Wrangling A Poem

It is said, food is sustenance –

purely and simply.

To that I say, 

a poem is most exquisitely the savory and sweet 

nectar which feeds the soul. 

 

They’re meant to be slivered into bite size pieces,

swirled around and sucked on.

 

Much like one enjoys a fine wine,

allowing it to roll on the palette,

noting the high and low notes,

identifying the complex and subtle elements.

 

Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver, Lou Lipsitz, 

Maya Angelou, Walt Whitman, Pablo Neruda

soothe the weary spirit.

 

Pick one, 

sink into a comfortable chair,

lose yourself in the what if.  

 

Chew on the fat, roll around in the grass,

graze on the possibilities. 

 

Collect them, soak them in, 

let them fill you.

 

Eat freely from the banquet of poems,

you will never be alone.

Full of Hope

Debbie Hope

 

Quiet Please……

 

 

The world we live in moves at an incredible dizzying pace. Each minute technological advance deepens our connection to every new gadget on the market. It becomes a race to see who can get to the Apple store first. Our behavior becomes frantic. Facebook, Twitter and texting have quickly become our national obsession, and we all participate on some level. I swear I can see the flash of my Blackberry from another room. Not to mention the adrenaline rush when I hear the ping of the latest CNN push on my Ipad.  Do I really need to know the latest result of the Iowa caucus? Will it change the direction of my life? I am torn between being informed and oblivious. I openly admit that when I am on information overload I put myself on long, self-imposed news fasts. It feels good to stick my head deep down in the sand. Sad, but true.

Creating a place to rest and re-fuel is essential to one’s emotional and spiritual balance.  So, where do you go to disconnect from the chatter of the world? I am, and have always been a nester at heart. I find great peace from the space I call home. It warms my soul to sink deep into my comfy library chair and glance over at family pictures and personal mementos scattered throughout the room. Others may see clutter, I see a lifetime of treasures.  Solitude is not a luxury for me. It’s as necessary to my overall health and well-being as food is for sustenance. It hasn’t always been that way. There were many moments early in my life where I would do just about anything I had to not to be alone with my own thoughts. Silence during this time was deafening. It’s quite the opposite now. I will do just about anything to build a little silence into my day.

 

If you don’t think you need to carve out a time for peace and reflection, dig a little deeper. I promise the excavation will be worth it. More importantly, find a place where you can refuel…..and if it serves you, fill it with amazing beauty. Do what feeds you. Follow what soothes you. Fill your days with things that really matter. When you fill your soul with real beauty, you will thrive. Remember, it’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity.

Full of Hope