Merry Christmas

  Forgive me for my prolonged absence....... About two weeks before Thanksgiving I had a gall bladder attack. To make the holiday more festive, a few days before Thanksgiving I broke out with the Shingles. I am still dealing with both of these. There was a surgery planned for day before yesterday to deal with the gall bladder, that was set aside thanks to some nasty little bug that I caught Thursday. It has been a few years since I have been laid up with a bug as relentless as this one is. 

Come Christmas, I hope to find the Shingles and my little friend "The Bug" gone. As for the gall bladder, I have a feeling I won't be shed of it without surgery. That has been rescheduled for December 31st. I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year than to be relatively pain free. WOW.... My idea of a good time has sure changed in the recent years. 

If You don't hear from me again before then...... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to my dear friends and loyal followers!

~Jo

Heroes Unaware

Heroes Unaware

I first saw him on a park bench

I've seen him every day

Sitting in a shady grove

Where my children come to play.

Some days he feeds the birds and squirrels

Or whittles little toys

Sometimes he just sits and smiles

At the laughing boys and girls.

And I never paid him any mind

'Till one day just this year

I noticed that he wore a frown

And on his cheek....

A tear.

Well, I asked him why he seemed so down

He looked up, began to say

I lost half my friends

60 years ago today.

He told me of the terror

As he fought to reach dry land

By the time the beach head was secure

Half his friends lay in the sand.

That was just in one long day

He fought on for 4 years more

And the 60 years from then 'till now

Had not dimmed his sights of war.

He said they have reunions

Just to keep in touch and share

And for each comrade that has gone on

They leave an empty chair.

Well, his park bench has been empty now

About 6 months or so

And if I had never took the time

Then I never would've known.

That sitting on that simple bench

With bread crumbs and little toys

Was a man who gave his all

To guarantee my daily joys.

So give thanks to all the men and women

Who are still here or gone before

And made the highest sacrifice

In both peace time and in war.

Because they bought our freedom

Paid their own blood sweat and tears

Then endured the heartache of those empty chairs

For all of these years.

So please do not ignore them

Or speed by without a care

'Cause you never know

When you might pass by...

A Hero Unaware!

~By Mark Knight

HMC (SS)

22 June 2000

~***~

I came across this poem several years ago and posted it here on Moodscapes. It just seemed to fit perfectly with giving tribute to our veterans. I thought it was time to post it again, because the sentiment is far to beautiful to forget. I want to say thank you to all those veterans past and present who have sacrificed for me to live in a world of freedom. 

May God Bless You and Hold You in the Palm of His Hand....

"Dona Nobis Pacem"

Prayer of Saint Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, 

grant that I may not seek 

to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

it is in dying that we are born again

to eternal life.

May you be blessed with Peace and Love....

~Jo

"Dona Nobis Pacem 2"

Imagine being able to hold Peace in the palm of your hand.... Imagine being able to pass it along with just a simple handshake.... Wait!!! Why must we imagine, when it can be done. With just a touch, Peace can indeed be passed along.

Have a Peace filled day my friends.

~Jo   

Halloween

Black Cat

by ~ Shane Hubbard

Under the stars the feline crept, 

Her fur as black as unmined coal.

Under their light she slyly stepped;

This way and that she stole.

Oh, pity the victims who suffered her wrath,

And the people she crossed on her path.

Under the mounds of trash and rot,

And about dim alleys, the cat,

Black as both the kettle and pot,

Skulked, never hearing, "Scat!"

For no human dared to offend the stray,

And neither did the predator's prey!

Under the eaves, throughout the town,

This omen of terrible luck

Nimbly walked in her sable gown,

All with fear were struck.

For fables tell that the cat who is black

 May bewitch all  those who cross her track!

~*~

For many years now I go on a trip when I feel a chill in the air and the leaves on the trees have turned so many vibrant earth-tone colors. I love to watch, as those same leaves slowly begin floating to the ground. I always hope that it doesn't rain for a while, giving the fallen leaves the opportunity to turn brown so I can walk through them and listen to the crackling noise that they make under my feet. I visit many homes while I am on my journeys and the people that I see are always so happy and welcoming. Like me, those that travel with me are never dressed in a trendy manner. In most cases it is old clothes that we wear, put together and with a little makeup added to disguise our true identities.  I am always met with smiles, kind words and sweetness, as are my companions. 

There is no price tag on this trip that I take and I don't have to book it in advance, because my means of transportation is through the recesses of my mind. Memory takes me back to my childhood home on Halloween night to go trick or treating in a time when parents didn't have to walk with their children as we went door to door unless they wanted to. We were safe within our community where children were loved and cared for. This was a time when there was  no need to fear strangers just for saying, "Hello". Parents didn't have to sort through the mounds of sweet goodies that we carried home searching for signs of tampering or take it all to the hospital to have x-rays made to check for hidden needles and razor blades. In fact a lot of what we received wasn't sealed in packaging. Things like apples and oranges, homemade cookies, candy apples and popcorn balls. What a wonderful time it was for growing up. 

If wishes came true, it would be for every child to experience such a Halloween at least once in their lifetime. Have a Safe and Happy Halloween! 

May God Bless You and Hold You in the Palm of His Hand. 

~Jo