HOPE

reality finally dropped kicked me

raindrop petals whispered from within

“I am not as strong as I thought I was…”

time will follow you through your shadows

walk beyond

and

walk in hope

*

not so much anticipation

much more

a thought of trust…

a desire to reach beyond

knowing that the GOOD will sustain us

with the belief that the goal can be reached

walk beyond

and

walk in hope

 

"Hope-filled Easter Beginnings" April 5, 2015 Photo Credit: Jane H. Johann

“Hope-filled Easter Beginnings” April 5, 2015
Photo Credit: Jane H. Johann

 

the Resurrection~

walking in the belief

that we are not walking alone

that the truth of the God-man-son/sun Jesus

lives in the LIGHT of LOVE

lives and walks in HOPE

as we accept the invitation to be with

walking  beyond

and

walking  in hope

with each other

*

Namaste

We are all ONE

Resilient Woman…With Gratitude to Bette

Photo Credit: c. Jane H. Johann, Indian Ocean, 1975.

Photo Credit: c. Jane H. Johann, Indian Ocean, taken from the shore of Mombasa, Kenya, E.A., 1975.

dedicated to my friend,

Bette

~ a young girl on the Eastern seaboard

carried by the ocean waves

a seashell washed upon the shore

and gratefully found itself

resting in the sun soaked floor…

 a young girl was walking near

her tiny toes spinning wisps of powdered sand

she came upon the seashell,

knelt down and gently cupped it in her hand…

and together they sat

beside the ocean dream

opening their thoughts to the world’s room

vibrant waves of blues and greens

~a dedicated teacher of the young

the day arrived when life’s distance

carried her away from the shore and sea

but the wisdom of the seashell 

accompanied her like a comforting breeze

the children sat at her feet

listening with respect

knowingly she taught them

with presence and with no regrets

sensing the promise in their eyes

helped them to see the strength held inside

supportive and caring

urging them on

lovely as the bluebird

singing its song

her colleagues were affirmed …

encouraged as well

lifting others to their call

 as the waves lift the seashell to the swell

~ a friend

the seashell is a friend to the tiny creature

it holds inside

and so by this truth,

the little girl did abide

self-respect and honor 

honesty and truth

virtues held and shared 

to the young and long-in-tooth

listening to the secret quiet of the waves

forward the seashell travels

and so did this woman too

through all the bright moments and turbulent battles

she goes forward with courage

and tells YOU,  you will win!

never a complaint or self-pity you hear

regardless of how life may spin

~A lover of nature

Mother Earth is her friend

and the squirrels and birds she does feed

she tends to the wondrous gardens

of friends and of seed

a long way from the ocean is she

but this truth tale of a seashell and girl

invites us to the  balance gracing us

promising a pearl

the quiet of an August evening

Sitting here in the quiet of the August evening with only the song of the cicadas surrounding me, I wonder WHO are we?

The cicada  nymphs who have lived underground for seventeen years are maturing and sending out their love call–their tymbal muscles specifically honed to bring home their mate.  Early this morning, the birds were flocking and whistling their message to one another, announcing that there would be an early Fall.  The birds flock together for safety and protection. The ocean tide responds to the gravitational pull of the moon.  All of nature is present to their surroundings, while signaling to us to do the same.

We humans are calling out to each other for justice and dignity. We humans need each other, just like the flock of birds need one another for safety and protection.  Just like the ocean responds to the pulls of the moon, so are we pulled from the conflicts, injustice and battles around us.

“to BE…for this Yahweh created all…” Wisdom 1:14…

When I read these words, I think of the message James Foley  was trying to send to us. He died trying to expose the barbaric results of war and to elicit compassion from the human race…from all of us…that war must stop. Everywhere people are dying and suffering. We each have a right to BE.  I am also thinking of the racial tension in Ferguson, and the fact that it is 2014 and we are still so racist as a nation.  I think of the many horrible racist statements made against President Obama. I read them on Facebook and I think how can we, as a nation, survive when we have so little respect for the person chosen to lead our country?

When are we going to realize that we all have the same color of blood? We are all human beings who want to belong, to be productive, to offer life and receive life to and from each other.

——————————————————–

Additional information can be found about the cicada using the following links: 

http://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/question733.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/noisy-cicadas-come-back-to-life-after-years-underground

http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/tides-wordd/

http://abcnews.go.com/International/government-threatened-foley-family-ransom-payments-mother-slain/story?id=25453963

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2754339/They-got-way-James-Foley-s-brother-backs-mother-attacking-Obama-administration-failure-save-photojournalist-beheaded-ISIS.html

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/marquette-professor-recalls-james-foley-as-bright-light-83661/

 

This photo is dedicated to James Foley, the American Journalist who died to alleviate the suffering of others. "The Beauty of an Iris." Photo credit; Jane H. Johann, c. June 2014

This photo is dedicated to James Foley, the American Journalist who died to alleviate the suffering of others.
“The Beauty of an Iris.”
Photo credit; Jane H. Johann, c. June 2014

 My heart goes out to the parents and family of James Foley.

 

* I realize it is now September, and the cicadas have stopped singing. However, I hope we continue to sing and live in hope and not give up!  The need for LOVE in this world is needed even more today!

 

Blessings…

English: Mixed Blessings Snow piled high at th...

English: Mixed Blessings Snow piled high at the side of A939, in freezing temperatures with winter sun. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Write your sorrows in sand, and your BLESSINGS in stone”  Rumi

the brightness opens the day

blessing us as we walk on our way

we breathe in the air, so crisp and clean

we breathe in the wonder of all that is seen

affirming each other in our moments of dismay

in the silence we found all that we had to say

the touch of each other moves the moment of time

the touch transcends…blending our inner rhyme

all that brought us to this day

eons of lives built into this clay

life touching life, carrying us into God’s Love

echoing thankfulness in the winged flight of the dove

deep within the heart mesmerized by peace

deep within the blessings never cease

silhouette the good for one’s self and each other

hope and faith shoulder love’s arbor

Blessings

Blessings (Photo credit: earthquakefish)

hoping

A drop of water on a leaf. The leaf is hydroph...

A drop of water on a leaf. The leaf is hydrophobic so the droplet forms into a spherical shape to minimize contact with the surface. The hydrophobic effect occurs when water excludes non-polar molecules. (Original title: The world in a waterdrop) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

the green of the leaves

lightly dances in the rain

hoping love’s reclaim