Ref's ~

First it was Mr Bean and Teddy, Tom and Jerry, Phineas and Ferb, Batman and Superman, then it was us. I spent the 9-5 with you and somedays it was 8-8. Like everyone else in this world, we don't have everything but unlike everyone else we had inside jokes about everything.   First it was "I will"                       "I will see"                         "I can't"                            "I won't"  Then it was silence for a month. A month became a year. A year became two years and three.         We were children then. Now, I'm a young adult.     It was 6 in the morning. I was running. I saw you. I stopped for you.You looked at me for awhile. Then, I realized you did not recognize me.          

I replaced songs with poetry I replaced movies with comedy I replaced thoughts with prayers For three days I slept in I closed the curtains I stopped seeing the world with my eyes Instead I saw the world in my mind.  Little did I know Those three days  Were preparing me. I'm not a prophet  But in those three days  I wrote poems  That are now my only comfort.  I wrote a poem for my friends And I sent it to them But all that poetry Is now meant for me.  I wrote a poem about hands And I didn't know whose I meant But now I understand Now I clearly know That they were my own.  I spent the next three days In people's company Engaging in conversations That are now helping me.  I worked a little too hard Did a little too much So I rested my eyes But rested too much.  That night, I didn't sleep well.  If at all.  Last night, I didn't sleep well If at all.  The night didn't last long.  I stopped trying to sleep ...

Breathe in. Pray.  Breathe out. Give thanks.      Right now I don't know how to overcome, how to win, how to do this, how to live, how to love, how to laugh, how to cry, how to express myself,how to quiet my mind, how to be vulnerable, how to be strong, how to sing, how to dance but I have learned to breathe. It has become muscle memory.     Breathe in. Pray.  Breathe out. Give thanks.    Prayers. They are powerful. And when I say powerful, I don't mean that my prayers always get an answer, but things always seem a little less worse after I talk to God about it. Pray without ceasing.      Gratitude. It is an act of humility. Be thankful for what your hand has held, is holding and will hold. Be thankful for what slips through your fingers, for what you almost held and for what you never had to hold. Give Him Thanks.  Breathe in. Pray.  Breathe out. Give thanks.  Learn, learn, learn  Learn to ...

My favourite plant is a cactus.  Maybe, it's because it's easy to take care of.  It can survive...  There are people who can survive, then there are those who conquer and those who just forget.  So many times, my memory has failed me And for the most part, that keeps me happy.  But other times, my mind has underestimated              The strength it takes to move on When Failure rears its ugly heads Like thorns all over my body.  And though hiding behind loose words and vague metaphors  Is against my writer's ethics,  I have to mention that  A cactus can survive because of the sap  And the ugly thorns that it has.  A cactus is easy to take care of Because it can take care of itself.  It can survive.  I can survive. 

Heaven is a place inside of us. Heaven isn't "heaven" because of the beautiful gardens, the bright skies, the golden light, the smooth roads. Heaven is heaven because that's where God is. His presence can turn the roughest places into heaven.                                                   "Wherever you go, I will be with you"                      God breathe these words out so we can have heaven inside of us. Though, we cannot fully be aware of His presence now, but we can know in parts, in pieces and for now that's more than enough.         Believe it or not that small piece of heaven we have now is the only thing that can give us peace in such a chaotic world. It can give healing, purpose and satisfaction. How much more will Heaven be.        ...

Being merciful and kind is always risky. We all want to help until it inconveniences us. We all want to love but stop when it's not returned to us. We all want to be Christ-like but stop when we have to bend and wash someone's feet. It's hard but we are called to love those who hate us and loving strangers is a good place to start.      And so welcome strangers to your home.  Let them come in and ask them to make themselves comfortable.  Ask them their names.  Take their coats.  Take their burdens.  Tell them,  "You can lay down.  Rest your eyes Till you can see the light.  Take a little nap.  Have a little food.  I am here for you.  Rest, you can rest on my shoulder.  You are safe here"          They are ordinary words but very hard to say to a stranger. It's very hard to have a sacrificial love for someone. But what is love if not for sacrifices ? So, love without conditions...