These are the best days of our lives, or
Are there better days to come?
No more sorrow, no more pain, so much more to gain,
When we trust in the rising Son,
Now, smile. Joy thrives;
Saved lives, new creations, in time with the eternal drum.

There is a
Time to learn
Time to make mistakes
Time to cry
Time to **** up
Time to make bread
Time to read
Time to love
Time to be hurt, and a
Time to hurt –
Time to apologise, and a
Time to forgive. 
Time to respond, rather than react
Time to rethink
Time to drink coffee
Time to let the dawn of new promises wash over me
Time, rebirthed and reclaimed,
The most precious commodity. 
But sometimes there's no time at all.
Oh, how we mistake its insignificance by drowning ourselves in unhealthy times.

Night hung in the heat.
Naked sleep offered no relief.
Even as morning creeps
rain tries to poke holes in the heavy air,
but only a ‘dust devil’ is accomplished!

Remember when you licked the beaters
As your mum baked cakes?
Nostalgia of innocence teeters,
Recaptured on my lips
Today, after making meringue
For a raspberry daquise.
Fabulously, fruity favourite, heart-sang,
Laughing afterwards as I notice a leftover moustache.

The air was thick and hot;
The flies floated atop.
The tall trees, gums, gave
Jaggered shade, tiger stripes
on my skin they made.

Little by little,
I am being transformed.

Moment by moment,
They can’t be ignored.

For a long while,
These changes I could not see.

I would look at others,
Comparing them to me.

And all the while,
I was dying on the inside.

It’s happened for so long,
The many tears I have cried.

But now, 
There’s less of a fight.

And now,
I have courage in spite.

It’s not for anyone else,
This journey’s for you and me.

This journey is pivotal,
To authentically be.

Opportunity after opportunity
some could say leads to discontinuity
or spontaneity?
Can it lead to deity?
Frailty surely will come,
But we can spark that with
originality?!
Frivolity can be a gateway,
To birthing new possibility.
Imagine the ingenuity!

my birthday song
was sung by the birds this morn,
they greeted me
with kisses from Heaven.
their gleeful singalong
bounced me out of bed headlong,
a spring in my step,
despite being age-strong,
I look forward
to celebrations all day long.
grateful to be alive
to witness this very day!

one year on

One. All. Together.
Unconflicted;
Congruent,
Powerful.

How can we blindspot traumas and tragedies; wars?
But when consumed with ourselves,
our daily ‘stories’ and chores
We take our eyes off the sacred,
on to the trivial, but today they’re on Yours.
We remember the lives lost in conflict;
Lives lost in efforts for peace.
We remember and our praise we do not restrict!
I tremble at the thought of 40+ wars
Currently raging around the world at large,
May peace and forgiveness conquer despite our many collective flaws.

At church this morning,
As we were saying 
The Lord's Prayer
There was a thump and a crash,
Then the drums went boom, boom, boom
The congregation gasped,
The drummer collapsed: and fell.
It was both shocking and devastating,
He embodied the mystery of life and the fall,
But thankfully 
There was a Doctor in the house;
Heaven on Earth!
Allayleuya!

Wow! I just had a flashback,
To the ‘good old days’
When there were no cars
And everyone says,
‘Hello, how are you?'
We’ve streamed ahead so fast:
Hundred miles an hour,
But going nowhere that will last.
And yet, there was a bright spot 
This morning, when a lady
Rode her horse right by me,
I stopped at the same cafe, 
where I was drinking my coffee.
I was so surprised, I gasped,
And even took a snap.
I needed that, to get me out
Of my nap, and indulgent life choices.

In five seven five
We watch the wave reach the shore
And watch it tumble out.

Our days are but grains of sand
Some more significant
But all secure, set apart, grand
In the eyes of those who matter

Love each day
Full of life-giving breaths
Embrace the exquisite play
Of life, even now.

Glued, we’ll stop and sit
And watch that race capture our Nation.
We admire the breed, stamina and steed
Both mare and filly together.

We may get dressed up,
Even if we’re not there trackside.
Big-brimmed hat or bunched boutique,
Mini skirt or pant-suit joined
With man on hip wearing a top hat.
We whistle and cheer,
Throw our hands in the air
As the horse rounds the bend.

We feel so close to the action
That we’re all bopping up and down
As if we’re the ones striding,
But it's the TAB that's riding us!

When we all bet on our favourite horse;
The pink and yellow stripes,
Got me, I’ll smile and swallow
The next glass of champagne, or sparkling Chardonnay,
because we’re in Australia,
Far outside that region.

I remember grinning,
As I claimed my winnings -
gold coins and sipping sparkling cider,
And declared: yeah, I picked that rider!

Your eyes paint a barren landscapes,
But yet, I cannot look away.
They draw me in, deeper
In a more familiar way.
Maybe it's because
I see my soul in there,
Or maybe, just maybe,
It's because they free me
To not care.

sorry, not sorry,
for being me.
despite the pains and trials,
there's no one else
I'd prefer to be.

I know my scars,
and idiosyncrasies,
they're frustrating
to no end,
but then, that's me.

BS, BS everywhere no authenticity to be found,
We all put up facades that ultimately **** us around.
Why do we kid ourselves,
Hiding our true selves,
Because the reality is too painful? so we bury our heads in the sand,
Rather than investing in self-care.

Where have your words gone?
My lips forever praised you, and
Today is worthy for celebration
For you have delivered me,
You lift me in triumph!

when I look back, I'll see,
the steps I took to become me.

put the song on and dance,
let your hair down
throw your arms up
and dance. Feel the vibrations,
sensations revurberating,
through the trance
of life's circumstances.
Romance pulsates in the dance.

Forgets, frail and frozen,
Where hath your warmth but gone?
Fall back into the arms of love,
Peace, trust and hope; the one to whom your life is sworn.

Gadgets and gizmos; the testimonials to technological triumph,
Are great at numbing reality
and distracting you from life.
From feeling, from crying and hoping...
Placebos try to lull you but inevitably
lead to more strife.

Debt, disconnection and ultimately desolation,
Not the promised life,
But the meaningless; that will cut
Your soul with an eternal knife.

Wake up sleepy from your sewer slumber,
Reach inside, not to the devices, but to your heart,
Tis your lifeblood of existence,
And nurture all cells and selves till death you part.

Arise and shine;
Reflect His glory.
Leach back from the lure of the labyrinth of darkness.
Tis the season to live out your story.

The pain of life is everywhere,
Sitting below the surface.
It’s too simple to dichotomise here,
We feel it when we don't get the kudos,

And we feel it when love is lost,
So we pull back and hide.
We notice it when our ego’s bruised most
When money on the market slides.

And how about when we text an old friend
No reply comes back, an empty smack.
We apply for a new position, career or trend,
Someone else wins and you get all the flack.

We can't escape the pain, it hits us like rain,
Over and over again we face it.
Wounded, guilty and filled with shame.
despite the pain, we say f*#k it!  And keep going.

Opportunity after opportunity
some could say leads to discontinuity
or spontaneity?
Can it lead to deity?
Frailty surely will come
But we can spark that with
originality?
Frivolity can be a gateway,
To birthing new possibility.
Imagine the ingenuity!

Take a walk with me,
Come, let’s go,
Let’s fly away or bunker down low.
Don’t prepare, let your instincts lead and see.

Do you notice the streetscape?
Or do you look at me?
There’s the trees and the bees, mums and bubs on bended knees,
Plenty of amazing jewels leaving your mouth agape.

Memories fill our hearts with love,
Risky moments, tender moments, 
Slow moments, fast and fun moments,
Lifetime of treasures; mine, that fit like a glove.

We can’t toss them aside,
We can’t escape their joy or pain,
But we can let them be, washed away by rain,
Or liberated by the sun, whatever...don’t hide.

Live in this moment.
Not a moment too soon, or
Too late...act now! You’ll swoon ;p
It may not bring fortune, but atonement?!

I am listening to Billie
drop her new album,
Curious to hear, indie,
pop or chill, vulnerable?
Or will it be just another
wannabe?
And as I ponder, my focus
wanders to the bird calls
outside my window,
they are spectacular,
unique and peppery,
shrill and squawky
and a soft melody.
How can humans compare?!

One step at a time, don’t run ahead or you’ll miss that step?
Contradictions, paradoxes,
we live in a world of being so exposed
But yet, we are all still so hidden,
To ourselves, and to each other.
Trying to predict the future is prized,
Yet, it’s such a cowardly act.
One step at a time is bravery undervalued:
It doesn’t win awards, but you win yourself.

In a world of instants, waiting is foreign —
We’ve succeeded in drawing everyone together to our detriment,
That we’re never alone.
Loneliness is feared, rather than embraced,
Draw nearer to the One our heart is longing —

When we wait, we wonder and wander,
This is the place, our heart we discover.
Anxiously, we busy,
Rather than sit, reflect on the other.

We can transcend this moment in time,
Waiting seems like a block, something avoided, rather than embraced as mine.
In this space, we’re not gender or race,
But a being, alive and fine.

Quietly the unheard voice from within,
Speaks, giving you true meaning.
From here creativity is born;
New ways of seeing draws in.

Curiosity can play; dance, sing, build,
In this posture creativity is filled,
Down falls the scales from our eyes,
In this space anxiety is stilled.

When we wait we are dependent, and free,
Eyes are opened and they really see,
The cracks and flaws, the misgivings and discomfort,
But also the beauty and uniqueness; which is me.

Comparing is...
Having your eyes blinded to
The reality of who you are,
Really.
Reality is stark; it holds no glamour, but
A life well lived holds the tensions of
Reality.
Hand-in-hand the joy in the pain,
The reality that this is life,
This is what we’ve been called to live;
Loneliness in the ordinary,
Joy in the pain of the everyday.
This is life.

I always thought I had green eyes,
they are blue.
Envy has discoloured them
and obscured my true view.
Having now matured;
trauma, aging, greying (audible gasp),
healing is happening
in ways not anticipated
nor valued at first.
But now I am embracing
my blue eyes to see new.

Remember!
When the ground feels shaky
And things are falling skyward;
Peace is our gift, embrace it
with both hands.

The Australian bushland;
A menagerie of sound and life
Step back from distractions
And walk wild, rife.
Rekindle your inner animal
And free yourself; flee!

I wrap Your arms of love around me
Warmth fills my heart.
I breathe in deep.
Tears well up, knowing Your intimacy.

Love.
Your eyes are on me.
I am not alone.
I don’t need to struggle,
Because I have Your attention.

But do You have mine?
Please renew my mind,
So I can know the deeper things of You.
Love.

***** you, this is who I want to be!
Don't you make me out to be anything
or anyone I am not!
***** you with all your necessities,
your expectations and your strings.
This is me, breaking free fitting not in the slot.
***** you, misogyny!
I am throwing back your cheap ring
and letting the guilt go from its ransom knot.
Goodbye to the false dreams and realities,
Goodbye to the voice that couldn't sing,
And goodbye to the many selves, I am not!

Feel the tension,
Even though it’s uncomfortable,
because it’s where you’ll grow!
Lean into the discomfort,
Feel the disconnect, as
That’s where new life begins!

Deep darkness, despair.
How could you know, you’re not there?
Empty mind I crave,
But constant chatter takes me to the grave.

Fleeing, running; working, studying, drugs, and stuff,
Distractions from revelation; I am enough.
Progress is prized; the final nail,
We need true clarity; the holy grail.

Opening out and up to the mystery unknown,
Here, flourishing can become our own.
Insights of the true us,
Found when there’s nothing, no sound, no ***...

Embracing loneliness can be the pearl sought,
Moving away from things ought,
Turning to the unknown,
Is where true dreams are sewn.

Waiting’s heavy yoke; a punishment beareth I cannot,
Unknown steps before me terrify; well-known potholes behind I've trot.
Weighty dreams consume the ego’s choker chain,
Releasing all this right now, trusting there's so much more to gain
Travel to far-off places experiencing life in new ways
Adventure abounds, and destination awaits; confidently claim the future and graciously inhabit new traits.

And it died.
I didn't realise trees
needed watering,
but they do.
It's silly to think,
how I didn't understand this,
I mean, the garden looked so green
from all the rainwater,
but there it is,
my dead tree,
at the top of my garden;
and we all pay homage to it,
now dead.
Is that the same with other losses?
Friendships and marriages?
Jobs, possessions, conflicts and disparages?

People say things like:
Where did that time go?
Things are moving so fast...
and it's true, and they are,
but when you're in the moment
they're not. It is only when
you look back or look in the mirror,
that you notice time has truly passed,
and you see the grey hairs;
and exclaim: "Oh, I am old now!"

Do you know how hard
it is to pick up broken
eggshells scattered?
They shatter smaller and further
making picking up the pieces
painstakingly difficult;
fragile matter.

I was not born of this time,
The 1920s are more me.
The swinging, the fast feet bopping over mine,
Maybe not the cigarettes, but G&T's,
Most certainly. My curls break line
and make chaos look magical glee.
I'd wear pearls draped lavishly fine,
And I'd stay up til early.

Doubt, fear, and insecurity subside into apathy,
And the ink dries with those dark lies.

With a roll of an English tongue
We pay tribute
to Maggie Smith, from Downton.
She was a rare breed,
The last of the ton
Playing around with Harry
And in a dear Sister Act a nun!
Bravo old Dame,
your efforts were not in vain!