideas flit about or rest atop a fountain

Thoughts bounce from one to next

Emotions ride high, low or just hum a tune

Floating, stirring and restless

Invisible to the eye

Silent to the ear

Walking through the world, private inside worlds are molded by action, word or deed.

“A little kingdom I possess, where thoguht and feelings dwell;

And very hard the task I find of governing it well.”

~ Louisa May Alcott