Parent's lament

When I'm inside my own head about what I might be doing wrong as a parent, I search for literature to support my stance or hunt for inspired wisdom. Parenting is only hard for the fully engaged, overly invested and deeply loving parents (so they say). And sometimes . . . 

parenting a teen
feels like
falling up a mountain 
-- upside down

Summer's pause

when my foot 
pauses
between rocks
in the creek
arms flail and
i plunge --
exhilarated
by the cool depth 
of Nature's tears
like the Natives whose feet
kissed the path along this creek
their courageous connection
no bothersome breeze 
just unbounded, blessed glee
in the valley within the valley

Along The Sound

When you can come off a week-long stay with cousins, their spouses and kids, elders and your own family all under one roof for the first time in 11 years, that is courage, grace and love all at once. As our parents are in their golden years, it becomes even more apparent that living middle aged means making sure that we create more moments for connection and recreate the childhood memories our parents worked so hard to ensure that our family knew we

were fiercely loved. So when we get together, it means reinvigorating our familial love -- even with the family dramedy and dynamics that are sure to surface. Just like the movie The Family Stone, we love and accept our family members for who they are, flaws and all, to grow stronger and more meaningful relationships, all the while with a deep sense of care and support for each other, with family central to strength and resilience. And that, folks, was my New London (CT) reconnection.

be still and listen

to the voices that belong

to our past, present and future,

to the voices that belong
to the sea wall
along The Sound

find our earnest wishes
on the sands under our feet