A LOAN
I'll lend you for a little time,
A child of mine, He said,
For you to love the while he lives,
And mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years
Or twenty-two or three,
But will you, til I call him back
Take care of him for me?
He will use his charms to gladden you,
And shall his stay be brief;
You'll have his lovely memories,
As a solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return'
But there are lessons taught down there
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the wide world over,
In my search for teachers true;
And from the throngs that crow life's lanes
I have selected you.
Now will you give him all your love,
Nor think the labor vain;
Nor hate me when I come to call,
To take him back again?
I fancied that I heard you say,
"Dear Lord, Thy will be done;
For all the joy this child shall bring
The risk of grief I'll run."
"I will shelter him with tenderness,
I'll love him while I may;
And for the happiness I've known,
Forever grateful stay."
"But shall the angels call for him
Much sooner than I've planned;
I'll brave the bitter grief that comes;
And try to understand."
Author Unknown
IF I KNEW
If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would ! give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.
If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.
If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.
For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.
There will always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"
But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.
So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,
That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear
Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.
FREE BIRD Lyrics
(Thanks Kristen Foster for suggesting this ... it's perfect here)
If I leave here tomorrow,
Would you still remember me?
For I must be travelling on now,
'Cause there's too many places I've got to see.
But, if I stayed here with you, girl,
Things just couldn't be the same.
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you cannot change.
Lord knows, I can't change.
Bye, bye, it's been a sweet love.
Though this feeling I can't change.
But please don't take it badly,
'Cause Lord knows I'm to blame.
But, if I stayed here with you girl,
Things just couldn't be the same.
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you'll never change.
And this bird you cannot change.
Lord knows, I can't change.
Lord help me, I can't change.
Artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Album: Pronounced Leh'-nerd Skin-'nerd
Originally released: 1973
Written by: Allen Collins, Ron Van Zant
The above poem was extensively circulated
following the horrible events of 9/11. Credit
for authorship is attributed to 3 sources:
George Michael Grossman, Tricia Youngson
and "Anonymous." When Blake's father
came across the poem a few years later
he immediately forwarded it to Blake and Lauren.
You are here to enable the divine
purpose of the universe to unfold.
That is how important you are!
-Eckhart Tolle
TEQUILA & SALT
You may not realize it, but it's 100% true:
1. There are at least 2 people in this world that
you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in
some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you
is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone,
even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before
they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves
you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever,
something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back
on you, take another look.
11. Always remember the compliments you received.
Forget about the rude remarks.
So.....
If you are a loving friend,
share this with everyone,
And always remember .....
When life hands you lemons,
Ask for Tequila and Salt and call me over!!!
Good friends are like stars.....
You don't always see them,
But you know they are always there.
"Whenever God Closes One Door
He Always Opens Another, Even
Though Sometimes It's Hell in the Hallway."
I would rather have one rose and a kind word
from a friend while I'm here than
a whole truck load when I'm gone.
You know the phrase:
"Stop and smell the flowers."
See how many 'bouquets' you end up with!
Happiness keeps you sweet,
Trials keep you strong,
Sorrows keep you human,
Failures keep you humble,
success keeps you glowing,
But only God keeps you going!
(Borrowed from a widely circulated email.)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PAGE FROM
BOOK DEDICATED TO BLAKE:
SADIE MAE BAIRD ... Love Is
This book is respectfully dedicated
to
Blake Cameron Fleischner,
a young man who loved life so completely that everyone
he came into contact with was impressed by
his zest for living.
Blake touched the lives of his
friends and family in a profound way ... he probably didn't
even realize the extent of his impact while he walked the
earth in a physical body.
Blake's energy continues
to bless his friends and family within memories, stories,
photographs, songs, dances, looks, gestures and the
fact that he donated his organs in death that
five others might know life.
Indeed, Blake, you were a very blessed soul
and we are so grateful for the gifts you left within this life
experience. You awakened PURPOSE within the lives of
so many of your friends. You showed us that perfection
is a myth ... we're all doing the best that we can.
Blake's untimely departure left us with this creed:
LET'S JUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER
WHILE WE HAVE THE CHANCE!!!
Copyright 2008 Carolyn Arkison
Nicole Lindsay from Florida provided this one,
thank you Nicole. No doubt, Blake made the most
of "the dash." This is absolutely beautiful ...
THE DASH
In July, 2006, a short 3-minute movie was launched
on the internet called "The Dash." Since then, over 40
million people from around the world have watched
it; and over 20,000 a day continue to watch it as a
result of people passing it along.
The movie has been more successful than anyone
could have ever imagined. More importantly
however, it has inspired many, many people to
reflect on their lives and ask that all-important
question ... "Are my priorities where they should
be?"
I hope you enjoy this movie and share it with
those who are close to you.
(Turn on your speakers and click this link to view)
VINCENT (Starry, Starry Night)
by Don McLean
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on the summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colours on the snowy linen land
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds and violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colours changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist' loving hand
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you Vincent
This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen
They're not listening still
Perhaps they never will ...
Artist: Don McLean
Album: American Pie
Originally released: 1971
Written by: Don McLean
SIMPLE MAN Lyrics
(Thanks again Kristen Foster for suggesting)
Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say,
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day.
Take your time... Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above.
(Chorus)
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
(Chorus)
Boy, don't you worry ... you'll find yourself.
Follow your heart and nothing else.
And you can do this if you try.
All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
(Chorus)
Artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Album: All Time Greatest Hits
Originally released: 2000
Written by: Gary Rossington, Ron Van Zant
And So I Must Still Have Hope ...
Many people seem to think it foolish,
even superstitious, to believe that
the world could still change for the
better. And it is true that in winter
it is sometimes so bitingly cold that
one is tempted to say, "What do I
care if there is a summer; its warmth
is no help to me now." Yes, evil often
seems to surpass good. But then,
in spite of us, and without our per-
mission, there comes at last an end
to the bitter frosts. One morning
the wind turns, and there is a thaw.
And so I must still have hope.
Vincent Van Gogh
I ALMOST MISSED THE DAMN POINT! by Tina Hesskew
Lately IÂ’ve been feeling very lonely….
Today, I set back and really meditated on it and then I realized…
I am missing the point!!
In meditation I told myself a story...
Little seeds were scattered in late fall in hopes of a beautiful spring wild flower garden. The weather was quiet warm through the winter, so much so that the seeds sprouted a bit early. Winds blew leaves over the little plants and made a good blanket. However the night before an unexpected freeze, an excited child ran too close to the garden and accidentally kicked leaves off of one little plant and exposed it to the icy weather. The little plant became very worried that she may freeze, either losing leaves, or worse, her life, and all before she had a chance to even grow one bloom. This is truly horrible she thought; WHY would this happen to her? Why on Earth did She deserve This?
It was a long harsh cold night; she thought it would never end. She could feel the death beginning to creep upon her and she was almost ready to give in when the first light of day began to rise. “Thank God,” she thought! As the sun rose higher and the ice began to melt, she saw the damage. All of her top foliage had been completely frozen and now lay withered and dead. Yeah, she’d live but what kind of life was this going to be? She was damaged and was already behind all the other plants in growth! It just wasn’t fair.
As spring fully arrived the little garden grew out and above of the decayed leaves. Indeed her fears were justified when she saw how she was much shorter than all the rest. How she hated that. Everyone was taller than she; they would have a much better life than hers and they’d be more beautiful. As the days went on all the plants in the wildlife garden grew and grew. She grew taller as well, but could never catch up to them. And it did rather bother her that she was quiet a bit wider than they were. Then blooms started to appear on her and all the other plants. At least she got that right. Finally she got something right. Actually, she saw that since she had more stems than the others that she had more blossoms. Well now that was kinda cool…. Ha! She’d show them!
But then something sad happened; all those really tall flowers began to fall over. Really, they were spindly since they grew so tall, and couldn’t hold the heavy flowers up. She may have been short, but she was stout and held her flowers easily. She began to feel really lonely.. And sad… all this time she spent living everyday in jealous vain, and now what she’d envied most was not as gallant and she’d accused. Many were lying on the ground, their splendor upon the earth. She realized soon they’d all be gone anyway. Their flowers would fade, seeds would form, and they would die. This just sucks. What was the point really? How shitty this life is….
Then she became really depressed, and griped and grumbled and pissed and moaned. “What a shit hole!” she screamed. A little lady bug who’d been crawling along humming to herself, stopped and looked at her and said, “Man, you’ve got some issues!” and with that the ladybug flew off into the big blue sky.
Well, of all the nerve! How dare that ladybug be happy! But then she wasn’t a plant, stuck in the ground; she could travel around and look at things. Just like those damn birds! …Although, in hindsight it was kinda cute watching those little babies learn to fly. They all seemed so happy too. Why wasn’t she happy? Just WHAT did she do to deserve this?!
Really what was this? She began to really look all around her. Seeing the sky so blue; such a blue she’d never really seen before. The sounds of the birds fidgeting over the best seed in the feeder, was actually melodious, instead of annoying like she thought the day before. The buzzing of the bees as they continued about their daily business was really not so bad, and they did tickle her flower pedals, when they visited her. The warmth of the sunshine on her leaves was so soothing; she felt she could bask in its glory forever. Why hadn’t she noticed all this before?
Then she’d realized she spent all this time, looking on the outside of her, focusing on what she was not and what she didn’t have.
She’d be going to seed soon and she’d almost missed the whole damn point!
She took in every divine ray of sun, every divine drop of rain, every divine grain of nourishment from Mother Earth, and felt them, felt her very self, the pulsation, the vibration, all through her roots and every vein. She felt strong, glorious and vibrant. Her nectar grew sweeter she felt. Everything on her inside felt beautiful and everything on her outside shined that back at her. She chatted gaily with the bees, the birds, her neighbor flowers, and even that old ladybug. She had ‘it’ all, and she’d almost missed it!
Before she died she hoped she would instill her story into each of her seeds that they may grow and live in happiness. TheyÂ’d have everything they needed to begin, as every seed contains all that it needs to begin to grow. Germination begins with the soaking up of water; the divine gift of life. Everything else, all the nourishment needed, is within the little seed.
KEEP GOING by Joseph M. Marshall, III, Sterling Publishing, 2006.
"Grandfather says this: 'In life there is sadness as well as joy, losing as well as winning, falling as well as standing, hunger as well as plenty, badness as well as goodness. I do not say this to make you despair, but to teach you reality. Life is a journey sometimes walked in light, sometimes in shadow.'
Grandfather says this: 'You did not ask to be born, but you are here. You have weaknesses as well as strengths. You have both because in life there is two of everything. Within you is the will to win, as well as the willingness to lose. Within you is the heart to feel compassion as well as the smallness to be arrogant. Within you is the way to face life as well as the fear to turn away from it.'
Grandfather says this: 'Life can give you strength. Strength can come from facing the storms of life, from knowing loss, feeling sadness and heartache, from falling into the depths of grief. You must stand up in the storm. You must face the wind and the cold and the darkness. When the storm blows hard you must stand firm, for it is not trying to knock you down, it is really trying to teach you to be strong.'
Grandfather says this: 'Being strong means taking one more step toward the top of the hill, no matter how weary you may be. It means letting the tears flow through the grief. It means to keep looking for the answer, though the darkness of despair is all around you. Being strong means to cling to hope for one more heartbeat, one more sunrise. Each step, no matter how difficult, is one more step closer to the top of the hill. To keep hope alive for one more heartbeat at a time leads to the light of the next sunrise, and the promise of a new day.'
Grandfather says this: 'The weakest step toward the top of the hill, toward sunrise, toward hope, is stronger than the fiercest storm.'
Grandfather says this: 'keep going'."
Her flowers faded and her pods filled and then burst with seeds. She felt content as her greenery faded away, and she decayed and became One with Mother Earth and all of Eternity. What a beautiful life that Great Spirit had given her, what a beautiful planet Mother Earth is, and how divine all of life really is. She was so thankful to have been, and to always be, a part of All There Is…
-- I’ve been focusing on things that are outside of me instead of the beauty within. I forgot happiness isn’t on the outside of me… In objects, money, or even other people….
I make everyday what it is… I can make it shitty or I can make it glorious. I can choose to feel all-alone, or I can remember that I am but a droplet in the largest ocean there is. I can ride the waves, create new ones, or just flow in and out with the tide. It’s all good.
--
The little plant thought that the ice storm was the most horrible thing that could’ve happened to her; it was like the end of the world to her, but it turned out to be a really good thing; that’s why she grew stout and was able to hold her flowers up; unlike the ones who did not freeze; they grew tall and spindly and fell over. So she got what she had always wanted; to be beautiful, but then she couldn’t enjoy it, because she was sad about the others. That was never what she had wanted. She’d been too busy being jealous of them to even notice that she was beautiful, but then that really didnÂ’t matter because she still wasn’t happy. Finally she realized that wasn’t what beauty was anyway; true beauty cannot be seen; only felt, and to find it, you have look within.
--
I feel the hug from the warmth of the sun, the tickle of the wind, and the kiss from the mist. I feel the strength of the energy in my roots that are planted so deeply in Mother Earth, and the pulsation that rises up from Her through my glowing veins as its extends out into lightening bolts that reach far into the universe and carries back the current of the divine creators’ Light, connecting to my-self, to my inner joy – that which is everything everywhere forever and for all-ways.
~Within the arrowhead is Truth and the Point is Love.
Anything along the sharp edges is only an illusion.~
~Don’t miss the point!~
Written by: Tina Hesskew
of
ColorGoddess Creations and Jubilations
http://colorgoddess.net
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