I see…I write…I am.

pictures, poetry and thoughts on the human experience.

recent posts

about

  • Shelter

    20130804-174138.jpg

    Unassuming bits,
    industriously woven.
    A haven for our heart.

    When society promotes always having more and better things, it can cause a person to lose sight of the things that truly make a person valuable.  Kindness, honesty, compassion, respect, courage…these should be the building materials of a life.  Wealth, prestige, and power may give the illusion of producing a happy, worthwhile existence, however the pursuit of these things often leads to frustration and heartache.  Like a nest built out of humble twigs, a life dedicated to simple principles can provide the shelter we desire.

  • Hubris

     

    DSC_0111_111

     

     

    Perfect in my mind,

    No need for improvement.

    I stand corrected.

  • Contrast

    DSC_0032

    Light against darkness,

    hardship highlights joy,

    And hope burgeons from the mire.

    Life is full of both happiness and hardships that we must experience.  While we might wish we could forgo the hardships, they are a necessary part of life.  Hardships can teach us much about ourselves, as well as ensure that we fully appreciate the happiness when it comes our way.

  • Help

    DSC_0124

    Independent,

    so painful to need help, but

    asking begets growth.

    As Americans, we are taught that independence is a good thing, something to be valued and admired.  Some of us may be a bit too independent, trying to do everything on our own and not wanting to ask for help. We might think that needing assistance is a sign of weakness, a character flaw.  However, like a flower that needs a bee to pollinate it, the fact is that we  need help from others.    It seems that knowing when to ask for help might be a sign of true strength…to know when you must reach out and trust  others to help.   To be vulnerable and not afraid to say, “I don’t know what to do now”.   And in exposing yourself, you gain the insight necessary to respond when it is your turn to help someone.

  • Progress

    Energy flowing,

    A gradual blossoming

    from  youth thru maturity.

     

    Like this flower, our path through life develops more blossoms as we progress.  While the first blooms are indeed beautiful, how much more so is the full flower that has been given time to fully develop.  True, a few petals may be missing or  a pest or two might be in residence, but how wonderful is the overall effect of the mature flower!    How liberating to think that we might be like this flower, a progression of blooms over time,  resulting in a great and natural beauty.

  • Making Friends

     

     

    Rough around the  edge,

    Battered but craving comfort,

    Starving soul meets love.

    “Big Red” showed up in our barn partially starved, physically compromised , and desperate.  He did not trust humans, but his hunger and shattered rear end forced the issue.  Over the course of two years, he came to trust…to appreciate regular food, kind words and a loving touch.  He changed from a distrustful, feral animal into our “Big Red”, a slightly touchy but loving fellow.  Beautiful, semi-wild, grateful but un-beholden to anyone. Sometime late this summer you left, went on a walkabout, and have never returned. At this point we do not fear the worst, we understand the inevitable…and we mourn you.  None of us get out alive, some leave sooner than other and we miss those who have gone before us.  I hope that “Big Red” learned to trust people enough that he will now cuddle up on Joyce (Snyder nee Eaton), Kathy (Smith nee Hamilton), James Snyder, and Spencer Snyder….and will help relay their messages to the ones they left behind.

     

  • Deny

    Denying my want,

    Emotional explosion,

    I cannot obtain.

    How many times do we just want to explode?  To totally cut loose, free our emotions, shout our feelings out to the world….to stuff our faces with cupcakes and satisfy our inner feelings!  Our doctors, our waistlines and society in general would be horrified.  We are supposed to be more controlled, more sophisticated  and just plain better than that.  Granted, I am not a big fan of emotional eating, not because I don’t understand it’s appeal but because I understand it’s appeal all too well.   The infinite battle between our physical and our physiological…who determines the winner?  We all face crises in our life….how do we deal with them?  Do we push them out of sight?  Do we drown them with outside factors?  Do we tuck them away until we have a quiet moment to fully examine them?   I do not know….all I know is that some life crisis call for a cry, a friend, or simply a cupcake.

  • Pure Gold

    Your name meant “Pure Gold”

    Your love was worth a fortune,

    My heart is in debt.

    Almost everyone knew you as “Zippy”.  Few knew that your actual name was “Ibriiz”… even fewer knew that you were a National Specialty winner, and a Best in Field winner and a defender of human children against a Ridgeback horde.  What defines a “Winner”?  That you won medals, ribbons, accolades, $$$$?  Or that you were able to effortlessly win over the hearts of everyone you met?  So many visitors to our home have commented on the number of dogs, or the obnoxiousness of  the rat terrier. But everyone  commented on Zippy’s presence…gentle, yet protective and loving all at the same time.  In the end Time had her way with him….she stole his amazing athleticism, she stole his ability to stand guard over his family.  But in the end, I stole from Her the  ability to take his dignity.

    Thank you Zip.  Run free, get the bunny and know that we miss you horribly.

    RIP BISS, Int’ Ch., BIF  Shi’ Rayan’s Ibriiz at Mystic Ridge.

  • Direct

    A fleeting blossom,

    Unconcerned about Fate’s Wheel,

    Direct and lovely.

    How often the worries of life madly spin us around.  Jobs, money, status, all of these things preoccupy us to the point where it becomes difficult to see clearly.  An entire world exists outside of our modern worries, a world of peace, beauty and tranquility.  The Wheel of Fate will always turn, upending our fortunes and lives.  Like a child riding a merry-go-round in the playground, if you do not find something beyond the spinning to focus on, you will become dizzy and fall.  Whether it is a rose blossom, a good friend or something else that speaks to your heart, be direct in your appreciation  and find your inner focus.

  • Bridge

    Wooden walkway leads,

    Spanning our distant selves,

    Pathway to self-truth.

    We all have transition points in our lives.  We transition from childhood to adulthood, from single to married, from career to career, our lives are filled with transitions.  While each transition comes with its own stress, and some transitions are painful, each transition is such an opportunity for growth.  If only we can look at each transition as a bridge to a new stage of development, a new stage of growth, a new branch on the path of life, then we might appreciate the power of the bridge, the power of the transition.  Life is a transition, to fear change is to fear life.  Frightening, yes. exhilarating, sometimes.  Part of life, always.  Do not fear the bridge, it takes you along your path.