A Christmas and New Years Poem

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A very good friend of mine wrote a beautiful poem. With his permission, I would like to post it here.

I believe when you read this poem it will resonate with all of us. Especially at this time of year and this year in particular.

He asked to remain anonymous, so I am honoring his wishes.

Broken is Beautiful

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say.

As beauty changes with each person, and also each day.

But pure beauty can only be seen when the inner light shines.

And how I knew you were destined for me to find.

A vase can hold beauty, or have it painted outside.

But the vase is most beautiful once its cracks are applied.

Filled with its memories, experience, and time.

Cracked and broken, its inner light still shines.

Just light a candle and place it inside.

The light passing through dances upon all it can see.

Light doesn’t need perfect, it needs to be able to shine.

It merely needs for its beauty to be seen.

The beholder comes along, watching the dancing light,

And gazes as it flickers across the walls.

He becomes consumed by the beauty of the sight,

And realizes so soon how quickly he falls.

But without the cracks in the vase,

The light would never shine through.

The dance would never be seen,

And the love could never be true.

So Broken is Beautiful,

As it allows the truth to shine.

Of the beauty that is yours,

And of the love that is mine.

My Feeling for the Day…

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A Poem from a Friend

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  Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding.

Overspending

It is fine to drink the community wine

However, it takes time

To turn water into wine

So if your stomach and eyes borrow too many barrels at once

Then God doesn’t have time to replace the community wine

Pace yourself and live within your means

Enjoy the journey and everything in between

Thank you my friend, for sharing this.

C

My Poker Hand

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I am not a gambler, but…

Sometimes in life we have to play poker. And right now, in my life, I’m playing a game a poker. And it appears as if I’m “all in”!

I’ve been to Vegas, I’ve been to the races, I am very familiar with all the gambling out there, but I was never one for actually placing the bets.

When I was 18 or 19 I was in school in Michigan. Dad and I had a tradition of having father/daughter vacations, and this one was no different. He flew me out to Vegas, we met up, he gave me some money and said, “Have at it, girl! Do whatever you want, but when the money’s gone, you’re done.”

I don’t know if he was trying to teach me a lesson, teach me to be on my own, or just plain get rid of me, but what I did was not gamble at all. Oh, I walked the “great rooms”, but I watched. I learned. For hours. I went from casino to casino and just watched everybody else gamble. I learned how to play the games, all the tricks, the ups, the downs, EVERYTHING!

So what happened to all my money dad gave me? I saved it!

But today’s story is about knowing when to play, when to hold, when to show, and the biggest lesson I learned was to know who you’re playing against.

A lesson to last a lifetime

It was one of the best lessons I ever learned. I loved it so much, I taught employees, friends, family, everybody. “Know the Player”. It really is that simple. Know that person better than he knows himself.

And today, right now, in my life, I’m playing against a player who thinks he’s holding the best cards.

This past Tuesday, the final card was drawn. I drew the Ace of Hearts. Royal Flush. But at this point, I have no idea what he’s holding.

And there’s a possibility of a third person sitting at our table. Only time will tell.

Ambiguity

I do apologize for the secrecy, but I can not show my hand just yet. Bare with me, all will be clear soon enough.

Patience: one of those virtues we all could use a little bit more of in today’s world. I’m practicing mine. Are you practicing yours?

Stay tuned.

C

372 Days…

One year and a week. That’s how much time has passed …

since the last time I saw my (IN)significant other as the man I married 6 years ago this July.

The way I saw him then is completely different than how I see him now. What changed you ask. A LOT! Actually, the only one thing that changed is me. I changed. I changed in how I “see” him, I changed in how I view life, and I changed in how, most importantly, I live my life.

It hasn’t been easy, by any stretch of the means. In fact, it’s been quite rough. But I made it through. I survived. And I came out better for it.

A year ago, I finally had enough of his bullshit and I kicked him out of my home. Enough of his lying, cheating, narcissistic, psychopathic ways.

I could write a book, which I am, on all the different ways he’s hurt me. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you’ll know.

But the whole reason I started this blog was to let you know; you’re not alone and that if you put a little effort into “it”, whatever “it” is, you can make it in this world.

I decided to put my big girl panties on. I went back to school. And it was wonderful! I can’t even tell you why I did. I’m already a great writer, a published writer even! But I did it.

I was determined to get good grades. I achieved high A’s in both of my classes and as of this writing I will be starting class No. 3 in a day.

I had a vision.

When I decided to go back to school, I was a little lost. Ok, a lot lost. I didn’t know what I was going to do without this man in my life, without the income, without the person I thought I loved in my life.

But the strangest thing happened.

After finishing those 2 classes (and one was math, ugh!) I realized something.

For the first time in my life it didn’t matter that he wasn’t there. I DID it! I survived all his abuse. And I’m the one that came out better for it.

Would you like to know where he is in life? Homeless, supposedly no jobs and no friends. No life!

And on those days, when I feel sorry for myself or feel down in the dumps or want to crawl under a rock…

I think…

How wonderful my life truly is. I am so much better now than I was before. And even more than that,

I am so very grateful for all that I have.

And then it all clicked.