Poetry - By The Light of a Candle

By the light of a candle,
I can contemplate life
Take notes
Cross a few things off of my list
Add a new adventure

By the light of a candle
I can dream about my future
Celebrate my past
Put a few things to rest
Relish in the present

By the light of a candle
I can see things clearly
Accepting change
Letting yesterday's shadows play
my past drifting off with the smoke
Into the bright light of promise

What Do You Love About Life

My 9 year old's question was the great way to start a lazy school holiday morning.

What do you love about life?

Tell me what you think, I replied back.

He looked out the window and came up with a list that impressed me.

Snow

Family

Shawnee

Mine Craft

Snow Days

Mountain Biking

God

Spongebob.

I love that his list reminded me, KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid.

So here's my list of things I love in life:

1.  2 hour delays from school

2.  Fresh snow on a crisp winter morning.

3.  Standing on top of a mountain and looking out - that feeling of being so small.

4.  A favorite song on the radio and reminds me of a special time.

5.  That feeling when I am falling in love with my characters in my writing.

6.  That feeling of gratitude that invades my soul and gives me peace.

7.  Making my friends laugh and watch their faces relax.

8.  Going for a walk and being surprised by some creature - a red tail hawk flying in front of me, a deer in the meadow.

9.  Hanging out with my family, telling stories.

10.  Life itself.

The list is short.  The list is free.  But the list is priceless.

Be reminded today that the things that are important, the things that you love in life.

Well, those things are free.

OK, except maybe the dog after my last vet bill.

Musings of a Runner

Running this morning, I added a trail to the mix out of respect for Caballo Blanco, the Ultra Runner who was found dead in Mexico yesterday.  I started on the road and as always when I run, I am amazed at what I find along side of the road when running.


A set of birth control pills with several still in there.  Running, I'm thinking, "Hopefully that was the week where it's just placebo pills."  Then my imagination starts to roll - "Honey, that's it - I want a baby!"  And out go the birth control pills onto the road.  Or, "damn, these things didn't work!"  Out goes the birth control pills.  


The next thing I see is the head of a doll.  I can see the child holding the doll out the window saying, "weee!"  Then it hitting a stop sign and the poor child pulling in just a doll body.  Or the two children fighting in the back seat until someone gets hurt, and usually it's the doll.


I've seen condom packages, condoms out of the package, hairbrushes, hats, shirts, single shoes, AND CD's.  I've seen deer skeletons, too much road kill to count, and even taken a few injured animals home.  


That's the beauty of running, it's a time to mediate even if it is to wonder why the CD is sitting by the side of the road, did someone hate the song so much they pulled the CD out of the player and threw it out the window  Using my imagination to picture funny scenarios for everything I see by the side of the road, some that may actually be true!


What have you seen out there running?  Does it get your imagination rolling?