Listen to the music
Let it guide you
Listen to the music
Let it lift you up
Listen to the music
Let it heal you
Listen to the music
Let it touch your heart
Listen to the music
Let it soothe your soul
Listen to the music
Let it make you smile
Listen to the music
Let it show you the world
Listen to the music
Let it light up the world
Listen to the music
Let it bring you peace
Always

When one is surrounded by clouds of darkness
When the burden feels to much to handle
When life is crushing you down
Seek the small light shining in a distance
It will guide your way
It is destiny waiting
It is these small slivers of light that give us hope
They help us try again
They help us begin again
To look for better days
They help to lift us up
Believe

They had been together for almost a year
Their time was ending
They had gone out to dinner
In the big city
One last time
Spent time walking around enjoying their time together
They were with her parents
It was spring
The weather was perfect
She wore a lilac colored dress
It was a perfect night
The city was full of magic

Soon they would have to leave
To head back home north
They didn’t want to leave
They didn’t want the night to end
But it had to
They had no choice

When the car came around
They sat in the back
Her parents were in front
As her father drove
They were quiet
Then his hand reached out to her hand
Touching it ever so gently
They sat holding hands the entire drive
Quiet
Together

I have driven the highways and byways of LA, Seattle, Phoenix, Houston and Minneapolis

Looped through Chicago and Washington DC
All to help bring me to my next chapter of life

I have driven up and down California, north to Seattle and across the country twice
All to bring me home

This time, there are no roads to take me there
Instead my travel will be by air, across the sea thousands of miles  from where I started

At the end, I will be where I am supposed to be after all these years

Destiny has finally brought me

Home

Come walk with me
Take my hand
Let’s stroll down a path
To see where it takes us
It’s been a long time

Come walk with me

Let’s go towards the forest
Covered in snow
Let’s listen to the quiet
Enjoy the stillness and peace
It’s been a long time

Come walk with me

Let’s go towards the beach
Let’s walk along the shore
Enjoy the sound of the waves
Smell the salt laden air
It’s been a long time

Come walk with me

Let’s walk home
Holding hands along the way
Just like we used to
So many years ago
It’s been a long time

Come walk with me

Let’s share our journey
Build some more memories
Let’s laugh and joke
Play like children
It’s been a long time

Come walk with me
It’s been a long time
I am waiting

Don’t grudge
Like
Don’t hate
Love
Don’t judge
Accept
Don’t isolate
Join
Don’t disbelieve
Believe
Don’t focus on ugliness
Focus on beauty
Don’t disrespect
Respect
Don’t harm
Help
Don’t despair
Hope
Don’t see smallness
See grandness
Don’t offer darkness
Offer light
Light up the world
With your special light
If we each offer light
The darkness will diminish

The magic room is a special place
Wonderful things are created
Beautiful things
They dazzle the taste buds
They are created from nothing
Special
Delicious
Each one different but good

The magic room

Every house has one
Along with a magician
An artist
They create magic every day
Waving their wand
Tantalizing their families
With goodies to delight
Heavenly meals
Offering new tastes

The magic room

I’m a New York girl
Some of my family is from there
It feels like home to me
There are roots there
I like it
The hustle
The bustle
The vibe
I’ve been to other cities
In county and out
But there’s nothing like it
There’s an energy
I’ve not seen it other places
A toughness and resilience
Other cities have their charms
No question
But for me
I’m a New York girl

Healing wind gently blowing
Softly touching my face
Like gentle kisses
Plants dancing to the rhythm

Healing wind soothing me
Coaxing away the heat of the day
Black velvet sky welcomes me
Settling in for the evening

Healing wind brushing against me
Hypnotizing me with each brush
Tempting me to dance with it

Healing wind bringing energy
Touching the world with its grace

Folks drinking coffee in a cafe
Surrounded by red cushions that adorn bright white walls

Music playing with a loud hypnotic beat
News playing in the background on a TV
Red cushions cover the seats as well
Tables set with clear dark red glasses

Professional waiters moving to and fro
People sitting outside under red umbrellas offering welcomed shade

On the start to another hot steamy day

Come On Get Up

When you are sad
Get up and look at the sun
When you are crying
Get up and look at the stars
When you are hurting
Get up and look at Mother Nature
When you can't go on
Get up and remember those that went before you
When you want to give up
Get up and remember that you
have your own destiny

Believe

As the sun drops for the night
The streets clear of cars and people
The emptiness is soothing in a way
Cats are the only creatures out
Seeking something to eat
Night quiet

As the sky grows darker
A black velvet blanket covers the sky
The stars start to appear along with a sliver of moon
Decorative lights are shining on a nearby building
Beautiful colors of pink and blue
Stillness is in the air
It is peaceful
It is calming
Night quiet has arrived

The ocean waves are moving back and forth on a sunny day. The sky is a bright blue. The air is warm but not too hot. There is a slight breeze in the air. There is a tint of salt in the air like a sweet perfume but the smell is not too overwhelming. The water is a deep blue with hints of white as the waves roll in and out. As the sun hits the water,  tiny diamonds appear and glisten against the light and the water.

The scene is perfect and you are there
It is not a dream
You are at peace

I am elusive
Transparent
Hard to find
Sometimes I disappear into the night
Sometimes I look like a ghost
A vapor barely there
I can be the light mist in the wind
Touching your cheek
I am truly invisible

I can be a shadow on the wall
A faint outline of a person
Almost disappearing
Almost not there
But there

I am elusive
Hard to pin down
Always moving to and fro
I am a phantom
A ghost
I am the dream that is not real
That disappears when you wake
The butterfly you cannot keep
The sunset that leaves
A moment in time that passes

I am elusive
Never really there
At all

When you are sad
Get up and look at the sun
When you are crying
Get up and look at the stars
Dry your tears

When you are hurting
Get up and look at Mother Nature
She’s beautiful

When you can't go on
Get up remember those that went before you

When you want to give up
Get up and remember you have your own destiny
You are not done
You are not alone

Believe

I am a human being
That’s all
Nothing more
Nothing less
No better than an other
Just trying to live my life
Like everyone else is
Somewhere along the road
I realized I was also a spiritual being
I choose to celebrate both
This awareness is empowering
When I connect with another person
I remember
Even though I was born alone
And will die alone
I am not truly alone
We are all part of the same thing
Everything here
Is part of the universe
Animals
Plants
Oceans
Mountains

Believe
Lift up the world
With your special light

Even when it looks like it there is no hope. Don’t give up

Believe

Even when there is darkness all around, light will find a way through

Believe

Even when things seem difficult and impossible, things will get done

Believe

Because in the end everything will work out. The impossible becomes possible and light wins over darkness

Believe

It’s is an early fall day
The sun is out
The sky is a bright blue
There are a few clouds scattered across the sky
There is a slight breeze -- not too warm, not too cold — just right
The trees are dressed with their fall colors
You are sitting in a field of tall grasses
The grass is a light beige color
The grass sways gently to the breeze and makes a soft rustling sound as it moves
As you sit down in the field
A cloud of butterflies surround you
They are all colors -- purple, blue, yellow, red, gold and green
As you put out your hands, several light onto your hand before flying away

You close your eyes and take in the moment
You are at peace

Waking up
Early morning rituals
Watching the sunrise
Surveying the blue sky
Enjoying the coolness
Admiring the beauty outside
Anticipating the day
Waiting for coffee or tea
Breakfast
What to have
Checking out the news
Being alive
Savoring the pure joy of it

Do you see me?
Do you hear me?
Can you sense me?
I am standing right here
I have always been here
In one form or another
By you
With you
When I touch you
Do you feel it?
Is it the same as before?
Do you remember?
How it used to be?
That was so long ago
It was another time
Almost seems like another world
When I stand behind you
Putting my hand on your back
Do you feel it?
Because I have always been there
Over the years and decades
I have called for you and searched
Everywhere
Till I found you
Do you see me?
I see you
I always have

Sometimes when we are delayed
Or slowed down
In doing something
There’s is a reason
We may not know it
But there is
We shouldn’t fight it
Those pauses are for protection
To stop us
From doing something
Not really meant for us
Later on as we look back
We will see and understand
When you are delayed
Or stopped
Just become still
The universe is looking out for you
Always
Believe
Light up the world
With your own special light

Pink cotton candy clouds
Made of sweet spun sugar
Look too good to eat
As they paint the sky
Against a bright blue sky
Which drape a rose colored city
With an exotic look
Pink cotton candy clouds
Remind me of pink Necco wafer candies
Bringing back sweet memories

Go Towards the Light
If you see someone with a frown, smile
Choose laughter over tears
If someone needs help, reach out
Offer kindness instead of harshness and cruelty
Heal don’t hurt
Love instead of hate
Don’t judge, accept
Walk towards light instead of darkness
Give instead of taking
Lift up instead of tearing down

There’s too much darkness and hate in the world right now
If we can just light the world a little through kindness and love, it’s a start
Remember we are all human

Light up the world
Lift someone up today
Bring a smile to a stranger
Be grateful for each day and moment

A quiet time
A time of reflection
Some people sleep in
When things slow down
Before the start of a new week
Some practice their faith
Others spend time with family
Some walk through nature
Cities are emptier
Less traffic and honking horns
There’s a stillness in the air
It’s peaceful

We have a choice every day
How we will relate with people
And the world
We can be kind or unkind
We can bring light or darkness
The choice is ours
We own the after effects
Either positive or negative

If we focus on the positive
We can light up the world

Believe

He had been a professional player
A linebacker
They were built tough
And big
When he left, he created something new
Something different
A business
And a non profit to help kids
One day unexpectedly
A woman came to work for him
Her background was different
She had stepped out of her field
To try something new
She had never been this close to a celebrity
It’s a different world
He had never known someone with her background
They decided to try and make it work
Using the strengths of each
Surprisingly it worked
They both grew from the experience
The linebacker

When covered in darkness
Seek the light
Let it cover you like a coat
Protecting
When full of despair
Seek the light
It will warm you
When the mind is empty
Seek inspiration

When feeling lost
Seek the light
When overwhelmed
Trust yourself to see it through
One step at a time

When nothing seems right
Look to what you have
We all have treasures
Whatever they may be

When tired and fatigued
Try something new
It doesn’t matter what
When bored
Learn something

When the heart is empty
Seek art and music
Anything creative
Let it lift you up
Cleanse you

When you feel alone
Help another
Stand in the light
It will guide you
Always

They have held
While other things have weakened
They remained strong
Like a dam

While pushed and threatened
While others spun stories
Trying to change reality
They stood firm
Holding the rushing waters back
Waves frequently breaking  against their wall
Yet it held
Like a dam

The more water that came
The fiercer it was
They held
They stood firm
They did not buckle
Yet it held
Like a dam

While there was an onslaught
Day after day
Never stopping
They stood firm
Never bending
Like a dam

Strong
Unbending
Like a dam
A true warrior for justice

Bring comfort
Offer calm
Give one a sense of belonging
Help one feel centered
They are important
We all have them
Without them
We feel lost
We can’t find our way
They are like a lighthouse
Steering a ship to port
They clear out the fog
Bringing in the light

Christmas jazz fills the air
Scents of pine and cinnamon
Perfume the air
Beats pounding in the background
Familiar music to the ear
Trees sitting on display
All dolled up
Christmas jazz fills the air
Holiday trappings all around
Silver, gold and red
Blue and green
Shops showing off their best
People walking and looking
Warm coats, hats and scarves
Bright lights glimmer all around
American rock music plays softly
The street scene comes alive
Cafés full of people sipping coffee
Getting ready for their shopping

Christmas jazz fills the air

It’s a beautiful night
The beginning of winter
New snow has just fallen
In the moonlight it glitters
It looks like small diamonds
There’s a house near a forest
One of several nearby
The road is snow covered
Inside the fireplace is burning
The flames are orange and yellow
There is a scent of pine in the air
Mountains are in the background
Covered with snow
Small hills are around
Pine trees are scattered about
The cabin is brightly lit inside
Stew simmers on the stove
Giving off a delicious perfume
Coffee is on the stove
Ready to drink
The radio is playing jazz music
While the dog sleeps by the fire
A cat is perched on a chair nearby
It’s a comfortable place
It’s a perfect winters night

Look through the darkness
Into the light
It may be hard to see
At first
But it’s there
It’s always been there
Since the beginning
It offers comfort
It offers healing
Each time you do this
Darkness lifts

Close your eyes
Smell the air
The freshness
Notice the slight aroma in the air
The flowers
Their sweet perfume
It flavors the world
With their scent
Each time you do this
Darkness lifts

Listen to the birds
Singing their songs
Notice their beauty
Their grace
As they fly through the air
With such ease
Each time you do this
Darkness lifts

Into the night
Dream sweet and long
May your sleep heal you
Take you to wonderland
Be peaceful and calm
Till morning
When the sun greets you
With its brightness
Revel in the start of a new day
A fresh start

Dream on

I used to think that people
and their feelings were like
china plates
Beautiful
Unique
Fragile and delicate
Easily broken

When we are born
Our plates are flawless
No cracks or chips
They are new and perfect

As we go through life
They can get hurt
They get chips
And cracks
And sometimes they break
or a piece of them breaks off

Life does that
The ups and downs
The good and the bad
Relationships can do that
Hearts can break
Bodies can get hurt or age
And our plates reflect it

Life is like a china plate
Delicate
Fragile in some ways
Something to be treasured

Cool balmy breezes brush against my face
Caressing
Soothing my spirit and body
Calming my mind
I focus on the moment
Taking it all in
Slowly
Deep purple colors the sky
As night sets in for the city
Lights twinkle in the background like glistening pearls and diamonds
Traffic sounds play their tune from below
Plants sway to and fro to the breeze
As if they were dancing
A cool respite fast approaches
To heal from the blistering heat
Of the day
Once again nighttime is coming
Bringing a gift of coolness
And peace

In the darkness
I am there
My hand is on your shoulder
In the darkness
I am there
I am standing behind you

In the darkness
I am there
I am holding your hand

In the darkness
I am there
When you can’t see
I am your eyes
When you can’t walk
I am your legs

In the darkness
I am there
When you can’t go on
I will help you
When you can’t stand
I will stand for you

In the darkness
I am there
When you cry
I will wipe your tears
When you laugh
I will laugh with you

In the darkness
I am there
I have always been there
I will never leave

In my dreams I see a different time
A time of freedom
A time of no isolation
A time when I can go out
Where there is no disease
Where there’s hope

In my dreams I see a different time
A time when I can walk outside
A time at a local cafe or restaurant
A time to sit with friends
A time of hope

In my dreams I see a different time
A time of renewal
A time of creating a new start
A time of a new destiny
A time of hope

In my dreams I see a different time

When I lay my head down upon your lap I feel complete comfort

You bring peace and harmony
Total love

I am elusive
Transparent
Hard to find
Sometimes I disappear into the night
Sometimes I look like a ghost
A vapor barely there
I can be the light mist in the wind
Touching your cheek
I am truly invisible

I can be a shadow on the wall
A faint outline of a person
Almost disappearing
Almost not there
But there

I am elusive
Hard to pin down
Always moving to and fro
I am a phantom
A ghost
I am the dream that is not real
That disappears when you wake
The butterfly you cannot keep
The sunset that leaves
A moment in time that passes

I am elusive
Never really there
At all

Some say things just happen
Others say destiny assists and guides
Some say what is meant to be will be
Others say we shape our own path
Some say our futures our pre written
Others say this isn’t so
Some say there’s something called destiny
Some of us choose to dance with it

Some say things just happen with no rime or reason to them
Others say destiny always has a hand
Some of us choose to dance with it
Some say what is for you can’t be stopped no matter what
Some say that isn’t so

All I know is
I am on a path before me
That I believe to be true
Things have happened in my life to ease my traverse down that path
I am dancing with destiny

I am doing the impossible
What is hard is made easy
When the waters ran deep I didn’t falter
When the mountain was high I climbed to the top
When the distance was far I traveled it
I am dancing with destiny

I am living a miracle
That I could not have created on my own
I am where I am supposed to be
If that’s not destiny then what is?

Show you matter
Bring your best to the world
Offer kindness
Open up your heart
Love
Do the right thing
Accept everyone
We all want the same thing
We are all human
No matter where we are from
No matter where we live
Offer light instead of darkness
Inspire
Lift
Light up the world
Stand up
Believe

We all build walls

Some are to hide behind
Some to prevent
Some to keep out
Some to mark areas

We all build walls

Some are real
Some are imaginary
Some are brick or wood
Some are stone or concrete

We all build walls

They are boundaries
Or borders
Or let limiters
Some are old

We all build walls

They can be high and reach the sky
Or low easy to jump or climb
They can lock someone out
Or keep them in

We all build walls

Let’s tear them down

I have driven the highways and byways of LA, Seattle, Phoenix, Houston and Minneapolis
Crossed the mountains twice

Looped through Chicago and Washington DC
All to help bring me to my next chapter of life

Home

I have driven up and down California, north to Seattle and across the country twice
All to bring me home

This time, there are no roads to take me there
Instead my travel will be by air, across the sea thousands of miles  from where I started

Home

At the end, I will be where I am supposed to be after all these years

Destiny has finally brought me

Home

The ocean waves are moving back and forth on a sunny day.
The sky is a bright blue. Like a painting.  
The air is warm but not too hot.
There is a slight breeze in the air.
There is a tint of salt in the air
It’s like a sweet perfume but not overwhelming.
The water is a deep blue with hints of white as the waves roll in and out.
As the sun hits the water.
The appearance of diamonds show up.
Glistening against the light and the water.
It is magic.
A sweet moment of peace.
A time of pure bliss.

In the background playing at the cafe
Drums beat ever so slightly
There is a faint, hypnotic rhythm
It is both entrancing and calming

In the background playing at the cafe
Drums beat ever so slightly
They draw me into memories

My heart starts to slow
Matching the beat
My imagination wanders

In the background at the cafe
Drums beat ever so slightly
Like a meditative dance

Mornings
When it’s quiet
Peaceful
Are sacred
Times of stillness
When the soul
Is most present
It’s those times
When we find
Our true self
When the chaos of life
Subsides
Music is also a key
So is nature
To sacred times
They are precious
Like a jewel
Treasured
Always

We are all makers of it
With an action
Or a sharp word
We can bring darkness
Hurt and pain
We can also lift up
Inspire
Create great beauty
Art
Dance
Music
Wonderful things
In an instant
We can bring despair
Hopelessness
Deep pain
Or tremendous light
It’s all about choices
Each and every day
We have the power
To light up the world
If we want
Let’s try

Gray dark skies outside
Wet cool air to the touch
Breath almost visible
Like a fine mist
Rain falling sometimes gently
Sometimes harder
Terrace being cleaned by the water
Plants getting needed nourishment
Turning a brighter green
Sky being cleansed anew
The city being bathed and refreshed
A calm cloud hovers
Quiet and peaceful
As the rain continues to fall
Ever so gently
Rainy day

When we are away or leave
We hunger for the scent of home
We wish for something familiar
Something we can cling to
Something we know
We will do anything for it
It’s precious

When we are away or leave
We hunger for the scent of home
The flowers
The trees
The landscape
The people and the food
The feeling of it

It becomes an intoxicating perfume
For the soul and heart
To comfort and calm
When we are away or leave
We hunger for the scent of home
It never leaves us
It’s in our heart

You are standing on a beach.
The sand is warm and soft to the touch.
The sun is out and the sky is a clear brilliant blue

There are a few white clouds in the sky -- very delicate.
The sun is not hot, the air is not cool. It is just right.
There is a light soothing breeze.
There is the smell of salt in the air.

As you look out into the water, you see the color, a light turquoise.
The water dances making the waves look like diamonds sparkling in the light.

As you begin to walk into the water, you do not feel wet.
Your color changes to the same as the water.

As you walk further out into the ocean, your shape and consistency change.
You melt and meld into the sea.
You feel warm, safe and at peace.

You are finally home.