Xmas Wishes
This week I’m sending you some Xmas wishes in my poems. Every year I make my Xmas cards (apparently they’ve become a collector’s item!) and I include a poem I’ve written. So I decided it would be a gift to you all, if I sent you some of the poems from my past Xmas cards – from my heart to yours.
When Hope is Present...
My prayer for us all this Xmas
is that despite the bleak outlook
we can still hold onto hope.
When hope is present -
our resolve is strengthened.
We have a reason to keep on keeping on,
to continue moving forward.
When hope is present, our spirits are lifted.
There is light in the darkness
to see what is possible.
When hope is present -
we have faith In a better outcome.
The people of Ukraine must have hope
or they would have surrendered long ago.
I pray that we all can hold onto hope
and believe that
‘All shall be Well’
PRACTISING the ART of GRATITUDE
Blessed by the riches of my life,
I’m forever grateful for these nuggets:
Family surrounding me with their love.
Heartfelt friendships from the special ones
and those who hold me in their hearts.
Living life on life’s terms
which allows chances for improvement,
alongside belief in possibility and choices.
The ‘through leaves’ experiences that
make my heart sing with joy.
Those moments when I am simply at peace.
Routines and rituals that keep me afloat.
My valued sobriety - 33 years and counting,
one day at a time.
My ‘Jonny’ for the joy, love and support
he has brought to my life, alongside
the creativity he has helped blossom in me.
The essence of life itself and
the sheer beauty of this one precious life.
The Art of Falling
Our world is weird
but we’re all cracking on.
Our hopes are now raised
but we still have to wait.
Found different ways of existing
but they’re stretched to the limits.
Lived and loved through lockdown
but release brought fresh spikes.
Despite tier systems which confuse
and test all our spirits
We resist the pull of bending
weak willed.
Despite the odds,
strong roots have us standing sturdy.
There’s a promise of tomorrow
where hugs become possible.
In this world of uncertainty,
We learn how to balance
the art of falling
with the weight of hope.
What Xmas is Not (In spirit of John Hegley)
Xmas is not a Cacophony of Carols
but singing can lift the spirit.
Xmas is not a Hard Brexit
but it can be uniting.
Xmas is not a Rave
but pleasure may come in small parcels.
Xmas is not an Ice cube
but it can slip away.
Xmas is not a Snowball
but it may pelt you with surprise.
Xmas is not a Tyrannosaurus Rex
but will it ever become extinct?
Xmas is not Marmalade
but it can get sticky at times.
Xmas is not an Allergy
but the stress can make you itch.
Xmas is not a Sloth
but it may awaken your soul.
Xmas is not many things
but it can warm you with buckets of love.
Against the odds.
Sometimes-
the rain stops for the ceremony.
the last bus waits for the latecomer.
the roads are clear for the urgent appointment.
and the train arrives early –
despite other expectations.
Sometimes-
people turn away from conflict.
youngsters offer support to the elderly.
receiving becomes a pleasure, not a weakness.
and the ‘best laid schemes’
of mice and men go well.
Sometimes-
we reach through our isolation
to find comfort in each other.
we remember that a simple hug or smile
can warm the human heart.
and we connect because we care.
.
And with these sometimes-
just maybe-
before we know it,
a world emerges, ,
where the unusual becomes the norm
where things do not always turn from bad to worse.
where these things happen ……..
against the odds
Pathways
Standing at the junction,
so many ways to tread.
The ultimate question
confronts me ahead…
‘Which one?’
I ask quietly,
eyes upward in hope.
The stars whisper:
‘This one’
as they light up the path.
‘Shall I go then?’
I murmur
uncertain and scared.
They wink and remind me,
‘My heart knows the way’,
As I step out in faith
without further delay…..
Hope my words bring you some joy and make you smile this Xmas.
I’m holding you all in my heart.
Author of memoir, ‘Wearing Red, One Woman’s Journey to Sanity’
Available from www.amazon.co.uk and www.browndogbooks.uk