VJ’s Weekly Challenge #101: decisions

June 22, 2020.Reading time 3 minutes.

I love our home. It’s the perfect size for the two of us plus our two doggies. We have all the amenities we need. The only thing that is missing, I confide to a friend, is nature. For two years, we lived in our 41′ motor home, traversing North America and discovering many wondrous places. […]

Pause Perspectives

June 21, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Is procrastination a pauseor fear seeping in?Let’s take a moment –broken silence –a timely pause …Reflectcollect our thoughtsleave a seedand rememberwonderBe like waterlike the squirreltouch the softnesswave goodbyeto the noiseobservetill the end of this ride. (This poem is an amalgamation of our collective thoughts on this week’s focus: pause. Thank you for the many inspired […]

Singularly Sublime

June 19, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

For Lens-Artists Photo Challenge and Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: a single flower

Odes To Water

June 17, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

My soul begs the reassurance of flowan enchanted place along the rivera moment of solace where I can breathe My heart glows at the sound of summerchildren’s voices raised above the splashof clear blue – refreshing memories. (For Nancy Merrill’s A Photo A Week Challenge: water.)

VJ’s Weekly Challenge #100: Pause

June 15, 2020.Reading time 1 minute.

The world is a noisy place at the moment, and rightfully so. The bubble of denial has burst when it comes to systemic racism. As people march in protest demanding change, a virus lurks, threatening further losses. And, I haven’t even mentioned the absurdity of political ranting that seems so inappropriately off base right now. […]

What’s In A Name

June 14, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

What’s her name?Simple questionfrom mother to son –recognizing the love-liftedjoy of his countenance. I cannot tell, said he,you’ll ask too many questions.Do I know her?No, Mom, she’s Somali.And Muslim. I felt my whitenessand all its privilegeslap me, stumbled Of course she is welcome,of course it does not matter. Had no sense of the depthof my […]

Unexpected Treasure

June 12, 2020.Reading time 1 minute.

Summer arrives on its own schedule, painting the landscape a luscious green. The heat of the day keeps us tucked in a cool house, but not without restlessness. Ric offers a late afternoon drive and parks near a trail so I can wander in. Tall oaks, beech trees, and maples create a canopy of shade. […]

VJ’s Weekly Challenge #99: privilege

June 8, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

“A store in town has activity books for the kids; can we go?” Now that we’ve expanded our bubble, I’m thinking of ways to entertain the grandchildren. I haven’t set foot in a store for three months. The idea excites me. “Better put on something decent,” I tell Ric laughingly. I pull out a top […]

Heart Full, No Words

June 7, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

“I sleep all night with my eyes closed!” This from our four-year-old granddaughter in response to the question of whether or not she could sleep at our house. We’ve expanded our bubble. It came in response to our oldest daughter’s concerns about her child: “She’s not interested in doing anything, won’t eat, can’t sleep, and […]

Lonely Places

June 5, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Once offering solacea place to contemplate Now an ominous reminderof solitude imposed. (For Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: benches)

Dear Child

I know a little girl,whose hair in ringletsfalls, unkempt from lackof brushing; who standswhen she should be sitting;who laughs with defiance whenchallenged, her dark eyes gleamingwith mischief; who holds her chin uphigh and stamps her feet, arms foldedin protest when she does not get her way. I see that little girl,have watched her play,with a […]

Re-de-fine-d

Ask me how I’m doingand I’ll say “fine”, notbecause I’m actually fine,but because “fine” is the onlysocially acceptable response. If I said that I have been lyinghere, for three hours now,willing my body to move,that would elicit unsolicitedadvice and tarnish my “fine”. I’d berate myself for breakingmy promise not to moan,knowing that complainingprovokes a compulsive […]