Like a warm hug...

If your mother has already gone on to heaven,
And she can no longer comfort you here on earth,
Lay your wreath of fond memories where she lies.
The tomb of a mother is such a holy place,
That there is no place holier to one's heart, than
The grave of the woman who labored for your birth.
When your soul is pierced by arrows of adversity,
Go there to her grave to shed your tears of sorrow,
And the spirit of your mother will comfort you.    
It will feel like a warm hug from an angel.

.

Don't cling so much...

Don't cling so much to the past and torment yourself.

Don't give your ego-shadow too much importance.
The wrongs you committed are smaller than you imagine.
The spark of goodness in your soul that brings on remorse
Is brighter than you think and it leads you forward.
So don't listen to the devil of despair who holds you back.
Perhaps you have forgotten the related circumstances
That might have mitigated your guilt in some way.
Perhaps the neighbor that you have trespassed against
Has already forgiven you as you would have forgiven them.
Don't let anyone walk through your mind with dirty feet.
Oh, your sins are real, and no doubt you are a sinner,
But fed by fear and remorse they grow in your imagination.
No temptation has taken you that isn't common to man or woman.
Temper the remorse that is always against you and move on.
Repent! Ask God to forgive you and to remove the stain of guilt
From your soul and make it like new again.
Go and sin no more. Your faith will save you.

.

Which is longer?

Which is longer, the river of time or the sadness of parting?
Where under Heaven do sad hearts feel the most pain?
At the doors of the emergency room where loved ones part.
Last night I dreamt that I became a happy butterfly,
Or did a butterfly happily dream that he became me?
Passing from one life to another all things are one.
Those who seek only wealth and power, surely you must know
That these are merely vanity and fantasy and just a shadow show.
Why can't God just save us in the beginning and not the end,
Welcome us when we get old, and meanwhile leave us alone,
To choose good over evil and Heaven over Hell? Meanwhile,
The Devil says we have nothing to lose then greets us in Hades.
Go make your choice, but remember, once you decide for sure
The decision is final. Once you breathe your last, beware,
There will be no turning back. You better take care!

.

Go long, my friend, go long!

 In this strange "no man's land" interval of a deadly pandemic,

As I leave the shores of the old normal and set out for the new,
I realize that when I am fast asleep, there is another me,
On the other side of the world, toiling upward through the night.
The ticking clock is my tormenter as I get longer in the tooth,
And struggle to improvise, adapt, and survive for one more day.
The chaotic world of now is like being invited to a football game
And discovering that the seat assigned to me is inside the football.
To and fro I go, and I look for the wide receiver Lickety Split.
It would make perfect sense if only I were in a cartoon.
Tom and Jerry, the Roadrunner, and Bugs Bunny would agree,
And certainly Fred Flintstone, and Mister Peabody would too.
I try to solve my problems by staring at them intently,
But that doesn't seem to work without animation. Imagine that!
So what is the way out of this chaotic and horrible mess?
My Creator whispers in my ear, "A touchdown, of course!
Go for a Hail Mary pass and your faith will save you,
Remember your option of Eternal Life with me in Paradise."
Says I, "Oh Lord amen to that!" Go long my friend, go long!

.

Making payments...

Upon the misty pane of my window to the world,
The scattering of troubles are like drops of rain.
The drops run down and slide around and some collide,
Then suddenly halt, one a splotch the other a blur.
Reality is hard to fathom through the foggy glass,
And I can hardly see through all those tears.
From inside out I peer with glum forbearance,
Yet I still have hope that the sun will come again,
Until that day when its account is low on funds,
And it stops making payments...

.

To those who are high and mighty:

For those who fall down low from high places,

How difficult it is for them to learn the language

Of humility, poverty, and servility.

They must learn to meet the eyes that reject them,

And say "Thank you" to whatever fate offers them.

They must learn to bow their heads and genuflect,

And learn to let insults pass, and to smile like a simpleton.

Yes, Mr. and Mrs. High & Mighty,

This could even happen to you.

.

My moonlight shadow and I.

The bright moon, my moonlight shadow, and I,

Up there along the silver river of the Milky Way,

My thoughts of sadness drain away among the stars,

And I think of my mother, Armella,  and our old home.

My mother and I, though separated by time and space,

Would always meet in the light of the full moon,

She, at her window, and I at mine, and there

We would chat heart to heart with no words needed.

Tonight the moon is full and she is in Heaven.

We still heart-to-heart in the light of the moon,

When we both lean out of the open window,

Bathed in the glow of the understanding moon,

And we are connected again in spirit for a while.

I yearn to cross that heavenly river to hug my Mom.

"Not yet," she says, "Not yet, but soon, be patient.

In the sweet bye and bye we'll be together again."

.

I can see clearly now...

There are thoughts that fill my head like the haunting music
In the dark of night that comes from far, far, away.
Sometimes I think that truth and honor are merely dreams.
Wherever I go I am saddened by the lack of understanding.
Everywhere I see nothing but falsehoods and delusion.
I think that the truth must be hidden in the shadows,
But I must not believe that the gloom will last forever.
Beneath the mist that clouds my vision and troubles my soul,
God prepares for me things that I can't even imagine.
Silence is the shadow, God's WORD is the light of His presence.
I was created in the image and likeness of God, that is,
A rational Being of Truth, Goodness, Beauty, and Justice.
I speak out now because there arise in me thoughts divine,
Of hidden realities that are revealed to spiritual minds,
The Word of God, the language of my soul, enlightens me.
When mortal justice is devoid of good solutions,
When the judgement of men can't achieve peace,
Then we must appeal the complaint to a higher court,
For our merciful and just Creator to decide.
Oh Lord, let mercy walk with justice to settle the matter.
If in the end the judgement is severe, then so be it!
Let it serve as a guide to what is prudent and what is not.
May it be good and noble and not wrathful or vengeful.
When some are for and others are against,
Let truth arise have the final say.
Once I was blind, but glory be to the Father of us all,
I can see clearly now, and pray that other eyes will open too!

.

Hello up there!

As the autumn heart forgets the promise of springtime,

When the summer green turns to dark red, yellow, and brown,

The falling leaves fly hither and yon before the wind,

Then cover the forest floor like a faded patchwork quilt.

The migrating birds have sung their parting farewell,

Leaving those who remain to hunker down for winter.

High up on a mountain of prayer far from the material world,

Where the shores of Heaven and Earth are closer together,

I cast my eyes upward toward the gates of Heaven, but

I dare not raise my voice and shout "Hello up there!,"

For fear of startling those at home in Paradise.

I offer a silent prayer and linger wistfully one more hour,

Then wave farewell in camaraderie and slowly turn away

To set off down the road for home and a hearty supper.

It's not my time for Heaven yet, but bye and bye,

I will wait just a bit longer until God calls 

And into His hands I will commend my spirit! 

.

A Happy Landing

We are living and dying on Covid-19 time,
Waiting for a return to an elusive normal
While searching for a cure to make us happy.
Wake me when they formulate a vaccine for old age,
Or a therapeutic to meet my specific need for vigor,
That will return me to the age of twenty-three
For just one day or even for a little longer,
That in keeping with the movement back in time
Provides me with a chance to begin all over again.
Alas, the story of my life is almost finished.
I pray for both a happy ending and a happy landing
On that other shore to be with Saints forevermore.
Aboard my vessel, shipshape and in good order,
A place for everything and everything in place,
I sail the seven seas of life for the seven ages of man,
One hand on the tiller and the other shading my eyes,
Searching the horizon by day and the stars by night,
Nothing in my way but some dark clouds and storms,
But for the most part, sunny weather, thanks be to God
From whom all blessings flow to those who abide in Him.
Faith is a firm belief that the best is yet to come,

The Blessed Assurance that in the end, all will be well. 

.