An Endless Journey

For Jessica Ghawi Redfield

I had already written for the victims in Aurora, CO.  Then I kept seeing her picture in my wife's People magazine.  I kept hearing the words, "What am I going to do?"  I am going to make sure her spirit lives in the hearts of anyone who has heard of her.  An explorer's heart is a rare thing and it was in her heart to go forth, and share what she has found.  To support students getting ready to go forth into the world, you can support the scholarship fund in her name at http://www.mygenfcu.org/jessicas-fund

Journeys only have beginnings….

An explorer’s heart,

Is always awake,

Eyes of the heart,

See through clouds,

Finding the answers,

Seeking the truth,

Sharing the finding,

For the joy of all,

Traveling the miles,

Growing in heart,

The soul burns,

To find meaning,

The soul flies,

With like hearts,

We soar higher,

Flying together,

For the heart thrives,

With passion of life,

Energy of love,

Which is the reason,

Those who flew before,

Never leave the sky,

Flying further still,

In the scope of our hearts.

Let’s Get Real

I called my wife on break this morning and four minutes from the end, she called me back.  I started typing this when she picked up, and finished just before hanging up.  I was just letting this flow on the keyboard while talking with her.  It comes easy when its real.

A day I do not kiss you,

Is a day wasted,

A day I do not smile,

Is a smile lost forever,

To not say I love you,

Is to leave wine bottled,

Taste left unshared,

Your heart cannot feel,

To not hold your hand,

Is to leave a song unsung,

For much occurs in life,

Things beyond control,

But how I face your eyes,

Is a choice made every day,

No matter what circumstance,

Your beauty shines within me,

And to tell you how that feels,

Is my lifelong pride and joy.

A Wonderful Life

This is not my poem but an incredible song by Black which I want to draw your attention to.  I think the imagery and words accurately express what I write and why.  No one will ever know who I am, and I will never see a buck out of it.  Yet if I have helped one person out there, and I have heard back from more than one, then it is worth it and all joy.  I say that with truth, because life is that beautiful.

It is not within the perfect accuracies of life we find beauty, it is within the imperfections.  The tiny flaws and details of life that make each one of us unique,  the small idiosyncrasies that make us who we are, for that is where uncertainty lies, and uncertainty is inseparable from evolution.  Innovation flows from human habitual trial and error.  It is how we discover.   When something does not turn quite right, never give up.  Realize that you are in the magic of being human and continue on. By the way, check out Black for more music on Youtube...

The Most Beautiful Woman

There she is,

Not a celebrity,

Not on the stage,

Look at her hair,

It is not perfect,

See how it flows,

Feel her eyes,

Hear their voice,

Behold her skin,

It is not perfect,

But full of beauty,

She is not perfect,

She is human,

Just like you,

And just like me,

But when she smiles,

Just try to breathe,

Try to remember,

Your own name,

You can see her,

All around us,

Where there is light,

She is in the market,

Walking on the streets,

She is all around us,

Mine is beside me,

Why my heart beats,

She is my life,

Perfect for me,

She is my wife.

The Breath We Share

Ewa Markvoort (see: 65redroses.com) was a brave young woman who did everything she could to support people fighting Cystic Fibrosis, though she was terminal with the disease.  Back in 2011 I could not help but think in terms of what I could do to support her as she was supporting so many.  I wrote nearly one piece a day, emailed them to the hospital, and a patient message service sent them to her room each time until she passed away.  Due to privacy rules I never could communicate directly, but the patient service that was delivering my "messages" told me she would read each and every one.  You never know what you can do and who you can touch.  Support The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at www.cff.org as they search for a cure.  I have taken this older work to post on my blog today, because I simply will not allow the world to forget a true picture of courage.

Look out into open spaces,
Turn your face unto the sky,
Behold the setting sun,
Burning red hues in the clouds,
Bringing on the waiting stars,
And the moon to guide our way,
Our cares cast upon the heart,
Bearing burdens shared,
Lightening the whole,
Within labors of life and trial,
Sweat of toil upon the brow,
Breathing full sustaining air,
Fragranced with mountain laurel,
Or spiced by waves of the sea,
Breathing heavy in our work,
Breathing full and slow in rest,
Some breathing free,
Others fighting for every breath,
Together we move upon the earth,
Where laughter spreads like fire,
And a tear shared is like water,
Nurtures the rose of love,
Seed fallen from heaven,
Growing with each tear,
From the clouds of our eyes,
Shed in pain or in joy,
Falling like rain from above,
For we are all bound by life,
We are all underneath the air,
Yet hand in hand our hearts soar,
Like the seagulls in the sky,
Seemingly soaring without effort,
Gliding on the ocean breezes,
As our hearts soar upon life,
For each breath we take,
Returns unto the whole,
Bearing burdens for the other,
Strengthens hearts and binds souls,
For it is from the same sky we receive,
The breath we share.

Headline News - Special Report: The World is Still Beautiful!

After you see the news headlines for today, I want you to come back to my headline and know what remains the same in spite of all of the daily concerns.  If there is not something you are personally doing to make life a little better, go support someone who is.  We will make the difference together.  Faith is not religious jargon, in simplest form it is imagining good and making it real.

Now tell me you don't think you can and that you are not talented.  I am nobody, barely making a living 8-5 and yet I have impacted lives around the world.  Just do what it is you can do, and it will happen.  Trust me.

(This poem was inspired by the amazing video above.)

The earth turns,

Within the endless sky,

The heavens sparkle,

As in a woman’s eyes,

Love showers me with care,

As the wind blows through my hair,

And we dance.

Clouds caress mountains,

Rolling below my feet,

Spring bloom perfumes,

Embrace my heart sweet,

Woodland creatures behold me,

As I trace life in the stars,

And we dance.

Birds surround in flight,

Contemplating where I may go,

They surround like souls,

Of so many people I know,

As I take what I feel here,

To the people who are so dear,

And we dance.

Our world hangs upon nothing,

And yet we are all safe,

Within the hand of God,

flying together through space,

As we whirl upon the dance floor,

In the circle of life ever more,

We will dance.

Ship of Bones

How could I awake,
If I am never asleep?
Can the nightmare end,
When it never began?
Underneath a sullen sky,
The sun is never setting,
A glowing red eye,
The sun is never blinking,
Always staring,
Staring at me,
Alone on the sea,
Upon a dead ship,
Trapped in still waters,
Trapped and not sinking,
The sun is not blinking,
The glowing red eye,
Is always staring,
Staring at me,
Yet I am in company,
They are with me,
But they do not move,
They always look at me,
With eyes long gone,
Always smiling,
No flesh to hide teeth,
Skeletons bleached white,
Populate this ship,
While the sun keeps staring,
Never blinking,
And I can not hear sound,
As if in a dream,
I can not hear sound,
Though I try to scream,
Nothing happens,
As into reflections,
Of broken glass,
I look to see,
What could be wrong,
I look and see,
My eyes long gone,
My mouth is open,
But far too wide,
And hanging low,
On thinning hide,
With bones protruding,
From tattered skin,
Up from behind me,
I see a grin,
Hand on my shoulder,
And hollowed face,
He comes to show me,
Unto my place,
With words of comfort,
Spoken so near,
"Come float forever,
We all float here."
Then from the horror,
Within this dream,
I awake in darkness,
From my own scream,
Then thinking well,
Into the night,
I saw that ship,
Alive in life,
With people whom,
Forgot to live,
And share the gifts,
Which they could give,
God gave us skills,
Wisdom and tact,
For in our lives,
We all must act,
To bring forth beauty,
Alive and true,
We all must do,
What we can do.