The Other Side

The Other Side

One hundred and one years ago,
He breathed in air for the first time
What better day to gift him freedom

His spirit ascended watching over us
He painted the rainbow of love and hope
We felt his presence ever so near
With white and red, we made a toast

As the dust blew along the breeze
The song of sparrows echoed

Our eyes looked to the bright blue
his loving soul glides with the angels

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for visiting, and I wish you a wonderful week!❤️

My latest collection of poetrytouching on nature, love, and the mysteries of life
that would make a great for any holiday! Click on the image for your copy. Thank you! 💚

Reconnected

He had just entered the world
his body tiny and delicate
a bundle needing to be loved
His skin darker than theirs
but this made no difference
Joy danced in their hearts
when he became family

but with each passing birthday
the skin color confused him,
badgering his emotions
like poison flowing
through his veins
causing him to act out
in unforeseen ways

their circle was broken
when he walked out the door

leaves on the trees
changed their wardrobe,
falling over and over and over again
his silence shattered their world

until he walked through the door
realization in his heart
realization in his soul
embracing them for the love,
for the home they gave him

skin color irrelevant
they were family
reconnected

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.

Just click on the image to purchase your copy,
and if you enjoyed this collection,
please consider sharing a review
on Amazon and/or Goodreads.
Reviews are like hugs.
 💚

Giving Thanks, Jingle Bells, & Lots of Nostalgia

With the holidays upon us, my memory can’t help but reel back a few decades. Our parents were still alive, all of their grandkids were young, and those big, noisy family gatherings for Thanksgiving and Christmas were anticipated with excitement. Sure, giving and receiving gifts at Christmas time is rewarding and fun (in that order), but what I truly miss is ‘the noise, the laughter, the chaos, the loved ones’ (section 2 of my book). And I remember when our daughter and son were precious little bundles of joy. The elation my husband and I felt when our family became 3 then 4, and then complete. Don’t misunderstand though – returning to the past isn’t my wish, I’m simply reminiscing. So, I’ve shared this poem before that you’ll find in the same section of my book. But because these images have come to life once again, I’d like to share it one more time. I hope you don’t mind, and perhaps, you’ll relate to my nostalgic frame of mind…

First Breath

With every new miracle of life
answers aren’t scripted in the stars,
but I knew since your very first breath
my life would become yours.

Through innocent eyes and curious touch
each new discovery you shared,
your smile grew bigger than the sun,
your heart’s elation declared.

You stowed dreams in the clouds,
imaginings rose higher than the heavens.
Cuddling you in that first euphoric light
made me fall in love with you in seconds.

Life has blossomed into delight and wonder
in every part of its glowing greatness,
and with each ounce of my being,
my enduring love for you is ageless.

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
The first 3 photos of our daughter, Stephanie, and the last 3 of our son, Michael.

Click on the image to purchase your copy. 💚

Our babies are now 32 & 28, so they’re not babies anymore,
but I suppose they will always be our babies no matter their age.
❤️

I appreciate your visit today and wish you a wonderful week!
~ Lauren 🩷🙏

He’d say, “Live your life!”

I’ve written and shared several poems during my father-in-law’s decline on hospice, and then for his passing on Halloween. My last post was a tribute to all our parents who are now together for their eternal adventure. But Wil would say, “It’s time to move on and life your life!” Actually, my parents and my mother-in-law would say the same thing with gusto! So, while we’re in the midst of grieving, taking care of business, and planning Wil’s Celebration of Life, I’m moving forward regarding blog posts, but I truly appreciate all of the kind words and condolences my family has received. 🙏🏻❤️

And now I’ve fallen behind on some reblogs, the first from Barbara at Book Club Mom when she featured my latest book, Ever So Gently. She is a wonderful support to Indie Authors with her Author Update posts. So, thanks again, Barbara! To read the entire post and learn more about my book, click on the link below that will take you to Barbara’s site. Please take time to peruse her blog where she shares the books she reads along with her wonderful reviews. And yes, I’ll most likely share more about Ever So Gently, but that’s life for a self-published author. It’s not easy to promote one’s work, but it has to be done. So, I hope you all understand. 💚

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Photo taken by my son, Michael, at Arches National Park in Utah.

Click on the image to
purchase your copy.
 💚

I am touched by those who enjoyed my book
and who have written beautiful reviews. 🩵
And a friendly nudge… if you enjoyed my book,
please consider sharing a review on Amazon

and Goodreads. The best gift for authors! 🙏🏻

Thanks so much for visiting todayand I wish you
a gentle start to your week.

~ Lauren ❤️

In Honor of Our Parents

The foundation was solid,
love was the glue,
but they are gone now –
the foursome that guided,
supported, and encouraged.

Tears spill into our days,
but so do the memories
and celebrations
of the lives they lived.

Our eyes are open to
the legacies they have left
and the yesterdays that
were shared with them.

So we honor their wishes…
We will smile for our tomorrows.


© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Photo: Our wedding day on January 21, 1989 with our beloved parents.
Obviously, this poem is personal to Matt and I, but maybe it resonates
with some you…
❤️

Click on the image to
purchase your copy.
 💚

I am touched by those who enjoyed my book
and who have written beautiful reviews. 🩵
And a friendly nudge… if you enjoyed my book,
please consider sharing a review on Amazon

and Goodreads. The best gift for authors! 🙏🏻

Thanks so much for visiting today, and I know a sad tone has been prevalent
in my last few posts. But this is life right now for my family, and yet as the poem says,
we will smile for our tomorrows. I wish the same for you.
~ Lauren ❤️


Until that time…

Whenever we’d say goodbye, he’d say, “Until that time…”

The call came at 2:16 am in the wee hours of Halloween. Our beloved dad and father-in-law took his last breath at 2:05. After being on hospice for three months, his body slowly declining, the suffering lingered.

Until that time when it was the right time for him…when his soul ascended to join the other spirits of Allhallows Eve.

He lived to be 100 years old! And he was a great man with a gentle heart. As much as the tears will come, we are comforted knowing that he is at peace and no longer in need of morphine. There is a whole host of family where he’s headed now, so he will be welcomed with open arms and reunited with loved ones who have been missed.

So, we are going to allow the feelings of sadness and grief to be felt. We will find comfort in precious memories. But most importantly, we will honor and celebrate this wonderful man who lived for over a century.

Our daughter and son visiting Grandpa in March of 2019.

I remember a poem that is written by my lovely friend, Selma Martin. It’s one of many that stood out from her beautiful poetry book, In the Shadow of Rainbows. After reading her words again, out loud for my husband to hear, we both agreed that this poem is perfect for his dad:

When Death Comes

When death comes
I don’t want to look back
lovelorn, empty, frightened
– Oh, no!
When death comes
I want to be led into eternity
curious, full of joy
knowing the world I leave
is better for the love I gave.

© Selma Martin

These words are my father-in-law. He was loving, nonjudgemental, a social butterfly, and his heart was full of joy! His life was not devoid of heartache and loss, but he always moved forward in the direction the silver lining guided him.

Thank you, Selma, for this profound poem that resonates with our family at this time. 🙏🏻

Thank you, Dad, for the love you gave. We were fortunate to have you as our father. You will always be in our hearts. ❤️

Until that time…when we will meet again…we love you! ❤️

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.

Heartbeat

Henry was engrossed in a gripping James Patterson novel when his heart jumped a beat. The second episode this week. It skipped again. He called his daughter in the kitchen, and her fingers found the buttons on her cell for emergency. The sun was setting on this Friday when paramedics arrived. Henry was soon x-rayed. Linda called her older sister, and they learned from Dr. Roberts that their elderly dad’s heart was giving up. They knew their parents would soon be reunited. Monday morning, their loving father took his last breath. He would once again dance with his sweetheart.

_____________________________________________________________________________

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Photo by Luan Rezende on
Pexels.com

A Little Bit More

She’d sit on the landing,
long hair cascading,
her little friends listening
to her read about Paddy,
Peter the Rabbit, and
The Three Little Bears.

My mind still can’t fathom
that this moment wasn’t
just yesterday
when she loved to create
her little delightful worlds.

Now, a beautiful woman
giving life her best
with an open heart
and a smile bright
as a field of sunflowers.

But geography intervenes…

And yet, our phone chats,
well, let me just say,
we make up for lost time!
Three hours later,
what could we have
possibly gabbed about?

Everything, and most
likely, a little bit more.

She knows the amount
of residence
she claims in my heart.
Then again, it is quite
difficult to quantify.
It would be like counting
the display of gleaming stars
in the vast evening sky.

© Lauren Scott, baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.