A Birthday Tear

So I was awakened by the first line.
It came over and over and over again.
And so, though exhausted,
I behaved, arose, grabbed my pen
and wrote my Momma a little birthday poem.

IYKYK

A Birthday Tear
by Lyn Marinello
4/30/23

Is there birthday cake in Heaven?
Does the ice cream make you fat?
Are there gifts and bags and boxes?
Do you get to wear a silly, pointed hat?
Do they sing you Happy Birthday?
Are there candles to blow out?
Is there a rousing game of Boggle?
Random keyboards strewn about?
Is the coffee urn eternal?
Is there a great big birthday coffee cup?
Are there bingo cards in the Father's house
with a raucous "Daubers Up!"?
Are the fairways lush and straight?
Do the greens play fast or slow?
As you wander through the golden halls,
can you toss a five dollar "Yo!"?
How's the Scrabble competition?
Are you lost in song and dance?
As you observe another 3-6-5
Is there the remotest little chance ...
That as we light a single candle,
to celebrate your soul another year,
you might bend your Angel wing down close
to dry my falling birthday tear?

Miss you, Momma!
Happy Heavenly Birthday!

Notice ...

Nothing special today
because there will be something
special tomorrow.

See you then .....

What if ...

What if ...
you chose happy?

you focused on self care?

you walked away from chaos?

you just breathed?

you searched for positives?

you found patience?

you sought goodness?

you opted to see beauty?

you committed to kindness?

you favored love?

Beautiful Discovery

No author to notate,
but this really touched me today.
Perhaps it needs
to reach someone else
as well ...

The most

beautiful discovery

true friends can make

is that

they can 

grow separately

without growing apart.

Much love, friends.

An interesting perspective

By GK Chesterton:

One sees

great things

from the valley;

only small things

from the peak.

Things that 

make you go

hmmmmmmm.

Pain

So, I did not come up with this
entirely on my own.
What I found
was a very negative version.

I can't have that, now, can I?

You've got to resurrect

the deep pain that dwells

within you

and give it a place to thrive.

Let it live in writing.

Let it live in music.

Let it live in singing.

Let it live in art.

Let it live in healing.

Let it be devoured

by the purposeful rebuilding

of a brighter, braver,

more beautiful

you.

Monday Mish Mash

With every sunrise,

a new beginning.

Smile

as you greet your day.

Be that kind of soul

that makes everybody
feel like somebody.

Dance

Have seen this several times
and I'm fairly certain
it sums up my life
fairly simply.

And those

who were seen dancing

were thought to be insane

by those

who could not hear

the music.

Fire

Set your life on fire.
Gather those

who spark your embers.

Seek those
who fan your flames.

(not mine - just made it so)

Make Time

Make time

for sunrises,

for chats over coffee,

for quiet appreciate,

for long walks to nowhere,

for petting a dog,

for singing,

for writing,

for reading,

for listening,

for nature,

for hand-holding,

for real, put-you-back-together hugs,

for faith,

for kindness,

for babbling back to toddlers,

for learning,

for sharing,

for dancing,

for praise,

for sitting quietly together,

for laughing,

for travelling,

for wandering,

for hoping,

for praying,

for sunsets,

for each other,

for love.

Fantastic!

A message from Steve Maraboli this morning ...

and it need not just be in the feminine ...
this could be about any single person out there ...

... she doesn't have to choose

between being gentle

or being fierce.

Both exist in nature

and both exist in her.

That's ok.

She'll know

to nourish them both

and when applicable,

use each unapologetically.

That's some good stuff right there.

Dang!

Ch-Angels

Hello friends!
No quips or quotes this morning.

I just had the nudge

to put it out there

that I am loving my Ch-Angels.

My family and friends and strangers

that step in, step up and step out to

make this world a better place

simply by being in it.

There is no manual.

This is not a competition.

There is no trophy.

It is simply one human,

sharing their story

or a kindness,

that aids another human.

THAT is your trophy.

To be of assistance.

To offer a smile

when another has lost theirs.

To be a vent

or a light

or a rock

or a path.

It is undefined and fluid.

You are needed as you are

to be the hero

in someone else's story.

(ooh, that's good ... sounds like a poem in the works ...)

Have a great day!

An RD Monday

Roald Dahl penned this beauty:

He said, 

"And above all,

watch with glittering eyes

the whole world around you,

because the greatest secrets

are always hidden

in the most unlikely place.

Those who 

don't believe in magic

will never find it."

Beautifully out of place

Found this and am thinking
there might be a person or seven
that needs to see this.

They were

beautifully out of place.

Sometimes,

I believe they intended to be,

like the moon

during the day.

Embrace

all of the beautiful things

that make you you.

You are uniquely extraordinary.

Blessings

Blessings.

Life is full of them.
We don't always pay attention.

We are sometimes too busy

or distracted.

But they are there ...

in the laughter of a child,

a random conversation with a friend,

the opportunity to stand with someone

when they are doing something difficult,

the unexpected bliss bombs of

friends who've become family,

a quiet morning,

a sweaty workout,

a hand held while watching tv,

a smile shared,

a lesson learned,

a heart open.

Don't ever try to actually 

count your blessings,

for there are far too many

for numbers to define.

Oh, yes ... this!

Credit to Banksy ...
this:

If you get tired,

learn to rest,

not to quit!

Good Stuff

Took a concept,
embellished it,
and offer you this:

What if,

instead of

trying to solve

your whole life

and whatever issues

you might be facing;

you add just 

one, tiny, good thing.

A shirt, a healthy meal,

a kind word to yourself,

a positive choice,

a fresh, new activity,

a crazy adventure,

a quiet, reflective moment.

One little thing

at a time.

Just let your pile

of good stuff

grow.

Light

Did not write this.
Kinda wish I had.
This goes out to so, so, so many people.

I wish

I could show you,

when you are lonely

or in darkness,

the astonishing light

of your own being.

Go ... shine on.

White Monday

A little simple encouragement
from EB White this Monday morning:

I am 

still encouraged

to go on.

I

wouldn't know

where else to go.

Make it magical.

Make it memorable.

Make it yours.

A thought for the weekend

I did not write this,
but ... of course ...
I embellished!
(It's what I do.)
:-)

Today,

I stay centered

in my heart

and view everything I see

through the eyes of love.

I fill 

my entire being

with divine light and

the purity of His truth.

Therefore ...

I exist

as an influence of happiness

for myself

and everyone I encounter.

For in our journey,

if we are anything but kind,

we need to try again.

Friday Chuckle

Was wandering through some emails today
and came across this gem
that made me laugh
and immediate think of a few good friends.

On a plain white coffee cup

is printed:

What doesn't kill you ...

disappoints me.

:-)

Drink up.

Enjoy your day.

Change

Found this quite profound.
Hope it reaches its target ...

The nature of life

is change,

yet the nature

of human beings

is to resist change.

And how ironic

that the difficult times

we fear might ruin us,

are the very ones

that can break us open

and help us blossom

into who we were meant to be.

Enjoy your day, friend.

Weight

As we age,
a vast majority of us,
struggle to lose the few pounds
that life has intermittently shared with us.

It is a healthy endeavor

to battle this task to be healthier.

There is, however,

also this ...

A lot of

what weighs you down

isn't yours

to carry.

Motherhood

April always brings my own Momma to the forefront of my thoughts.
I celebrate her birth and her halo both.

I strive to use the gifts she blessed me with

to be purposeful and to hopefully make her proud.

I stare, in awe, at my own children,

pondering how in the world I was so blessed ...

not with simplicity or ease,

but with tenacity and determination in both

and yet they manage to be loving, kind, devoted humans.

And now, my daughter, has her own daughter ...

and it is a most precariously delightful hamster wheel to run on.

When I saw this quip,

it truly brought things to a very realistic circle for me.

Hoping it touches someone else out there as well ...

A mother's job is

to teach her children

not to need her

any more.

The hardest part

of that job

is accepting

success.

Ukiyo

Your Monday mantra:

Ukiyo:

(n.) living in the moment;

detached from

the bothers of life.

MOM

Ugh!
Thirteen years ago today ... I held your hand
and led you off to a much, much better place.
I miss you more than you know.


MOM
by Lyn Marinello

From my earliest recollections, MOM meant "master of magic"
A positive energy undenied, a lesson to learn from anything tragic
She'd feed the masses with whatever was near
Pray for a steak and bulls would appear
She taught us that play didn't require joysticks and Xbox
And there's always a choice - no matter the knocks
She mothered us all; and fathered us, too
She thrived on her family, overjoyed as it grew
She instilled many things in each life she did touch
Love of God first; faith's your greatest crutch
Music soothed her soul; a gift she loved and shared
Beholding many talents; blessed beyond compare
She turned molehills in mountains; pocket change to riches
The wit that she possessed; kept us all in stitches
And our laughter made her joyous. Her heart would beam so bright
As long as there was family, she knew Heaven shined its light
Her house was always open to all who needed rest
Every person that she greeted was a potential future guest
Her table always offered an extra chair and plate
Her arms were always open - of this there's no debate.
She encouraged each of us to pursue our wildest dreams,
Never doubted our abilities, instead assisted in our schemes.
And as we grew, so did her pride. Her kids were her whole world
And as each of us married, that pride multiplied; unfurled.
Cally, Billy, Danny, Jimmy, Lynnie, Skipper, Skeeter;
Lisa, Lisa, Colleen, Jamie, Victor, Cara - it just gets sweeter
Now stir in some grandkids, Alli & Nick, Dayna and Joel,
A dash of Sierra, Cheyenna & Robert makes 'em whole
Now Danny, another Robert, Danielle and Michael to boot.
Rebekah then follows and they are all just too cute!
Deanna and Miles are next in the order
Then Ava and Hannah round out the grandkid border!
She cherished each one - as a gift from above;
She did all she was able to shower each one with love.
The thrill of this growth was only surpassed
By Julia, Montana, Roary & Lily; although her Julia passed.
For her endeavors to date, God bared His great grace
She met Alfonso and her heart surely did race
His devotion to her showed through dance and through song.
Their love is eternal; bound by faith; it is strong.
He nursed her through illness. Sang her through pains.
Danced her through triumphs. held her hand through the strains.
She continued her gambling; continued her joys;
Delighted in her girlies and simply thrived upon her boys.
As I sat and held her hand for her final day on earth,
I assured her of her family's love and urged her toward rebirth.
I started with Alfonso and moved on through the crowd
Said that each of us adored her and thanked God for time allowed.
As she took her final breath; although my heart did break,
I knew what would be greeting her when, in Heaven, she did wake.
I think that I can safely say, for family & friends far and near
We're excited that you're finally home, but my God, you are missed here.
Enjoy when Julia sings. Greet your mom and dad with glee
Hug Joanie over bingo. Bask in the company of Thee!
Please know that we will miss you! You've left a trail of joy and love.
Always selfless and forgiving - revel in your days with God above.