What I Know

A beautiful sunrise taken from my home recently

What I Know

What I know about living is it isn't easy. No one can say it is. 
If we look at someone else's life from the outside, we will not see
all the pain they live with inside.  Below someone's smile may be
pain hidden from view. Sometimes well covered.  Sometimes not.

What I know about living is there will always be good times and bad.
Times of laughter and times of tears.  Positive memories and regrets. 
It is better to concentrate on the positive times and let the regrets fade. 
Past is past, cannot be changed. Learn from regrets, then let them go.

What I know about living is sometimes our pain will become a window
which will lead to a way out, give a burst of sunshine, a ray of hope,
a glimmer of peace, respite.  We are all here together trying to make
the most of our time on this earth. That is what I know about living.

Written for Sherry's prompt at What's Going On:  "This is Wednesday, and this is what I know."

Shoes and More Shoes

My Collection of Blundstones

Shoes and More Shoes

I was from high top toddler shoes,

T-bar colored sandals, cowboy boots,

but never mary jane's.

I was from saddle shoes, white

bucks, tennis shoes, go go boots,

but never penny loafers.

Iam from Birkenstocks, Tevas,

western boots, Converse, Ecco,

but no more Crocs.

I'm from Blundstones, Blundstones, 

Blundstones, Blundstones,

I must resist more Blundstones.

******

What shoes do you remember wearing when you were a young child?  As a teen or young adult?  What is your favorite footwear right now?

Written for Susan's prompt "Magic Shoes" at What's Going On?

Crossing the Bridge

Memorial Bridge
(Wikimedia Commons)

Crossing the Bridge

Days were long when I was young
and we would set out to explore
the worlds beyond the neighborhood,
to walk or bike across Memorial Bridge
in order to get to our park destination.

Each time I would have to prod myself
to cross this bridge, so high above the river,
and tell myself as I clenched my  teeth
that I would not look down down down.
to the swift dark river so far below.

Those days adventures cost nothing but time
and a bridge could transport us anywhere
if we did not faint from fear in the crossing
to parks transposed to jungles or alien planets.
Days were long when I was young.

The photo shows the bridge we walked or biked across when I was a kid. 

The scariest thing was biking across it, on the sidewalk.  Unfortunately, 

some of the things we did as kids required that we do it.  I always pictured

myself flipping over the guard rails and falling into the river below.
Crossing it WAS always the scariest part of any adventure.

For Sumana's prompt "Bridges" at "What's Going On?"

Conversation With Dad

Conversation with Dad

Dad, it has been decades since you were alive.
Sometimes I picture you with a mischievous twinkle in your eye.
You liked to tease, though sometimes others found it annoying.
You were quiet, and I think that is one way you made conversation.

I didn't find it easy to talk to people, strangers made me uncomfortable.
I never knew what to say, so I just sat there and let your mother chat.
I was always shy, would rather help with dishes or fix people's cars
or listen to baseball rather than make small talk with people.

Dad, I remember once you and I had an important talk.  It was one
of the few times, I think.  I wanted to drop out of college to become
secretary.  You told me not to drop out,  as I would regret it  for the
rest of my life, and I know now that I would have.  Thank you.

I did have ideas sometime, and I am glad now that I spoke up then.
I know your mother supported your dropping out of college and
moving back home and taking the secretarial job you were offered.
For once I spoke up in opposition to your mother, and I am glad.

Dad, it has been decades since you were alive,
and I wish I could have you pitch me a softball just one more time,
that I could ride again in the back of your pick up truck, hair blowing
in the wind, that I could smell the hamburgers you cooked on the grill.

I am glad you have some nice memories of me, and I have some
nice memories of you too.  I remember going fishing with you
in the rowboat with the engine on the back, but you never would put on
the worms.  And I remember winter sledding down the country club hill.

So many memories come floating back, but one thing I will always regret,
knowing nothing about your  life when you were a boy, except that your
mother died young and you had scarlet fever. I wish I had persisted.
It has been decades since you were alive, and I still miss you.

This was written for my January 10 prompt "Parent/Child Relationships" at What's Going On?

 

I Remember

 I Remember

I remember how it was then,
you used to come over to my house
and we used to just listen to music,
Judy Collins, Nana Mouskouri,
Kris Kristofferson, Janis Ian.
We could listen for a long time.

On the carpet in front of turntable we
spun albums, drank wine, talked life
never tired of the same music repeating,
most of life was ahead, future was ours.
Leonard Cohen, Donovan, Joni Mitchell,
Cat Stevens, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne.

I remember how life was, there was more
you taught me how to camp,
it was with you I bought hiking boots,
tent, camp stove, and backpack.
It was with you that I camped in
Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.

In my mind I can still see you, curly
black hair, in a plaid wool shirt.
The mountains are behind you.
You wear hiking boots, smile. Snap.
You are captured in timeless time.
I have only a photo now, at least that.

I walk trails close to my house now.
Blundstones rather than hiking boots.
I have been listening to old music
and when I do sometimes I think of you
hiking, camping, climbing mountains.
I was much younger then, so were you.

I still own my old hiking boots, but
they are no longer comfortable.
I have the backpack, but seldom use it.
I have given away the tent and camp stove
but I still enjoy the music, the memories
of those times now so long ago.

Shared with Sherry's prompt - Music of our Youth - at What's Going On?