We all need to belong
To have a special someone
Have a place to hang our hat
To put our feet up and call home
Where friends and family are
Somewhere
Somehow
To something
To be loved and love
Without it we feel lost
Untethered
Like a balloon loose in the sky

We all need to belong

Somewhere
Somehow
To something greater than ourselves
We need to matter
We need to have a purpose
A reason to keep moving
We need to feel a place in this world
We all need to belong

We all want to be free
To feel we can do and be
As we choose
Without being controlled
We need to be able to find our way
Unencumbered
Whether it’s taking a walk
Or shopping
Or sipping coffee
Or reading a book
Or just living
When freedom is taken away
Or stifled we feel smothered
Creativity ceases
The spirit grows quiet
Our light dims

Without you I am lost

I lose my north
Nothing feels right
My spirit sags
I am uncomfortable

Without you I am lost

Like a sailboat without wind
Like saggy spaghetti
Like heart with no soul
Like a song with no melody

Without you life is bitter
There is no sweetness
There is no treasure
The sublime is gone

Without you I am lost

I have no direction
I feel scattered
My motivation sinks
My heart is heavy

Without you I am lost

Goodbyes can sting
Over forty years ago I said goodbye to my dream
I watched him walk away
It was almost more than I could withstand
It was to be our final goodbye
It was our first and most gripping

As I watched him walk away
I felt my heart start to crack
Tears streamed down my face
My body shook as if going through withdrawal

Goodbyes can sting
Today felt like deja vu
Unbelievably over thirty years later
I had the chance to see him again

At the end of our visit we had our second goodbye
We had big plans and high hopes
The second goodbye did not sting as much as the first because of hope
Unfortunately our plans were dashed

Goodbyes can sting
Luckily fate found us again
Putting us on the same side of the ocean
Today we had our third goodbye
Once again I watched him walk away

In some ways it stung like the first
Memories flooding back
This pulled at something I had not felt in a long time
While I know I will see him again
The heaviness in my heart will not allay
My emotions are tight like a fiddle
It’s funny they always say it’s easier to leave than to be left

Goodbyes can sting
My heart says that is true
They also say distance makes the heart grow fonder
That has been proven true as well

Goodbyes can sting

It’s the little things in life
That make all the difference
Like saying good morning
Smiling at someone
Saying thank you
Offering a hug
That brighten up a mood

It’s the little things in life

That sweeten a day
Lift someone up
Lighten the world just a bit

It’s the little things in life

Like saying good morning
Offering a compliment
Sharing a joke
Laughing
That make all the difference

It’s the little things in life
That make the difference

When in December
In one of the most wondrous places
Paris
The city of light
The skies can be painted gray
Rain is in the air
A hint of snow perhaps
Apartments have a cold feel
Yet the streets are adorned
With holiday decorations
Shops show their prettiest wares
Chocolates and goodies
Churches offer holiday programs
Stores busy with shoppers
Downtown lights decorated with pink
Stores regaled in gold and silver
Cafes full of people sipping coffee
Hiding from the cold
It’s Paris in December
A special magical time

It was a crisp winters day
In the middle of the season
The sun was bright blue with a dotting of a few white clouds

There was a cold wind whipping through the trees
It was bitter to the skin
Branches were bending to it as if they were dancing
Wind chimes could be heard in the distance

The snow was blowing around shifting location creating white dunes like cotton candy

The fireplace was burning with a fresh log creating a hypnotic warmth in the room
The wood gave off a pleasant scent as it burned
It was a good day to be inside