Poetry and Prose by #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of Nature Speaks of Love and Sorrow, Co-Author of #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women, and Jan/Feb 2022 Spillwords Press Author of the Month
Wow, how is it that we are now in mid-April? Phew, not sure, time is moving, well, rather rapidly at the moment. Anyway, the past week was busy for numerous reasons. Yes, lots of work, and writing, and I did get my first vaccination dose last week.Â
More on that in a moment.
Let’s first take a look at two writing reflections, and two new series, shall we? Okay, here we go.
The poem Sprite, was inspired by the WDYS #77 prompt from Keep it Alive, by Sadje. I had a lot of fun with this little poem. Sadje’s prompt reminded me of being at the coast. Many of you know how much I love the beach, or coast, or sea, or shore, or whatever the ocean is called where you live. I grew up near the ocean, and love it much.
As I was reflecting upon the picture, it reminded me about my trip to Yachats a couple of months ago, and an antique store I visited during my trip. The prompt picture looks like something that the little shop would have stocked and sold. From there, it was off and running. One insight after another; and then, the poem was finished. Super fun.
Becoming (2)
The Poem Becoming (2), was inspired by a breakdown I had last Saturday. It was a rather large breakdown, which, as you might surmise I would write, is perfectly okay, even needed and wanted. Why?Â
Because it’s part of the process of being a human being. If we hold our emotions inside all the time, and actively resist them, we are resisting life. However, when we are with our emotions as they come, we are going with the flow of life.
I actually wrote the poem in intervals during the breakdown. Writing is, at times, how I process my emotions. It reminds me I am not alone; never, in fact, alone. None of us are. We are all connected. Always have been, always will be. Lovely.
Alright, some of you already know about one of these new series, Community Gardening, the first post of which was published this morning. As I wrote in the first post, it occurred to me this weekend that I’ll have many more updates from the community garden, which is why a new series made perfect sense.Â
I am excited to continue to update you as we move deeper into Spring, and then Summer.
One of the things I love to do where I currently live, Corvallis, Oregon, is hike. I love hiking, especially during the Spring and Summer. The weather in this part of the US is gorgeous during Spring and Summer. Love it.
It occurred to me that a series on hiking the Willamette Valley, then, made sense. I will travel throughout the valley this spring and summer and hike, reflect, and learn more about areas in the valley I’ve not yet visited. And, we can hike, reflect, and learn together through my trips. Fun.
I’ve not come up with a title yet. If you have ideas, please let me know. I’ve already completed my first hike, which was lovely, and will create the first entry in this new series in a week or two.
Vaccinations
Yep, I got my first vaccination dose, well, two Fridays ago now. It was actually a super simple process. I am grateful to all of the people working and volunteering to make the vaccine more and more accessible. Thank you.
Well, as many of you know, I do yoga everyday. Meditation is a step of yoga, which I’ve now practiced for almost 4 years. There are 8 steps in yoga, and while I have been meditating, or practicing Dhyana for years now, I am not as well practiced at body movement with the breath.
Therefore, my life coach and teacher has put me on a very gentle path to increase the movement and blood flow in and to my upper body. It is important that the practice is gentle, as I have two shoulder injuries, which happened some time ago, yet have been exasperated by the pandemic.
Anyway, the point is that I am finding great relief in the practice; and am excited about the movement returning to my shoulders. Awesome.
On December 3, 2020, I wrote and posted the poem, Becoming, and then about a week ago I wrote another poem, yep, you guessed it, also called Becoming. I’m sure this has happened to you, and it has for me too; yet, this time, I wanted to post the second poem as it is, title and all.
In a way, I think it is perfectly appropriate for this past year. A time of struggle, death, and extreme hardship in so many different ways; and a time of hope, life, and extreme gratitude. I am holding these concepts with you, and the space inbetween, as I present this second poem on becoming.
As I sit and ponder, and also wonder, and, yes, sometimes feel flustered with the emotions coming, all the while I know I’m becoming.
Something different each day, while sitting in the midst of the presence of the thinking and never ending feelings.
It’s hard as the tears come, sometimes it’s a trickle and not a flood. While at other times, the flood would feel like a respite, with the tsunami of tears pouring forth.
Sometimes it’s a song, or a quick flash of a not so distant past. It feels, moves, and pushes the limits of the pain I think is possible to bear, and then just when I think subside is in stride, I break again.
Darkness envelops me, and I bend over the pain pulling me towards the floor, where at times I feel like I’ll learn more.
Just lay there and be, and let the emotions wash over me. One wave and then the next, they pass through, and time becomes something extraordinary.
And, yet, my dear, just like you, they stop coming, all the while there’s still more incoming. I pick myself up, wash my face, and look at the person staring back through the picture of my mirrored life forthcoming.
He wears a smile with swollen eyes, face damp with the salted tears of years of trying. Yet, deep down he knows, while trying is a piece of the whole, it’s in the doing where the scattered fragments become one, as we march towards our continual becoming.
Develop. Inspire. Transform. 