Friday 4 December 2020

 

Christmas In Your Neighbourhood - Christmas Ripples

 

As your eyes rest on the Babe in the manger,

            Turn, and see:

Another baby - sleeping in a stroller;

            A young mother struggling to push the stroller,

A young student, walking beside the mother;

            A gentleman offering a greeting to the mother

And a smile to the baby,

            And to the student, who is now pushing the stroller;

See the elderly lady in the nursing home

            Welcoming the young mother and student,

Who stops the stroller and gently holds the baby up

            To be greeted and touched;

The friends of the elderly lady,

            Now coming over to join in on the scene

With their smiles and warm greetings;

            The caregiver at the home,

Building on those greetings with her own cheerful laugh,

            And offering a chair to the mother, who now rests her handicapped leg;

The homeless man, watching the scene unfold through the window;

            The young social worker handing him a hot cup of cocoa,

Topped with a genuine smile;

            Down the street, a small boy

Gingerly putting a favourite toy into a collection basket

            While his father nods his approval,

His own steps now brighter;

            And now,

Turn your gaze back,

            In reverent awe,

To the Babe in the manger,

            Who is smiling at the gift,

The awakened wonder

            He has shared with you

This Christmas season.

 

Who’s my brother?

Who’s my sister?

Who’s my neighbour, pal and friend?

You’re my brother, sister, pal,

And we’re all neighbours in the end!  

 

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”

             - Charles Dickens              

 

 Merry Christmas and God bless us everyone!

Thursday 5 November 2020

 

My Mother's Coat

As I brought it out, and offered it
To one I did not know,
I felt Mom's essence all around
 As she wisely let me know:
This lovely coat was given me
At a time when I was low,
Now someone else is waiting,
It's time to let it go;
My love that lived within its arms
Was bequeathed to you bit by bit,
Through good and bad, as years went by,
It never lost its fit;
 
I tried to find some hope each day
To add to my coat's lining,
To save within its pockets,
And keep its spirit shining;
Now someone else is shivering,
From the cold, or lack of love,
Loneliness can be very harsh
Despite the warmest glove;
 
There is no need to feel a loss,
Its journey must go on;
The gratitude I felt back then
When Winter winds blew strong,
I pass to you, and use your hands
To share some kindness still;
Some mother will be grateful
For a shelter from the chill;
A coat is only useful
When it's giving warmth away,
So don't regret this letting go,
My love is here to stay.
 
                Thank you Mom

Friday 2 October 2020

 

An Ode To The Whittler

How much wood would a whittler whittle if a whittler could whittle wood?

And why does the whittler whittle even when no one tells him he should?

 

Every creation is a part of God's plan, commissioned by Him; He loves our mistakes as much as our successes, for they show Him that we have answered His call - that we have stepped forward, that we are trying. The Master Whittler has faith in us and is always hopefully waiting  to answer any requests we have for assistance in how to use the tools he has given us.  One of man's basic needs is the need to share - No matter our colour, race, creed, or orientation, we all share a common desire to draw the very best out of whatever creative medium calls to us and to share our efforts. 

God  holds us closely, turns us in His hands, loves us in spite of and because of our flaws, and smiles in wonder at His creation.

 

He took the block of wood in hand,

And sensed its inner seed;

Within the grain, a spirit,

Beckoning to be freed;

 

He closed his eyes and held it still,

And still did the Whittler wait,

For the voice that lay beneath the skin

Of  this wood inanimate;

 

He felt its roughness, and its warmth,

As he slowly made a start;

With hopeful eyes,

He whittled, 'till he

Gently formed its heart;

 

His gaze fell on an error

As he held it to the light,

A mistake, or a suggestion

To re-direct his sight?

 

He bent his frame into the work

As he held it reverently,

Lost track of worry, time, and place,

And let his mind go free;

 

Smoothed at last, and polished,

He turned it in his hand,

Smiled in grateful wonder,

And swept away the sand;

 

The Master watches, and He guides

The hands of everyone,

And we cannot know the outcome,

Until the Whittler's done.

 

Lord, I am not perfect,

But I know that you are not finished with me yet;

When you are, I will be exactly what and where I am supposed to be.

Thursday 17 September 2020

 

 

                Hopefulness

Let me walk today in hopefulness,

And open my gifts with glee,

Let hearty laughter

Tickle my toes,

And wash off the hurt     

Of yesterday's woes.

Setting my spirit free;

 

Let me paint a picture of playfulness,

A visual song of joy;

Let my soul create

A work so bright,

From a hopeful palette

Filled with light,

That fear cannot destroy;

 

Let me greet each day with gratefulness,

For it offers a brand new start;

With my ears attuned

To the wonder of sound,

A smile on my lips

To prepare the ground,

For the words of a hopeful heart;

 

Like the little birds playing o'er fields of grain,

Falling, then touching, and rising again,

Let us offer glad thanks

For the golden expanse,

That beckons us all

To create our own dance,

Not sit on the sidelines of hopefulness.

 

Tuesday 18 August 2020

 

 

    A Song Of Hope

 

Whenever sadness settles in,

nettles in,

meddles in,

The song that I am coaxing

From the recess of my heart,

I give my smile a hefty spin,

A swing, a lift, and then, a grin

Breaks out and like a little bird

Soars into the sunlight, to where its song will start;

 

It tells me there is light out there,

Joy out there,   

Hope out there,

Out past the melancholy -

The lazy spirit's haunt,

I'll free my feet and drop those shoes,

The past is past, the future new,

I still have things to say and do;

Life is so much more;

 

Every moment's promise is

A chance for us,

To build and thus,

To add to God's creation,

The gifts we have to share;

Let our words express our very best,

Thoughtful works of art;

An instrument as yet unstrung,

A song of hope as yet unsung,

Waits to add its colour

To the canvass of the heart.

Wednesday 22 July 2020


Light, Love, and Shadows

'Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.' - Maori proverb

Where do we look when the light is obscured,
And the shadows seem to have broken their bonds,
When we feel that hope is a distant dream,
And the love within
Is drowned in the din
Of our soul crying out 
For a road past our doubt,
Where surely, there must be a happy beyond;

Those shadows fall back when we turn towards the light,
For darkness cannot intrude into love,
Though it looms so large at end of the day,
And though it may try
To foster the lie
That it is much stronger,
That it will last longer;
 Love always chases the darkness away;

To ebb or grow brighter is our choice to make;
As we open the portals of our eyes and smiles,
And send our love flying in 'heartbeams' of light,
Our search comes full circle,
We need look no further,
The prayers of the humble,
Cause darkness to crumble,
We are masters of shadows; they cower in fright.

Thursday 18 June 2020


You know that isolation is getting to you when you start looking at mice as kindred spirits!
As I was meditating my way through some Tai Chi movements this morning, I happened to notice a mousetrap set in the corner of the room, and my mind suddenly headed off on a nostalgia trip.   It took me back to some of my early artistic endeavours; children's pictures that included  some of these wee folk dressed up in quaint costumes; happy little pictures, of happy little creatures, in happy little settings.
In this time of isolation, when our individual personal environments are drastically reduced, when our tactile interaction with those we love is interrupted,  I am reminded that we all share a larger family home:  Nature waits, with its arms wide open, to welcome our long-overdue attention and appreciation, and to give back happiness in return - we need look no further than the small, simple things.

  A Mousey Meditation!

As I sat, meditating,
And searching for light,
An ominous mouse trap
Came into my sight;
Off in a corner,
Of my humble house,
Sitting there, waiting
For some little mouse
To come, uninvited,
And fall for the trap;
I winced as I thought of him
Caught with a snap!

Perhaps that wee creature
Was watching me too,
Waiting nearby,
And seeing right through
My frustrated efforts,
As I tried too hard
To find life's deep meaning;
He'd catch me off guard;
Keeping it simple,
He'd gobble the cheese,
And leave with a 'thank you!'
As bold as you please,
Wishing me luck,
As I seemed to be stuck,
Caught in my own mousetrap! 

  Keep it simple -  gobble the love, leave pride in the trap!

Wednesday 3 June 2020




I Can't Breathe  

With recent fearful events unfolding around the world, and in particular with the focus on systemic racism that was brought to light so vividly and terribly in Minneapolis this past week, I borrowed the phrase spoken by George Floyd as he died;

I Can't Breathe!

Watching cruelty unfold,
The attack on our soul,
The sliding of hope,
Down a dangerous slope,
We are better than that - aren't we?
I felt the suffocation,
I can't breathe!

The bully and bullied,
Two victims collide,
Coloured by two worlds,
While we stand and chide,
Do we consider ourselves a threat to others?
That's where fear does its best work,
I can't breathe!

Feeling fear taking hold,
Tightening its grip,
Waiting for hope
To falter and slip;
In the grip of depression,
I thrashed in the dark;
I can't breathe!

Afraid of our fellow man,
Afraid for our health,
Afraid for what might come,
The loss of our wealth,
When did  we welcome fear,
Ask it to reign,
I asked my inner child, "How did we get here?”
With a heavy sigh, she cried,
I can't breathe!

Then I felt a tug from my memory,
A tiny child in colours bright,
Reaching up to hold my hand,
No sign of anger or of fright,
Just love in all its innocence,
She poured her joy into my soul,
And took my breath away;
I can't breathe!

Monday 27 April 2020

Isolation Blues!

Isolation Blues!

These days, we're all singing the Isolation blues in our own unique ways; some of us are feeling very out of tune and trying hard to reach those positive high notes;  For some of us, we are finding the verses getting annoyingly repetitious!
Please forgive the musical irony - It comes after listening to the many wonderful concerts, at so many levels that are being generously offered by musicians, artists and athletes, both locally and around the world to raise money to help our fellow countrymen during this time of crisis.
All of us want to contribute whatever talents we have, to express our love and thanks to all of the front line workers putting themselves at risk every day, and to help the less fortunate.   Giving back in whatever way we can,  particularly the act of sacrificing closeness with our family and friends, makes us all part of this wonderful 'Team Canada'.   

As I was breathing deeply, and letting go of the stress for awhile, I wrote a simple little poem that expresses a desire for peaceful happy times.  It also encompasses gratitude for the silver lining in all of this down time - a chance to really look and listen to each other, to our children and grandchildren, and to appreciate the really important elements of life.

What if?

What if there was no war to fear,
No hurtful words
To wound the ear,
No vain attempt
To have it all,
No selfish smirks
When others fall;

What if we gathered smiles and flowers,
If loving acts
Were our super powers;
If we rose each day
In gratitude,
Spreading smiles
In happy mood;

If we, like children, saw the world,
One tiny wonder
At a time,
With curiosity
Unfurled,
Each challenge,
But a tree to climb;

What if we saw our work as play,
And laughed,
As little children do;
While giving love
In simple ways,
Needing just to hear,
 "Me too!"

Then, let us lay our troubles down,
And take some time,
Be still awhile,
Take our cue
From little ones,
Paint rainbows,
And share a smile!

Monday 13 April 2020


When we are unable to share our actual hugs with loved ones, then we can send out the essence of our hugs - the warmth that we wish to impart, spiritually.  At the same time, let us be still and feel the love of our heavenly Father as he surrounds us with his healing hugs in the encounters we have with our fellow man and with nature, in petals and on wings.

Petals And Wings

Hugs are extensions,
That warm and impart
An oasis of calm
As they cradle the hearts
Of the family and friends
That they hold in their arms;
They welcome, impart love,
And hold safe from harm;

"If you give me a hug,
The little bird said,
As she looked at the flower
Up over her head;
I'll give you my song
To hold in your heart,
To keep and repeat
While we travel apart."

"My friend, I do wish
That my leaves could hug tight,
I'd hold you so close,
But try as I might,
I can only send love
From my petals of blue,
 I hope that you feel it,
This hug is for you."

When our arms are not able
To reach or to hold,
When distance or circumstance
Stops our hugs cold,
Then, the arms of our spirits
 Can turn into springs,
That carry hugs freely,
On petals and wings.

And God's hug surrounds us
On petals and wings.


We are all feeling helpless right now in varying degrees, and that condition leaves us fear-filled.  Though illness may attack us physically, the mental toll that it takes can infect us and be equally devastating, robbing us of true quality of life;  We are too ready to give ourselves short shrift, not realizing and recognizing the incredible strengths and gifts that lie within each of us; They are ours to direct in healing ways, and when shared selflessly and generously, our simple positive actions and sacrifices combined can grow into a powerful force indeed!    When the waves of anxiety buffet our little boats, then let's take courage as we head into the wind, with our prayers manning the oars, hope as our sail, and the love of family of friends as our companions, helping to pull us onwards towards the light that will surely shine again.

The Light Will Shine Again

The clouds will part
And the sun will shine,
We'll lift our voices
In song sublime,
A healing breeze
Will dry our tears,
A loving God
Will calm our fears,
And we'll come out stronger
On the other side;

We'll gift each other
With grateful smiles
For the parts we played
To ease the trials
Of friends and  neighbours,
Those in need,
Each sacrifice
A precious seed;
And we'll come out kinder
On the other side;

We will dance once more,
Hold each other tight,
And we'll  walk once more
Our steps in light,
The earth will sigh
And begin to heal
As we give our thanks
With grateful zeal;
And we'll come out wiser
On the other side.

Saturday 4 April 2020


 A Calm In The Storm

There is a calm before each storm,
Or so we've come to think,
And isn't it an awful shame
We let our spirits sink;

Before our souls have time to rest,
To  bask awhile in gentleness,
Thoughts break in of what might come,
When soft turns harsh, when calm is done;

Why waste the balm of healing scents
And healing sounds, when worries stop;
Why let unquiet walk with us,
And wait for some great shoe to drop;

Let's wrap our arms around it tight,
Embrace the calm - soak in its light,
Bid our hearts to see the good,
And shout our thanks, for well we should;

Enjoy this day - this time we've got,
For night may come, or it may not;
Let calm surround us every day,
And when despair gets in our way,
Then tiny acts of love perform,
And be the calm that quells the storm.


We are all feeling helpless right now in varying degrees, and that condition leaves us fear-filled.  Though illness may attack us physically, the mental toll that it takes can infect us and be equally devastating, robbing us of true quality of life;  We are too ready to give ourselves short shrift, not realizing and recognizing the incredible strengths and gifts that lie within each of us; They are ours to direct in healing ways, and when shared selflessly and generously, our simple positive actions and sacrifices combined can grow into a powerful force indeed!    When the waves of anxiety buffet our little boats, then let's take courage as we head into the wind, with our prayers manning the oars, hope as our sail, and the love of family of friends as our companions, helping to pull us onwards towards the light that will surely shine again.
The Light Will Shine Again

The clouds will part
And the sun will shine,
We'll lift our voices
In song sublime,
A healing breeze
Will dry our tears,
A loving God
Will calm our fears,
And we'll come out stronger
On the other side;

We'll gift each other
With grateful smiles
For the parts we played
To ease the trials
Of friends and  neighbours,
Those in need,
Each sacrifice
A precious seed;
And we'll come out kinder
On the other side;

We will dance once more,
Hold each other tight,
And we'll  walk once more
Our steps in light,
The earth will sigh
And begin to heal
As we give our thanks
With grateful zeal;
And we'll come out wiser
On the other side.

Monday 9 March 2020


You can't think of St. Patrick's Day without thinking of wonderful Irish music!   I want to pay tribute and thank all of the musicians, singers, and song-writers who have left us such a wonderful legacy of song and dance, and to all of those still writing and keeping those musical spirits alive and laughing for us.
Some of my favourite musical memories were the many times over the years we were entertained by  Mervin Kelly and his friends in the Celts group, and by my Uncle Jimmy and my father who would entertain us at family events, at the Metcalfe Farmers' Market,  and would occasionally sit in with Mervin's group.  For all of you musical Irish spirits out there:

Paddy Smiled

Old Paddy made a sorry sight,
His clothes had had their day,
But, he brought the fiddle to his chin,
And Oh, could Paddy play!

The bow, it jumped and danced along,
The notes freed from their staff,
And as others clapped and sang along,
Oh, did Paddy laugh!

His laughter took him back again,
To life in County Clare,
To friends around the table,
To family over there;

He turned those memories into song,
A tear plucked every string,
Then, all went quiet in that room,
For oh, could Paddy sing!

Then up he hopped
From where he sat,
And stepped out toe and heel,
Folks jumped up to join right in,         
As Paddy played a reel;

The room was filled with gaiety,
Hearts lifted for awhile,
Strangers now became his friends,
And oh, did Paddy smile!

Every sharing touches a life,
A hard times smile shines the furthest!

Sunday 2 February 2020

Finding The Light


Finding The Light
This January has certainly lived up to its reputation of being the gloomiest month of the year, and that gloom is reflected in the faces and posture of so many of us.  It is very hard to pull out our own personal light, that sunshine that is so badly needed in these days of dark forecasts, seemingly everywhere.
  Perhaps we need to look for sources of 'lightness' that may not be as obvious as the sun;  Laughter is one light that is very powerful, although it may take awhile to find the light switch, the titter toggle, the humour handle!   It is  always there, in the ordinary things around us.  We are most likely to find it if we  search  first  within ourselves;  in our own activities, habits, pet peeves, vanity, material possessions;  Comedians get the most laughs when they point out our foibles and fears, and their own,  for it is then that we breathe a relieved sigh, acknowledging  that we are all in the same boat, and that we all take ourselves way too seriously.
 While searching for the laughter switch, we can prime our light with a multitude of smiles; perhaps the brightest light source is to be found in the eyes of those we share our smiles with.   In the end, we are all unique yet the same underneath, human,  and it is very healing to laugh at ourselves.   On our lives' journey, let us check within and make sure we're trimming our  light so that it will shine out for those who are having trouble finding the lighthouse:
The Goal Is The Journey
I searched for a lighthouse,
A home for a light
That would shine out for others,
A guide through the night;
Through the darkness that grips us
When we lose our way,
When we feel we're alone,
When our faith's gone away,
And we ponder and wonder,
Is that all there is?

My own bit of light
That I tended each day,
 I hoped would grow larger
Would light others' way,
But the small gifts I shared,
Seem so little and poor;
In the time I was given,
I wish I'd shone more,
And I hope and I trust
That that's not all there is;

Drawing nearer the lighthouse,
When that beam is in sight,
We reach our hand out
To the source of the light,
And there we find grace,
In all of its glory,
A path through the doubt,
To a wondrous new story;

The goal is the journey,
And we'll be alright,
If we trust in that lighthouse,
Where love beams its light.

Friday 10 January 2020


Don't Worry - Be Happy This New Year!
.   "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing."    Thank you for your wise words, Mother Theresa.
This year is starting off with an air of impending doom on so many fronts, with the heaviest clouds darkening  the environment and world peace.   Some Happy New Year- right?  It is a difficult task lifting those heavy blankets and checking on the beauty that is still there, huddling underneath.  But it is there in so many forms.   Every day we are given the opportunity to contribute more beauty, more positives, more smiles to life's balance sheet.   Let us light up the darkness with a barrage of  kind acts, big and small - I know that so many of you already are.  I do not pretend to understand all of the complicated causes of depression; what I do know personally is that each time I decide to make a plan to help another, to turn my focus on another,  my happiness ratchets up many notches.  Therefore, my New Year's resolution will be to increase my awareness of others' needs, and to step out of my self-absorption more often.  I will invest in moments of prayerful silence and step often  into my "Happy Place" to restore my spirit and my kindness quotient;

My Happy Place - A Meditation

There is great peace in solitude,  
While walking in a peaceful wood,
But walking through a stressful day,
With problems blocking every way,
I need to find a happy place,
A memory room,  a welcome space,
A glistening, calming ocean shore,
An oasis deep within my core.
Breathing deeply, in I walk,
Letting go of time and talk;
At times it's hard to struggle through,
When answers are obscured from view;
Yet, in that silence, I'm aware
That someone's always waiting there,
A grandma's hug,
 A friendly tug
From one who says, with humble grace,
"Welcome to
Your happy place."