Masterpiece

Life is a vast array of colors, some dark and seemingly lifeless, while others are too beautiful to adequately describe. The light must have the dark to bring forth its illuminating brilliance. All colors have their place of importance, in the ongoing masterpiece of who we are, and who we will become. The contrast’s set the tone of our personality and character. We must not be afraid to let dark colors permeate our canvas. Opportunity will always lend itself to highlight it and make it work for us. At times, we may only see the darkness, and our canvas looks bleak. Train yourself to accept the darkness, see what it has to offer, and where it will take you on your journey of discovery and growth. Then, fill your pallet with bright rich colors and enjoy the brush strokes of freedom you will experience. Your heart and soul are the receiving canvas, clean, white, and stretched to fit only you. The stretching may hurt at first, but keep pressing forward. You will in time grow into the new skin and find it comforting. Remember, at the beginning of any masterpiece, you may look at all the colors that are being blocked in, and say what a mess, this could never become anything beautiful. In the time it will all come together, it will be revealed and make sense. We will come to realize that is the process of life that is the masterpiece, full of color, experience, and love. The finished product is our completed canvas, passed along to those around us hopefully becoming blocking colors in their masterpiece.

Night Stroll

Night strolling as the snow dances all around us in the muted light of the street lamps. The trees that line the street bow to meet us from the weight of the heavy snowfall. Tonight is a night to enjoy the snow in all its brilliant beauty. Tomorrow it will become work, plowing and packing it aside to make room for another round, another storm. There is such a calm, a quiet solitude that fills the air and my mind. Tonight is a night to live in the now and to just enjoy the beauty of the moment. The Earth seems new and refreshed with a fluffy white blanket covering her flaws. Somehow I feel it too, rejuvenated and cleansed with every breath of cold, crisp air. I needed this night, to walk, and to think of nothing but the snow and my wife’s hand in mine. My mind remembers all the snowballs I’ve made throughout the years as I grab a new handful to load up and fire at an unsuspecting road sign. What is it about snow that can make you feel like a kid again, and yet when you shovel it, you are reminded of just how long ago your childhood was. Well for tonight anyway, I am enjoying the snow and every memory that floats gently and silently with every flake.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Mention the name Martin Luther King Jr. and you evoke different emotions in the hearts of those that lived through his times, and remember what he lived and died for. For me, he was a hero, and like many of our heroes, he was not a perfect man. He did however possess courage, the courage to stand before the world and peacefully proclaim equality for all people. He was a civil rights leader, but unlike many of today’s so-called “leaders”, he stood for everyone who was downtrodden regardless of race. The world is a better place because Dr. King lived and lent his voice to the voiceless, and provided us a living example, of peacefully righting the wrongs of racial injustice. I remember being a small boy and hearing the words of his “I have a dream” speech. What stood out for me was his challenge to us all to judge each other by the content of our character, and not our skin's melanin content that ironically covers identical bones and organs. As believers in anything, we fail and fall along the way. But if we truly believe in our cause, we get up, dust ourselves off, and continue on our course. Dr. King believed with his life, that he is our shining example to pursue and follow our big dreams. I hope his words and what he stood for the ring in our ears every day, and not just because we have his birthday off as a Holiday. He spoke to all of us, do we have the heart to keep his dream alive, and truly be free within ourselves to dream with our eyes wide open.

First Snow

The first snow to actually take temporary residence on the ground. It sure makes for a beautiful morning. Snow-covered branches wind-dancing with a backdrop of a cloudless azure blue sky. As I deeply draw in the cool, fresh air, I feel my lungs expanding to capacity, and satisfying the oxygen levels in my bloodstream. The brilliant sunlight begins to melt the snow off the branches of the bare and glistening trees. It sounds like rain hitting the ground in a steady rhythm of mini percussive explosions. What a wonderful way to start the day, senses alive and feeling the urge to run full throttle into the day. There is so much beauty to gaze, at as the Earth begins its winter hibernation. Have I ever really noticed it before, or am I seeing it all with new eyes? Is it just something that comes with the journey towards 50, or perhaps it was always there within me, and I just needed to tap into it? Whatever the case, I am enjoying my surroundings speaking to me in such profound ways, and with such clarity. Never have I felt so alive before, so keenly aware of life’s lessons. They are there for us to absorb if we will only take the time to truly see with eyes wide and open. Enjoy the chill, the snow-covered hills, they are there for us…to recharge and renew our very souls.

You Might Recall

“My hopes were as the leaves upon the water, just sunk in the night.” ‡ Can you picture beautiful fall leaves gently floating atop a crystal clear lake? Ironically, the very element keeping them afloat will eventually hasten their journey below the surface. That picture reminds me of the times in my life when I thought I was standing solidly on a firm foundation. Only now in retrospect, do the realize that the ground I was traveling was the proverbial sinking sand. Many relationships come to mind, especially my first marriage. The very thing that seemed good and right in my life, was sucking the very life force out of me. I knew very early on that it was a caustic relationship but in the name of marriage, I kept trying to add bags of sand so it wouldn’t sink. This only added to the ever-present quicksand that lies beneath, just below the surface. Bags and bags of sand were added to shore up and extend the life of a relationship that was sadly on life-support. I was told a long time ago by a baseball coach that you should always do everything you can and beyond, in a situation to stave off the guilt and regrets that will inevitably come down the road. I didn’t want to be sitting on a barstool one day, wondering if I had done everything humanly possible to save my marriage. Humanly is the operative word here. I did everything I could humanly do at the time, and over time, I came to terms with the divorce. None of us like to fail, and divorce is just that, a miserable failure. We pledge our devotion and make our vows before God and man, and with everything, within us, we intend to keep our commitment. When it all crumbles to the ground, we feel we lied and are not capable of keeping a promise, even to ourselves. Well three years later, and enjoying the bonding of two hearts once again. I feel as though the tables have turned. I feel like a leaf that is still firmly attached to the tree. It is free to catch water on its surface and use it to nourish itself and the tree. No longer is there the loneliness of riding the waves of uncertainty, but the rain is now harnessed to cleanse and bring life to the leaf. Now, when the rains come, they cause the roots to dig deeper into the soil. The tree is steady, planted firmly where none of life’s harsh elements can bring it to ruin. There is a peace that comes with a firm foundation, and a hope that grows deep within my tree of life. ‡ You Might Recall Ó 1982 Gelring Ltd.

Goodnight And Farewell

The darkness covers the landscape like a thick blanket across a bed of fresh, crisp linen. As I stand outside my apartment gazing skyward, through the outline of the barren trees the stars begin to wink at me to bid goodnight and farewell. Such peace overtakes my body, I feel at rest and ready to head off to bed. But suddenly, my mind begins to race with a million thoughts a minute. Thoughts of people with struggles much greater than mine. My struggle tonight it seems will be sleep itself as many faces run through my mind like a time-lapsed movie, morphing themselves to clear consciousness Physically I am tired and ready, but my mind will not allow itself to shut down for the night. I think of my sister struggling in her fight for life and wholeness. The disease that is invading her body, and the long road she faces to find wellness. I think of my Mom and Dad, worrying about my sister and all of us kids. I think of my brothers, with their own struggles and restless thoughts. I think of those I know struggling to make ends meet in these tough economic times. I think of those that worry for their uniformed loved ones in harm's way in faraway lands. I think of those that might read this that are struggling with some of life’s heavy burdens. I hope the solutions will find their way to you soon. I even think a selfish thought. If I can’t sleep tonight, how will I feel in the early morning as I rise to greet the day and ready myself for work? Why do I care so much? Why do I let so many things occupy my thoughts? I guess I must come to grips with the fact that I am a feeling human being, sensitive to my surroundings and to those I love and care about. It is a burden sometimes to care, but I must embrace it, it is who I am. It will eat me alive if I don’t, and cause too many sleepless nights if I run from it. Maybe that is the key, to accept the burdens we have before us and not say “Why me?” Maybe, just maybe for me, I should be saying “Why not me?” I am feeling peace from within now. My brain has allowed my hand to speak for it, to clear the clutter, to pick up the pen, and translate its burdens on paper to see with honest and true clarity. I am feeling at ease now. Relaxed and truly peaceful. At last, I can now return to the stars offering goodnight and farewell.

Another Day To Seek And Wonder

Dawn brings the excitement of a brand new day Cool crisp air felt against my skin The smell of coffee brewing fills my senses Another day to seek and wonder Overnight stars still in the sky Will give way to daylights soon arrival The birds chirping to say good morning Another day to seek and wonder Breakfast ends my morning hunger Coffee hot warming my mortal coil My thoughts go drifting to distant places Another day to seek and wonder The Autumn leaves lay in their place Fell to the ground as I slumbered Baron trees in their lifeless glory Another day to seek and wonder