He cares for his father whose body tires of everyday functions, pain raging at cyclone force from ninety-nine years of living a lifetime. Our emotions undulate – who wishes to watch a loved one suffer?
Another week of work comes to an end. With glass of wine in hand, we exhale on the patio. Then the sun says, “Good night, my dear friends,” as he gently descends, making room for the moon.
And when the moon appears, Oh, My! She takes our breath away! Bright and bold as if she senses we could use light in our souls.
We open the gate and walk into the street for an unobstructed view. Under the illumination, a woman pauses with her dog, a husky mix, with fur white as an arctic fox, another rescue, she tells us, and our hearts leap with joy.
The moon pays attention to us as the patio welcomes again. Most importantly, she listens. And though the stars act a bit bashful, they eavesdrop and we are fine that they do.
The moon and stars hear us, just an ordinary couple enjoying a Friday evening but with heavy hearts. Their absolute attention, imagine this, out of all eyes gazing at the brilliant sky – we know the moon’s lustrous presence is for us alone, and we are aware that the panoply of stars will shimmer into view soon.
Then we rise from our seats and head into the house, feeling relaxed from the wine’s fluidity, and appreciative that our troubles have been received.
For inspiration to notice surrounding beauty, to feel gratitude, to face challenges and fears while sipping your favorite coffee roast or a beverage of your choice, check out my latest book:More than Coffee.
When he trots around on his long legs, he carries eighty pounds of love. And those amber eyes see right into our souls.
When he smiles, his white choppers shine as if they’ve never caused any commotion…never mind the afternoon when he attempted to eat the barbecue!
When he hears a knock on the door, his bark echoes across the Golden Gate, along the marina into San Francisco. Out of protection? Sure. But mostly from excitement.
A social butterfly sporting a Labrador costume, that’s what he is… freely passing out his affection, assuming everyone loves his slobbery kisses.
But he has a selfish side, rolling over onto his back, expecting a belly rub. And who are we to deny his wishes? And his ears, like feeling silk between our fingers. We can’t get enough.
How amazing to know his love comes unconditionally. To know he doesn’t waste minutes worrying about world events or whether the pandemic is here to stay. And he is never one to judge.
He just loves in his simple way, and we love him back. And that is simply enough.
For inspiration to notice surrounding beauty, to feel gratitude, to face challenges and fears while sipping your favorite coffee roast or a beverage of your choice, check out my latest book: More than Coffee.
When we stroll through a redwood grove, our steps become gradual, knowing we are in good company. We don’t want to rush the experience, and we won’t hesitate to hug them with wide open arms, because, why not? They deserve reverence for their generosity. You see, in their company, we feel silk threads of peace flowing through our hearts and souls, centering us. Any worries burdening our minds before fall to the earth to be walked upon and buried. And we listen as their leaves whisper to us in the breeze, “Be filled with joy and do not fret, for there is no time for that nonsense.”
Lauren Scott, baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Happy October! I hope you are doing well! I had to step away for a couple of weeks so I could focus on my next book of poetry. I finished the structure and compiling poems, so now I’ll continue writing to add to the manuscript. So far, the total is 66, but once the editing begins, that number will change. However, it’s not about quantity. I’ll be adding and weeding out poems as the calendar pages turn. My goal is to publish next spring, and now that you know this, I am accountable. 🙂
I look forward to reading your posts again, and I am leaving you with a haiku that you may have seen before. But whether you’re reading it for the first time or second or even third, I hope you enjoy! Autumn is a favorite season, so here you go…
Seasonal Blanket
autumn’s dawn colors in warm hues of coziness melodious crunch
Fresh raindrops gently landed on their wilted spirits, and I witnessed them lifting with a sigh of relief. Oh, how grateful I feel to absorb the rhythm of the pitter-patter.
Lauren Scott, baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved
For inspiration to notice surrounding beauty, to feel gratitude, to face challenges and fears while sipping your favorite coffee roast or a beverage of your choice, check out my latest book: More than Coffee.
Cora trots down the slippery slope. Her heart feels lonely, and her little legs feel wobbly. But it’s not like her to complain, so she scrambles on the muddy trail alone. She would love to meet some friendly critters to brighten her mood. Her body shivers and her tummy rumbles. She misses Ma and Pa so badly.
They wouldn’t leave me alone with the trees and the scary crunching of the leaves. Cora thinks to herself. And those sounds are scaring me! Owls screeching, the howling wind, and unnerving grunts and growls in the distance act like robbers, stealing her courage. Besides being afraid, I am very hungry.
Then those tummy rumbles turn into fluttering butterflies because her imagination runs wild. She senses her courage fly up into the darkening sky. The trees seem to grow taller as their twisted branches resemble long arms reaching out to grab her. “I have to stay strong like Ma and Pa taught me. My body may be small, but my strength can be just like theirs!” Cora says as she continues forward on the trail while the world around seems to close in on her.
She doesn’t understand how she became separated from Ma and Pa. One minute they were trotting down the trail together, but when she turned around to tell them that she saw a cool caterpillar, she noticed they were gone! Cora doesn’t think home is too far away but looking up at the surrounding trees makes her dizzy. And in every direction she turns her head, another trail winds its way to somewhere. Only she doesn’t know where!
“Wait, is that singing?” Cora says for all the animals in the forest to hear. She halts on the path and listens to the hopeful tune. Suddenly, she doesn’t feel afraid. “I hear happy hums, too!” She says with delight. “Maybe Ma and Pa are looking for me!”
Instead of following the trail, she paces back and forth, so excited to see her parent’s loving faces. “I think they’re coming around the bend, and when I see them, my heart will burst with joy!”
But as quickly as Cora’s fear disappears, she notices the big bush ahead shudder and the unsettling sight makes her heart skip a beat. She hopes it’s her ma and pa, and not a big, fat, furry bear claw! She feels stuck in her mucky tracks. Even if she motions them to move, her hooves won’t budge an inch. The excitement she felt before has turned into alarm because she doesn’t have a clear view of what lurks behind the shrubbery.
Cora would feel a little better if she could still hear the singing and humming, but the music stopped when she saw the big green bush shake. “Who goes there?” She asks with a spirited voice. “Show yourself! I am not afraid of you!” Cora thought her courage had left her for good, when it had been with her all along. She just had to give it freedom to shine.
With eyes wide open, Cora watches in wonder while her ma and pa sprint out from around that same shaking bush that made fear travel from the tips of her ears to the tip of her tail. Now she understands the panic her wild imagination caused.
Ma and Pa run up to their precious little girl, loving on her with kisses galore! “We’re so sorry, Sweetheart! Pa and I were talking about the upcoming Deer Dance on Saturday, and then we realized you continued on without us. We had lost you and started to panic!”
“It’s okay, Ma, I’m a big girl so I stayed strong the whole time. Well, maybe I did get a little scared, but I kept thinking of how you and Pa taught me to be brave. And I want to grow up to be brave just like my parents!”
“Oh, Cora, your Ma and I are so proud of your bravery! Come on, let’s go home now. I think we all deserve a feast of acorns and apples!” Pa says to his courageous daughter as he lovingly nudges her to lead the way. Cora and her ma and pa trot in the opposite direction on the path, heading to their haven, while her heart pounds rapidly out of celebration.
I am thrilled to be featured today on Sally’s lovely blog with her stunning review of my book, More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose.
Thank you again, Sally! Hugs 💞
It has been a busy summer and as the rain returns I was looking for something gentle to ease me into the autumn and found this in the lovely collection by Lauren Scott – More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose
About the book
From the early woes of childhood and teen years, this collection of stories and poems paints a picture of young dreams and fears. But as adulthood sets in, these dreams and fears change. More than Coffee touches on love and loss, nature and endurance, marriage and parenting. In these memories, humor diffuses fear and taking risks proves to be a powerful method in boosting self-confidence. Through it all, whether in the wilderness near a sparkling lake or in the comfort of home, there’s nothing like a good cup of coffee. A poignant and reflective collection of verse and prose that is best enjoyed sipping your…
This post is darker than most of mine, but life isn’t always rosy, so writing about those difficult times when we question our feelings can be therapeutic. Have you found yourself in a similar situation?
**************************************************************** For inspiration to notice surrounding beauty, to feel gratitude, to face challenges and fears while sipping your favorite coffee roast or another beverage of your choice, check out my latest book: More than Coffee.
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author & Poet 