We Always Hope

We always hope

behind the smile

there is

true joy

or

at least

honest amusement.

We hope

the smile

is

not hiding

fear,

or anger,

or hatred,

or conspiracy.

Hope

is what

we cling to

so that

we will not

be overtaken

by

conspiracy,

hatred,

anger,

or fear.

We always hope

the smile

is hiding

nothing.

Life Is Messy

Besides the proverbial

blood, sweat, and tears,

there's mud

and slime and filth,

worries, fears,

bugs and rodents,

dashed hopes,

unfulfilled dreams,

betrayals,

disappointments,

sorrow, pain,

unhappy times,

embarrassments,

humiliations,

and thwarted expectations,

and a seemingly endless litany

of grief and loss.

Yet through the blinding mist

and darkness of the mess

shines a light,

which draws us onward

toward joy and peace

and love

and laughter - 

to Life!

All the ugliness

prepares our eyes

to see the beauty;

and 

the beauty

strikes us deeply,

lifts us up,

gives us a song,

and air to breathe.

Tidbits of Timelessness

shoeboxes and scrapbooks

trinkets and traces

memories of love and laughter

joy and peace

singing and shouting

dancing, running, skipping, flying

tidbits of timelessness

and bittersweet tastes of time standing still

I am still standing

on a bridge

watching the water rush by below me

urgency and peace at once

life and death

movement, thunder

matching the rush of blood through my veins

and the beating of my heart

the flow, the pulse

the cleansing, the healing

as those timeless tidbits

rise to the surface

winking

drifting

lingering on the crest of my memory

A Slice of Life

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Every day we wake and wonder

Where we will wind up

and where we will wander

So many paths calling out to be ours

“Come! Follow me!”

“THIS way!"

"Look here!”

“Follow ME!”

Our task

Every day that we live

Is to find the right path,

Be thankful,

And give every moment

To loving each other in truth

Lifting and sharing

Laughing and crying

Helping and feeding

A slice of life

To all who wander

Where we wander

When we wonder

Where we will wind up

When it's all over.