Lynn's Writing Sampler

Haikus

2011-12-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

Anticipation
distracts me from the present.
This moment, sunny.

Finding the center
of my busy seeking mind
must come back to breath.

Checking in, with heart~
Life can't be about the lists.
What inspires me now?

What I learn from my daughter

2011-11-09T14:48:00.001-08:00

She is the gentle one
Who sometimes wishes she were a cat.

I want to tell her everything I have learned,
And she patiently listens
While I boisterously share.
She already knows more than I do,
But she would never say so.

The generosity of my daughter
Reminds me to pay attention
To what I’m really doing
When I “parent”~

Am I guiding? Comforting? Deciphering?
Is motherhood more about vulnerability
Than it is about strength?

When she was younger, my mission was clear:
Prepare her for the world.
But now the world does not seem
So easily defined.
How do I prepare her to live
Firmly planted in her own heart,
While journeying near and far?

How do I help her create a map
That will guide her way?

Prayer brings me back to my own heart,
And the sensitive places that
Ask only for recognition.

I am willing to admit I know little.
Gratitude fills in the gaps.

Haikus

2011-10-26T10:28:00.001-07:00

The comforts of home?
Sometimes subtle, sometimes rich.
Centering my world.

To be a mother
Invites me to feel all things
with love at my core.

I embrace marriage
as the ultimate friendship~
joy's experiment.

Within every day
my connections hold the key
to fresh awareness.

Time makes me grateful
for every chance to embrace
and share a good laugh.

News of Others

2011-10-10T22:57:00.001-07:00

News of others
changes the weather of my day.

I surrender once again
to the flow of
suggestion~

I no longer play
the "what if" game,
but there are times
when I want to play
the "if only" card~

The suffering of another
becomes real to me
as I consciously reach
toward a shared healing.

What does it mean
to believe in the power of
Love?

If only I really knew.

That is the daily lesson
of letting the news of others
bless me,
challenge me,
invite me to acknowledge our Oneness.

Even when I doubt our connection,
my heart knows
what's real.

In the Company of Trees

2011-09-30T14:07:00.001-07:00

When I was a child,
my mother used to say
"Go outside and find someone to play with!"

Hesitation was replaced
by a secret hope
as I ran out the door
to the woods
behind our house.

Contemplation
while sitting on a log
filled my heart with green calm.
Surrounded by peers
at school all day,
I needed the quiet
of leafy meditation.

The sunlight streaking through
the trees spoke to me of other places,
other times.
I could listen to my heart
in the company of trees.

Remembrance

2011-09-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

The kids had just gone back to school
and a perfect blue sky
refreshed my morning, until a phone call.

My mother said, "Please turn on the tv!"
after the usual greetings.
Was this a joke?

I saw the images
repeated again and again
of planes crashing.

Only one thought was clear to me;
go get the kids! Get them now!

Son 20 minutes away,
daughter just over the hill.
Husband in harms way, working
for the government in suburban Maryland...
I felt like a slinking cat,
suddenly aware of dangers
everywhere.

I got in my van and drove
without calling first.

I picked up my son,
I picked up my daughter,
and we waited at home.
Ten and five... no explanation
made sense to them.
It was a beautiful day,
and we were inside waiting.

Nothing made sense
but to wait until we were all gathered.
The silence was dreadful.

Kayaking

2011-09-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

Water shining smooth
I am paddling with vigor;
a kayak in flight.

Watching the swallows,
breathing in the warm sunset,
a sense of return.

Contentment rises
like the pink moon's reflection.
I would change nothing.

Summer

2011-08-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

These days are the ones we have longed for
throughout the rainy months~
These are the perfect sunny moments
buoyed by breeze and birdsong.

I delight in the freedom of summer
and yet
there lurks beneath my ease
a sense of duty unfulfilled.

Am I too comfortable?
Where does this private urgency
reside?

Serenity would be the real gift.

These perfect summer days
bring together past, present and future
as I remember crocheting with my Grandmother,
swimming with my babies,
mowing the lawn while keeping an eye
on the sandbox... delighting in full moons
and fireflies.

Now I feel my heart's mobility
as the future begs my time.
Ambivalence is the cat
that purrs with contentment
one minute and stalks a bird the next.

Who is this summertime self
when the kids are out of the house?

Hindsight

2011-01-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

Hindsight is a funny friend,
pointing backward with a smile
and a laugh~
"Wonder why that was so hard?"
she asks,
a little wiser now.

Hindsight is a helpful friend,
if you only hang out with her
on special occasions.
"Remember that time..."
she asks, and you flinch
just a little bit~
then laugh.

You were a different person then.
But so was everyone else.

Today is the first Monday of the new year,
and all Hindsight has to say
is "Go for it".
She is tired of reminding you
of what you already know.
She's ready to remind you
of how prepared you are
for this moment.
NOW.

Reset Button

2010-11-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

I have pushed the reset button
too many times, it seems

I can no longer abide by the idea
of starting over fresh
with each new sorting of the boxes
or tossing of the journals...

I am sick of starting over!
NOW I want to get to the middle
and bask in the mystery
of not knowing how I got there...
letting the journey take me
beyond the familiar.

I want to finish something and then
fill myself with the glory
of a job well done.

I have sorted and sorted until
everything is neat enough, thank you.
Neat enough to go from a beginning
to a next step and a next step~
even if what I make
is ugly or disturbing!

Too many things judged
in their infancy, never getting to live
long enough to bring the message
home.

MUSE! I ask you to help me
stop the shuffling, and go past the hunger
for new ideas
Help me swim to the middle of the stream
and doggy paddle for awhile
then swim to the other side~

I need help to remember that my art
deserves time
My visions deserve voice
and my music deserves a supportive rhythm.

I can't do the laundry first anymore.

Rainy morning

2010-05-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

Unrelenting rain drives me inward,

pondering... listening... waiting...

It is quiet in the house.

The rain subdues

enthusiasm,

muting my emotional palette.

No worries, though.

Sometimes it takes a lot of rain

to remind us

to be still.

Love

2010-04-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

Love, as it is lived,

has a gentle touch,

and remembers birthdays.

Love, as it is lived,

has a fierce commitment

to those among us

who need extra care.

Love, as it is lived,

delights in birdsong

and the mystery of water~

Love knows that bringing awareness

to the fullness

of a moment can change everything~

for within the hologram

of Love's presence

exists everything that is good

throughout time.

Exercise class

2010-03-30T11:30:00.001-07:00

A beginner, again...

Trying to follow the leader while moving in unfamiliar ways!

I see myself in the mirror and remember my child self taking ballet,

tall, thin and trying too hard.

I am both awkward and fluid,

a giraffe surrounded by lions.

A voice within encourages: have fun!

My body feels the beat

and I laugh~ finally letting go.

Circle's paradox

2010-02-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

A Circle shines like the moon

full and round, a perfect orb

Then it opens into a portal...

no longer solid but transformed into an entryway.

I see the circle in its mutability

and know another aspect of self.

To be full, and then empty

To shine, and then to evaporate into mist

Two sides of an invitation.

New Year's poem

2010-01-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

The New Year greets me with open arms, then realizes we are not fully acquainted.

The New Year swirls around me like a cat wanting to be fed;

begging to be fulfilled~

Let this be the year I am satisfied

by the life I already have...

Let this be the year in which peace is stronger than impatience~

Let this be the year in which love is more powerful than fear;

Let this be the year in which I keep the bird feeder full, the plants watered, the weeds pulled;

Let the hope that I feel be nurtured and the dreams of a dreamer become creative vision...

I will listen to the voice of the New Year and learn a new song.

Starting point

2009-12-05T11:55:00.000-08:00

Whichever direction I face,

I must remain in the center of the great wheel

that is my life.

It is so tempting to go running off,

enticed by possibilities

and the false freedom of forgetting.

But now I remember who I am,

and there is a map that comes with this remembering.

I open the map and see:

"You are here" highlighted with a tiny arrow.

That is the beginning of my true journey.

Everything else was practice.

Columbia River Gorge

2009-07-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

Every time I visit

this sacred river,

I feel the wind pass directly through me

into my heart

I am embraced

by the Spirit of this place~

The river

sings with a familiar voice

The mountains rise into faces

etched into my ancestral memory

The wind plays with my face and hair

whispering a thousand greetings

and I am quiet with contentment.

I am no stranger here,

but a guest in the home

of Great Spirit,

witness to the dance between wind and water.

Haikus after a soothing bath

2009-07-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

The heart of Love shines~

shimmering, soothing comfort

found in a salt bath.

To breathe deeply heals.

Wise body remembers peace

when allowed to feel~

Mind chatters away

While the Soul harmonizes

with the wind outside.

I open the gifts

that Spirit gives me daily

and remember Love.

48

2009-06-26T00:26:00.000-07:00

Just past midnight

with visions of Africa

and a sense of powerful story~

Thank you Alexander McCall Smith

for the Number One Ladies' Detective Agency

and Precious Ramotswe.

She says in the HBO Pilot,

"Don't you worry about me,

I am made of strong stuff~"

and I cheer

feeling gutsy

and proud

to be a woman of power!

I feel connected to these stories,

these love letters to a place and people who seem both foreign and part of our very marrow

I feel empowered by colors and song,

compassion and loyalty

and I do not doubt that I am made

of strong stuff...

My heart is willing to believe that there is more

to life than playing it safe

because someone dared to give

Mma Ramotswe her own story to tell...

I am both the Storyteller and the story, the traveler and the landscape...

I am the Sound of a voice that is willing to speak

from a faraway place so familiar, yet newly recognized~

Time Haikus

2009-06-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

Time pounces catlike
Catching me in a moment
that seemed commonplace.

Time whistled out loud
as I was falling asleep~
and prayer came to mind.

I asked Time to wait
as I listened to my heart.
The wind grazed my cheek.

The clock does not know
that Time has its own logic
and sense of humor.

Blessed Heart

2009-06-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

Witness the heart

as it searches for companions,

beating it's steady rhythm

with faith and determination.

The Heart knows it needs

others to create a song.

Embrace the heart's

lesson of perserverence;

never giving up until the final beat,

then trusting that a new rhythm

will guide the dance.

Remember the heart as muscle,

working to bring flow

to all parts of our blessed bodies.

Strength of purpose

guides our every moment.

Even in surrender

we can trust our hearts

to know what must be done.

Your Light

2009-06-09T11:12:00.001-07:00

The Light that you bring into this world

Grows with the sharing of its unique

Illumination

The Light that you bring into this world

Must be nurtured

Like a living thing

That requires laughter and delight

To keep it bright and steady

The Light that you bring into this world

Is a gift

That only you know how to wrap

And that Light must be given freely

With a heart willing

To let joy guide its way.

Hummingbird

2009-06-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

Hummingbird's visit

brings the delight of a child

to my flower heart.

Starling's visit

2009-05-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

It started with a ruckus

of flapping and wild cat yowls

as the bird found itself

separated

from the world

by glass~

The bird, searching for freedom,

beat itself against the invisible barrier,

over and over

caught in curtains, lost

frantic

for release.

The cats waited below

as I tried to catch the bird.

He wanted no help, only freedom.

The mail slot offered a small cave of possibility

and the black panting creature

finally hid himself

in its

hollowness~

I went outside and opened the small golden hinged door~

then the bird looked out with open beak,

hungry now for open sky

as never before.

Freedom gave its instructions

as the bird crouched into perfect shape

and emerged through the mail slot

without injury

Without delay

Starling found freedom.

Gratitude

2009-05-20T14:56:00.000-07:00

Rejoicing

the shared golden thread

made evident

during

bright-eyed conversations

We are connected

by our search

and inspired

by a sense of sisterhood

rediscovered

I am so grateful

for the darling friends

that dare authenticity to reshape their hearts

and reinvent their minds

I, too, dare to be altered

by the wisdom

I hear in birdsong~

It makes all the difference

to take these risks

in harmony.

Waking up

2009-04-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

Clouded first awakening

and a morning

quiet and pastel~

Blessed sun

invites the second awakening

and a heart wakes up

to the possibilities

of the day.

A memory of garden beauty

evokes the necessity

to travel across town.

And the third awakening

is the best of all~

as I sit on a bench

breathing in a thousand stories of peace

told in the language

of leaf and bloom....

Night walk

2009-04-12T20:23:00.000-07:00

Clouds of different densities

create a collage of blues and grays~

redwoods silhouetted

like steeples

remind me to give thanks

for this holy moment.

I walk within a living painting

witness to wind's wild brushstrokes

and Light's shifting game.

Full Heart

2009-03-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Simple heart~

tell me the answer

to all that I seek.

I listen, and you

simply beat

with forever patience.

Working in perfect rhythm

whatever the weather or body mood,

never forgetting

the pace

of natural life.

Wise heart,

show me the path

of contentment.

Accompany me as I learn

to sing my part

within the choir

of modernity~

Peace

2009-03-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Within a perfect, still moment

there is promise and potential

Light blooms

illuminating the moment

and one is invited

to take a peek

at perfection

In the stillness, there is harmony.

Movement flows with ease

as we listen to the call

of simplicity.

You do not need to know anything in particular

to enter the moment~

No one is watching

your encounter unfold.

Suspend all expectation

and relax.

Letting go

is an important requirement

of embracing

Peace.

Watching the Finches

2009-01-27T18:38:00.000-08:00

Tiny yellow finch
moving within the flutter
of a larger flock~

Cautious, hungry flight
finding seed treasure nearby
feasting in small nips.

Shadow birds hover
waiting for a chance to grab
greedy for power.

With clapping hands I shout!
Claiming yard for my finch friends
no shadows remain.

Scrub jay stands alone
under seed bag, wondering~
who will join me now?

My Japanese Garden Writing Contest submission

2009-01-27T08:10:00.001-08:00

One day I brought my journal with me as I enjoyed a morning at the garden, and wrote as I sat in contemplation:

Love spreads through the trees,
Green angels stirred by wind.
Waterfalls sing praise.

Green beauty ponders,
The sky changes with purpose.
Patient senses reach.

Patterns of rock flow,
Each plant with a role to play.
Asian beauty sings.

The path is simple~
The way emerges brightly.
I have no doubts now.

I am so grateful to have a relationship with such a divine garden.

My Credo, written during my Build Your Own Theology class

2009-01-23T15:52:00.000-08:00

I believe in the sacred marriage of form and spirit, come forth from our Source as a dynamic expression of divine balance and experienced as the eternal dance between yin and yang.

I believe in the great Light that gives form to the greatest Love that is, shared by all creatures in the interdependent web of life.

I believe in the Earth’s divine consciousness and mystery, and delight in awareness of the beloved community that inhabits both seen and unseen realms.

I believe in profound interconnectedness and the necessity to choose Love over Fear. I believe that Love is the very essence of Life itself, and that Fear is its Undoing.

I believe that we are Souls on a journey through time and space, learning the lessons of Love and Fear as we move from lifetime to lifetime. Ultimately, I believe that we become pure Love and return to God in a state of pure Light.

I believe that it is important to take personal responsibility within a chosen range of influence; giving of oneself in the spirit and form of Love made real.. I believe in sharing freely the transcendent gifts of compassion, open-mindedness and laughter.

I believe in the importance of engaging life dynamically; being present, willing and able to participate fully in the process of living and loving.. I believe that challenges are to be learned from and that grace comes to those that place their faith in Love’s Guiding Light.

Everyday Shaman

2009-01-12T20:00:00.000-08:00

Know that your journey's every twist and turn
has great meaning and import.

Trust your heart and let yourself dance to its steady rhythm.

This is the life you have chosen,
and there are many here who await your return to awareness and power.

Believe in the wisdom that fills you with Light
and take care to remember
all heartfelt guidance.

We are all connected and your loving efforts
are never lost or forgotten.

Even the trees know who you are.

2009-01-09T21:38:00.000-08:00

BRICK

Each one formed
From a square of earth

Formed in a mold,
But each one unique~ so unique.

Even laid within the pattern,
Each supportive member
Of the constructed wholeness
HUMS
With the knowing of the larger structure.

Not needing to be acknowledged
As the keystone~
Merely happy to belong
To the greater Dream.