Ramblings by Dawn: 2011

Monday, December 5, 2011

Letting Go

drowning in sorrow

living in the past

wallowing in the heartache

reliving the mistakes

repeating the failures

weighed down by judgements

limited by shortcomings

covering the pain

mourning lost love

time to let go

or life will not change

The past will define us. It will limit our existence to mediocrity. Or it will be the foundation of our character and resilience. Hang on to the past and go no where. Or let go and soar beyond all obstacles. The choice is yours.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Adversity

who would i be

what would i believe

would i understand patience

would i know strength

would i comprehend compassion

would i recognize kindness

would i appreciate victory

would i perceive reality

would i realize my potential

could i fathom love

would i be me

if not for adversity

Adversity is something we work hard to avoid. Funny thing is, sometimes by trying to avoid it, we walk right into it. Perhaps we should be thankful for adversity. After all, it gives you character, encourages growth and expands our hearts and minds. I am not saying we should seek it out. There is no need. It will find us. However, let's give credit where credit is due. Adversity lets us know of what we are made. And when we accept the fact that adversity enhances our lives, we tend to move through it more quickly. Adversity...wallow in it or embrace it.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Imagine

IMAGINE

a life

filled with magic

a life

overflowing with wonder

a life

erupting with possibilities

a life

packed with purpose

a life

bursting with love

a life

bubbling with joy

a life

wrapped in contentment

a life

touched by the stars

a life

kissed by the moon

a life

you can live

you need only...

BELIEVE

Far too often, we allow the trials of our life to cloud our imagination, cripple our dreams and crush our ability to believe. Time to find a child's ability to imagine. Time to rediscover a child's strength to believe. Time to grasp firmly our dreams. Time to live the life that burns within our hearts.

Anything is possible. Imagine...Believe...

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Angles

so many angles

so many lines

what happened to

sincerity

generosity

honesty

a world of manipulation

to meet our basic needs

a web of confusion

to hide our hearts

so many angles

so many lines

what happened to

love

kindness

compassion

is the world really that bad

or have we created confusion

with angles and lines

a true heart

reaches out

a humble heart

accepts what is offered

a sincere heart

realizes its desires

no more angles

no more lines

no more gimmicks

no more twists

no more turns

your honest heart will do

If we open our eyes and our hearts, we will see what we can do. It is so simple. Yes there are risks, but they are far less treacherous than all the angles and lines we create.

Take a minute. Close your eyes. Concentrate on your heart. Let the love that hides there permeate your mind, your body, your soul. Now open your eyes and reach out. Do what you can do. The rewards will surprise you.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Dreams

sifting through the pieces

of my broken dreams

searching for parts

to salvage

looking for pieces

that I can reclaim

so many dreams

have gone up in smoke

and there are those

i've simply outgrown

some were lost

by choices i've made

now here i am

wanting a dream

building a purpose

with the foundation

i've laid

so i'm taking small pieces

from my broken dreams

creating a life

starting right here

forgiving my past

changing my ways

and on that day

when my life is done

i will quietly pass

with no regrets

and thankful

for my second chance

I have had many dreams throughout my life. And I have had a precious few that have come true. For those I am grateful. Unfortunately, I have allowed far too many to disappear. Some I have lost because life happened. Others because I didn't fight hard enough. Some because I did not believe in myself and my worth.

What I do know is that I am running out of chances. I cannot get time back. I cannot change what has been. But, I can change me. I can give my dreams the respect and the fight they deserve. So today, I am reclaiming my dreams. Today I begin the fight to reclaim those dreams that define me. Today I make a change.

I may fall and stumble. But, I pray for the courage and the strength to get up and continue on. For those who love me, I ask one thing...get the bandaids ready. I am ready to do this.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Linked

there are hearts

linked to mine

they change my life

they bring me joy

they anchor my soul

they keep my feet

on the ground

they pull me up

when i am down

and when i feel

so all alone

they tug my heart

and spread their warmth

if i try to pull away

they remind me gently

they are here to stay

there are hearts

linked to mine...

As we walk through life and learn to love, we sometimes get hurt. It would be a tragedy to let hurt keep us from loving again. There are those that attach to our hearts for a brief, whirlwind experience. And then, just as quickly they are gone. But, there are hearts that will forever be connected to ours, if we allow it. These are the hearts we should treasure. For these are the hearts that know us best. And these are the hearts that will stand beside us as the world crumbles at our feet.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Time Keeps On Slippin'

another day gone

another moment lost

another missed opportunity

another memory fades

mark my words

mark this day

mark this moment

make your mark

tomorrow you may not wake

today is the day

time is slipping away

change your life today

All too often we get caught up in the daily grind. We seem to believe that we have all the time in the world to change who we are, to become someone better, to change the world. As the song says "Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' into the future". Don't let it slip by. This is the moment you have to change the world. This is the moment you have to to know the meaning of life. This is the moment you have to experience love. Don't let it slip away.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Simile

"One of these things is not like the others

One of these things just doesn't belong"

a teaching tool

but what does it teach

to be unique

to be the alike

be the same

be different

i choose not to be a simile

my heart's not the same

my heart its own

i must find my way

to be the same

is to be

much less than

who i am

While there is some comfort in being like others, it is also debilitating. For if you measure according to others you limit your possibilities. No more similes.

Copyright 2011 Ramblings by Dawn. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Hand That's Dealt

one hand

one chance

one life

take a chance

play your chips

stay in the game

the winning hand

goes to the one

who had the courage

to play the game

Too many times we see all the ways to lose. The problem with that, it doesn't allow us to see the way we can win.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Warm Fuzzies

rescue the discarded

collect the forgotten

retrieve the passed over

mend the broken

restore the dismantled

reinvent the expired

breathe new life

new purpose

new pride

simply

add warm fuzzies

In a time when so many people feel they have been discarded and no longer have value, warm fuzzies could change the world.

What are warm fuzzies? Random acts of kindness, words of encouragment, expressions of compassion and love all examples of warm fuzzies. Anything that you do that allows another to experience a warm fuzzy feeling.

Bring on the warm fuzzies.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Flip Side

the sun slowly rises

pushing away the night

shadows of the day ahead

looming before my eyes

dreams transform

becoming possibilities

the fog of sleepy eyes

gives way clearer skies

the mind shifts

from what i desire

to what i can do

what i can be

what i can achieve

this moment

colored with potential

waits for me to

engage

this moment

drenched in hope

waits for me to

take charge

this moment

loaded with energy

waits for me to

wave my wand

this moment

is mine

to change

the world

All too often we get caught in what has always been. We struggle with the muck of the moment. When will look up and change ourselves and the world around us? Today seems like a good day.

Raging Sea

life

the raging sea

tossed about

riding the waves

pulled by the tides

lost in the currents

splash of reality

waves of rejections

drowning in indifference

tossed by indecision

fighting to stay afloat

reaching for

the angry sky

life

Sometimes no matter what you do, life tosses you about. Hang on, ride this out.

The Memory Box

we all have a memory box

to keep our treasures in

the little smiles

the soothing touch

the kind words

the shoulders to cry on

the honesty of a friend

the offered hand

that pulls us up

the kindly kick

that moves us forward

the choices that we make

we all have a memory box

it is called the heart

So often we cling to things to measure our worth in this world, when really we only need look inside our heart. What we find there is indeed what we treasure, for it makes us who we are.

Friday, October 7, 2011

What I Need

money would be grand

a bigger house kinda fun

a newer car would be swell

i'd like to be thinner

i could use some new clothes

want to sleep through the night

there are books

i'd like to read

and movies i'd like to see

places i'd like to go

and things i'd like to do

but when all is said and done

the things that i need most

compassion

understanding

honesty

forgiveness

and

acceptance

most of all

just love

Fall Leaves

autumn approaches

leaves begin to fall

their glory fading

their life nearly spent

a little tattered

a little dry

soon to crumble

into dust

a child looks down

and picks them up

ohs and ahs

giving them glory

calling them pretty

offers a gift

leaves now a treasure

the same is true

of the human heart

it beats and thrives

it bleeds

it aches

tattered and torn

and yet

a treasure just the same

As the leaves cover the ground outside our door, Alexandra is mesmerized. One of her favorite things is to take a walk and pick up treasures. Among her favorite are the leaves. Every leaf she picks up, regardless of its condition is pretty. And every leaf she enjoys giving to others. Though it is a dried up old leaf, it has become my treasure. Why? Because my granddaughter gave it to me with love shining in her eyes.

Although some of us have been wounded and our only a shadow of our former glory, we still have worth. We still have potential to be a treasure, because we still love.

Monday, October 3, 2011

True Colors

i may wear all different colors

i may try for more pizzazz

don't be fooled by your first glance

take time to really look

you'll see my true colors

reflected in my heart

How often do we make judgements about someone based on first appearances? How often do we shy away because of one statement or one action? How many good people, good hearts do we miss because we don't take the time to see a person's true colors?

Are you lettig your true colors shine for others to see?

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Juggling

always moving

always shifting

always up in the air

always busy

always adjusting

trying to show i care

don't let them fall

don't let them fail

don't let them feel the pain

don't let them stumble

don't let them struggle

don't let me wane

i grow weary

i begin to fail

i cannot be their shield

they will fall

they will fail

no matter what i do

no more juggling

no more weary arms

i will instead

help pick them up

dust them off

and love them with all my heart.

We so often try to protect those we love. The truth is we can't spare them the pain. But we can walk beside them. We can help them up. We can love them.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Walla Walla

walla walla

so many voices

in my head

and yet

nothing

nada

zip

zilch

zero

bubkus

no profound thoughts

no thoughts

at all

absence of thought

and yet

buzzing

oblivion

total blackout

complete void

my head is empty

and yet overflowing

with white noise

so now what

my heart shall speak

of love

compassion

understanding

kindness

acceptance

endurance

trust

love speaks

when there is nothing else to say.

Sometimes the best voice of love is the one after you run out of flowery speech and clever poetry.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Fly A Kite

life

a kite

blowing in the wind

tossed to and fro

sailing through the skies

among the clouds

among the stars

i would float away

if not for love

Life throws us around. Sometimes because of choices we have made. Sometimes just because it is life. I am thankful for those who love me. I would be lost without them. And I hope that I can offer a string of hope to those I love.