Old Age Is Hell

Face full of wrinkles, got a second chin
Hair is all greying, needs dying again
Don’t quite remember these curves being there
And when did my hips get so big and square

Eyesight is failing, hearing bout gone
Arms waving bye bye, lost all their tone
OMG what happened to my chest
What used to point onward now points SE & SW

Gravity is not prejudice, it grabs us all
What once was so perky has taken a big fall
Arther and Rhitis have both moved in
Now Bengay and Icyhot are my new best friends

They say that the memory is the first thing to go
Slowly forgetting all that we know
Mother Nature is cruel, this we know well
Take it from me, old age is hell.

Credit:  Lisha Forshee

Gina throughout the years – the outside looks better than the inside feels. 😕

Poetry

Stress is not something that we’re unfamiliar with.

Every one of us deals with different levels of it every day through work, school, relationships, etc.

Personally, when I feel overwhelmed, I need to find a way to calm my racing thoughts.

Sometimes it’s through taking a nap or binge-watching my favorite show, but another way that I find peace is through reading poetry.

Violence

Violence is “the use of physical force so as to injure, abuse, damage, or destroy”.

Other definitions are also used, such as the World Health Organization’s definition of violence as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.”

Violence is an urgent public health problem. From infants to the elderly, it affects people in all stages of life and can lead to a lifetime of physical, emotional, and economic problems.

We all need to do our part to prevent violence of any kind. Start by teaching our children how to be safe and what to be aware of.

This world is fun of violence at every turn. No one is immune to it.

Will you be part of the problem or part of the solution?

Human Race 🙏 God Help Us All

When Black boys are born
We mothers kiss their faces
Twirl our fingers in their curls
Put them in carriers on our chest
Show them to the world
Our tiny Black princes

And when they start school
As early as 3
We mothers
Place huge back packs on their backs
And we slowly fill them with bricks
Etched with tools
Tattooed with truths
Hoping to save them

Don’t talk back
Don’t get angry
Say yes ma’am
Say no sir
Don’t fight
Even if they hit you first
Especially if they are white
Do your best
Better than best
Be still
Worker hardest
BRICK

they get a little older
And we add more

Keep your hands out of your pockets
Don’t look them in the eye
Don’t challenge
Don’t put your manhood before your life
Just get home safe
Don’t walk alone
Don’t walk with too many boys
Don’t walk towards police
Don’t walk away from police
Don’t buy candy or ice tea
Don’t put your hood up
Don’t Ring a Doorbell
I’ll drive you
I’ll pick you up
You can’t be free
Don’t go wandering
Come home to me
BRICK

They get a little older
And we add more

Understand you are a threat
Standing still
Breathing
Your degrees are not a shield
Your job is not a shield
Your salary makes you a target
Your car makes you a target
Your nice house in a nice neighborhood
Makes you a target
Don’t put your ego before your safety
Don’t talk back
Don’t look them in the eye
Get home to your wife
Your son
BRICK

They weigh them down.
This knowing
Of having to carry the load
Of their blackness

the world hasn’t changed
The straps just dig deeper into their skin
Their backs ache
But their souls don’t break
Our beautiful Black men

When you say to me
All lives matter
I simply ask
Will your son be shot
For ringing the wrong door bell
Ours have

#JusticeForRalphYarl

#LesléHonoréPoetry

Live Life

Life is crazy
And totally unpredictable…
It’s going to push you over,
Kick you while you’re down,
And hit you when you try to get back up.

Not everything can beat you.
Things are going to change you,
But you get to choose which ones you let change you.

Listen to your heart,
Follow your dreams,
And let no one tell you what you’re capable of.

Push the limits,
Bend the rules,
And enjoy every minute of it.
Laugh at everything.
Live for as long as you can.

Love all,
But trust none.
Believe in yourself,
And never lose faith in others.
Settle for nothing but only the best,
And give 110% in everything you do.

Take risks,
Live on the edge,
Yet stay safe,
And cherish every moment of it.
Life is a gift.

Appreciate all the rewards,
And jump on every opportunity.
Not everyone’s going to love you,
But who needs them anyway?

Challenge everything,
And fight for what you believe.
Back down to nothing,
But give in to the little things in life,
After all, that is what makes you.

Forget the unnecessary,
But remember everything.
Bring it with you everywhere you go.
Learn something new,
And appreciate criticism.
Hate nothing,
But dislike what you want.

Never forget where you came from,
And always remember where you are going.
Live life to its fullest,
And have a reason for everything,
Even if it’s totally insane.
Find your purpose in life,
And live it! – Author Unknown

You Will Never See Me Fall by Joyce Alcantara

You may see me struggle,
but you won’t see me fall.
Regardless if I’m weak or not,
I’m going to stand tall.

Everyone says life is easy,
but truly living it is not.
Times get hard,
people struggle
and constantly get put on the spot.

I’m going to wear the biggest smile,
even though I want to cry.
I’m going to fight to live,
even though I’m destined to die.

And even though it’s hard
and I may struggle through it all,
you may see me struggle…
but you will NEVER see me fall.

A Psalm Of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream! For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow. Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act,— act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us. We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o’er life’s solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait.

When Great Trees Fall by Maya Angelou

When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills shudder,
lions hunker down
in tall grasses,
and even elephants
lumber after safety.

When great trees fall
in forests,
small things recoil into silence,
their senses
eroded beyond fear.

When great souls die,
the air around us becomes
light, rare, sterile.
We breathe, briefly.
Our eyes, briefly,
see with
a hurtful clarity.

Our memory, suddenly sharpened,
examines,
gnaws on kind words
unsaid,
promised walks
never taken.

Great souls die and
our reality, bound to
them, takes leave of us.
Our souls,
dependent upon their
nurture,
now shrink, wizened.

Our minds, formed
and informed by their
radiance,
fall away.
We are not so much maddened
as reduced to the unutterable ignorance
of dark, cold
caves.

And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never
to be the same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
better. For they existed.

This Is A Daily Reminder

This is a daily reminder
To relax,
To not get angry over small things,
To stay calm.

This is a daily reminder
To be yourself,
To not care what people think,
To know you can be anything.

This is a daily reminder
To love yourself,
To not hurt yourself,
To not work yourself up.

This is a daily reminder
That you are beautiful,
That you are amazing,
That you will succeed.

This is a daily reminder
To always have hope,
To have faith,
To know everything will be okay.

This is a daily reminder
That you have made it so far already,
That you haven’t given up,
That whatever you’re doing is right,
And that you are going to be amazing.

Don’t give up.
Keep holding on and believing. ~Anonymous

The True Meaning Of Life by Patricia Fleming

The years have passed by
In the blink of an eye,
Moments of sadness
And joy have flown by.

People I loved
Have come and have gone,
But the world never stopped,
And we all carried on.

Life wasn’t easy,
And the struggles were there,
Filled with times that it mattered,
Times I just didn’t care.

I stood on my own,
And I still found my way,
Through some nights filled with tears,
And the dawn of new days.

And now with old age,
It’s become very clear;
Things I once found important
Were not why I was here.

And how many things
That I managed to buy
Were never what made me
Feel better inside.

And the worries and fears
That plagued me each day,
In the end of it all,
Would just fade away.

But how much I reached out
To others when needed,
Would be the true measure
Of how I succeeded.

And how much I shared
Of my soul and my heart
Would ultimately be
What set me apart.

And what’s really important,
Is my opinion of me,
And whether or not
I’m the best I can be.

And how much more kindness
And love I can show
Before the Lord tells me
It’s my time to go.

We Wear the Mask BY Paul Laurence Dunbar

“We Wear the Mask” is a poem written by Paul Laurence Dunbar in the late 19th century.

The poem explores the theme of racial inequality and the way that African Americans were forced to hide their true emotions and thoughts behind a “mask” in order to survive in a society that discriminated against them.

Footprints In The Sand

One night I dreamed a dream.
I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand.

There was only one set of footprints.
I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life.

This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.

“Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way.

But I’m aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints.

I just don’t understand why, when I need You most, You leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings.

When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.”

― Margaret Fishback Powers

Auld Lang Syne

“Auld Lang Syne” is an old Scottish poem that later became a song. But what’s the Meaning Of Auld Lang Syne, and why do people sing it on New Year’s Eve?

The song “Auld Lang Syne” comes from a Robert Burns poem; who was the national poet of Scotland and wrote the poem in 1788, but it wasn’t published until 1799—three years after his death. 

Robert Burns

To fully understand the meaning of Auld Long Syne, you need to read the lyrics carefully. They are listed in the next section below.

• First Verse: The first verse of Auld Lang Syne is a rhetorical question: “Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?” No they shouldn’t, but if you don’t know the lyrics, then you may not realize that this line is a question. A common mistake, is thinking that the line is just “old acquaintance be forgot”.
• Chorus: Loosely translated, Auld Long Syne means “the good old days”. So the chorus is basically just saying grab a “cup of kindness” and ‘let’s drink to the good old days’.
• Additional Verses: The next few verses remember the fun that we’ve had with our acquaintances, like hiking, boating and more drinking… of course.

Auld Lang Syne is a hard song to memorize. As a result, when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, people will try to fake their way through the lyrics without understanding the meaning of Auld Lang Syne.

Over the centuries, singing Auld Lang Syne on New Year’s Eve became a Scottish tradition. And then from Scotland, it slowly spread to other parts of the British Isles.

Then as people from the United Kingdom emigrated around the world, they took the New Year’s Eve song and it’s tradition with them.

Years later, it’s now customary in many English-speaking counties to sing Auld Lang Syne on New Year’s Eve to bid farewell to the old year. The song is also commonly heard at funerals, graduations, and other formal occasions as a way to say goodbye.

If Only We Believe

To believe is to know that
every day is a new beginning.
Is to trust that miracles happen,
and dreams really do come true.

To believe is to see angels
dancing among the clouds,
To know the wonder of a stardust sky
and the wisdom of the man in the moon.

To believe is to know the value of a nurturing heart,
The innocence of a child’s eyes
and the beauty of an aging hand,
for it is through their teachings we learn to love.

To believe is to find the strength
and courage that lies within us
When it’s time to pick up
the pieces and begin again.

To believe is to know
we are not alone,
That life is a gift
and this is our time to cherish it.

To believe is to know
that wonderful surprises are just
waiting to happen,
And all our hopes and dreams are within reach.

Dust If You Must

Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there’s not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world’s out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it’s not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.

Courage

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. The reality is that there will be difficult times, but God promises to be our refuge.

When buildings are crumbling and our world is shaken. God has not failed us.

Psalm 46:1

When in a state of emergency, people can often surprise us. Whether we think of someone either as brave or lacking superpowers, they often can find the courage to keep on trying even when everything seems to be against the odds.

Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.

Powerful

True Happiness

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush.

Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

A Child Of Mine

I will 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, till I call him back,
Take care of him for Me?

He’ll bring his charms to gladden you,
And should his stay be brief.
You’ll have his lovely memories,
As 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 search for teachers true.
And from the throngs that crowd life’s lanes,
I have selected you.

Now will you give him all your love,
Nor think the labour vain.
Nor hate me when I come
To take him home again?

I fancied that I heard them say,
‘Dear Lord, Thy will be done!’
For all the joys Thy child shall bring,
The risk of grief we’ll run.

We’ll shelter him with tenderness,
We’ll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we’ve known,
Forever grateful stay.

But should the angels call for him,
Much sooner than we’ve planned.
We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes,
And try to understand.

A Golden Friendship

Gold represented purity, wealth, and prosperity.

A ‘golden friendship‘ is therefore a metaphor using golden in a non-literal sense to attach the positive attributes we associate with gold to the friendship in question.

Women wore gold chains not only as jewelry but also as a symbol of their social and economic status.

These chains were often passed down through generations, carrying with them the legacy of the family.

Gold has long been associated with a divine sphere, both in pre-Christian and in Christian religion.

The shine of gold, its indestructible nature, its malleability and its relative scarcity made it an ideal material to embody divine qualities, but also expressions of human veneration of the divine.

When Tomorrow Starts Without Me

When tomorrow starts without me,
And I’m not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
all filled with tears for me,

I wish so much you wouldn’t cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn’t get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
and each time that you think of me,
I know you’ll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,

And took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I’d have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye
For all my life, I’d always thought,
I didn’t want to die.

I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
and all the fun we had

If I could re-live yesterday
Just even for a while,
I’d say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
would take the place of me.

I Heard your Voice in the Wind Today

I heard your voice in the wind today
and I turned to see your face;
The warmth of the wind caressed me
as I stood silently in place.

I felt your touch in the sun today
as its warmth filled the sky;
I closed my eyes for your embrace
and my spirit soared high.

I saw your eyes in the window pane
as I watched the falling rain;
It seemed as each raindrop fell
it quietly said your name.

I held you close in my heart today
it made me feel complete;
You may have died…but you are not gone
you will always be a part of me.

As long as the sun shines…
the wind blows…
the rain falls…
You will live on inside of me forever
for that is all my heart knows.

The Man Who Thinks He Can

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don’t;
If you’d like to win, but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,
For out in the word we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will,
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you’re outcasted, you are;
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

Happy New Year

2022

Let’s Take A Trip…

“Great morning, welcome to Flight #2022. We are prepared to take off into the New Year.

Please make sure your Attitude and Blessings are secured and locked in an upright position.

All self-destructive devices should be turned off at this time. All negativity, hurt, and discouragement should be put away.

Should we lose Altitude under pressure, during the flight, reach up and pull down a Prayer. Prayers will automatically be activated by Faith.

Once your Faith is activated you can assist other passengers. There will be NO BAGGAGE allowed on this flight.

The Captain (GOD) has cleared us for takeoff. Destination GREATNESS.”  

Happy New Year! 🥂🎊🎉

God’s Creations

I count God’s blessings
One by one.
The moon, the stars,
The rising sun.

All God’s creatures,
Great and small.
The wonders of nature,
We’re blessed by all.

Then along came man,
And what do we see?
Forests destroyed,
Polluted seas.

Air pollution,
Blackened skies,
A world that’s dying.
The end is nigh.

Safeguarding creation is safeguarding a gift of God. This must be our attitude toward creation: safeguarding it. If not, if we destroy creation, creation will destroy us. Don’t forget that!

Another Chance

How often we wish for another chance
To make a fresh beginning.
A chance to blot out our mistakes
And change failure into winning.

It does not take a new day
To make a brand new start,
It only takes a deep desire
To try with all our heart.

To live a little better
And to always be forgiving
And to add a little sunshine
To the world in which we’re living.

So never give up in despair
And think that you are through,
For there’s always a tomorrow
And the hope of starting new.

I Want Someone by Lady G

~Lady G~

I want someone bold and brave and handsome, someone who will protect me no matter what, love me no matter what.

I want someone who I can tell my secrets to, someone who will keep their promises, someone who will stay with me always.

I want someone who gives warm hugs, someone to give me butterfly kisses to long romantic kisses, someone who makes me laugh, someone I can be vulnerable with.

I want someone who is always happy to see me, someone eager to please me, someone who wants to get to know me, someone who will communicate with me.

I want someone who will rock my world, someone who will conquer any obstacles with me, someone whom I can grow old with.

I want someone who will be my best friend and husband, someone to lean on, a shoulder to cry on, someone who will misbehave with me at times, someone who will love me unconditionally.

Most importantly, I want someone who WON’T waste my time, take me for granted, pretend to care, or be inconsistent with me.

A New Beginning

How often we look for another chance, to make a fresh beginning,

A chance to blot out our mistakes, and change failure into winning.

And it does not take a new year, to make a brand new start,

It only takes the deep desire to try with all our heart,

To live a little better, And to always be forgiving.

And to add a little sunshine” To the world in which we’re living.

So never give up in despair, And think that you are through,

For there’s always a tomorrow, And a chance to start anew.

Stars

In order for the stars to shine,
The sun must go to rest,
For only in the darkness can
You see the light the best.

But the night sky separates our eyes
From light that would make us blind,
And what we call stars poke holes in this sheet
To reveal some of heaven behind.

The night sky simply shields our eyes
From what they cannot bear,
But we are allowed a glimpse of hope
In a time of great despair.

And as heaven pours out itself,
We see not endless void,
But rather, a glimpse of never-ending
Peace and love and joy.

Praise be to God, who spoke the stars
That illuminate the night,
For they are proof that even in
The darkness, there is light.