I sat and I thunk
As my muscles went, clunk!

Though my gluteus is maximus,
The rest of me is laximus;
My abs and pecs have rested
Way too long as you can see;
Some muscles I am glad to meet—
Their workouts are a two-way street;
The more I laugh, the more I feel a lift
Inside of me;
A well-toned laugh can lift its weight
                   A hundred happy ways;                      ,
I'll work those muscles every day
To help me cast the blues away,
And lighten up my days;

Yes, I must admit
That I'm not as fit
As the girl I used to be;
While I might regret,
I mustn't let
Those thoughts get the best of me;
The best of me is yet to be—
So my hopeful spirit shouts,
For the part of me
That's the heart of me,
Still grows from the inside out!

 

From Dark to Light

There's something about the darkness
That pushes my happy down;
There's something about the lack of light
That makes my spirit frown;
 
Why can't I call forth happy dreams
When I'm in the throes of night?
When everything seems so hopeless
And my breath is locked up tight; 

There's something about the early hours
Between the dark and light
When I wake to possibilities
And readjust my sight;
 
There's something about the morning
That lifts me up again,
And promises light and laughter
If I choose to let it in;
  

There's something about the song of a bird
In that early morning light,
Or the voice of a friend who calls to say,
'You're loved; it will be alright';
 
Those voices of encouragement
Like rainbows after rain,
Have power to lighten up my dark,
and lift my happy up again.

 

and lift my happy up again.

 

If Memory Serves Me
 
If memory serves me,
How lucky I'll be,
If that wonderful waiter
Brings laughter  to me;
I don't mind repeats,
Let me taste them again;
The heart warming moments,
The faces of friends;
When he comes to the table
Of my grateful mind,
Tactfully leaving
Sad choices behind,
My heart will make sure
That I've gratefully left
A tip for the server,
A nod to the Chef,
And a take-away box
For the smiles that are left–
Yes, I'll have to admit
That the banquet was great,
The service outstanding,
Even though I still wait
For my cell phone and keys
To appear on my plate!
 

Some interesting facts that I gleaned from our friend, Google:

- Doodling can provide a respite from the things that are stressing you. Letting your mind wander through doodling is a way to break negative thought patterns, and getting creative is believed to calm the part of the brain linked to anxiety.

- doodling is an effective means of remembering information, stirring up new ideas and focusing a frazzled mind. 

- doodling helps in alerting your mind and helps in improving focus & concentration.

- Doodling, or drawing simple images, can have numerous benefits for those with ADHD, including: Improved focus.

And I thought I was just having fun! 

What's a Doodle!
 
I drew a tiny circle
As I waited for my brain
To shift from neutral into gear
And turn back on again;
My doodle kept on growing,
One circle at a time,
And I let it lead me further
down its happy doodle line;
It was really looking fine!
 
I put a little music on
And let it have its say,
As off I went in sweet content,
A-doodling all the way;
It didn't matter where my pen
Decided it would go,
I switched from forward to reverse
And wandered to and fro;
I just let it flow;
 
How wondrous was my doodle,
These lines that stretched my smile;
Just one more circle,
 then I'll stop,
Or maybe pause awhile;
Lost in time, I'll let my heart
Relax in peace replenished;
With such a wondrous dose of joy,
My stress has been diminished—
And, like the paths our lives take,
A doodle's never truly finished!

 

I wrote the following poem for my mother-in-law Joan on the occasion of her 90th birthday, six years ago; she has now passed on but her memory will remain with us as will the gifts of wisdom, and her wish for our family ties to be kept strong.

For Joan:
 
The love of a child
For the mother who holds
Him from infancy to adulthood
Is a bond like no other;
A daughter-in-law
Has a whole lot to learn
About  this woman
Who enters her life:
His mother;
 
To understand her essence,
Her own brand of love,
Her struggles and wisdom;
Her words: 'A life is not worth living,
If you aren't giving,''
Ring true within me;
We are alike, yet unique,
Two comrades in four arms,
Growing in deep respect
For each other;
Our family
Stronger
 From the joining of
These two mothers' hearts.

 

Christmas is within each of us;

it's message of hope is built, kind drop by kind drop.

The Dove's Song

A little dove came
To my window today,
Her tiny eyes blinking
The snowflakes away,
She called to my inner child,
"Come out and play!
Christmas is coming,
Just look and see
The sparkles that God put
On my Christmas tree!"
 
The sun in the trees,
gave life to the snow,
It danced and it glittered
on each branch and bough;
As the happy dove flew
Through the wonderland there,
She offered her song,
And bright wisdom to share:
'Coorage!' she sang,
With all of her might,
The drops of your kindness
Shed a most precious light;
 
Let your heart heed the cry,
Of the dove hovering near:
Charge the air with your smiles,
Cast away useless fear;
Let the light of your laughter
Pierce through the gray;
Fill the world with your sparkle,
Let your inner child play
As you gaze with fresh eyes
Through God's window today.

                                           

Though Nature's most spectacular colours may be fading, her more subtle colours are right before our eyes, waiting to be recognized for their own beauty; I wrote this little poem in appreciation of hidden beauty.  November is the quiet month; that of reflection, remembrance, and gratitude.

November Song
 
The beautiful colours,
That climbed over fences,
Feeding our spirits
And filling our senses,
Are tenderly tucked in,
Beneath Nature's blanket,
Laid down to rest,
In Earth's trundle bed;
 
Our souls and our eyes,
Being now richly sated,
With warm happy colours,
That from earth emanated,
Seeds for the winter's
Dark days that may come;
When gray skies insist
'There's no beauty to see,'
It's then that I'll pull out
The colours in me;
 
The warmth from my hands,
The light from my smiles,
Warm colours of kindness
Antidote for our trials,
There's no greater beauty
Than those gifts when shared
With neighbours and strangers,
So glad that we cared
To help them to sing out
November's sweet song.