Watching Toby sleep,
seeing his nose twitch, his paws
arch and move slowly
through the air, I wonder what he’s
up to now. Hasn’t
he already done enough
to keep us safe and
still have fun. Where’s he headed
as he scampers through
his doggy dreams – to work, to play
or somewhere mysterious?
JDG
Having lost my mother when we both were
young, I have found
mothering
in good
friends.
They
have loved
and challenged
me, guided and
sustained me. Today I celebrate friends.
JDG
“You fight the battle
with the troops you’ve got, not with
the troops you wish you
had.” – War time wisdom that helped
me combat the blues today.
JDG
It was only natural that the birds
joined in, adding
their sweet notes
as we
sang
in
tribute
to the life
of a young man
who loved the music and the land they shared.
JDG
“How aren’t you?” he asked
with a mischievous grin, but
serious all the
while. That Rumi can take
the familiar, give
it a shake and transport us
to an unexpected place.
JDG
When I lost my keys
and my temper once again,
I turned to Kodi,
my oldest granddaughter, and
asked, “Do you think by
the time I’m eighty, I’ll get
a hold of myself?”
“Not a chance,” she said,
“and when you get to heaven
and cause a ruckus
even there, God will simply
sigh and say over
and over to God’s self, ‘Love
and tolerate, love
and tolerate ALL of your
children.’ ” At least, I
thought to myself, she thinks I’ll
make it through those pearly gates.
JDG
As evening comes, light
strikes the tall pine’s upper trunk
just for a moment
before it fades. The bearded
iris shine purple
as buttercups softly sing
to the darkening
grass. Taking leave of the day’s
concerns, we welcome the night.
JDG
When the going gets rough, I look to these
stately trees, wind
rippling through
their leaves.
I
learn
sometimes
it’s best not
to resist, but
to let currents flow through me and around.
JDG
Cotton clouds crowded
the bluest of skies as friends
and family came
together to celebrate
the life of Gus Deeds. Music,
poems, and stories
paid tribute to this young man,
an inspiration,
comfort, guide, and endless source
of laughter and fun
to campers, counselors, and
staff at Nature Camp.
Here, in the Blue Ridge Mountains,
his laughter and light still shine.
JDG
Watching the sun light
up the land and dance among
the trees, I’m dazzled,
not just by the light, but
by how quickly things
can change. After days of rain,
rain, rain, the clouds shift
from gray to pink to white, but
by noon that self-same
day the sun has hid and we’re
back to gray – though it won’t stay.
JDG
