It All Began in Brooklyn

I wrote a welcome poem for Deanna and Nicholas.
Obviously, I had to do the same for Miles and Kelly.

This was read at the Welcome Party.

Enjoy!

 

 

It All Began in Brooklyn

by Lyn Marinello

 

It all began in Brooklyn

In sweet little Sandy Springs

Each focused in different directions

What happened was ‘one of those things’

She declined his many advances

He persisted. Would not take her ‘no’

She was knee deep in her school work

He was busy in the studio

They found commonality

Upon the football field

His charm was just too much for her

And finally, she did yield

The Seminoles in Tally

The Alabama Crimson Tide

The Falcons at Mercedes

A house full of all sports pride

They moved from Georgia to Dunedin

So she could test the waters with The Rays

Cheer the Bucs and Lightning

During sandy, sun-filled days

Back to the ATL

To old haunts and stomping grounds

To the year of travelling nuptials

The sheer mileage simply astounds

Miles in the office

Kelly searching for a place to be

Uprooting once again

To build a life in OKC

Another wedding out in Tuscany

Best Man/Officiant all in one day

Kelly came home – as she says –

Sunburnt and with a fiancé

The road may have been long and bumpy

But I lovingly digress

You two: Intertwined yet independent

Are two souls destined to coalesce

Purpose

Hey there, friends!
This will be my last post for a week.

I am going off grid for a smidge

to immerse myself in all of my favorite things.

I leave you with this ...

Perhaps our purpose

here on earth

isn't a grand accomplishment,

but a small kindness,

that we don't think much of,

that changes the life

of another.

If you cannot find the peace

you seek in the world ...

let it begin with you.

Not the Uszh

Not my typical or usual sort of post,
but it seemed like ...
maybe we needed this:

Come to me,

all you who are

weary and burdened,

and I

will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

More

Today, and every day,
we could use a little more ...

Have more respect for life - 

your own and others.

Have more hope for yourself -

you are capable of great things.

Have more positive thoughts -

they create a better living space.

Have more beautiful conversations -

ask questions, listen, learn.

Have more gratitude - 

there is so much to be thankful for.

Always search for more ...

Measures

A sweet little Friday notion ...

Never measure your life

by possessions.

Measure it instead

by the hearts you've touched,

the smiles you've created,

and the love you've shared.

Hoping you need

the world's largest tape measure.

Enjoy your Friday 

and your weekend.

YOU

YOU
are beautiful!

You are

one of the reasons

this world is so

unique and amazing.

Be your true

and incredible self

and add all that you are

to those around you.

You are necessary.

You are needed.

You are loved.

You matter.

Found a little quote and Lynified it.

Hoping it puts a little icing

on your Thankful Thursday.

I am thankful for you.

Twofer

Both of these kind of spoke to me today,
so I thought I'd share ...

Every day

is a "thank you, God"

kind of day.

If you can't sleep,

don't count sheep;

talk to the Shepherd.

Have a most magnificent day.

Heart

Not sure where this came from or why,
but I'm learning to listen ...

Heart
by Lyn Marinello – 9/11/25

The heart is quite extraordinary
Performing its many tasks
Pumping our body’s core fuel
To do all of which we ask
It races at certain firsts
Dates and jobs and kissing
It feels as if its breaking
When denied what it is missing
It is crushed in defining moments
When pain seems paralyzing
It skips a beat and stutters
When things emerge surprising
After lies and misconceptions
Betrayal makes it shatter
And it may seem unimportant
When things don’t really matter
It shrinks when it’s been beaten
Swells with strength and pride
Splinters with confusion
Crumbles when we’ve cried
It hides when it’s been hurt
It is bared when speaking truth
It thuds with trepidation
When your actions are uncouth
It seems about to burst
When we learn we will conceive
And it’s near to ragged rubble
When worn upon our sleeve
It is salvaged with your faith
As you overcome your grief
Puttied and patched with prayers
And bandaged by your belief
It fights to continue to beat
Through all this it will persist
This magnificent creation
The size of just your fist.

FHL

This did not provide anyone to credit ...

With every rising sun

we are given a new chance

to paint the canvas of our lives

with Faith and Hope and Love.

Paint with broad strokes, my friends.

Beauty in the Broken

This was written on 9/7.
Little would I know how necessary it would be.

Please let me know what you think ...

Beauty in the Broken

by Lyn Marinello    9/7/25

 

Sometimes there are scars, as visible as day from night

Shredded skin and missing parts, wounds from an obvious fight

And then there is the damage, so deep it punctures soul

Fractures, frays and fragments, taking pieces as its toll

Injuries untended. No marks to leave a tale

Just chips and cracks and crevices as we arduously travail

Constant bands of belittlement, a fragile ego breaks

A tempered, timid spirit disintegrates and flakes

And when there’s just a pile of flesh and battered bone

The greatest architect and artist steps off His mighty throne

He doesn’t see a worthless heap, too destitute for repair

He begins His diligence with the utmost love and care

He rebuilds what’s been destroyed and resurrects with grace

Gathers aches and pains, indignities and will skillfully efface

Fists and feet cause visible trauma. Powerfully harmful words are spoken

But God’s still the master of miracles. He knows there’s beauty in the broken

 

Today

Pulled this and tweaked it just a smidge.

Today ...

Embrace love that is calming.

Grasp hope that is energizing.

Gather hope that carries you forward.

Acknowledge gratitude for your blessings.

Walk faithfully into today

and share your light with everyone.

Truth for Today

Powerful and poignant

All death can do to the believer

is deliver him to Jesus.

~ Charlie Kirk

No White Lie Here

From E.B. White, a beautiful truth ...

You have been my friend.

That in itself

is a tremendous thing.

This goes out to so very many special people.

I'm sure you've got your own recipients.

Life is precious ... embrace it.

My Old Porch Seat

This was born in the Georgia mountains
and unraveled over the past few weeks.

Let me know what you think ...


My Old Porch Seat
by Lyn Marinello – 9/2025

In the mist of a mountain morning
In the stillness of the trees
There’s a clarity of purpose
Whispered on the intermittent breeze
Soft enough to sway tall grass
She speaks a dance of light and sound
A deliberate step, a delicate glide
As sun’s light lovingly kisses ground
Pink and purple ribbons
Unfurl atop the mountain’s crest
Hatchlings squawking hungrily
From the safety of their nest
The gentle chill of evening slumber
Seeps to shadows as the first birds sing
Boughs of oak permit a blooming dawn
As night’s inkiness loosens its taloned cling
There’s a peaceful hush of promise
Of the awakening yet to be
The inundation of swarming life
And its simplistic complexity
The silent deer with flitting tails
Graze on the fresh dew-laden grass
The ravens loom on piney limbs
As squirrels congregate en masse
Geese noisily take to the creek
Floating in haphazard lines
Baby blooms seek the morning sun
On the emerald climbing vines
Nothing is seeking eminence
Nothing claims to be elite
There’s a palpable serenity
Enveloping my old porch seat

Direction

A little direction for your Monday morning ...

Behind you

all your memories.

Before you

all your dreams.

Around you

all who love you.

Within you

all you need.

Much love, friends. 

Enjoy the day before you.

A snippet

Saw this little tidbit
and I'm fairly certain
that it is universal.
It applies to all of us.

No matter your story,

this ...

You have to feel it

to heal it.

We cannot hide from,

sidestep, transfer, swallow,

or ignore our issues.

T H I S

Just three tiny simple words,
but boy howdy ...
what an impact.

Give

Kindness

Wings

Imagine what could happen ...

sounds like the basis for some prose ...

Little Things

On this Thankful Thursday,
this seemed appropriate ...

Be grateful

for the ordinary moments,

the simple pleasures,

and the most basic joys

of life.

They are the necessities

of your peaceful existence.

It is, indeed,

the little things

that make your life

so unique and beautiful.

Life

Appreciate Life!

Find some moment

for yourself

each day

to celebrate life

in silence.

for vs from

This is a tiny little quote
with a great big voice.

Stay close to people

who want

more for you

not from you.

So very powerful!

I hope you have a beautiful day.