Sounds of healing...

The blood pressure monitor whirs,

the life-giving oxygen machine hums.

Outside, nurses rush to and fro

caring for so many, including Mom.

Over so many years, different hospitals,

different patients, different diagnosis, same fear.

Seeing your parent become frail, sick,

never gets easier, just less unexpected.

The silence of healing: miraculous, incredible,

is a welcomed sound, however temporary.

What sounds warm your heart?  Visit Melissa's Six Word Fridays to find out about the buzz!

Silence...

On days filled with endless chatter,

I long for silence, quiet , peace.

Barraging giggles, loud whispers, conspiratory voices

easily overwhelm the balance within me.

Deep within, my inner voice questions

if I will readily, willingly embrace

the eventual silence that will come

when my nest is empty, silent.

Then I remember, "I chose this."

This haphazardly controlled chaos of life

that this mom with three boys

lives, balances, treasures and fights against,

is something she chose willingly, wholeheartedly

when her heart and soul were quiet

and not yet full of joy.

Longing for silence?  Want to know more about Six Word Fridays?  Check out Melissa's blog!

Peace within...

The one thing we long for,

we must have to give freely.

It's forms: intricately designed and distinct.

It descends in moments of despair,

enveloping you, lifting you, sustaining you.

It permeates in moments of joy,

deepening the moment; strengthening faith, hope.

How often have prayed for it:

how quickly it has been granted.

It has been my armor, strength

in all that I have endured.

In the moments of quiet meditation

I pray that I can be

an instrument of peace to those

who look for strength, hope, sustenance;

and that the peace I find within

is always there, given freely, abundantly.

Have peace?  Check out Melissa and Six Word Fridays.

Why not...

Do things on a whim.

Practice random acts of kindness today.

Run an extra mile, just because.

Smile at someone who needs it.

Give a compliment and mean it.

Be kind to someone who's rude.

Act silly, like your shoe size.

Indulge in something, just for you.

Unload an anxiety that cripples you.

Replace it with something joyful, empowering.

Drown a sorrow, float with hope.

Do what you would do if

today was your very last day.

It's not too late to change.

Why not start right this second?

Why not join us?  Visit Melissa and find out more about Six Word Fridays!

How to... try to have fun (in spite of the kids)

Book a weekend alone, plan outings.

Pack your bags, kiss the kids.

Say goodbye. Wave. Peel rubber, baby!

Make your way to your destination.

Toast your good fortune, your escape.

Beach, restaurants, big plans: movies, dancing.

Reality? These two "fun" people's plans?

Fizzled out with the evening's twilight.

The culprits? Not the usual suspects.

No little boys and their antics...

Too much sun, too many cocktails,

Super early bird dinners sans children,

Make for sleeping parents at 9:00 p.m.

Know how to do something?  Visit Melissa and check out Six Word Fridays!

Fast. Slow. In-between.

My feet pounding on the asphalt.

Breath comes heavy, sweat cleansing me.

Keeping the beat of my soundtrack.

Pushing, hoping for better time.

Deadlines looming, obstacles to overcome daily.

The clock ticks ever so slowly.

Eyes glance continuously, disappointment looms.

It could not possibly go slower.

But somewhere in between the hoping

for better pace, for warp speed

on the slowest of some day,

I know I cannot control time.

Every day, knowledge of time's passing,

gnaws at my heart, mind, soul.

I pray for time to slow,

for more time, a slower pace:

to enjoy these boys who grow

at warp speed, heart aching pace.

Keeping pace? Visit Melissa and find out more about Six Word Fridays.

Connect five...

On the days that end in "y":

Opportunities missed to strengthen our bonds.

Work, school, homework, dinner, bath, bed.

Rinse. Repeat. Days end with "Why?"

Why is there so much crammed

into these 24 hour periods?

Days flow into one another, unrecognizable.

On a day that ended in "y,"

an opened envelope beckoned, invited

a chance, a glimmer, an opportunity,

to connect five people who live

rushing on days ending in "y".

A free meal, a wonderful cause;

helped connect our party of five;

end our day with knowledge that

days that end in "y" can be

as magical as days that begin

with "S", even as summer ends.

Trying to connect?  Visit Melissa and find out more about Six Word Fridays!