The Circle of Life Carries On
by Louise Gallagher
“Help me! I’m falling,” called the leaf to the limb.
The limb whispered back, “You must let go and let Mother Nature catch you.”
“But it will be the end of me,” cried the leaf.
“Hang on or let go, your life will end,” said the limb. “It is nature’s way..”
Frightened, the leaf clung tighter to the limb
as the autumn winds blew fierce.
The limb shook, the leaf fell and nature had its way.
Winter came followed by spring bursting
with leaves unfolding.
The circle of life carries on, unending.
Yesterday on FB, a friend shared a poem I wrote at the end of 2020.
I am always grateful when people share my words. I feel a big burst of joy and gratitude erupt within me. It fills my writer’s heart.
I am also glad when the sharing reminds me of what’s most important, of what matters, and what is possible.
The poem she shared was written in one of Ali Grimshaw’s writing circles, a space I regularly and gratefully share with five other women.
I am sharing it again today because while at the time, I hoped Covid would be gone last year, it still lingers. Over the past few days my eldest daughter, her husband and my grandchildren all came down with it. Several friends have succumbed to its thrall as has one of my husband’s business partners.
We continue to hold our circle tight. Limiting contact. Limiting exposure.
And still, the sun shines. The birds sing. The riveer flows, albeit through a narrow channel surrounded by ice. The trees stand sentinel, naked branches spread out as if reaching to touch the sky.
And life continues to flow full of adventures and opportunities, possibilities and new imaginings.
And through it all, this nasty little virus continues to cause illness and death, sorrow and grief.
And through it all, life continues to flow, full of births and deaths, offerings and takings, beginnings and endings.
And through it all, Love continues to call us home to where we belong.
to read the original post from December 31, 2020, click HERE.
Thank you Shannon for the reminder and the gift of your sharing.
I awoke this morning with gratitude filling my heart as I thought of all the beautiful comments and love I received yesterday.
It is hard to describe how your words and support fill my heart, lessening fear and worry and lighting up my day.
And so… I wrote this for all of you.
From Me to You
Louise Gallagher
If I have but one prayer
let it be, Thank You.
Thank you for the sunrises
and settings,
the clear skies and grey days.
Thank you for the moments
that fill my heart with joy
and the ones that push it to breaking
open
wide
to all the beauty that surrounds me.
Thank you for the easy roads
and rough trails.
Thank you for the calm waters
and stormy seas.
Thank you for the love and laughter,
the pain, the sorrow and tears.
Thank you for all of it
for all of it is held
within the sacred nature
of this wondrous life
full of unfathomable mysteries
and inexplicable tragedies,
ripe with breath-taking moments of awe
and back-breaking moments of grief.
Thank you for all of it
for all of it is a gift
and within all of it
Love beats its steady tattoo
calling me to rise up
and dance and sing
and twirl about
and shout out loud,
I am grateful for each breath,
each moment of this life
and all who walk alongside me
and make the hard places softer
and the easy times more thrilling
and the worries and dark times lighter
and the joys and laughter brighter.
Thank you.
Life's Untold Mysteries
by Louise Gallagher
Every day untold mysteries
await
to unfold
in soft gentle ripples
in grand sweeping gestures
in rippling currents of ecstasy
or raging waves of chaos
leading to new growth, new vistas, new opportunities.
We cannot live into the untold mysteries
of each moment
until we release
our hold
on what is blinding us
to their presence
To fly free
to dive
deep
into life’s untold mysteries
we must let go.
It is never too late to let go.
Today’s poem is in response to a prompt at Eugi’s Causerie. The word prompt today is “Untold”.
Writing in response to a prompt is fun! I hope you try it.
Just click on over to Eugi’s place to participate, and to read how other’s have interpreted her prompt.
Special thanks to Lilli Ann for inspiring me to reply.
Gathering
by Louise Gallagher
Gathering, the circle draws us near
candlelight flickering
on precious faces held so dear
sharing stories of our days
laughing and teasing one another
as only those whose stories have been woven
through the warp and weft of this family tapestry can
because we know
there is no distance too far
that cannot be bridged by two hearts
beating together and weaving stories
full of memory and love of life
shared within the circle.
As we thread our stories
together, laughter, memories and love risesand we raise a glass in silent honouring
of all the hearts who lost their beat
in those days, not yet past but slowly now,
slipping away,
when we could not gather with family and friendsbecause only the distance between us
could keep us safe.
We are gathering now
drawing near
stretching our arms around one another,
curving into bodies touching, heart to heart
and savouring these times
where we can feel them beat
in time
as we gather and share
laughter, love and memories of times past
and loved ones lost and feeling grateful
for those who made it
through to be here now,
gathering, the circle drawing us near,
holding us safe
from where so many have gone
leaving behind only memories
to light the empty spaces left behind.
The Wild Places
by Louise Gallagher
Some may call it a wilderness
a vast
unexplored terrain
thick with brambles
and vines
interwoven
into a thick impenetrable net
of lost dreams and disappointments
of life’s hurts and wounds, scars and scares
holding you back
from breathing freely
in the light
of each new dawn
breaking free of night.
Some may call it a wilderness
I call it my heart
a wild and mystical place
where vast
unexplored terrain
rich with open spaces
yearning to be discovered
with dreams calling to be awoken
call me to cast off
life’s hurts and wounds and disappointments
to jettison the scary stories
I tell myself
of how I will never
do enough
deserve better
be worthy.
In this wild place
of my heart
beating
wild and free
untethered to the stories
I tell myself
about how I will never be
enough
I am enough
I am all I ever dreamed of
I have all I ever hoped for
I am
all of me
worthy of living
with the wilds of my heart
breaking and breathing, breaking and breathing
free.
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