I've been robbed!  - Yes!

At this time of year, with Thanksgiving still in the air, I've been off on a nostalgia trip -  looking at pictures of my children, grandchildren, family and old friends, and It suddenly dawned on me that they have been robbing my heart, bit by bit.  Actually, they have been offering me fair trade:  tiny pieces of each of their hearts have become indelibly etched into my own, and they are not here for the short-term, but will be staying forever.

We are part of a much larger picture that goes back generations; the little child, that is still in me, remains a part of my parents, siblings, children's and friends' lives forever, and the reverse is also true;

That thought challenges me to fulfill my potential as far as I can - If I'm giving away pieces of my heart, I want to make sure that they are well-polished, and the best that I can offer.

-  so many pieces of so many hearts - how lucky are we!

What  wonder just touched me,

From where did it start,

This déjà vu feeling

That's stirring my heart;

It crept up within me,

It knocked on my door,

And I bid it to enter,

As I'd done times before;

A memory intense,

Danced forth like a child,

Pushed passed the worries,

Then surfaced and smiled;

It played in my mind,

Then too soon it was gone,

A poem unfinished,

A nostalgic sweet song,

But another was waiting,

To visit or stay,

To lift up my heart,

To brighten my day;

From deep in my core,

He reassured me,

"I've got this,

No worries,

 Just leave it with me."

All Is Well In The End!

Grandparents' Day is approaching again - September 8th.  In gratitude and humility, I share a few words, some 'wisdom' that I have realized over the course of my rapid journey of nearly 71 years:

In the end, we are who we are, with all of our unique imperfections, but also with the immense potential that resides within us, waiting to be asked to come forward.  We are largely unknown to ourselves; the face that we see in the mirror each morning hides behind it someone that wants to meet us and be included in our day.  Usually, it gets overlooked or covered up with makeup of various kinds, as we look past its expectant and hopeful gaze, and try to form it into some version of ourselves that we think is expected or will be accepted by the world out there.  When we are lucky enough to receive gifts from our grandchildren, or from anyone,  let us remember that there is still a little child dwelling within each of us, waiting and hoping that his gift will be loved. 

Every Word, Every Action Matters!

I made one mark upon a page,

It grew into a word,

Then others came in twos and threes,

Emerged from unknown station,         

Responding with elation

To the voice that they had heard;

They joined hands in a sentence,

 then a paragraph, a rhyme,

A soliloquy, a story, a 'Once upon a time',

Each mark an inspiration,

Adding to a thought  sublime,

And I their humble servant,

Gave thanks for every line.

Words - when we send them flying into the world on the wings of a smile, how uplifting and encouraging a gift they can be to others!

Nan Is Going Crazy!

I don't always have the answers to our grandchildren's  questions, or the energy to join in their requests of  'Let's play!', but the little child in me is still delighted when I am invited;  It's a beautiful thing to be included in their world, to be looked up to and believed in.   We could all benefit from putting their gift of total acceptance to work, believing in ourselves.   They will pick up on our positive attitude and build on that example of self-confidence, a valuable gift that keeps on giving.

Nan Is Going Crazy!

"Paint my fingers,

Paint my toes,

Wrap me up

In whacky clothes!"

I'm not sure,

You don't suppose

Nan might be going crazy?!

She's on the floor,

She's off the wall,

I hope she knows

That she could fall?

She doesn't act adult at all,

She's certainly not lazy!

Pop was laughing,

Now, he's not,

He's heading for

A safer spot,

Too much energy

She's got,

She's going oopsy-daisy!

He doesn't know

It's just in fun -

Pop is dialling

911!

Hold on  Pop,

Our Nan is back,

Safely on the adult track,

No danger of a heart attack -

Our playmate isn't crazy!