2012 January 05 « Work the Dream

Little bird with broken wing~captive in a world of haze
Frantically searching to escape~lost in the corridors of a maze
Held by bonds invisible to the eye`the little bird flutters in vain
Though only hurt by a broken wing~the heart was becoming maimed

Caged in glass the world is elusive~like strangers in the night
The little bird cries from fruitless attempts~and her spirit has lost its fight
Her home is adorned for all to see~her cage is gilded in gold
“I give you everything you need~You should be happy” she is told

But all the glitter and all the shine~Can never fill the need
of this little bird’s pitiful cry~”I only want to be freed”
Her cries are silent, her tears are dry~her wings bruised from beating in vain
No one understands at all~her deep and yearning pain

Sitting motionless on her little perch~staring aimlessly through the glass
She is offered precious goodies~but the pleasure does not last
Spring turns to summer~And summer to fall
But time does not lessen the pain~and her unhappiness she tells to all

Weary of hearing her cries~when her cage is adorned in gold
Never understanding her needs~her cries are becoming old
Deserted and alone she begins to molt~her plumage turns to crimson
Her songs loud and wild~A battle she thinks she has won

Where has the broken bird gone~What kind of game is this?
With a strut and haughty laugh~she just blows us each a kiss
Everyone is overjoyed~as they begin coming back
Never realizing it is a ruse~she is putting on an act.

Thinking the worst is over~She has become accustomed to her cage
The truth lies in her diary~As the tears cover page after page
The cage is opened occasionally~But the presence is always nearby
So, escape is still a dream~And she is too sheltered to try

Company is what she needs they say~A tiny little child
But peace this does not bring~For she still hears the call of the wild
One day she flies away~With the child under her arm
But the presence draws her back~With all his sweetness and charm

A taste of freedom lingers on~ Escape is planned again
But, alas company is coming~Will she ever, ever win?
Once again the haze returns~Dispair fills her mind
No matter what the presence offers~No matter how sweet or kind

Pain fills her days~Tears take over her nights
The little bird has once again~Lost the will to fight
She wanders listlessly around by day~Tiny chirps never entering her haze
Her nights filled with tormented dreams~of her beautiful gilded cage

To soar and fly through the air~Over mountains and valleys so low
This little bird is haunted~By the desire to get up and go
The little bird is haunted by day~The dreams take over her bed
Discontent permeates the air~For the life that she has led

She calls on the older bird~and cries out all her woe
The older bird tells her~”Baby, just get up and go
The cage is no longer locked~The door swings to and fro
There is no reason little one~that You can not pack up and go.”

From being caged so long, she is afraid~that she will not know how to fly
So, even when the door is open~the little bird is afraid to try
Hesitating, she cries out in dispair~ I don’t know…I don’t know
Uncertain whether to remain inside~Or to just take off and go

She staggers back into the cage~indecision clouding her heart
Even when given the chance~she does not know how to start
Everything looks brighter outside~the yearning growing strong
Her melody floats through the air~that is where she belongs

Day by day her courage mounts~she is ready to make a break
Dashing through the door, babes in hand~that is all she wants to take
The older bird receives a call~I’m on my way the message said
I finally got away today~please fix the baby’s bed

Through the rain a distant sound~the frantic beating of wings
Soon mother and babies are in sight~I’m free, I’m free she sings
Though escaped from the gilded cage~the little bird trembles in fear
I know he will come after me~I can feel his presence near

The presence never shows his face~he makes a simple call
Is she there he wants to know~I want her happy that is all
willing to let her try the taste~of the freedom of the land
He does not try to get her back~he never raises a hand

The litte bird settles in~her new life ready to start
The excitement growing by bounds~with every beat of her heart
Fluttering here and there~tasting everything in sight
Thrilled with her new life~and loving the evening lights

Never being on her own~the little bird didn’t know
That the world out there~was not one continuous show
The babies were left with the old bird~as she played here and there
Living her life as she pleased~as if she didn’t have a care

The old bird tried to teach her~life is different out here she would say
But the little bird would not listen~she only wanted to play
If she ever had a need~if there was something she could not get
The little bird would beat her wings~and throw a temper fit

Although she wanted to be free~from the presence in her life
It was he that she called~at the first signs of strife
And patient and loving that he was~he filled her every need
But the little bird was too caught up~to appreciate his loving deed

The little bird wanted to taste life~and all the birds there in
She strutted her fine plumage~as another bird she tried to win
But, once the game was over~and he arrived at her door
the little bird was not content~she wanted so much more

The new bird gave her gifts~but the little bird was not content
she badgered the new bird for presents~and was not happy with any he sent
Freedom was not bringing joy~her heart was filled with pain
She sat around for days~crying tearful songs out in the rain

One night the little bird lost control~as she frantically banged into walls
she grabbed the babies and left the house~stopping only to make a call
she left in flight, the old bird knew not where~everyone searched all around
Never knowing she flew straight through~back to her home town

She had called the presence to her aid~she would come home, she had said
Please, I don’t want to talk~just fix us all a bed
Again the little bird sits in her gilded cage~for all the world to see
Her wing is still broken inside~because she doesn’t know the meaning of free

And company is coming once again~to the gilded cage you see
And while she loves them all~she still yearns to just be free
She can not see that her wing has healed~and the gate is open wide
She has built her own gate called fear~and shuts it to stay inside

Dedicated to all those who have created their own gilded cage and are afraid to step outside. LIke this song says ♫♫”she has a broken wing, but man you ought to see her fly” ♫♫

and so can you!!!

video by samshelbygt500

A Place Within

Written by Mom posted by son:

A Place Within

With soles worn and body weak

traipsing along well-worn trails

Gnarled knees and a twisted back

And a mind full of human tales

A path framed with rolling grass

Empty of human voice

Desolate to the ordinary man

But tis his only choice

Eyes that see only inner sights

Ears that hear the past

Lips devoid of any sound

And a body that can not last

The creaking rocker slows to a halt

Closed eyelids flicker in pain

A hand fluttering to his chest

As he returns to the rolling plain

Where Is The Instruction Manual?

Another article I wrote. Thanks to son for posting.

Where Is The Instruction Manual?

It seems that everything we get today comes with an instruction manual. There are operating instructions, care instructions, repair instructions, and even storage instructions. But, it seems the most important thing we have in life comes with no instruction manual at all.

I am talking about our children. Oh, sure, there are child-rearing books that tell us when our children should do this or that activity or how to nurse the child. I am talking about an instruction manual for those incidents that happen out of the blue that are not necessarily life or death situations but can and do give us a panic attack.

If I were writing a manual, I would want it to include such things as little medical emergency information on what to do when my child sticks a bean or a stone up his nose or in an ear. Or what to do with the child that is determined to eat the cheese off the mouse trap.

There are those little bathroom emergencies that include the child who flushes everything from a rubber duck to a bag of dried beans down the toilet. Or , the child that won’t let you flush the toilet after they use it. Not life threatening, but they certainly do need a solution.

Then comes the stripper child who is forever sitting on the commode and removes all their clothing and comes streaking out into the room where company is. Or what about the child who likes to remove his own dirty diaper or smear excrement all over the wall? What about the child that yells “Mommy, come wipe me” while the preacher is visiting?

And then there is the mechanical child, who removes all the hinges off the kitchen cabinets. You know, the ones with the child locks on them. Or better yet, the child who takes his father’s brand new screw drivers and hammers them all into the ground in a neat row because he likes the green shiny tops showing. Of course they are not found until spring comes. I would want a chapter on this too.

And what about the child that thinks they are a beautician? You know, the one that cuts their own hair and leaves bald spots. Or cuts their siblings hair because they think they are a beautician. The warning signs on this is the dolls with all the hair cut off. And then we are afraid to take our child out in public for fear of being accused of abuse. This section should include the child who loves Mommy’s makeup and puts it on them, on the dolls, on the walls and on each other.

And on what page would I find advice on how to handle the child that is smart enough to outsmart you even when they are only three? For example, you put a platter of muffins on the coffee table for company. As you head back into the kitchen for the rest of the food and the coffee, you warn your child to not lay one finger on those muffins. You return to find your child with his hands clasped behind his back, leaning over and biting the tops off all the muffins. Now, he did what you said, so how do you handle that, besides going around the corner and laughing til you cry.

Or better yet, what do you do with the child who repeats things with people around that embarrass you to pieces. For example, the child that is listening to you talk with an adult about a movie with a handsome star in it and right in the middle of the conversation, your child pipes in “mama says he can park his boots under her bed any time”. And you are left trying to figure out when that child heard you say that for they were supposed to be in bed.

And last–but not least, there is the climber child. The one that opens all the drawers on the lower cabinets to resemble stairs and crawls right up on the counter and then pulls a canister over and uses it for a step and is found sitting up on top of the refrigerator holding the cookie jar. We would need advice on that too.

Although none of these things are life threatening, they can certainly be nerve-wracking for parents, especially new parents. So, where is our instruction manual? They say we learn with the first child, but I am here to tell you that after two sons and a granddaughter, that no matter which child puts a bean up their nose, I still don’t know what to do.

Write Your Name In Kindness

another article from my column a few years back. Thank you son for posting.

video by siuo7

“Live for something. Do good and leave behind your monument of virtue that the storms of life can never destroy. Write your name in kindness love and mercy on the hearts of thousands that you come in contact with year after year. You will never be forgotten.”

Write you name in kindness. What a concept when so many want to be famous and have great wealth. Just a simple thing. I will always remember the kindness people showed me while the rest will go by the wayside. I think about my student in my third grade class, who was at the hospital when I had surgery many years ago because her Dad had surgery. She saw I was alone and so she sat with me and put cool cloths on my brow and held the glass for me to sip water. Such kindness and the memory is as fresh today as the day it happened.

Kindness goes a long way. I have sat and watched people do something so kind and it touched my heart…even when the kindness was being shown someone else. These things seem to stick with us for kindness is such a great gift to bestow on someone.

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.

Charles H. Spurgeon

Kindness, mercy, love….they are a universal language that everyone can understand even if we don’t speak the same language. Are we becoming a cynical society? Do we see the bad so vividly that we no longer see the good and those that need a kind word or kind touch?

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

Mark Twain

I can think of times in my life when all I want is kindness…a gentle touch…soothing words and I know many others in this world are the same way. Being kind cost us nothing..but time and a little effort. We should try to be kind as often as we can.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

Leo Buscaglia

Have you ever thought about the effect you have on others. Think about how many people you come in contact with daily, even those you never speak to but just are seen. How has your behavior affected them? Have you ever thought about what your behavior or lack of behavior or action might do to those you come in contact with? Are you writing your name in kindness? Are you being kind anyway even when you don’t feel like it?

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

So, are you writing your name in kindness? Are you writing your name in mercy and love for others? Are you leaving behind a monument of love and caring that has made a mark that can not be forgotten or washed away? Gone are the days communities coming together to help families build their homes or raise their barns, but the days of reaching out in love and helping others in time of need or just giving comfort and love need not be gone. Be kind anyway.

Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you – not because they are nice, but because you are.

Author Unknown

When was the last time you carried dinner to someone, called someone to see how they are, visited a shut-in, drove someone to a doctor appointment that you knew had no transportation….did something from someone just because you knew they needed it? When was the last time you wrote your legacy on a monument…a legacy of kindness? Sad to say…most people say “call me if you need me” when if we just used our eyes…we would know when someone was in need and just offer to help.

As for me:

I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.

William Penn

video by xbritishgirlx

About Me

NOTE: Subscribe box is down below the mountain picture.

Those that know me know that this red sparkly headband is symbolic. When they see the headband on me, they know I am fighting hard physically. It is my symbolic Samson’s hair. It is getting my mojo on and geared up for robo mom to once more fight a battle. And the headband is on now and will be on for a long time. I live with my son who is my caretaker and I am so blessed.

Me with mojo on.

And when things are toughest, I will resort to my dreams to keep me going.

I am 63 and will soon be 64. Life has been a journey of health issues since I was 32 and got sprayed by a crop duster. I have warrior attitude. Being a warrior does not mean you always win. It means you never quit trying. Life is what you make it and I choose to make mine as happy as possible no matter where I am in life.

I spend a lot of time on this hospital bed due to constant pain but I am just thankful I have the hospital bed to lay on. I am disabled but I don’t let that stop me from living life and enjoying it. Life is what we make it and I choose to make mine happy.

Meet Daisy..that we call Miss Daisy. Thanks to Jill, a very special friend who is also has a Rescue for pets called Three Sisters and a Brother in NC, Daisy was transported to us and what a delight she is. About ten pounds and full of energy and love and kisses.

My baby

photo0779

Son and Daisy

My world from my hospital bed-it is filled with warmth and love from so many.

I still dream of going back to Italy, of us having one of those mini buses with a lift for my chair that son can convert into a travel home for us to make it easier when I have to go to Denver for surgeries and stuff. I still dream of learning how to tap dance…yes even on these crutches just so I can say I did. All I need are a pair of size 11 tap shoes.

image from facebookemoticons123.blogspot.com

I draw, I paint, I write, I do photography…my latest love is the clouds for I see faces in the clouds all the time and have a blog at the top of the page entitled “Faces in the Clouds” I sit on a stool and help son cook…yes, often with him leaning over me to help me pour or stir but I get to do it. My philosophy is if you can’t do it one way…then create a new way. Son says I am the only person he knows that used their all terrain power chair like a back hoe…using a grain shovel and rake to move dirt or mulch in the garden. I would hold the handle between my legs and rake up the stuff on the two foot wide shovel and then go backwards dragging the shovel to where I wanted to dump it.

Ever since I was a little girl, I was told I was a dreamer. I can remember report cards with “day dreams” written on it. I think dreams are what keep us going. Without dreams…we have no hope.

Follow Your Dreams, The Siren Called Out To Me

As I closed my eyes and fell deep into lovely sleep.
The dream siren called me with a promise to keep

I closed my eyes and looked deep in my soul
I could feel the wind blowing…it was so very cold

My dreams I had carried through year after year
They will never come true was my biggest fear

Wandering up one lane and down another
Remembering my dream since I became a mother

Land, open land and a place to be free
A small house to live in with a big evergreen tree

We mounted the buckboard with all we owned inside
And started over the mountain on this crazy dream ride

We felt like pioneers racing to the finish line for land
And the whole time we knew -The Lord had our hand

So don’t be afraid to dream your dreams and try
Life is too short…open your wings up and fly

Dream I say and work the dream hard as you can
For it will be the best race that you ever ran.

We all have dreams of what we want out of life. I remember Laverne on Laverne and Laverne saying her dream was to have a purple cashmere sweater. Well, our dream is to own land in the country and have a simple life style unencumbered by so much of what is in the world today.

I love to write and have written for years. And hopefully will continue to write for many more years. My real name is Deb.

This blog is about our journey to get there, our life after we reached the promised land and different middle of the night ramblings. Dreams are like cooking…we might get our grandparents old recipes, but we tend to alter them to suit ourselves. But, dream we must…for as long as we have hope in life…we have dreams. And even plain ole everyday people get dreams that come true.

I hope you enjoy and will subscribe and share my journey. Come join us at the foothills of the mountains where we have found a life of simplicity and serenity, in spite of all the health trials of one disabled woman and the courage of a son that chose to take care of her.