Oh my dear friend

how I wish you were still here

to grace this planet.

Your most fervent desire

was to be in union

with the Divine,

maybe that's why

your sweet soul

flew away so soon.

You embodied so much light, 

your kind words and compassionate sentiments,

your music & poetry

& invitations to stroll,

you were earnest in all endeavors.

Your friendship was...

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Lessons

"I hate my life"

"I love my life"

Why the labels?

Erase the blackboard,

"Just life living itself"

Jump into that!

Why Not?

Lined face like rivers,

etching paths,

how ancient is my journey?

Here today,

one day gone,

born again?

new horizons?

Meanwhile, here & now,

smile, laugh,

cry a little,

it's short term

remember,

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Protective instinct so strong,

want to shield from harm,

always in state of alert,

too much

can lead to collapse.

Remember

all are connected to Life,

let go,

let Life protect.

Love in a peaceful

trust-filled way--

all is safe

all is well

always.

If catastrophe falls,

Life is still there,

Spirit lives--

all is safe

all is well

always.

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I pray her whole

not fragmented

not broken

formed from the word

born from the void 

a child growing

as are we all

I pray her whole

I pray her healed

her healing

her path

slow or fast

I pray her whole

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My legs are strong like tree trunks,

my arms circle wide like a round moon,

my feet and hands carry me far along my tasks,

I nurture & prepare & arrange & clean & color

the world with strength & patience.

I am a mother & a father

& a bearer of creation, 

each day opening new

with sustenance & inspiration,

I am life,

lived one minute at a time,

lived with timelessne...

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"there’s a future I remember

where my children have acres to roam

amongst fruit trees they know by name

we’ll plant herbs & flowers at their roots

a deep bow of reverence 

a cyclical exchange

the pollinators will dance & buzz 

& we’ll soak in their frequencies 

vibrate higher than we knew we could

there’s a spring we’ll fill jugs from

such life giving energy

water ...

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My heart hurts

sometimes

when I think of my loved ones

because I want them to be happy

every second of every day 

or at least most of the time

which is an absolutely ridiculous notion

because everyone knows life is not like that,

life brings sorrow blended with joy,

so I guess I will have to settle with the hope

that joy arrives to lift their days,

& with trust

...

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The old monk

with the flowing brown robes

took a deep breath as he placed his gnarled fingers

on the worn dusty book,

good & evil,

why why why?

The old priestess

with the flowing blue robes

took a deep breath as she pulled the green herbs from the moist soil,

good & evil,

why why why?

The light-filled beings

with their flowing silver translucence

softly touch...

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Every night she climbs

to the roof top & sits,

bare footed,

contemplating the life

unfolding before her.

She wiggles her toes

& watches the twinkling stars.

How is humanity doing this eve?

There are sleeping ones

& crying ones & worried ones

& peaceful ones--

a full garden of experiences.

Everything is growing,

this she sees.

She blows a soft kiss

to re...

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She chuckled as her body crumbled back to its dust,

she chuckled as her breath grew heavy & weak,

she chuckled as she succumbed to the "indignities of old age,"

her legs gave out,

her organs lost capacity,

her heart became erratic,

but her love expanded & expanded & expanded,

lighting up the room,

lighting up our lives,

we sat in her glow

& let go.

Eventually,

m...

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(dedicated to my friend Pam; we had many conversations trying to figure out what this life was all about)

Now that you live

on the other side of life

oh dear dear friend

can you see deeply

into our hearts?

Can you see sorrow buried deep inside the heart of even

the cruelest among us?

Is this how it works?

Are there truly evil intentions

or is evil a mask

for fathom...

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Fear trickles down our neck,

fear of how to survive,

fear of all falling apart,

fear of suffering--

our own,

those we love,

those we don't even know--

fear for the planet,

fear for the future,

fear rises in our bellies,

fear dances in our brains,

& then we remember--

where are we going, ultimately?

Everything changes form, eventually,

so breathe,

fear i...

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Solitude

settles like quiet dust,

resting, echoing.

Companionship

stirs up the air,

buzzing, energizing.

Some people like to be alone,

some people like company,

many people like a little of both.

Creatures squabble,

creatures cuddle,

all living things reach out,

to our own kind,

to non-kindred also,

reaching out

I find you

with my resting & my rising...

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I've gotten old

& let my house go to pot,

you know, entropy & rot,

but, hey,

that's okay,

I'm grateful I have a roof,

I just can't speedily hoof

around anymore,

laughs galore

is my remedy

for aging body,

"laughing all the way,"

just be happy, I say!

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Fill your heart with love

but make it a nourishing love

not a breaking love.

If your heart is breaking,

take a breath 

& smile at it.

Love your own heart first!

Make your own heart whole!

If it is shattered,

glue it back together

with your own strong fingers.

You don't need anyone else

to set the beats

of your heart to joy.

Once your heart is whole,

you...

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You don't need to ride

with the wind

of other people's emotions.

Stay steady within yourself.

Send out love,

send out compassion,

send out caring,

but don't get tangled

in the branches

of other people's trees.

Stay in your own tree.

Let the leaves fall

& mulch into the soil,

don't try to rake up other people's messes.

Be a gardener in your own yard,

sha...

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I want to be a solid-shoed lady

who gets things done,

you know, cleaning & tidying & cooking & decorating.

Instead, I am a lightly-shoed lady

who whiles away the morning writing poetry.

My house is a mess, alas!

It's almost Christmas & my fake tree is still unboxed!

Not a decoration in sight,

not a single present purchased or wrapped.

I guess I am not the lady I want to ...

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The lady in the old old painting

that I inherited from my mother

(who I believe acquired it from some European relative unknown to me)

is walking down a country lane in a little village.

This lady looks old & weary

& I imagine her pace

is steady but slow.

I imagine she is going

about her day,

doing what must be done

(farm tasks, domestic tasks, surely).

She inspire...

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I want to run away with dancing fairies & go on an intriguing adventure,

I want to go to that place where time stands still

& everything happens in one glorious moment,

I want to be free of this flesh that weighs me down

so I can fly high into the sky with the birds

& swim deep into the sea with the fish.

Oh mortal body why do you confine me so?

Oh soul that is my essence when...

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There are multiple ways

of looking at the world,

you can see all the things you dislike

& wish they were different,

you can see all the things you like

& whisper a prayer of thanks,

or you can just look at everything & laugh at it all

because laughter makes the heart light & belly happy.

If you laugh often enough

(usually silently inside with but a wry smile on your face...

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She held my hand

really tight

& wouldn't let go,

this old lady

who I was chatting with

during a break

from a Christmas choir program.

Seated in a chair,

she was dressed elegantly 

in a fluffy coat & flowing skirt.

Her grip on my hand stayed tight

as she looked up at me.

"Would you like to hear something special?"

she asked.

"Sure," I answered.

She conti...

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The day before the dawning,

Spirit did its preparations,

opening hearts,

softening minds.

The day before the dawning,

the Grandmothers said their prayers,

fingering beads,

chanting before altars.

The day of the dawning

arrived crisp & clear,

with a promise of rain,

but not yet.

Before the sky could open up

& cry in relief,

some things needed to g...

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Breathe in anger

Breathe out anger

Breathe in hate

Breathe out hate

Breathe in fear

Breathe out fear

Breathe in surrender

Send out compassion

Breathe in compassion

Send out love

Breathe in love

Breathe out love

Be still & go about the day

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Remembering Spirit

lifts me up

My smile is wider

My feet step lighter

Light breaks through

the dismal thoughts

Yes! to the living

Yes! to the giving

Remembering Spirit

I walk renewed

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Blessed Spirit 

Bring us wisdom

When to speak

When to stay silent

Blessed Spirit

Be with us

The winds are wild

& the seas turbulent

Please send the dove of peace

Please send the hand of love

Fill us with compassion

Fill us with patience

Blessed Spirit

We hear the flutter of wings

& give thanks.

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Sit 

& get empty

I'm telling you

it's as good as scouring a toilet

everything shines

when it is cleaned of all that accumulated debris.

Sit

& get happy

I'm telling you 

it's as easy as a baby's first step

one foot forward

& whoops back on the floor again

but the joy of that first step into the unknown!

Sit

& find peace

I'm telling you

it's as wonderf...

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Worrying, worrying, worrying

about you, are you ok? are you a mess?

Wondering, wondering, wondering

how can I help you?

how can I fix you?

Suddenly

it dawned on me--

I needed to see you as whole.

I needed to stop obsessively thinking about all the broken pieces scattered on the ground.

I needed to, in my mind, glue all the pieces back together,

like a revered vase fro...

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When life gets heavy

invite it in

& let it sit fully in your belly

until it is time to breathe deeply

& release it to the calming ether.

Remember always the breath--

it is a portal to clarity & peace.

With no resistance & no pushing,

the moment for decisive action is revealed,

the moment for quiet contemplation is recognized.

Remember that movement & stillness complem...

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When I was young

I would look at my grandmother & other old people

& wonder,

what is it like to grow so old

that so many people you love

are dead & gone?

Grandma never talked much about this,

although she made a joke

that she was the only one of 11 siblings left,

so surely,

"God must have forgotten me,"

she would say with a chuckle.

Now I am old

& the hand of...

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No worries

No problems

Only joy.

No fears

No regrets

Only peace.

Some people say the human experience requires suffering as the flip side of joy,

while others say suffering can be transformed into joy by a change in perception.

This is an interesting alchemy to explore,

so ladies & gentlemen,

let's set the pot of herbs to simmer on the stove 

& see what we can conc...

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At the end of the day

when silence descends

I am filled with happiness

for no known reason.

At the end of the day

when solitude arrives

I am filled with peace 

for no known reason.

Happiness flutters under my eyelids,

peace infuses my resting body.

My mind is soft as cotton,

the travails of the day vanish into the stars.

At the end of the day

I am a weary tra...

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I don't know how to reach you

my darling

as you suffer & self-destruct

-- & so I turn to prayer.

I can't re-arrange this

I can't soften this

I can't solve this

--& so I turn to prayer.

How do I pray my darling?

Waves & waves of love,

waves & waves of forgiveness,

waves & waves of hope.

Oh may these waves reach you

my darling

& wash over you

with blessin...

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Do you want to meet an angel?

Close your eyes & invite one in, it's that simple.

Sometimes angels fly in on a breeze through an open window,

sometimes they dance under dew drops in an early morning garden,

other times they jump from cloud to puffy cloud & laugh when you look up at them.

But do you see them?

Close your eyes & invite one in,

they are waiting on the wings of your...

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No more rescue mode

No more fix-it mode

Just being present,

Surrendering,

Not in defeat,

But rather--

opening

accepting

hopeful

helpful

With self-love

& other-love

In peaceful balance

I am here

Here is my hand

I am not here

You must let me go

But you are not alone

No my darling

Legions of angels

Await your beckoning.

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Be like water

Soft

Strong

Clear

Moving with the tides

Still lake

Be like water

Rippling

Resting

Welcoming

The child gliding the stone

Concentric skipping circles

No beginning no end

Just flow.

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Pray for wisdom

Pray for patience

When to act

When to wait

Reminder--

All things heal

In their own time

Sometimes it takes years

Sometimes it takes lifetimes

Sometimes--

A brilliant spark

A brilliant moment.

Pray for patience

Pray for wisdom

Divine healing

Divine timing

Divine divine divine.

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I keep my grandmother's rosary

under my pillow

so when bad things happen,

sad phone calls late at night,

sad dreams through the night,

I hold it in my hand 

nestled under the pillow,

safe & warm,

dark black beads

cool to the touch,

Jesus on the cross

suffering,

little silver plate with Mother Mary image,

10 beads five times,

with 3 beads in between,

Fat...

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What is the perfect balance 

between being and doing?

Closing my eyes

looking inside

letting the world settle

around me,

opening my eyes

looking outside

letting the world twirl around me,

the perfect balance,

following the breath,

deeply in,

deeply out,

a gentle smile,

a willingness to change,

sit & rise,

rise & sit,

like night follows day

& da...

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He is 2 years old

& wants to make you laugh,

it is clear

that is his favorite pass time.

He lifts the little plastic tub

holding the crayons 

& dumps the crayons 

willy-nilly on the table

& puts the little tub on his head

& walks around smiling & laughing & looking at all the giants (grown-ups)

as if to say--

why are you talking so much,

let's laugh & laugh,

...

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Rising to start the day,

I enter into a dream-like state,

my mind rides on a cloud,

my feet walk on air,

the light is soft,

the space between my breaths

is the deepest quiet.

Oh to carry this peace with me 

no matter what comes 

is worth all the gold

in the mountains!

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Live in the light

Bathe in the light

Become the light

We come from the stars

We are made up of a matrix of light

Move into the light

Sway with the light

Sit in the light

Gentle eyes

Gentle words

Life can be light

When we live in the light.

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She set me free

when she came to me

& proclaimed:

I am not a victim,

victimized, yes,

she explained,

but the power & force of her soul

transformed all--

healing 

& resurrection

& freedom,

she was not buried

in the ashes of her sorrows,

she was vibrant & whole & luminous beyond description.

I bathed in her light,

wept with joy, 

& rose to slay my own ...

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I have been incarnated in human form

on this planet for 3 score & 7 years,

& finally, finally, 

I am becoming more adept

at shifting.

Shifting one's mood,

shifting one's thoughts,

shifting one's emotions,

shifting one's consciousness,

is a very handy skill indeed.

The more you practice it, 

the easier it gets.

Sadness descends,

change gears--

tune into the...

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Alas, I cannot carry a tune worth beans,

but oh how I love to sing!

If I could sing with oratorical melody,

I would foresake the spoken word altogether

& simply sing all the day long.

Singing stirs up the air!

Singing makes my soul dance!

Truly, singing carries me away to transcendent joy.

Papa once arrived home when I was a teen,

heard me singing loudly while cleaning h...

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I want to be the happiest person on earth.

I want everyone else to be the happiest person on earth too.

Happiness is such an incredible gift.

It is gold wrapped in an old cardboard box,

tied shut with coarse twine,

& pushed under a bed where it gathers dust & is forgotten.

The days roll by,

the years pass,

happiness is lost

amidst all the turmoil & troubles of being aliv...

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Air coming through the window tickling my skin is so delightful,

it is as if the earth is sending me its breath to soothe my weary soul.

I close my eyes in rest & smile at this thing called life,

here I am--

a solitary, temporary being,

cocooned in love.

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Love fully, but don't cling.

When fear of loss strikes at your heart,

turn to the comfort of the eternal soul.

Remember none of this lasts forever--

we all arrive & we all leave.

Embrace with joyful exuberance those you love,

hold them in your heart,

dwell with them in their souls,

in this,

we find peace.

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Smiling, smiling, smiling,

I can't stop smiling.

Why?

Because I am happy.

Frowning, frowning, frowning,

I can't stop frowning.

Why?

Because I am sad.

Back & forth we go,

rowing down the river of life.

How grateful I am to have this little boat that is your sweet,

sweet love.

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Houses are a marvelous invention.

They have windows that open to the outside,

just like eyes,

you can open them to see what's going on.

I like to nap by an open window with the shades drawn.

I invite the world into my quiet space,

all the sounds alight with a soft greeting--

birds squawking & chirping,

cars rolling by,

dogs talking their barks to each other, 

construc...

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If you always want

exactly what is

unfolding before you,

you will live in bliss.

If your desires

match this moment's reality,

you will smile all the day long.

Is this what it is like

to live intentionally

as a happy person?

But what if "what is" is horrible?

Look deeply & ask--

is there something beautiful here?

Viktor Frankl writes of a young woman lying in ...

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