When I look in the mirror, and uncap the lipstick,
carefully applying the bright red to my lips,
I picture my mother looking back at me.
She was not one to fuss with makeup,
but always applied her lipstick with care.
Even as she faded with age, her lips blazed.
And I, who always wore muted colored gloss if anything,
now boldly wear true red in honor of my mother,
shining my light for the world to see.
Category: Savoring Life
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Memories of Mom’s Red Lipstick
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On Visiting a Garden Shop
The task was simple.
Buy air filters and a tomato cage for my blossoming plant.
But I forgot about the siren song that would greet me
upon entering the garden section,
with its intoxicating array of flowers in bloom,
singing for me to draw near and bring them home.
I did not have the wisdom of Odysseus to prepare
for my voyage along the aisles of yellow and purple daisies,
pink snapdragons, and fuchsia dianthus.
The white and rosy cacti blooms,
beckoned, if only to be photographed.
For they shine briefly before retreating
until spring comes again.
The sweet warm air was a balm for my soul
as I took in the majestic display of flowers
before summoning the strength to leave
with just four flowering containers
to add to my assortment of
patio potted plants,
who are always ready for more company. -
Rising From The Ashes
I was sure that the ashes of the life that I had
before my husband died would bury me alive.
The dull embers of what was left behind,
were threatened with extinction by the weight of grief
that encompassed my soul,
making each step, each decision exhausting,
as I traveled this world without my partner.And yet, with time and tears, the weight began to lift
as I reentered life.
No longer the woman I was,
for she will never exist again.
Instead, I had to find another me,
with memories of my previous life
serving as an anchor,
and sails to set me on my new course.If I had made a vision board,
none of the endeavors I would try
would have been within the scope of my imagination.
It was only when I was willing to say yes to life,
full of trepidation and anxiety, my world began to grow.
With each new adventure, I gained confidence.
My mantra became, “I’ve already lived through the
most painful episode in my life, how can anything be worse?”
The grief was still a companion,
but so was the joy of learning to be creative,
which has provided the most healing
for my broken heart. -
Because Everything Falls Away
In a finite world where I’m here but for a moment,
I savor the first bite of toast with homemade blueberry jam
and the spicy warmth of my morning chai
as I break the fast of sleep.
I savor my family, those who are still with me,
and those who I carry in my heart and memories.
I savor my friends, who walk with me through all
of the seasons of life.
Their friendship is the balm for my soul,
A place where I can be my genuine self, sharing laughter,
tears and deep conversations.
I savor the warmth of arms that envelope me in a hug,
reminding me that I am loved.
I savor nature’s beauty: the hummingbird, the bee,
and the butterfly as they alight from flower to flower,
refreshed by its nectar.
I savor breathing in the air as I amble along
the garden path or among the tall pines,
a place where deep serenity abides.
I savor the beauty of the sky as it shakes off the blue of the day,
and dresses in its pastel finery
before slipping away below the horizon.
I savor the quiet moments tucked up with a book,
as I’m spirited away to another time and place,
freed from the worries of the world.
At the end of the day, when my body and mind are weary,
I savor slipping into the comfort of my bed,
pulling the covers tightly around me,
slipping away to the nighttime cinema.
Beautiful Bittersweet Life Poems 