Bright Spot

She sat. Her elbows rested on the table. She stared out the window hoping she would find the answer out in the sky, in the trees, some piece of inspiration that was avoiding her gaze. Her children, still toddlers, were just waking from their naps. Good. A distraction. They’ll be hungry and I’ll fix them a lunch. Her inspiration was really those precious little ones. Right now they were clean, but after a PB&J sandwich, their sticky fingers made her happy. That was always the bright spot in her day - feeding her little ones, washing them up after and getting big smoochy kisses from them. Oh yes, it was always a repeat performance, but when topped with those soft toddler hugs, she was happy to do it all again. And that toddler brightness would never dim, but her heart would carry it even as she watched them grow. Letting go would not be easy, but their lives would be theirs to shape.

“When I approach a child, he inspires me in two sentiments ~

tenderness for what he is and respect for what he may become.”

~ Louis Pasteur

A Muse at Rest

There has been little progress 

the last day or so. I’ve been 

occupied with a birthday. Mine. 

I suppose that sounds rather 

arrogant, but it’s true. Writing 

anything about epilepsy and 

my project has been set aside 

for the most part. So I’m quite 

uninspired tonight. My feet are 

up, my cat sleeps beside me 

and I’m letting my muse 

take a break. Shovelling snow 

did come to mind. It just keeps 

falling and falling from hovering 

grey clouds. A ray of sunshine 

now and then. However, snow 

is as patient as housework. The 

difference is that can snow melt. 

Inspiration is as patient. 

As my muse rests, so am I. 

“When you rest, you catch your breath, and it holds you up like water wings.”

~ Anne Lamott

Housework vs Inspiration

Inspiration ~ 

caught in clumps of cat hair, 

gobbled up by dust bunnies, 

vanished into the vacuum cleaner

scrubbed clean with the laundry, 

swept up with dust on the patio

dumped in the dumpster with the garbage

Inspiration ~ 

polished, 

shining 

but too scared to move!

(til the whirlwind dies down)

“Housework is work directly opposed to 

the possibility of human self-actualization.”

~ Ann Oakley

The Oscars

Full of glitz, glamour, amazing 

(and some not so amazing) 

gowns and golden statues!

For the hard work of acting 

for the work of writers, special effects designers, film editors, sound engineers, costume designers, makeup and so very many more ~

The people who put all of the ideas together from beginning to end. 

Each job takes focus, inspiration, and commitment ~ so we can be entertained.

“Success is best when it’s shared.”

~ Howard Schultz

Brief

Short on words

Brilliance? Gone

Inspiration? Insipid

Done

“Be sincere, Be brief, Be seated.”

~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Like a Butterfly

Inspiration strikes

No ~ that’s not quite right.

Inspiration is sneaky.

Stirring around in the back of my brain

Rising more slowly than molasses in January!

Then ~

In the shower! 

Words flow crystal clear, fully formed and beautiful

Disappearing as soon as the tap is turned off

Somehow magically connected to the flow of water.

But I’ve been practicing….

For years!

Saying the beauty out loud

Repeating, repeating, repeating

Until pen in hand, a half hour later……

the exquisite words have vanished! Saving  

one word, two disconnected words ~

the flow, the music, the rhythm

Gone.

But not today!

I reached out and caught a phrase

Carried it loosely until

hours later, pen in hand, it has been written.

Brilliant pages of words yet to be transcribed.

Yet to be read to see just how brilliant they may be.

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit 

the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

~ Maya Angelou

Intention Is

The theme for this month is Intention -

Not a big word

Not a small word

Not even a hard to pronounce word

yet a struggle nonetheless.

Sits in front of me 

~ solid as a rock

never wishing to go anywhere 

actually unable to even wish

not even waiting - just sitting.

Maybe, intention is more 

like these rabbits

~ huddled on the cold snow

trying to find the warmth of the sun

ears up, listening for any hint of danger.

Or maybe, intention is

a wanting inside of me to let my inner child

come out to play

to create just for fun,

to write about my passions.

Like the rock

I need to pick it up,

keep it close

a reminder that it is time

~ time to play ~ right in the middle of things.

(I'll leave the rabbits alone - they're too skittish)

“Name your intention.”

~ Patti Digh, What I Wish for You:

Simple Wisdom for a Happy Life

A Magical Life

"Origins" - (completely edible)
First prize 2019 Gingerbread Showcase
for Habitat Humanity

Inspiration is caught up in 

the branches of Christmas trees,

the music of carols and song,

snowmen ~ or sandcastles.

Inspiration comes from 

a child’s imagination,

an adolescent’s hopes and dreams,

an adult's memories  ~ loosed from pragmatism.

We all have decorated our worlds

whether with tinsel and sleighbells, re-birthed old ~ even ancient ~ toys put away as childish, or the varied and various trappings of our lived-in lives.

Inspiration may be caught up 

in all those things but once we each put

  a bauble on a tree

    draw a picture of the life we’d like

      or position that Christmas tree just so

our ideas and desires take on 

a magical life of their own

birthed from our choices.

To live within those choices is 

  the true inspiration and an exciting challenge.

    With tending and care we will find a way 

      to see inspiration as a twinkle not an entire light show.

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting 

for our senses to grow sharper.”

~ W.B.Yeats

Tricycles, Area Rugs and Snow Angels

Inspired by falling from my tricycle

when the bumpy wooden sidewalk 

tripped my tricycle ~ I got up, 

stamped my feet and 

tried once more to ride.

Inspired by falling into soft snow 

I spread my arms back and forth

making the angel wings of childhood ~

in my mind I sketched a picture 

of what memory tells me is true.

Inspired by falling leaves that carpet 

the city like mismanaged, crisp, red/orange area rugs ~ I am careful to not run and jump in them as I did when I was a child, never knowing if squishy or sharp things hide quietly beneath. 

Inspired by falling stars, I look 

to the heavens because I want 

to see star dust and magic in 

the velvety blackness full 

of new worlds to live in and on.

Inspired by falling into the colourful

trap of area rugs ~ rectangular, square, round or oval ~ 

scattered here and there with edges 

that reach up to grab my toes 

and pull me crashing to the floor, 

I decided, instead, to decorate beneath 

the rocking chair in my bedroom.

Inspired by falling I see wonders 

of our world that can only 

be recognized when the world

greets me without warning,

showing me that I have learned to

 twirl on my toes

  pick myself up

   try again

    imagine the impossible.

“We learn from failure, not from success!”

~ Bram Stoker, Dracula

Entering a Time Warp

Taking my time…..

Inspired by falling………

“Mastering moments in step……..

Estimating time and distance…..

“Old and new make the warp and woof of every moment. 

There is no thread that is not a twist of these two strands.,”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Inspired Writing ~ 2

Inspiration evolves 

when I slow down and think

when I search for a synonym.

when a sound becomes clear

when just right words pop up.

Inspiration evolves from 

my experiences

my preferences

my abilities and

gradual development.

Inspiration evolves like a balloon filling with air

so that it floats above the surface of the earth to be seen,

felt, and touched until it goes higher 

than I can reach but floats away 

and all I remember is 

its beauty but not the words

Inspiration evolves and revolves

but does not devolve and peter out 

into a colourless nothingness that

makes no sense, or sound, 

but paints my heart’s wishes 

in pastel shades or brilliant hues.

Inspiration evolves when

I put my back into 

an idea or a plan and

with elbow grease and

writer’s cramp I develop

a plan, an idea and have a project

that projects my self into the world.

Inspiration evolves in 

one more piece of writing, 

one more mark on the page

some that I crumple up

and toss into the trash,

others released into the sky.

“Do one thing everyday that scares you.”

~ Eleanor Roosevelt