Shared

Citing the fact nothing
Was ever certain until
Action was undertaken
We stood,
Hands clasped together
Only a heartbeat between us.
Roses blushing on their vines
Like the color of our cheeks,
Could we become
Whatever
We expected
A shared breath
Gathered in a present where
All and everything shivered
Spiraling out of control?
Our glances meeting,
A golden opportunity,
Reflecting the sheen of hope
Unconquered
By circumstances,
A note of understanding
Rising joyful from our brave
Smiles.
No contagion could dissuade
Us from a path begun
In days past,
Our meanings entwined
With threads of confidence,
Beg we fight
Separation
Instead, becoming
A new brand of isolation.

I sat up a while during the early hours of the morning, and this poem was a result. I am hoping for more, I already have another, but I have not worked today’s prompts yet. I hope all are well. Be kind to one another. It is a new territory for all of us and understanding is essential, as is love.

If you need a prompt, imagine how you would begin a relationship in this time of panic and contagion. Create something of what you think. Any media is fine. I know some work with other than words.

Advice from a Homebody

You can skip this if you have it all under control, but since many of you find yourselves sequestered at home, and I am a bit of an expert at staying in, I thought I might have something that would help.

Probably as you went into this, your housework was reasonably under control. As you are making a transition to quarantine, especially if you have kids, you might let yourself ease up a little bit. I say this so you can take time to adjust. Some movies, music, books, writing, may make being home easier. This is not to say let all your housework go, just set your standards for comfort.

If you have puzzles, coloring books, beading, drawing paper, crayons, colored pencils, pens, paper, blank cards, board games, cameras, things to repair or build, this would be a time to use them. If you find yourself homeschooling, these can be utilized as rewards for finishing assignments. If you join the kiddos, it will also be a bonding experience in a time of tension.

It might be an excellent time to launch a blog or website if you have been considering it. Both WordPress and Blogger are reasonably easy to start. I prefer WordPress. There are others as well, I just mention two I have used.

If your kids are home, now is a great time to get them involved in the chores, which they may typically find ways to shirk. You do not have to be a harsh taskmaster, just tie fun screen time to task completion.

If you need additional resources for educational materials, many of the colleges have things you can access for free. Coursera is a service tied to top universities that allows auditing courses without a fee.

Almost all of us could increase our activity. For low impact, walking is the best and can be done as a family. In eating, you may find the Yummly app has some suggestions which help you add variety when supply is limited.

To lower stress and anxiety limit your news content, and if your social media is caustic, take some breaks.

Books are everyone’s best friends at a time like this. Reading can help you soothe your mind, and with kids, it helps extend their concentration and attention span. If you have pre-readers, by all means, read to them. You can read their books, and you can also share your reads. This exposes them to the rhythms of language and vocabulary they may not have encountered.

Go outside. It is that simple. Find time in nature.

I will try to post some writing prompts and exercises over these days. I remind you everyone is creative. You have an ideal opportunity to explore what creativity means to you at this time.

If you have questions, I am fully willing to help.

Safe Harbor

This is my favorite Bible verse. I have it memorized, and memorization is extremely difficult for me. I wanted to make it attractive to share at this time. It seems to me there is a lot of panic in the world. God is in control.

Little side-note: My mostly hobby job as Copy Editor is going on sporadically today. After I created the above artwork, I shared it with the Editor. She loved it and called it an ad. Needless to say, I was euphoric. I told her it could go in the magazine, we have four now, plus a digital, and she said they would use it in the future.

Safe Harbor

Look to the Lord God –
He is the help of nations,
The ballast for all
Voyages we undertake,
His protection surrounds us.

Do no violence
In your rash preparations;
You are fully loved,
Trust, the extravagance of
Heaven’s abundance accrues.

These times, things shall past
The Glory of God remains, now
And eternally,
He will not forsake His own
Seek His mercy, peace, and LOVE.

Gentle your heart, for
Life continues in the midst
Of trouble, LOVE rises,
Storms come and go, but we know
LOVE is our habitation.

LOVE always the Answer

Wookie was not quite sure what was going on. She is not exactly photogenic, and I was sitting down, which is always a bit confusing for the dogs. I usually sit very rarely.

Is anyone else up to 150 posts this year alone? I would love to hear about what you are doing if so. Also, should anyone have content suggestions that would increase my audience without expecting monetary compensation, I would much love those. I would pay, but I have no funds. All this costs me. I know money is not a subject, but…

I hope you are enjoying the break from the endless activity and that you are well. I suggest this would be a perfect time to work creatively.

Maybe Today

We can spend time with
One another, talk, listen;
Pick up a book, magazine,
Newspaper, read good things.
Love
On our pets, while they love us,
Play with a child, love them,
Read interesting storybooks, or
Make stories up together.
Color, draw, paint – something
Beautiful,
Listen to music, sing along, or alone,
Pause some screen interaction,
See less bad news, avoid fear, panic,
We can discover an alcove of quiet
In whatever way we wish.
A long walk with mindfulness,
Bringing along a non-phone camera,
Writing letters to those we love,
Who
Will treasure the gift of “real” mail.
We must not allow chaos, meanness,
In the public sphere to dictate
The persons we are and become.
Humans are able to transcend disasters,
Growing richer, better, more capable,
Polished, polite, kindly, generous,
People of LOVE!
We can rise, creating,
A world
Of possibility and opportunity.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

As a prompt, I encourage you to put the world aside, a while. Enjoy the people, the places, the things that enrich your existence. If you wish, engage your creativity and produce something. Or if you are as exhausted as we often become, rest. Blessings to you and yours. Peace amidst the turmoil.