Kindness, Respect and Pervasive Division

What do you see as you walk down the boardwalk? Do you turn left, go straight or take a right into the woods? Does turning left or right, or staying in the middle, make you better or less than the next person to come through? Are we supposed to see life through the same lens or be the diverse and free-thinking people that started with two humans, a snake and an apple? In the story of Babel, the Holy TrinityRead more

#SoCS: For as Long as They Both Shall Live

Phhhfffttt!!! What’s the matter Gibbs? Hoshi. Uh-huh. She’s a twit. Uh-huh. Is that all you can say uh-huh? What would you like me to say, buddy? Say that you’re taking her back to wherever she came from. I can’t do that. Why not? Because like you, Mr. Gibbs, I adopted her. Yeah, so? So, I don’t take back kitties after I adopt them. No matter what. Can you make an exception? No. What is this about? She has been hereRead more

#SoCS: Christmas Sprucing

For today’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday, Linda Hill asks us to use the word “spruce” in our post. The word doesn’t go along with a poem/prayer I’ve already written for today, so I’ll add a few lines here in order to avoid point deductions. I am “spruced up” for Christmas. The decorations and tree (the non-spruce kind) have been up since Thanksgiving. I spruced myself up with pinky/purple hair. I spruced the apartment up a couple days ago so thatRead more

#TDWC: The Eden of our Own Making

Thank you, Susan Rushton, for your inspiring door! Welcome! C’mon in! We are here to acknowledge and celebrate your humanity, no matter who you are. Black, brown, white; male or female; Christian, Muslim, atheist; whatever sexuality or identity; addict or teetotaler; the guy who doesn’t take care of the yard or the woman who bakes cookies for the neighbors; left or right; near or far. We are all friends and neighbors here. We all love one another here. Without question.Read more

Beholden

Sitting here, wondering, what do I praise? In a week filled with stuffing and turkey Surrounding self, I fix a knowing gaze Faithful gratitude is never murky A bike, a home, gray and white purring cats Family, friends, community feels right I step on the earthen beholden mats And wipe away thanklessness with delight Upright and breathing is who I am now Fed with food and love and blue butterflies Embracing what matters like sacred cow Receiving life’s blessings isRead more

The Measure of Humanity

In a beloved episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a cyberneticist arrives on the starship Enterprise with the intention of dismantling Data, the android, for scientific discovery and for the goal of creating more androids like him. Data would not survive this, and when he tries to give up his commission as an officer so they cannot order him to submit, Data is told he is not human and cannot make that decision for himself. He is a machine.Read more

#SoCS: Tie a Knot

Tie a knot of hope with ropes of blue and yellow Make them strong everlasting never to fray Tie a knot of love with ropes of many colors Keep them fused unified eager to help Tie a knot of resilience with ropes for all Ukraine Bind them in resolve supplication opposing the dark Tie a knot of freedom with the ropes of humanity Always to rejoice peacefully in God’s hands in our hands Stream of Consciousness Saturday is the brainchildRead more

Be Who You Are

Cheers to being who you are! The title of this post comes from a Sunday sermon, but I’m not here to impose Jesus upon you – although, what I’m about to say not only comes from who I am, but also from my spiritual heart. Many of you know who I am to some degree – Biker chick (both Harley and bicycle); cat lover; animal lover; beer and chocolate taste-tester; lover of outdoors and all things Star Trek and NCIS;Read more

Christmas and the Gift

“And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans–and all that lives and move upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused–and to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins,Read more

We Ask that Life be Kind

“Guide us with your graceTo a place where we’ll be safe.” From “The Prayer,” written by David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa and Tony Renis. You may know the original by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli, but I’ve been obsessing over the latest recording of “The Prayer” by Pentatonix. It’s on their latest Christmas CD, Evergreen. In this holiday season, whether you find yourself religious or not, celebrate Christmas or not, my wish (and prayer) for you is oneRead more

You can touch my paw

Are you kidding me right now? Can you see I’m trying to sleep? Don’t care if you heard a meow It may have been an annoyed peep Let’s get this straight and evenly precise Only I can disturb the daytime snooze Consequence comes when you roll the dice It may involve blood and a bruise I’ll catch you later when it’s time To stretch, yawn and head to the dish This nap will no longer need to rhyme As youRead more

#SoCS: I Drive to this Place

I drive to the forest I hide in the forest Breathing in cool air I know in this place It is a safe space For a grumbly soul to bare I ride past a thousand trees The blue of lake’s seas And give two legs a dare Twists and turns abound Up and down without sound In sync with a gravelly stare I drive because I must The heat at home an angry bust The heart finds its weather loveRead more