Suddenly and without any warning
At some ungodly hour of the morning
Parents who are already sleep deprived
Are woken because Santa has arrived.

Christmas Eve they had been up half the night
Making sure that for Santa all was right
Now before they even open their eyes
Kids are shouting and screaming, full of noise.

Their beds covered now with so many toys
With hyperactive kids full of surprise
Laughing and smiling out of sheer delight
Not caring it's the middle of the night

Presents ripped open without a care
Wrapping paper, boxes, strewn everywhere
Each new gift a cause for celebration
Kids faces lit up in pure elation

Though to see kids happy, so excited
Parents are absolutely delighted
For no better present could they receive
Than to see kids dreams come true, I believe.

Biting cold, rain, sleet and snow,
Temperatures very low,
Crunchy grass, freezing mornings,
Roads like glass; weather warnings!
Traffic jams, travel chaos,
Accidents to delay us.
Buses, trains stuck at stations,
Many flight cancellations.

Time for wearing winter gear
When coats and hats reappear,
When gloves and scarves are the norm
Anything to keep us warm!
When crying eyes, runny nose,
Frozen fingers, tingling toes
Are the order of the day;
Hard to keep the cold at bay.

Schools are shut to kids delight,
Can’t make work though try you might.
Home is where most folk are at
Turning up their thermostats
Heating on all night and day,
Kids indoors, not out to play.
Most folk staying in no doubt
Happy they need not go out.

But all do not have such luck
Perhaps a good time to look
In on neighbours the odd day
To make sure they are ok.
Maybe help the homeless too,
Do anything we can do
To ensure we all weather
These Winter storms together.

There is something inside me,
lurking deep within the realms
which threatens to overwhelm
me utterly, completely.
Only occasionally
leaving me incapable;
totally vulnerable,
full of insecurity.

After the feeling subsides
what I find most troubling
is the power of this thing
that deep within me resides.
How I am at it's mercy
as it grows ever stronger.
I wonder how much longer
before it will consume me.

You only live once,
That is a given.
Why would you think twice?
Get Up! Start Living!

As birds without feathers
are unable to fly...
Without my friends and family
neither am I.

Understand something
More than anything:
Life owes you nothing;
You earn everything.
If you want something
More than anything
Then stop at nothing;
Give it everything!

There are those with strongly held views
Who can be extremely forthright
When it comes to certain issues,
Believing they alone are right.
To shout and roar is not my style
Though that may come across as meek,
My quiet nature does beguile
For the last thing I am is weak.

Rather than force my opinion
Which alas many seem to do
I prefer at first to listen
To other peoples points of view.
By doing so I learn the facts
While showing others some respect.
Then can respond and not react;
Have a more positive effect.

It shows great insecurity
Or a lack of self confidence,
This seeming inability
To deal with valid arguments.
It is totally arrogant,
Makes absolutely no sense.
It is completely ignorant;
The height of low intelligence.