Poetry and Prose

It's the birthday of the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, born in Brookline, Massachusetts (1917), who said in one of his last major public speeches,

"When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations."

LOVE

Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weakness.
 

Love is content with the present, it hopes for the future, and it doesn’t brood over the past. It’s the day-in and day-out chronicle of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories and working toward common goals.

If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things that are missing. If you don’t have love in your life, no matter what else there is, it’s not enough.

Wise Wolves

An old Grandfather, whose grandson came to him with anger at a schoolmate who had done him an injustice, said, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times."



He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way."


"But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."


The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eye and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"


The Grandfather solemnly said, "The one I feed."

Fickle Friday

What a week.  Been under-the-weather for the most part.  Physically and emotionally.  Just how it goes.  My sister was in for 3 days but we just talked by phone in our usual snitches and snatches while Mom was in the bathroom or otherwise indisposed.  Was okay 'cause my throat was so sore I couldn't really talk.  Still, felt somewhat detached.  Just what I'm not in the mood for these days. . .


Best friend went to a James Taylor/Carole King concert last night that I would've loved to have gone go to, but it was about 2 hours away, in Pontiac.  She told me she and her husband went after they got home.  Said it was absolutely fantastic.  I'll bet.  (Would've been nice if they'd invited me along---even just for the ride!)


Then, there's the issue of my delightful Smilebox musical medley of the NY trip.  All 211 slides carefully edited and set to music with original captions on each pic.  I'd sent it to a number of friends, hoping they'd enjoy it and comment likewise.  Instead, I got back dribbles and drabbles of pure drivel.  One liners like "This is fun."  Or, "now I've seen more of NY than when I wen there."  Nice but, c'mon. . . .when someone puts over 2 weeks of hard labor into a whimsical musical production, I think more than throw-away one-liners are in order, don't you?


Am I overly-sensitive or what?  Do I expect more from humans than they rightly (or wrongly) are able to give?  Am I just lonely?  Like all the time?  Makes one wonder. . .


And then, to cap off the week of slights. . . I was supposed to be interviewed for a short TV news segment yesterday.  It was about my call for action on a laptop that went black on me less than 2 years after I'd bought it for $1100.  Yeah.  So the reporter was supposed to come to my house and interview me on my deck.  I spent the better part of 3 days planting annuals, sweeping porches and paths, cleaning the whole house (in case it rained and we had to come in) and getting myself gussied up and ready for my 15 seconds of fame.


All to no avial.  For, he called minutes before he was due here, to say his video crew had been sent on another assignment and siad he'd get back in touch next week sometime.  That's show biz! 


Such is life this week.  Time to go to garage sales.  Hope there's a pot-o-gold at the end of some rainbow!

BEST THING THAT HAPPENED ALL WEEK:
THIS PHOTO OF HONEY

Monday Musings

Still down with a cold.  Went to the Dr. last Friday and am on a few "herbal, homeopathic" remedies, but still feeling tired and have an ear ache.  Worried I might have fluid in the ear and how will it get out?  Don't want a big needle going down into my ear that' for sure.  So may need to see an ear, nose and throat specialist to see what other options I have.  But left side throat and ear hurts.  Hard to tolerate pain all alone.

Last week was a bust.  After hearing about Elly and Gambler (Rick Fallon's trust team of horses) going down in the pond, I could think of little else and kept visualizing these two mammoth steeds struggling for their lives in murky water with a carriage strapped to their backs.  And I just couldn't bear it but my mind kept reliving it over and over, again.  Why?  What is going on?  I mean subconsciously with me?  I wonder about thoughts like that and why I ruminate over and over, again.  Must be some inner fear or anxiety getting ahold of my psyche and not letting go.  I hope this week is calmer.

Part of the reason I think I have such fears is because I have no one to talk to on a daily basis.  Hard to take, live with, be alone so much.  Pets help to be sure, but we all need human contact from someone who loves us, too.  Last weekend I started planting all my annuals.  FLowers help to brighten out world and our spirits.  My darling Violettas, bright Petunias and Indigo Blue and White miniature Pansies lifted mine but took a lot of work to plant.  I felt exhausted and have 3 more flats to go!

But they were company for a sunny Sunday and provided light and lively companionship in the garden.  Today I'll finish up planting and shall then have all summer to spend with my spritley companions.  Sweetie Sue and the kits ever nearby, ever happy, contented and fine.