tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72999902102534328082024-03-16T11:51:05.465-07:00A Net Full of ButterfliesA collection of my writings from long ago to present day prompts. Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.comBlogger507125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-29786814042024537802024-02-11T11:31:00.000-08:002024-02-11T11:31:04.729-08:00The Beauty in Scars<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVNSStFR2gLuh4ge6SWih6pggyuP8bWjuHqrRhciGoT7Z9Row2nOcVAmL6I8qYPsQXS46uHp7yPEwumH1dB073hnc4bfmMYgZ2UiS2QH0PbLqxeHJGGq-bcDJIL7F8G_F83oSy_CG5FO39795kjAJVfRNIQnSAsBXKvdasdtywJU1B7OsSOq1DaX-NCpS/s717/butterfly%20scars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVNSStFR2gLuh4ge6SWih6pggyuP8bWjuHqrRhciGoT7Z9Row2nOcVAmL6I8qYPsQXS46uHp7yPEwumH1dB073hnc4bfmMYgZ2UiS2QH0PbLqxeHJGGq-bcDJIL7F8G_F83oSy_CG5FO39795kjAJVfRNIQnSAsBXKvdasdtywJU1B7OsSOq1DaX-NCpS/s320/butterfly%20scars.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">"scars" Digital art by Beth Conklin</p><p style="text-align: center;">Visit her etsy store & click <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/hereonart?ref=offsite_badges&utm_source=sellers&utm_medium=badges&utm_campaign=en_isell_1">HERE</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">The poem below is a response to my favorite prompt that is now back for all poets to enjoy:</p><p style="text-align: center;">Shay's <a href="https://fireblossom-wordgarden.blogspot.com/2024/02/shays-word-garden-list-prompt-returns.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR1gI55Em0jzKGX96O92Dk9bCAaFEVDnUG7kTFuf5iX0E6naDrUqa8rpiyY">Word Garden Word List!</a></p><p style="text-align: center;">I am quite late participating but please join in & there will be a new list tomorrow!</p><p style="text-align: center;">(Use at least 3 of the 20 words)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>The Beauty in Scars,</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>"I show my scars so that others know they can
heal" - Rhachelle Nicol</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">There is an
art in healing,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">letting the
willow bend<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">to no longer
break.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">My soul does
not crave the vase of lilies,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">but longs to
run in a field of wildflowers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Yes, I want
the sweetness of triumph,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">but first I
must taste the sober truth<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">that only a
poet or pastor can tell<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">I can no
longer be still like zeroes,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">letting weeds
grow and surround my aching knees!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Give me engines
that propel me forward;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">the strength
to rise like a fox stepping on hill upon hill.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">For there is
an art in healing,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">letting out all
the stitches to embrace every scar.<span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-69807779347700585462023-07-03T14:05:00.000-07:002023-07-03T14:05:17.719-07:00The Details<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLT_r2SgPXaVcNpRVMxjVugMX_QKe0KDIvTyIE4TvkKMrwlS3K9naVEg5twULFk5x5RzWXCmkxkb7zEcXw1voP4ZCtJwSrNB_ohPfi2tsD0a46jKThNuzPc7BsyX7TpkWs8cIYSTdHWmFRJI2VMJwczzftgutrbLe4Fx4E0EoioG4FTnEJNwU4mgjZoac/s1080/No%20one%20is%20useless%20in%20this%20world...%20who%20lightens%20the%20burden%20of%20it%20for%20any%20one%20else.%20~Charles%20Dickens.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLT_r2SgPXaVcNpRVMxjVugMX_QKe0KDIvTyIE4TvkKMrwlS3K9naVEg5twULFk5x5RzWXCmkxkb7zEcXw1voP4ZCtJwSrNB_ohPfi2tsD0a46jKThNuzPc7BsyX7TpkWs8cIYSTdHWmFRJI2VMJwczzftgutrbLe4Fx4E0EoioG4FTnEJNwU4mgjZoac/s320/No%20one%20is%20useless%20in%20this%20world...%20who%20lightens%20the%20burden%20of%20it%20for%20any%20one%20else.%20~Charles%20Dickens.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{96d1a7ef-d000-47c6-a02d-905d328b27cb}{251}" paraid="596251791" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Georgia, Georgia_EmbeddedFont, Georgia_MSFontService, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 17.2667px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">Down in their hearts wise men know this truth: the only way to help yourself is to help others. ~Elbert Hubbard</span><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Georgia, Georgia_EmbeddedFont, Georgia_MSFontService, serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 17.2667px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{96d1a7ef-d000-47c6-a02d-905d328b27cb}{251}" paraid="596251791" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Georgia, Georgia_EmbeddedFont, Georgia_MSFontService, serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 17.2667px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{0d91b106-5812-4655-8b28-5b248f1c4472}{63}" paraid="2066235524" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">When we are planning anything in life, we are thinking of the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">destination and goals that we want to achieve, but it is </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">truly </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">little things</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> in place that get us there</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">A girl has to pack her socks if she wants to be ready to wear her shoes for the mountain climb.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> All the big plans we hope </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">for</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> are full of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">smaller </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">details that </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">cannot be forgotten.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{0d91b106-5812-4655-8b28-5b248f1c4472}{63}" paraid="2066235524" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c21ad676-c44a-4571-8fc2-158187acfe03}{239}" paraid="1363889365" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">All those</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">pesky</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">little things</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> life is full of</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> them!</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">To do lists, errands, dry-cleaning, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">doctor appointments and the list goes on!</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">So </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">many</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> of the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">seemingly mundane</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">tasks </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">occupy</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">our day and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">fill </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">our baggage, but in our life, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">there are many other details that </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">have more</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">significance</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> in the big scheme of things</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{c21ad676-c44a-4571-8fc2-158187acfe03}{239}" paraid="1363889365" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{7de63191-b0e4-4f97-a206-447487650eb6}{184}" paraid="1215393344" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">When I first applied for a job in the Harris County Library system, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">I tried to think of what skills I had that made me an asset to be considered for hire</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">I had a cleaning business for over 20 years, and I knew that one of the main attributes a house cleaner must have </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2, url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,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')); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">is</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> an attention to detail.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Seeing the cobwebs and stains on the countertop </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">requires</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> a closer look from </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">actually started</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> working</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> at the library</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> helping customers, I realized there was another element to the concept,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">“</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">attention to detai</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">l</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">”</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{7de63191-b0e4-4f97-a206-447487650eb6}{184}" paraid="1215393344" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{600320da-fa54-4c68-8d57-d58a390ee48a}{134}" paraid="272977741" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">It isn’t just </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">about </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">seeing when a book is out of place on a </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">shelf or</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">knowing how to </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">properly </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">send a document to print for a customer</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, it is actually much more personal than that.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> When it comes to customer service, sometimes </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">the needs that come up are much less technical, and much more </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">int</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">i</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">mate in nature</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">I</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">a</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">m talking about emotional needs that sometimes arise that we need to be aware</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> of in</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> the usual</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> situations</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> of helping customers</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{600320da-fa54-4c68-8d57-d58a390ee48a}{134}" paraid="272977741" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{a561fa05-9677-43ee-b3f7-2264850a735e}{190}" paraid="993583306" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">P</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">eople</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> c</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">ome into the library for many reasons, and sometimes</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> it is simply to get the next </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">great book</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> on their list, but other times it </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">could be</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">stressful in nature</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">, like getting information for medical help for a terminally ill loved one. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">T</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">hat being said, we may never know the details of what they are facing, but we can be </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">attentive and mindful</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> when someone seems to be frustrated or having a bad day.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">I have had several instances where it was obvious that someone needed some extra help and support to get what they were doing accomplished, and sometimes that include</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">d </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">being a listening and caring ear in the process. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{a561fa05-9677-43ee-b3f7-2264850a735e}{190}" paraid="993583306" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{677b6d8d-f62a-425d-a733-8320b9644c98}{65}" paraid="1267734032" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">The details are more than</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">orderly shelves, the correct copies, and</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">requesting that hard-to-find book</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Sometimes the truest details are in the very people we are trying to help.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> Taking the time to notice the sadness behind a </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">smile or</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">reading the body language of dismay from a </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">difficult</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> day</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> and responding accordingly can make all the difference for that person in need of a few copies at their local library.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{677b6d8d-f62a-425d-a733-8320b9644c98}{65}" paraid="1267734032" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{1478b72d-3ab2-479b-b373-afb315538070}{103}" paraid="305519261" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Yes, life is full of</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">small </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">details</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> that are part of the bigger goal </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">each o</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">ne of us is</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> trying to attain</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">May we</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> all try</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> our best</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> to remember the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">details</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW146865342 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> that matter most. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{1478b72d-3ab2-479b-b373-afb315538070}{103}" paraid="305519261" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><br /></span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{1478b72d-3ab2-479b-b373-afb315538070}{103}" paraid="305519261" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW146865342 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW146865342 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{1478b72d-3ab2-479b-b373-afb315538070}{103}" paraid="305519261" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">© Carrie Van Horn 2023</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: #EBF9FF; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span><br /></p></div>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-3799151855292258292023-01-28T13:43:00.000-08:002023-01-28T13:43:41.841-08:00Unspoken Words to the Dying,<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4oQcvCKQlyTOqle6lS-Xmv1A8mwZfdWFAFhdJM0EfyyFhbOCzCXUd1HMXY06nVPuAuyB4XXepwO5N5cVGXDkxBMgaKyu3qSCu7s0SNXxcrwH_kNMid9WajnkIFFtjEWtsSuMfKAeETqEXByamC9Gs8HMBxmbyPBbkQXI4I5mjRCj-vM9x6UZn0vRaw/s940/Photo%20by%20Phil%20Stern%20Rita%20Moreno%20during%20rehearsal%20for%20West%20Side%20Story,%201961.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4oQcvCKQlyTOqle6lS-Xmv1A8mwZfdWFAFhdJM0EfyyFhbOCzCXUd1HMXY06nVPuAuyB4XXepwO5N5cVGXDkxBMgaKyu3qSCu7s0SNXxcrwH_kNMid9WajnkIFFtjEWtsSuMfKAeETqEXByamC9Gs8HMBxmbyPBbkQXI4I5mjRCj-vM9x6UZn0vRaw/w400-h335/Photo%20by%20Phil%20Stern%20Rita%20Moreno%20during%20rehearsal%20for%20West%20Side%20Story,%201961.png" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>There are some griefs so loud<br />
They could bring down the sky,<br />
And there are griefs so still<br />
None knows how deep they lie,<br />
Endured, never expended.<br />
~May Sarton, "Of Grief," A Durable Fire, 1972</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>When my father was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, my stepmom
could not bear for him to be told.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
not entirely sure how he was in the dark of it all, but we continued with the façade
that there was hope, and hence words that needed to be spoken that would have
been obvious of what was happening were never said.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day on morphine
and nearer to passing, my dad was hallucinating as only a very logical engineer
could have done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would very matter of
factly ask me, “do you hear that music?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>or “Do you see that car moving in the painting?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I answered with a bewildered no, he remained
silent and unfazed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot help but
think that music is something that crosses the border of here and heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was hearing the echoes of where he was
headed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some sounds preach truth no
matter what secrets may be kept. That is my thoughts on it and like the hope for
miracles, that is what I choose to hold on to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I kept words folded and starched in an innermost closet like
formal attire for a place I would never be able to go.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, one cannot
dance at the reception hall if the building has been burned to the ground.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yet, still I dance alone with a grace that loneliness
carries.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Swaying with words that know how to move in my company but
never step out of that room.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It sounds absurd to someone else, but I know where they
stand and why.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And I listen because I need to.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For I must remember, and I shall!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I smoke them like a joint. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Holding my breath hard as I wait for something more.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But there was a time that I was the voice that carried high,
like a song reaching for broader skies.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now my heart is a nightbird; still and quiet in the daylight.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You say I look brave and sure like a train to the city, but don’t
be fooled my dear!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am thoughts unspoken and dubious.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The regret of a thousand backward falls.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am an old frayed ribbon from the gift of memory of long long
ago.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just one hard pull and I could break.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Linking with <a href="http://fireblossom-wordgarden.blogspot.com/2023/01/word-garden-word-list-janis-ian.html">Shay's Word Garden</a> (Janis Ian is the featured poet and singer/songwriter)</p><p class="MsoNormal">& <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2023/01/sunday-muse-244.html">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #244</p><p class="MsoNormal">Come join us!</p><br /><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-8401576963678041672023-01-21T14:23:00.000-08:002023-01-21T14:23:17.501-08:00Scarf Upon a Fence Post<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGUiXstKtVglDO1eOnFgYKSWuJRxe-LK4hVVHn0PSy-3pUGVauWI6E3_Lm34Pcb803TlCXt32LPKiLLPKHe1ueYehMoHpLJl2Nyn8uleTL0unJnIFu41doaV2krqWO5cxG1d843EcBrhqqd5OG4jpuSd1dk8sPJuPeCQAhIKu9hGEU-jD0lmmORFHQA/s301/sea%20hug%20for%20muse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="235" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGUiXstKtVglDO1eOnFgYKSWuJRxe-LK4hVVHn0PSy-3pUGVauWI6E3_Lm34Pcb803TlCXt32LPKiLLPKHe1ueYehMoHpLJl2Nyn8uleTL0unJnIFu41doaV2krqWO5cxG1d843EcBrhqqd5OG4jpuSd1dk8sPJuPeCQAhIKu9hGEU-jD0lmmORFHQA/w312-h400/sea%20hug%20for%20muse.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Photography by <a href="https://www.elspethdiederix.com/">Elspeth Diederix</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
But we loved with a love that was more than love... ~Edgar Allan Poe</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">If a heart could swirl like a scarf upon a fence post, mine
would choose to do that with you.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> A dance of what is and could be.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> The wonder
of discovery.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> The kind that new lovers hold, and dreamers think on and want to know.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The yearning that lonely hearts don’t speak of</p><p class="MsoNormal"> is as vast as
ocean waves,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">yet as quiet as a soft sigh can roll off parted lips.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The feeling I speak of feels like the most sacred of
prayers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hands stretched out in adoration.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A reaching out and inward the way lovers’ hands will do.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For if a heart could swirl like a scarf upon a fence post,</p><p class="MsoNormal"> mine
would choose to do all of that with you.<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p><p>Linking with the Sunday Muse for <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2023/01/sunday-muse-243.html">Muse #243</a></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-68123803634925787642022-08-13T14:47:00.001-07:002023-07-19T13:21:56.782-07:00Love Is Always Willing to Carry You Home,<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTY5VVNC4l5lsW18jESANrSccBSjrIsc0ZtYfr7CHgF5NdCSUtWz6KfsqlJ21g2Ng6014R2yfUK5J8PPV4JUEfhYzfXFDUr7vZCcaqQ_bhFamD-pNDel7Jk-REcVX687MaV4F12-aqyE9x8YppsJ3bmUTizUjR9GGB2D_Ikd8x8s_-5vHg5iG9k7TYg/s751/winged%20muse%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTY5VVNC4l5lsW18jESANrSccBSjrIsc0ZtYfr7CHgF5NdCSUtWz6KfsqlJ21g2Ng6014R2yfUK5J8PPV4JUEfhYzfXFDUr7vZCcaqQ_bhFamD-pNDel7Jk-REcVX687MaV4F12-aqyE9x8YppsJ3bmUTizUjR9GGB2D_Ikd8x8s_-5vHg5iG9k7TYg/w266-h400/winged%20muse%209.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">There is no timetable for grieving —<br />
Grief is a snail<br />
It's a shooting star<br />
A walk around the lake<br />
It's eternity<br />
Or frost 'til bloom —<br />
Memories coursing through the heart<br />
It lasts as many heartbeats as it takes;<br />
sometimes all of them.<br />
~Terri Guillemets<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My feet are heavy with the weight of places my heart could
not leave.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For it is a slow journey when loss comes along.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Memories stay with us like a canary in a cage.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Chirping and swinging on the same old perch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Like the hardest of goodbyes, they never truly leave.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They remain right at the hip like a child whispering in our
ear,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am hungry.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Waiting rooms can still be sat in, and last words heard just
as clear.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I want to hold each one tenderly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Remember every smile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hear every mundane sentence than I once took for granted.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, I let them stay up late and carry each and every one no
matter how far.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You see, love is always willing to carry you all the way
home.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, I shall do just that.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Until we meet again.<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p><p>Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2022/08/sunday-muse-223.html">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #223</p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-391385976491754112022-08-08T08:16:00.000-07:002022-08-08T08:16:06.469-07:00Deaf Girl in a Powerful Song<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUm3MEqsZrJONJLhQyqd0X5iYVMVUGpTLuXlN-pCRWLL5ArJcDFz1wOa75gTn1051YD6Ue9UGAqLqiZpDzSEFl6RUIQLQT1tzIOi7KjaeuIXQYE5xXJiW9mhDrXWRFtavkM6gf7r13Y2HMA7_eq48_54cchimpf5_HMObHHLEmDWnmA-KqJyY1rc_Wg/s421/color%20playing%20piano%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="330" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUm3MEqsZrJONJLhQyqd0X5iYVMVUGpTLuXlN-pCRWLL5ArJcDFz1wOa75gTn1051YD6Ue9UGAqLqiZpDzSEFl6RUIQLQT1tzIOi7KjaeuIXQYE5xXJiW9mhDrXWRFtavkM6gf7r13Y2HMA7_eq48_54cchimpf5_HMObHHLEmDWnmA-KqJyY1rc_Wg/s320/color%20playing%20piano%20copy.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #111111;">Khatia Buniatishvili at Piano</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<p class="MsoNormal">I found another world in my deep pockets.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I reached in my hand for my keys, and I pulled out a distant
dream.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was no longer the person I remembered.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was a deaf girl in a powerful song.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I could feel and see the sounds like colors.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I tossed my arms into the air the pinks and blues wisped
up with me like scarves in the wind.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The more I kept in motion the more it was like a dance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Time seemed to be frozen and moving soft and slow,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> for that moment was
all there was to know.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I twirled and raised my hands<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I no longer needed the words. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The rumbles of the beat were all I needed to hold,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">but all who sleep soundly eventually do wake up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sometimes dreams are for sleeping and others are for living.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Now I blindly search for words to write to a song I have never heard.</p><p class="MsoNormal">***********************************</p><p class="MsoNormal">🎶Note:</p><p class="MsoNormal">I really struggled writing this week. Not sure why I am having such a dreadful dry spell, but the last few months have been brutal that way. On a positive note, I am delighted we had such a wonderful response this week to the theme. Thank you everyone!</p><p class="MsoNormal">Have a great week writers!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2022/08/sunday-muse-222.html">the Sunday Muse </a>for Muse #222</p><p class="MsoNormal">Come join us!</p></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-22042218533537228782022-06-04T12:07:00.000-07:002022-06-04T12:07:58.555-07:00Full Moon In A Hungry Sky<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5h3xfl9fLU7NJ3TqNAfxRQDAep3p5OaQDyM5MNzPUDCw15nwOU5Wf1XAyo2KyQV4lmhD7FYYMRrLOJWvhAO-PdMGZ9kDziNJOgX5UOf7G__WJa7PPmBr0sdSMSQG8GExh2P2GKMJ2pZhp9cuHnT4pnmJtn7GA-KWlWhPUdG6E2cnNfHxNB-dSt2merQ/s748/8163fc605e156dd7302bba8eb056d2ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5h3xfl9fLU7NJ3TqNAfxRQDAep3p5OaQDyM5MNzPUDCw15nwOU5Wf1XAyo2KyQV4lmhD7FYYMRrLOJWvhAO-PdMGZ9kDziNJOgX5UOf7G__WJa7PPmBr0sdSMSQG8GExh2P2GKMJ2pZhp9cuHnT4pnmJtn7GA-KWlWhPUdG6E2cnNfHxNB-dSt2merQ/w301-h400/8163fc605e156dd7302bba8eb056d2ed.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Image Source <a href="https://www.lomography.com/magazine/340323-double-exposure-illustrations-by-henryohead">~here~</a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>"She wasn't doing a thing that I could see,<br />
except standing there leaning on the balcony rail,<br />
holding the universe together."<br />
~ J. D. Saliner<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></b>
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We cradle the precious things<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and place them carefully upon our lap<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the miracle of newness is like a sacred prayer<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">it is hands raised high and heads bowed low<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">yet always in that moment eyes opened wider<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">we marvel and bask in the wonder of it all<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">it is a full moon in a hungry sky<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">hope’s whisper of a million questions<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">before the answers will ever reach our lips<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">a blooming garden at our feet<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">a child’s hand clutching ours<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">yet still we walk too fast<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">as time brushes by.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2022/06/sunday-muse-213.html">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #213</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Come join us!</o:p></p><br /><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-35833965585097907792022-05-31T08:39:00.000-07:002022-05-31T08:39:33.707-07:00Some Shelters<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYzDQUfC00bAcJmMEgYopp6AulePAkM4hKJ5T2D_P_TjbCAPXlR9-qDOQcOPtrjnf5F4HSL3dV2VtT61AuxpK0uSEOrveyPslZUF_2nn4wCbq-E2exdVBQx8pARwPVXdMC6us_r2s_aZ8AJKetBEm29-P6Z6JFXjoCvq6E01PBoxju-aiOyd6azd8XQ/s640/780be00707c82ac28edee49a4043d318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYzDQUfC00bAcJmMEgYopp6AulePAkM4hKJ5T2D_P_TjbCAPXlR9-qDOQcOPtrjnf5F4HSL3dV2VtT61AuxpK0uSEOrveyPslZUF_2nn4wCbq-E2exdVBQx8pARwPVXdMC6us_r2s_aZ8AJKetBEm29-P6Z6JFXjoCvq6E01PBoxju-aiOyd6azd8XQ/w400-h268/780be00707c82ac28edee49a4043d318.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><br /> There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in
storm. ~Willa Sibert Cather</b><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My first nightmares were always storms;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">lightening, wind, and darkened skies.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The storms that blew from your eyes<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and reigned on everyone!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some shelters are just too weak<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">to hold up to all that blows.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A girl can end up broken<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">unless she gets the courage to get up and go.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now I dream of soft places much like a mother’s arms.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Knowing that some shelters cannot protect you from the storm.<o:p></o:p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2022/05/sunday-muse-212.html">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #212</p><p>Come join us!</p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-44250189118979710852022-04-02T13:40:00.000-07:002022-04-02T13:40:24.373-07:00The Smell of Bacon Never Lies<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeULApuVLaGNaAtF-ggiyjY8fEI0gh9mTh1XlAA7ry0JLkBCP5fs4Z_ohLt1HpLEhMXy-e5nEy2aXpjQY57rFRCBzUEtzJVRLLEeECSkfMPCTczs_tw3kLMYFVFLA3GNSmvdXclgU42dvE2LAAgpymdSMhM8WXmAUZnpHu2ecL5bJz_kdAivQGynMn5w/s564/3a995b85439289bfc7d0afa1667e84a0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="564" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeULApuVLaGNaAtF-ggiyjY8fEI0gh9mTh1XlAA7ry0JLkBCP5fs4Z_ohLt1HpLEhMXy-e5nEy2aXpjQY57rFRCBzUEtzJVRLLEeECSkfMPCTczs_tw3kLMYFVFLA3GNSmvdXclgU42dvE2LAAgpymdSMhM8WXmAUZnpHu2ecL5bJz_kdAivQGynMn5w/w400-h283/3a995b85439289bfc7d0afa1667e84a0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<p class="MsoNormal">"The Whitehouse Diner" Photo by Aaron Segreaves<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I always dream in color but this time there was the smell of
bacon in the air. They say you dream
about what matters to you most. I shared
this with my therapist, and he said this explains a lot! We mostly discussed my forlorn love life, my
ex, and why apple pie is not my friend. You see, one of the last times I saw my
ex was at the diner downtown. He said he
was hungry for more than dating with no strings attached. I was certain he was full of it! I ordered
coffee no cream no sugar, he laughed and said “that figures!”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sure enough, 20 stale dates and 2 months later, I caught him
with the waitress from the Tangerine Tango.
I know a bad egg when I see one and some rump roasts are always going to
be tough!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Excuse me while I go make a BLT on rye.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2022/04/sunday-muse-205.html">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #205</p><p class="MsoNormal">Come join us!</p></div><p><br /></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-25818538265333018832022-02-05T12:22:00.000-08:002022-02-05T12:22:37.606-08:00There is Warmth in the Congregation,<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcoLiFY40d-7s0F12dDePZAFKMXSCN3alEqKQnjRt6AyMWIKfLzUUf3211dFTxmwKf2bxLejdMtYbNYAcCGTSI6hmBRYw9SXSx7to2FghhxiWFGMeuB2qW2uA3SelPT-Q7r3rrHtgc1rTyn3X4XNkVF22O_nOV-mSnC0glHB2tp2uy31pD_7IEYFW8Xg=s4520" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4520" data-original-width="3169" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcoLiFY40d-7s0F12dDePZAFKMXSCN3alEqKQnjRt6AyMWIKfLzUUf3211dFTxmwKf2bxLejdMtYbNYAcCGTSI6hmBRYw9SXSx7to2FghhxiWFGMeuB2qW2uA3SelPT-Q7r3rrHtgc1rTyn3X4XNkVF22O_nOV-mSnC0glHB2tp2uy31pD_7IEYFW8Xg=w448-h640" width="448" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>I tell you what I see — the landscape of the spirit requires
a lung, but no tongue. </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>~Emily Dickinson</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sisters I speak to you of loss<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">the cuts that tear down and leave us broken<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">they hit just as sure as a lumberjack<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">and we are never quite the same<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">but despair and love are a two-winged bird<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">even in the struggle to move on<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">there is a promise that lingers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">and it has the power to lift us <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">remember that in your winter journeys<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">for birds soar the sky together<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">and there is comfort and warmth in the congregation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Daughters I speak to you of hope<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">even in the heavy burden of doubt<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">it has the power to change the landscape<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">if we give it light like an open curtain in morning<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">for life is both a forest and a mountain of cut logs<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">the path is hard and lovely<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">but even in the struggle to endure<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">there is a warming fire in our truest home<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mothers I speak to you of life<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">beyond the cries and breath of being <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">and before the prayers that yearned for something more<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">there are seeds planted long before the blossom’s greenery<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">soul’s song carried long before the throat a voice<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia;">for every mother carries and birth’s eternity.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>For Susie 💖</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Linking with the Sunday Muse for <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2022/02/sunday-muse-197.html">Muse #197</a>. The image here is different than the one at the prompt for my poem became a tribute to brilliant lighted souls and love but the words hold resemblance to the Muse image. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-83388280178133500282022-01-18T13:38:00.000-08:002022-01-18T13:38:22.171-08:00Watching for Spring's Starlings<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7NhUQ0SxjU7_6mmmCHvA6g9KDXeFYL1aL5osj1qsadDLaKDRe9Y_8CEuuAyhvi8MNPL3faUDeA0aarqFj0ZIlRcQzUKr5tqi07EqSwPtboViB6WDna82DJUe0M7eJfKI8XF_3N3rpR--rxdSd49BFmHmbaTnppChkkmkzMrXfI91hJZBWPAXdDNMoAg=s4243" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2829" data-original-width="4243" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7NhUQ0SxjU7_6mmmCHvA6g9KDXeFYL1aL5osj1qsadDLaKDRe9Y_8CEuuAyhvi8MNPL3faUDeA0aarqFj0ZIlRcQzUKr5tqi07EqSwPtboViB6WDna82DJUe0M7eJfKI8XF_3N3rpR--rxdSd49BFmHmbaTnppChkkmkzMrXfI91hJZBWPAXdDNMoAg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Linking with <a href="http://fireblossom-wordgarden.blogspot.com/2022/01/word-garden-word-list-9-joan-colby.html">Shay's Word Garden Word List #9 (Joan Colby)</a></p><p><b>Come join the fun!</b></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Every mile is two in winter. ~ George Herbert</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The clocks of December move slow like a man with bad knees<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Edging forward with scorn upon deaf ears<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I try to ignore the feral breeze<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">And the rise of snow and it’s bitter sermon upon my face<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">If I had been newly kissed<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The pressing feel would be gone like a gypsy in the night<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Cold can be like fire’s touch when it is from the skull of a
deep frost<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Stealing the feeling from our extremities <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">And leaving the deepest of aches in our bones<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">One that no anesthetic can remove.<o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p><br /></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-86832081691403573422022-01-16T06:09:00.002-08:002022-01-16T06:09:47.934-08:00A Wide Open Gate<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkcrFZqCPKbgwoEWELsl5U--3Lofb2tiWe9TzzBrHBPxr-qAzudk861k0ghznyceSnTVFyhwHwF20S1tIY0xjlpBH-E1JoIKNDh4MssimKJru9yfpeJ4DZ3DXJN1jAcf0Hcm1mWiceqvvnh67QjXQQoF6CiduC_44ckGT8VhYS_E1iEsbORjSA6m70sA=s902" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="564" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkcrFZqCPKbgwoEWELsl5U--3Lofb2tiWe9TzzBrHBPxr-qAzudk861k0ghznyceSnTVFyhwHwF20S1tIY0xjlpBH-E1JoIKNDh4MssimKJru9yfpeJ4DZ3DXJN1jAcf0Hcm1mWiceqvvnh67QjXQQoF6CiduC_44ckGT8VhYS_E1iEsbORjSA6m70sA=w400-h640" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is quite simple you see</div><div style="text-align: center;">we see what we want to see</div><div style="text-align: center;">from the ocean waves to the forest trees</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Each day becomes what we choose to believe</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For perspective is a wide open and closed up gate</div><div style="text-align: center;">It is magic and miracles or cynical and fake</div><div style="text-align: center;">for some know doubt and others know faith</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So today I choose to see great things!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2022/01/sunday-muse-194.html">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #194</div><div style="text-align: center;">Come join us!</div><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-50022093046277504522022-01-08T13:54:00.000-08:002022-01-08T13:54:27.012-08:00The Evidence of Eternity<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwYr3AUVas1juXQGv9k5geO6GjVJNGIXCkMB9ZtKCTu-Qgwem7r1S__25NxRfpMJrvrJAxjk6M9wOA5mq67CMBE2YhVuHjfG3Sod9P6HHU2Ap9ohRPPRIZ35YAFUUJbl4sIFl7o6xMqFIAX2hyCvjNdLGuiyUWfcB-7zlgAPSL2MGXZV1xxzGgzGvcvQ=s1369" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="1125" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwYr3AUVas1juXQGv9k5geO6GjVJNGIXCkMB9ZtKCTu-Qgwem7r1S__25NxRfpMJrvrJAxjk6M9wOA5mq67CMBE2YhVuHjfG3Sod9P6HHU2Ap9ohRPPRIZ35YAFUUJbl4sIFl7o6xMqFIAX2hyCvjNdLGuiyUWfcB-7zlgAPSL2MGXZV1xxzGgzGvcvQ=w526-h640" width="526" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #211922; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro", メイリオ, Meiryo, "MS Pゴシック", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol";">“James Dean playing the bongos, NYC, 1955. Photographed by Dennis Stock ”</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #211922; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro", メイリオ, Meiryo, "MS Pゴシック", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol";"><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #211922; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro", メイリオ, Meiryo, "MS Pゴシック", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol";"></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="background-color: white; color: #211922; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro", メイリオ, Meiryo, "MS Pゴシック", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol";">Ephemeral, eternal heart! ~Emily Dickinson<o:p></o:p></b></p><b style="background-color: white; color: #211922; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro", メイリオ, Meiryo, "MS Pゴシック", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol";">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We are moved by the wings of longing<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So we dance<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We reach<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We love<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is how we know we are truly alive<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By more than a pulse of a beating heart<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For there is a certain movement in everything<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The soaring of unseen wings and visible hands bracing the fall<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">we bleed<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">we bruise<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">we learn<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and rise to love again<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">it is the evidence of eternity<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">proof our heart beats for more than the blood within our
veins.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2022/01/sunday-muse-193.html#comment-form">the Sunday Muse </a>for Muse #193</p><p class="MsoNormal">Come join us!</p><br /></b><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-70017616166504740652021-12-14T14:11:00.000-08:002021-12-14T14:11:32.186-08:00I Buried Them Like a Coffin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrT2DP_-WjG4IRvaCain2cgA4rcfnrzvcVmCql0ULlTXfSQEIcvrEK6YkRaP77X0RdbnehO4FjXDRbAlQLZIwRawr_9wf3bT5kKYwtlKKOcg_thjjpJbSQB9orVodqWvziEgwMl68tnbD50Pp76FiGSHqwEzq93FPDMvDKJbz-ylzsFPNRrLdAD0WMQg=s5014" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3343" data-original-width="5014" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrT2DP_-WjG4IRvaCain2cgA4rcfnrzvcVmCql0ULlTXfSQEIcvrEK6YkRaP77X0RdbnehO4FjXDRbAlQLZIwRawr_9wf3bT5kKYwtlKKOcg_thjjpJbSQB9orVodqWvziEgwMl68tnbD50Pp76FiGSHqwEzq93FPDMvDKJbz-ylzsFPNRrLdAD0WMQg=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="http://fireblossom-wordgarden.blogspot.com/2021/12/word-garden-word-list-4-laura-nyro.html#comment-form">Shay's Word Garden Word List</a> #4 (Laura Nyro)</p><p style="text-align: center;">Come join us and read the post about her amazing life.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you Shay my friend for another amazing prompt!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p class="MsoNormal">I saw poems in your eyes<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">but I buried them like a <span style="color: #2b00fe;">coffin</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">for they were piercing like <span style="color: #2b00fe;">winter</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">leaving me frozen in mourning</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">they <span style="color: #2b00fe;">stoned</span> sinners and <span style="color: #2b00fe;">religion</span> alike<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">fearless</span> like <span style="color: #2b00fe;">firecrackers</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">that went where they would<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">but they are words I shall never write<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">your lip’s silent <span style="color: #2b00fe;">confession</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">will remain<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">holy</span> in the <span style="color: #2b00fe;">cradle</span> of an empty embrace<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">captain</span> to a ship that shall never sail<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">they are as gone as the <span style="color: #2b00fe;">train</span> that passed at midnight.<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-67636734201208183772021-12-04T09:24:00.000-08:002021-12-04T09:24:17.083-08:00When You Cannot Decide Write 3 Poems<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Zt7Fsqp3cV_QuGUc8gUMe4VkDUzeR4X9AUwkALmNdJo93xM421ifI_R0SNPM8cYVOt3qkXYtX8gxsFdUkImDWFTYntHsmxror9GmYVrZ8TcivP37ZrpyjOUz52FTnCcJ10WI6p_5VwjU/s788/263192831_666047337892155_4172750812214206477_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Zt7Fsqp3cV_QuGUc8gUMe4VkDUzeR4X9AUwkALmNdJo93xM421ifI_R0SNPM8cYVOt3qkXYtX8gxsFdUkImDWFTYntHsmxror9GmYVrZ8TcivP37ZrpyjOUz52FTnCcJ10WI6p_5VwjU/w254-h400/263192831_666047337892155_4172750812214206477_n.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-sunday-muse-189.html#comment-form">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #189 hosted by the utterly amazing poet <a href="https://fireblossom-wordgarden.blogspot.com/2021/12/in-bohemia.html">Shay</a> who has graciously filled in for me. Thank you my friend!</p><p style="text-align: center;">I somehow ended up writing 3 different poems. Nothing magnificent, just what the image spoke to me.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>What We Learn to Carry,</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When you are troubled with worry at a young age<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Your faith either becomes a mighty force<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Or it grows small like the mind of a cynical old man<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Always speculating what could go wrong<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But somehow you survive<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The storm passes<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you are lucky<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The near crash never happens<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fog clears<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Your heart finds love anyway<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You learn that the wolf on your back<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Can be a friend even as a foe<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One that gives us strength to carry on with him<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Or the might to hold freedom in letting him go.<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>******************** </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Don’t Attempt This at Home,</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Somethings in life are foolish and others downright
dangerous<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Like giving birth at home,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">chain saws and beer<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>motor cycles on icy
roads<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Falling in love with your therapist<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Announcing at your
father’s retirement party you are marrying an artist<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Giving your brother old tuna sandwiches and hoping for the
best<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Walking in the woods alone when you are directionally
challenged<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wearing a fur coat to a Sierra Club Convention<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Smoking in bed<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Living beyond your means<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Driving with no insurance<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Not reading the directions<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Shall I go on?<o:p></o:p></p>********************<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Purpose,</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We hunt for things we cannot see<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The warmth we never knew<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The shade of something greater<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A love that is true<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sometimes in the searching<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The wandering that lost hearts know<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We find meaning in the journey<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And show others where to go.<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-5605656251297585202021-10-23T14:26:00.001-07:002021-10-23T20:29:09.783-07:00Bad Hair Day Solution # 19<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUTT0a6eBWlcf16Kc9YF9Cyjp0MOnYA3jLcRe0I3oxLT1NZA9pCevORSjuekkDrSPADz0bwT-YpYndEomFA6s8dEBbBi1GINMrRFz1zU7PqbhWbSDFZXctXPyAzuPSxZRiXAMbfpZQ2dQ/s303/240438216_1326055171157585_5209682162149146563_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="236" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUTT0a6eBWlcf16Kc9YF9Cyjp0MOnYA3jLcRe0I3oxLT1NZA9pCevORSjuekkDrSPADz0bwT-YpYndEomFA6s8dEBbBi1GINMrRFz1zU7PqbhWbSDFZXctXPyAzuPSxZRiXAMbfpZQ2dQ/w498-h640/240438216_1326055171157585_5209682162149146563_n.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/10/sunday-muse-183.html#comment-form">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #183</div><div style="text-align: center;">Come join us!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><br />
<span style="text-align: -webkit-left;">I am pleased that lying on the sofa being a slob
is finally considered the responsible thing to do.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b> ~Matt Haig</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: Lobster;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">If I could I would<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Let my mask be more like a shroud<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Suit up like an astronaut<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Every time I walked in a crowd<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Who cares if I seem out of place<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">I could glare at annoying people<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">And no one could see my face<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bad hair days would no longer exist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hell it could be dirty and no one would know shit<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cause if I could I would<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"> let my mask be more
like a shroud<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Suit up like an astronaut<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Every time I walked in a crowd!</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Note</b>: Well my silly
side got the better of me this week. The
last few weeks have been stressful with a death in the family, car trouble, and business of the everyday.
So, I guess I needed to head in a funny direction for a change. Wishing you all a safe & wonderful
weekend.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">💙 <span style="font-family: Lobster;">Carrie</span></p></div><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-42221548143962851422021-10-09T11:50:00.001-07:002021-10-09T11:50:30.112-07:00What Hands & Hearts Hold<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pA6Shj1b7OsjlVDSgHxK6c2nAO8xrxvbNhxV5SL1PylMfrHKk-b37uUaw_agIBbeaWqI-miC5r2utqoorVG5kTUzAdCMYZvdUtxEtxgRsaPYdenWsg8ryYMBEQv-wZlXRwYxLQjTAriR/s910/243937884_241774231333248_8090186449820470748_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="910" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pA6Shj1b7OsjlVDSgHxK6c2nAO8xrxvbNhxV5SL1PylMfrHKk-b37uUaw_agIBbeaWqI-miC5r2utqoorVG5kTUzAdCMYZvdUtxEtxgRsaPYdenWsg8ryYMBEQv-wZlXRwYxLQjTAriR/w640-h402/243937884_241774231333248_8090186449820470748_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Linking today with<a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/10/sunday-muse-181.html"> the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #181 come join us!<p></p><p> </p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Speech is a prank of Parliament,<br />
Tears a trick of the nerve, –<br />
But the heart with the heaviest freight on<br />
Doesn't always swerve.<br />
~Emily Dickinson<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When my hands were small <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I could not hold the heaviness of many truths<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">although my heart could carry every loss like a fire fighter
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">leaving a burning building with lives to save<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>still I wanted to
know what lied ahead<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I wanted answers to every question <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">to know why God was everywhere<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and my mother could not be found<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">uncertainty leaves a certain ache<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">not knowing the next move<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">nor what will happen next<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">has a way of moving us all<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">one way or another<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>like pain can lead a
man to drink<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and yet love can do the same<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have come to know that there is movement in all things<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">in the gift of joy and the loss of grief<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">a bird swiftly flies to a higher branch<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yet his feathers
slowly fall<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">each moving somewhere different than where they began<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">my hands have grown with time and callus <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and I have held the heaviness of knowing many things<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and still there are many questions<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">even though my heart has learned to hold too much<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>like a bishop holds
the sacrament<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and a knight his mighty longsword<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">bravery only moves forward<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and love is always brave.<o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-64350727599221110322021-10-02T09:45:00.000-07:002021-10-02T09:45:47.128-07:00Don't Speak<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4foUXj8RKl2BNFrKNW_qbXlc3fhUHghrRj6WqGvXZov1eyop9B0IkuAKOskYmWIuM3DVb6MMRtexkVFKzGDMjlm_Ln06ilEZ_RyLcpDmT7a9z4401E6aC3Uz-Ze6gt4xuVbvrkgzVME38/s335/new+one+oct.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="236" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4foUXj8RKl2BNFrKNW_qbXlc3fhUHghrRj6WqGvXZov1eyop9B0IkuAKOskYmWIuM3DVb6MMRtexkVFKzGDMjlm_Ln06ilEZ_RyLcpDmT7a9z4401E6aC3Uz-Ze6gt4xuVbvrkgzVME38/w450-h640/new+one+oct.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/10/sunday-muse-180.html#comment-form">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #180</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Come join us!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: red;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: red;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">“Kiss me, and you will see how important I am.”</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">― </span></span><span class="authorortitle"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Sylvia Plath</span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I see your words like birds<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Swift high and soon gone <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Your lips a force of nature<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Breaking hearts like an old love song<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Beauty is like that<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Strong yet it makes us weak<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We long to kiss the lips<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Unable to even speak<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But your words are like missiles <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Headed straight for the heart of France<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I see the danger ahead</p><p class="MsoNormal"> yet still I choose the dance.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-54926158662225343492021-09-25T11:31:00.000-07:002021-09-25T11:31:09.040-07:00Doors Open for Many Reasons,<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUw0lr7-YvEKNEp1_nkK4hyKMQpsgfRKBZZP1FXF1tYwd9Y5ovk75SuHcweoIvTqDavsKza-LrHh6qWUP0HEAfONR-Lqaj61mZ1mC0ZYSA-k88nhDQakJYwD-AOlB7Ww2uXHkIN6W0jevH/s1024/38521472272_8c833aea7b_b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1024" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUw0lr7-YvEKNEp1_nkK4hyKMQpsgfRKBZZP1FXF1tYwd9Y5ovk75SuHcweoIvTqDavsKza-LrHh6qWUP0HEAfONR-Lqaj61mZ1mC0ZYSA-k88nhDQakJYwD-AOlB7Ww2uXHkIN6W0jevH/w640-h478/38521472272_8c833aea7b_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-sunday-muse-179.html#comment-form">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #179</div><div style="text-align: center;">Come join us!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal">But it was home. And though home is a name, a word, it is a
strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit answered to, in
strongest conjuration. ~Charles Dickens<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is the welcome place and the goodbye place<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the hand reaching out<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">with a grip as sure as an Oklahoma twister<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I stepped upon that porch<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">unaware of the storms I would be sheltered from<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and those that take place inside<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">years passed like migrating birds<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I watched them from my window<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">where rooms became smaller<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and girls’ hearts grow bigger<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">holding secrets louder than the creaking steps<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> just down the hall<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">you see hope is a heavy suitcase<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">it stays packed right by the door <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the one where welcome has long since lost its charm<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and farewell is but an open door away.<o:p></o:p></p></div><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-7380754506685832932021-09-11T12:06:00.000-07:002021-09-11T12:06:11.383-07:00A Strong Yet Tender Pull,<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5v-xo76hNlfggDmokOtImvvB_4VPUGLgMH-8qIFG_z5VlY7PDv1EcmoaXM2vK1-ZBML6CHYf2jwBWezb_l5JiYf0Rg2UEFgwX5vvxtEZxkbYdEAFkYxsN-oJoLZvJbvStDg7aah2oFCe/s294/55807f29e1087d508740e3331a9132ae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="236" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5v-xo76hNlfggDmokOtImvvB_4VPUGLgMH-8qIFG_z5VlY7PDv1EcmoaXM2vK1-ZBML6CHYf2jwBWezb_l5JiYf0Rg2UEFgwX5vvxtEZxkbYdEAFkYxsN-oJoLZvJbvStDg7aah2oFCe/w514-h640/55807f29e1087d508740e3331a9132ae.jpg" width="514" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-sunday-muse-177.html#comment-form">the Sunday Mus</a>e for Muse #177</p><p style="text-align: center;">Come join us!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ad0111c0-141c-4a7a-b743-a44abaff9534}{26}" paraid="1959891482" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #330000; font-family: Georgia, Georgia_EmbeddedFont, Georgia_MSFontService, serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 17.2667px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">There is no first or last in Forever. It is Centre there all the time. ~Emily Dickinson</span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #330000; font-family: Georgia, Georgia_EmbeddedFont, Georgia_MSFontService, serif; line-height: 17.2667px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{ad0111c0-141c-4a7a-b743-a44abaff9534}{26}" paraid="1959891482" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #330000; font-family: Georgia, Georgia_EmbeddedFont, Georgia_MSFontService, serif; line-height: 17.2667px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{a092acec-ecca-416d-8d3e-19ff0521073c}{137}" paraid="687994316" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" paraeid="{82d05563-20fd-432f-a254-a6e41ab811d6}{154}" paraid="1826861073" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Life has a </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">strong yet </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">tender pull</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{2febede5-2479-4d08-b7c7-dcb1a20a4c18}{73}" paraid="738692707" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">that</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">can</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">straighten</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">and bend</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">our path</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{a961d892-7ea2-4423-936b-d354a8bf8e06}{120}" paraid="1364275584" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">It l</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">eads us</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{af8a1463-54cb-4c4e-8fa2-d61ebe98f12d}{65}" paraid="159394682" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">yet l</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">ike children</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> w</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">e </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2 SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; 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background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">pound</span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2 SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> the pavement</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{6190f1a9-a4ef-4166-9ac3-d91584b27e51}{86}" paraid="79614221" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">R</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">unning </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">hard </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">to follow close</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{64e2833d-799c-40cc-8e60-0568ea0d8907}{39}" paraid="519330507" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">With a crumpled map in hand </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">full of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Un </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">legible</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> notes</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{2febede5-2479-4d08-b7c7-dcb1a20a4c18}{105}" paraid="1635313287" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">So</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> w</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">e </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">lose our way and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">we pay the cost</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{77324146-8bc8-4515-9e79-d0e0fa96c8c6}{23}" paraid="1293598778" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">We </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">weep from</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">the hurt we </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">speak of</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">loss</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{6190f1a9-a4ef-4166-9ac3-d91584b27e51}{98}" paraid="340439887" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">Why is the journey so</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> hard </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">we</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> ask</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{7d9f45e8-e260-42c7-98f2-b75568c2a945}{32}" paraid="1778402300" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">As </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">we</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> scrape </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">our</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> knees o</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">n a</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">gravel path</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{d5ba43b2-d746-44d6-a7c3-59953f768c55}{181}" paraid="1907806516" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">It is </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">like </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">the gentlest of</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">bird</span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2,url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,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")); background-position: left bottom; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">life </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">says</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> to our face</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{81db278c-5bf6-46f8-97e2-8021130e3bca}{164}" paraid="1062974328" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US">That circles tangled branches to find its place</span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{84cf58a9-d9f6-42f7-9b06-313aeaa1e263}{250}" paraid="1392263222" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">To </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">rest on a limb </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">for</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">a moment of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">shade or shine</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW83389466" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web", Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;"><p class="Paragraph SCXW83389466 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraeid="{99ed5ee5-2ac7-4a7a-990b-0a3eb0c587e3}{210}" paraid="1511224033" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;" xml:lang="EN-US"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="TextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">There is no rush </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">life says, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">please take your time</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83389466 BCX0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;">!</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW83389466 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: Calibri, Calibri_EmbeddedFont, Calibri_MSFontService, sans-serif; line-height: 19.425px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;"> </span></span></b></p></div>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-22955922844414510092021-08-21T10:26:00.001-07:002021-08-21T18:27:11.297-07:00The 9 Lives of a Classic Enabler<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nZywqDLTTiWmY57byY014p-pGzzCYLc9h0OtPdGgfvQ9RtjOCiBzDDCoCgWERjyYrRbYlrE1dCUQJGChyphenhyphen7r9rYA1zCCRFH3A3z8nGK3QjxJsl699em9xWEK0O1vb8MaVYMkxhT7CV-0K/s745/thirsty+muse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="563" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nZywqDLTTiWmY57byY014p-pGzzCYLc9h0OtPdGgfvQ9RtjOCiBzDDCoCgWERjyYrRbYlrE1dCUQJGChyphenhyphen7r9rYA1zCCRFH3A3z8nGK3QjxJsl699em9xWEK0O1vb8MaVYMkxhT7CV-0K/w484-h640/thirsty+muse.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><strike>Drinking</strike> linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-sunday-muse-174.html#comment-form">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #174</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Come join us!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Relationships are like glass. Sometimes it's better to leave
them broken than try to hurt yourself putting it back together. ~Author unknown</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I spent years chasing red dots and climbing fences that were
not mine to climb<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Putting myself in a bad place trying to smooth the path for
the one by my side<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My heart was an alley cat always searching and thirsty for
ache’s cure<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yet the more I tried to ease the pain the more we all
endured<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It can be a vicious cycle emerging from the rubble just to scrape
the same old bruise<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That is what happens when we try to gain what was never ours
to lose.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Note:</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I do not have the answer for what makes someone a classic
enabler. I only know that I was
classified as one at the age of 21, and I have spent a lifetime proving it to
be true. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq8u3rNVRiEWlqq9HgTKTfRJkP2BPxcqpxyjzAWbsmBje-Jky092cUCF7ZQxyaeM2TfdEfJ3e9t8MvqzITjixjSAjnSZWn0R6jZVuvehMhKAv0eZ-qQPDogPTX2nsDgKJL-kF_RK2_wt0/s480/dd0e48cb520d2ae0c3039fca54c3bf22+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq8u3rNVRiEWlqq9HgTKTfRJkP2BPxcqpxyjzAWbsmBje-Jky092cUCF7ZQxyaeM2TfdEfJ3e9t8MvqzITjixjSAjnSZWn0R6jZVuvehMhKAv0eZ-qQPDogPTX2nsDgKJL-kF_RK2_wt0/w240-h320/dd0e48cb520d2ae0c3039fca54c3bf22+%25281%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-23656257816007205262021-08-07T10:03:00.000-07:002021-08-07T10:03:20.760-07:00Let That Birdy Fly!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-eAg73Z-urQ5RaueNSXWHv24WRUzyh3EdE0enACkuIDPrRbSGCYZ_y-2X1ImXMXoxrercMKWKtDo6HIVj84rYQcvd0APQ7Fg_k7O3CMNVbL_l6d5IwGD5PYOesewQifckknh5WbNeMKJ/s639/8e92dc406d338aca58ce13202458cb1e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="426" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-eAg73Z-urQ5RaueNSXWHv24WRUzyh3EdE0enACkuIDPrRbSGCYZ_y-2X1ImXMXoxrercMKWKtDo6HIVj84rYQcvd0APQ7Fg_k7O3CMNVbL_l6d5IwGD5PYOesewQifckknh5WbNeMKJ/w426-h640/8e92dc406d338aca58ce13202458cb1e.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-sunday-muse-172.html#comment-form">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #172</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Come join us!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This image is also inspired by <a href="http://fireblossom-wordgarden.blogspot.com/">Shay's</a> new book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gypsy-Bird-Cage-Caroline-Simmons/dp/B09BLY7GN2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=shay+caroline+simmons&qid=1628355160&sr=8-1">Gypsy Bird Cage.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Click on the title to see it on Amazon! 💝</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b>“Strange how we decorate pain.”<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>― Margaret Atwood</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A child carries a broken heart a certain way<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">much differently than an old man can<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">he does not hide it behind a curtain or door<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">where no one else is allowed to stand<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">he bravely holds it out in the open<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">bare like feet out in the rain<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">stepping out in the puddled path<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">vulnerable yet willing to show the pain<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">for a broken heart can hold so many things<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It can take in all that is hurt and lost<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">keeping it safe and nestled close<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">like a sheltered bird at freedom’s cost<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the homeless sleep there with nowhere else to rest<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">how do you send away such a hurting soul?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the walls are lined with a menagerie of relics<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> heavy with the silence
of tales untold<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and a child will tell and sing the songs<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">with every fall that scrapes his knees and heart<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">but with time he learns to hush the cry<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">like an old man who cannot hear the breaking news at dark<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">for the fool will hold on like a warden and his keys <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">never letting go of hurt till the day he dies<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">but the wiser one will unlock the cage<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and he will simply let that birdy fly!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-67160823669194851432021-07-28T14:38:00.000-07:002021-07-28T14:38:42.290-07:00Belonging is More Than a Place,<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CTNLhtYDdISo1NQRzKTyXpJTNpBYW9c2pO8JWx1QRoaSx9fj7DI3Z_QOVqgCYb6UTHAWrYvCKXXhKptPGSsyj1m6KU-nkHAmrwh9FkDLv0bIZEL5f1RGJZOkhPDPu1msttV7Vg6JO4CQ/s1462/pic+to+add.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1462" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CTNLhtYDdISo1NQRzKTyXpJTNpBYW9c2pO8JWx1QRoaSx9fj7DI3Z_QOVqgCYb6UTHAWrYvCKXXhKptPGSsyj1m6KU-nkHAmrwh9FkDLv0bIZEL5f1RGJZOkhPDPu1msttV7Vg6JO4CQ/w640-h426/pic+to+add.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br />
When a man does not know what harbor he is making
for, no wind is the right wind. ~Seneca<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You don’t have to be a ship to be wrecked<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nor do you have to be in peril to be lost at sea<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yet we lose our way on the gravel road<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Where we forgot our atlas and the key<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The seagull knows where he is headed<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The black bird always knows his place<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But mankind loses his footing and purpose<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Always running in a hollow race<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You don’t have to be a ship to be wrecked<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nor be in peril to be lost at sea<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But you need to know your purpose<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you want to know where it is you should be.<o:p></o:p></p><br />
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-90973124861936814102021-07-10T08:54:00.006-07:002021-07-10T08:54:58.308-07:00Lost is a Lonely Place on a Busy Street<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2IeoEp6sAgFjh_R0HZSpGWDdeygkSAn-8iypDv4ukblhRSh58m6VnI1Jyz31rt9nsNlE70iKaWXck43VPi16vQf96hwQYRpK91f5GjwO5l2bqdgHDagsrf3gRswh2jJGKr9JJO21ieKi/s810/204995871_178187470939329_7162739572645784039_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2IeoEp6sAgFjh_R0HZSpGWDdeygkSAn-8iypDv4ukblhRSh58m6VnI1Jyz31rt9nsNlE70iKaWXck43VPi16vQf96hwQYRpK91f5GjwO5l2bqdgHDagsrf3gRswh2jJGKr9JJO21ieKi/w426-h640/204995871_178187470939329_7162739572645784039_n.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Photography by Artist, Jasper James</div><p></p><div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/07/sunday-muse-168.html#comment-form">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse #168</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Come join us!</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>For a while I climbed the ladder,<br />
not realizing I’d placed it<br />
against the wrong house. The window<br />
I tried to look into was a mirror.<br />
I fell backward into the world.<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>-Stephen Dunn<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><b> </b></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I lost you before you were truly gone<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Like money at the races or bullets from a fool’s gun<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Some hurts are hard to recover from<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> and some places just
cannot be left behind<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">a lost little girl<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">that had never left home<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">still stands at the curb of a busy street<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">and hesitates to go<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">speaking up and walking away are harder than they look<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">no one ever explained that to me<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I just learned it as I went<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">You see, silence preaches louder than you think</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Skinned up knees leave a more enduring mark<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Than road signs warning, slippery when wet<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Those scars join us in the journey<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We carry them along<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Like children too tired to walk any further<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">That is how we learn strength is many things<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">More than lifting steal and running far<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Yes, I lost you before you were truly gone<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Like whiskey from a cracked bottle<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">That always leaves a mess behind<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It took me years to see how lost that truly left me<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Yet to find our true direction<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We must first realize we are lost.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p></div>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299990210253432808.post-58639164220454818822021-06-26T13:33:00.000-07:002021-06-26T13:33:19.188-07:00First Time In the Pool, 1975<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy326bGONlAIUfKKoiQA30fjnPh5ZIY5b7SmPgWD0btnnpTkzgudZTjPhqzoYRMPaYzg_xtIcL316a2Hg_xu_lckgSHcQFUzwt3u_pSWD0wi8f3cUgakkXIfjWvg9ibMIwf_hK-nDjH8aN/s471/449aa720a2546f60d091aa49bc2853ce.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="313" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy326bGONlAIUfKKoiQA30fjnPh5ZIY5b7SmPgWD0btnnpTkzgudZTjPhqzoYRMPaYzg_xtIcL316a2Hg_xu_lckgSHcQFUzwt3u_pSWD0wi8f3cUgakkXIfjWvg9ibMIwf_hK-nDjH8aN/w426-h640/449aa720a2546f60d091aa49bc2853ce.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://thesundaymuse.blogspot.com/2021/06/sunday-muse-166.html#comment-form">the Sunday Muse</a> for Muse#166</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Come join us!</div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is. ~German proverb<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I was a child I did not go into the deep end <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">swimming is hard to learn when you never leave dry land<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I lingered at the shallow side<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>needing to have my
feet touch the bottom of the pool<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the only thing I truly learned that day<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">was to hold on to the side tight<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">you see my fear of the loss of control gripped me even
tighter<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">fear is a harsh teacher<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">it can bruise and it can maim <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">providing a true regret<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">that sticks with you like a heavy meal on a hot day <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the kind that leaves you thirsty and parched<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">yet it is there that courage can immerge<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">in the longing to quench the deepest of thirsts<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">when hands reach out <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">you learn to let go of the sides<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and venture deeper in<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">for that is the only way to learn <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and get where you surely need to be.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mWyFW1siCwQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="mWyFW1siCwQ"></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><br /></div>Carrie Van Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715648073882529202noreply@blogger.com17