When the world feels so dark,
caving in with relentless bad news,
for that is what lifts the ratings
and increases revenues,
but at what cost?
It’s then that I shut the news down,
and walk away from doom scrolling,
turning to the communities that
refresh my soul and hold me in safety.
When I open the door to my people,
whether online or in person,
I feel peace settle over my heart
as I take in all those beautiful faces,
their love washing over me.
The vitriol of society is forbidden entrance,
as those who want to bring light gather.
Each circle that I’ve joined has changed me for the better,
providing hope that when we unite with the intention
of love and support, we can truly be our better angels.
Tag: Poetry
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How Community Heals the Soul
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Stumbled Upon: Embracing Life’s Unplanned Adventures
When I sit down to write my autobiography,
I will title it Stumbled Upon.
For it is this unplanned life
that sent me veering onto a path
of unimaginable adventures.
Often, I was catapulted by a lifequake*,
brought on by the death of my husband,
which left me adrift.
And yet, I somehow found my footing.
The steps were heavy amid the grief,
but I kept walking and my steps grew lighter.
Photography became a saving grace,
as a continued bond to my husband,
and kept me in the present moment
when my eye was focused in the viewfinder.
From capturing the beauty of nature to
going to bars, something I hadn’t done since I was in my twenties,
to photograph musicians as they played
opened a forgotten part of my life that brought
me both joy and finding kind people I call friends.
By using my photography email, I ended up
being the photographer for the Phoenix Film Festival.
I’d never done event photography,
but my saying yes to the unknown
opened the world of independent films,
filmmakers, and new friendships
with festival attendees and volunteers.
All these experiences led me to participate in
a storytelling event on how my life had come
full circle with my husband, photography and music.
I stood on a stage where I had spent so many
hours capturing musicians at work,
sharing my story by heart
with a few butterflies stirring in my stomach.
As time goes on, and I adjust
to my body’s capabilities,
I have found new ways to feed the creative beast that lives within.
Now, I spend my days expressing myself with art and improv.
The beauty of letting go of a planned life
is the richness that I never imagined
and the communities that I have become a part of.*Lifequakes is a term coined by Bruce Feiler in his book Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age
Photo credit: Neil Schwartz
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She Lives in Me
For Mom
I breathe in your essence,
what you’ve infused into my soul.
I miss your embrace and the sound of your voice.
And yet, I feel you walking beside me.
It’s the light in my eyes when I
lead with curiosity, whether it’s meeting new people
or trying new experiences.
Your childlike wonder showed me
how to explore the world.
The willingness to make mistakes and fall,
knowing that I would rise again.
You taught me to laugh at myself,
to laugh with others, but not at them.
I miss when you’d say,
“I’m so proud of you.
You reinvented yourself.
You could have just given up,
but you kept going.”
Those words were uplifting,
reminding me that I found a way to live
in the face of grief and trials.
I never minded
as your memory faded
to hear those precious words on repeat
until they disappeared as well.
The gift of encouragement,
especially on days
that are overwhelming and exhausting,
still resound in my head.
It is also a reminder to pay it forward,
telling those I love how proud I am of them,
hoping to spread your warmth
that you left in my keeping. -
On Being a Citizen
I carry the torch of my immigrant grandmother
in my soul as the guiding light of what it means
to be a citizen of a country that gave her so much
which she passed on to the generations that followed.
She knew the value of hard work and community,
that we are stronger together. Welcoming all,
for the quilt is made beautiful by the diversity
of the pieces that are sewn together.
It’s the hope I find when society bands together,
Looking to ease people’s suffering,
as witnessed in the LA fires.
My dream for my country is that we
can harness that energy not only in times
of natural disasters, but in daily living.
To truly see that my neighbor
is every person that I meet.
Citizenship means standing up for what I believe in,
making my voice heard,
especially when it’s not comfortable,
knowing that freedom for all comes at a price.
So, I hope for the strength to do what is right
when it is easier to sit on the sidelines. -
Strange Bed Fellows
How they walk, hand in hand,
forever intertwined,
grief and joy,
never knowing who will pop up.
The inexplicable joy that starts
at the crinkles of your eyes caused
by the curving of your lips
as they turn upwards in a smile.
It is the warm, tingly feeling in your chest
as your heart celebrates your friend’s good fortune
or the beauty that surrounds you.
The ecstasy shines out from your body
with the strength of the summer sun.
And you think this bliss will last forever,
only to have grief roar in
with the ferocity of a winter blizzard,
causing whiteout conditions
that make it hard to navigate
what once was a breezy, clear day.
The wind will chill your weary soul
as it grasps to find its footing.
The weight will come,
crashing down on your chest,
making it hard to breathe.
Your eyes will glisten with tears,
as the river spills down your cheeks.
Looking up from the valley floor,
you wonder once again,
“How will I ever get back to the top of the hill?”
And the amazing thing is this all
can happen within minutes of each other.
So, you learn to hold each hand with gentleness,
knowing that love has knit them together
as part of the bargain of living.
Beautiful Bittersweet Life Poems 