Eventide

 

In the quiet of home 

when the busyness of the day 

is put to rest, when only

the faint hum of the freezer 

accompanies Mozart, 

traffic noise is stilled 

and the silent snow awaits 

the moon, calm and peace

surround me like a light shawl

and I smile with contentment.

“It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things 

you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.”

~ Germany Kent

Three Things

Three things I’ve learned today 

that I have known before. 

 

Three things embraced in every day 

that life revolves around.

Comfort comes with softness, with

warmth and a belly filled. 

Curiosity asks forever why? ~

sparks to brighten every day.

Contentment wraps my heart around

to keeps random fears at bay.

Three things embraced in

every day my life revolves around.

Three things I’ve learned today 

that I have known before. 

“May you live every day of your life.”

~ Jonathan Swift

Word Challenge

A relatively easy task ~

Describing slinking sadness, 

gritty grief or eroding envy,

any nasty negative emotions
felt when whirling in an emotional hole with shovels, muck and nasty slime.

Another relatively easy task ~ 

Describing explosive emotions, in their ballooning brilliance, will wave magic wands, set off festive fireworks and play rippling rhythms splashed with chichi colours. 

How does one describe cheer? 

Words for calm contentment

seem so bland, so flat. 

This cherished centre on a rolling continuum

is only felt in whispered wisps and breaths  

with wandering hums and whistles .

“Using words to talk of words is like using a pencil 

to draw a picture of itself, on itself. Impossible. 

Confusing. Frustrating….but there are 

other ways to understanding.”

~ Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind

To Drift and Settle

Like a leaf 

Drifting down and down

Like the fog

Settling into bush and tree

My mood

Drifts and settles quietly

Uplifted by

The easy flow of breath and movement

Like a leaf

That settles to the earth

Like the fog

That lifts up and away

My mood

Settles into contentment

Uplifted by 

The beautiful music of life.

“Embrace the glorious mess that you are,”

~ Elizabeth Gilbert

On a Morning Walk ~ Gardens Work

A garden I passed on a walk.

Slippery slopes

sneak up on you

on a spring warm day

in the afternoon

when silence falls

between cars passing

when quiet contentment

jostles on slippery slopes

with uneasy restlessness.

“When I see a slippery slope, my instinct is to build a terrace.”

~ John McCarthy

Rain or Snow

On this very naturally wet and gray day with the electronic fireplace ‘burning’,

wrapped in sweaters, slippers and blankets

I am warm, cosy and content.

On a very naturally cold and snowy day with the smoky aroma of a ‘real’ fireplace burning,

wrapped in sweaters, slippers and blankets

I was also warm, cosy and content……

Whether here or there,

Today or in a far off yesteryear,

there is great wisdom in keeping to 

winter warmth, cosiness and being content.

“Appreciating what I have is my medicine.”

~ Betty Jamie Chung, Phd., Author of Life Recipes from My Mother

To Name A Law

To be content
when all about you
is argument and dissent
is to be swimming 
against current opinions

To be content
when all about you
is disrespect and ridicule
is to step out of
power struggles 

To be content
when all about you
begs to have disorder and chaos
is to respect a universal law
The Law of Peace and Acceptance

To be content
while standing up for beliefs
can be more unbalancing than chaos
while opinions still differ
yet open the door for compromise.

“Smile, breathe and go slowly.”

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Parsing Carl Sandburg

“The fog comes 
on little cat feet”

Did Carl Sandburg know 
about the spirit of sadness 
present for so many 
at this time of year?

“It sits looking 
over harbour and city 
on silent haunches 
and then moves on.”

Sadness stills and swirls, 
watching glittering lights, 
hearing music silently 
and then gives way 
to contentment, peace and joy.

“Metaphors have a way of holding the most truth in the least space”

~ Orson Scott Card,  Alvin Journeyman

Contentment is........

Sharing a meal with a friend ~

fish and chips in an eclectic restaurant

decor like the inside of an aquarium

Looking out at 

water rippling gently

boats with sails furled

Watching 

our shadows in the water from the pier

children playing in the driftwood

Feeling 

sun warmed breezes

cooling the day.

Wandering in

toy stores with all manner of fun and games

dusty antique book stores with decades of books.

Browsing in

kitchen and herb stores

rock and gem shop

Discussing

contentment vs happiness

which corner to turn next

Wandering the sidewalks

of Sidney by the Sea

on a warm summer day.

“One is content if one can find happiness in simple pleasures.”

 ~  Thomas Malloy