We May Never See

Living in a world

We don’t want to see

Too much hurt and pain

Is our reality

Turn off the news

It doesn’t go away

It’s right next door

Seems like it’s here to stay

But I put pen to paper

Write out a few words

Maybe someone will read it

And it’ll help heal the hurt

No one’s perfect, we’ve all done wrong

We’re all paying for someone else’s crime

There’s a time to grieve and a time to grow

We all only have so much time

We all know right from wrong

We all have to live with our mistakes

We all have demons fighting to live

Do you sleep sound in the bed you make?

We all have hurt and pain

We all live in the dark and the light

We all have a choice to forgive

We all can give up or we can fight

We can be bridges or steps, too many are steps

Taking from others to raise themselves up

But being a bridge requires work to connect the gaps

We need more bridges connecting others with love

I’ve never been in your shoes

You’ve never been in mine

We’re not that different

We’re all trying to get through life

A little empathy can go a long way

A simple smile can be a spark

Thoughts matter but action is a verb

A kind word can heal a broken heart

We can all use a little help

I know we’ve turned into an instant culture

But we’re not building on solid foundations

Shifting sand only causes fallen structures

The wind blows and the water rises

And our what ifs and fears turn into reality

We have to lay stones and do the work today

To build a world we may never see

Take The Lead by Jimmy Levy –

Good Day For A Good Day by Michael Franti & Spearhead –

Cherry Blossoms Are Fleeting

Every year, for a week or two, depending on the weather, we can be in awe of the amazingly beautiful cherry blossoms. I have never seen them in person but when I see pictures of them or see them on tv, they are beautiful.

Are they more beautiful because they come at the end of a long winter ? Are they more beautiful because they give us hope for a future of warm days and sunshine? Would they be as beautiful if they bloomed in July instead of late March?

And then, in the blink of an eye, they are gone and replaced by green.

And that my friends, got me thinking. About a lot of things really. How fleeting is life, relationships, our children growing up, etc etc.

But what it really got me thinking about is our society.

How we bounce from one thing to another without, at least to me, making much change. Someone or something happens and it’s all you hear about for a week or two and then someone or something else happens and the first thing is in the background or gone altogether but nothing ever changed from it. The issue is still there, we have moved on from it to something else.

And eventually, we come full circle and go through the same problems again, over and over.

And we have been doing it this way for decades and I don’t have the answers to fix it. I can only write about how I see it.

Then, as I’m thinking and looking at pictures, I noticed there in the background, meandering slowly through the picture, is the Potomac River.

But the river name doesn’t matter because all rivers are the same.

All rivers are created by smaller streams, creeks, etc flowing into them making one body of water that are no longer separated, but must work together to flow throughout its life.

And in any river you will have rocks and boulders and banks to navigate in and out and around and through.

But then the river comes back together as one.

Which is the point I’m getting to.

What if we always remembered that we, as a society, are the river. We come from different places, different walks of life, we have different beliefs and we talk differently, but we are all living here together and if we flowed together like the river does, then the beauty of the cherry blossoms would not be fleeting.

What if we remembered the hurt, remembered the pain, remembered the love and remembered the beauty of all of us and all of the world.

It’s easy to get used to seeing the beauty of a sunset until we wake up one day and realize we haven’t noticed it in months.

We have to be intentional.

Because when we can learn to live together as one, the beauty of life and how we should live it, the humanity that flows from the river that feeds the cherry blossoms will be as beautiful as cherry blossoms every day, all year round.

I see trees of green, and roses in bloom, And I think to myself, what a wonderful world we can have.

The First Bud Of Spring- A Love Story

001

It was a long, cold, dark winter. One that she didn’t think would ever end. There was snow, rain, and sleet. A couple of times there was enough ice to nearly break the branches on the trees. The little girl held on. She waited for the warmer weather, the better times, the warmth of the sun. She knew it would come, it was just a matter of time. As she waited patiently, she would say her prayers, she would thank God for protecting her and her mommy and daddy during these cold, dark, winter nights.

Finally, the day had come. The first bud of spring appeared out of the ground. The bud peeked out of her shoot and could feel the warmth surround her. She was filled with so much joy that, at first,  she didn’t notice she was the only bud sprouting. After basking in the warmth of the sunshine for a few minutes she looked around, startled that she was the only one. Where was everyone else? Was she going to be all alone? Did she come out too soon? Was colder weather coming back and she would die because of her eagerness to sprout? She was filled with fear and doubt but she stayed strong. She knew God had a plan for her. It was then that a little girl saw her and started yelling for her dad to come see the new flower. The little girl was so excited that the bud could not help but smile. Her excitement was contagious.

A little while later another bud awakened. He also took a moment to take in the warmth around him. He then looked to see if the others had awakened and that was when he saw her. She was within inches of him and he knew he would love her. It didn’t take long for her to notice him either, even though it took the help of a little girl yelling “Look, daddy, now there’s two!”

They welcomed the spring with all the other buds that started to awaken. With all the other flowers around them, they knew they were meant for each other. When the rains came, he would lean towards her to cover her petals. When the strong winds came they would lean into it together, holding stems. They were inseparable. When the bees came they opened their petals for them so they could spread their seeds to other lands where there were no flowers. They also knew that the bees relied on their pollen to take back to their hives for food. It was a beneficial relationship.  Everything was new and exciting.

Then summer came. It was a scorching summer, one like they had never seen. There was no water. Many flowers died but not our couple. They shared what they had with each other. Every little drop of moisture was shared between them. Luckily, they were also planted where they had shade for part of the day. They counted the hours down together until they were cooled by the shade. Every once in awhile the little girl would come out with a can of water and water them, helping to keep them alive. They were often too tired to open their petals wide enough for the bees to come but they did their best. They knew the only way to survive this summer was with the help of others. They prayed their prayers for rain, for cooler temperatures but it was not to be. Sometimes in life, God doesn’t answer prayers and there are reasons only He knows why. They had reached a point in their relationship that they were still together, but they didn’t talk much. Too much too worry about, too much life got in the way. When was their next rain drop, how would they make it through another day without food, why couldn’t they be like they were in the spring? Did they waste this whole season of their life? They knew better because they still shared the little water they had, they still  protected each other but the excitement was gone.

Before they knew it Autumn was here. They had made it through the difficult summer and were enjoying another season of their life. The rains came again, as well as cooler weather. When he looked at her she was still the most beautiful, most loving, most caring flower in the garden. When she looked at him he was still the bravest, strongest, most handsome flower this side of Eden. They held each other’s petals more each day, knowing that their days were winding down. They reflected on the spring and the summer. Days when their love was new and days when they didn’t know if they would make it. They thought of their seeds spread far and wide, soon to be new flowers that would spread their love and beauty around the world. It wasn’t easy, they had moments of doubt but they fought for each other, they fought for their love. They survived.

Soon the cold winds blew again. They held on for as long as they could but with each passing day, their petals would fall off. They knew it wouldn’t be long now but they held on for each struggling moment. Relying on each other to get by. Praying for just one more second. She was the first to go, as she was the first to sprout. He wasn’t far behind her.

The little girl, all bundled up from the cold,  looked at her daddy and said, “Look, daddy, the first two here are the last two to leave. I wonder if they were happy here, I wonder if they were in love.”

“Now, now,” said the daddy, “we know flowers can’t fall in love but if they could, those two would definitely have been like me and your mom. Through all the seasons and all the weather, the rain, the sun, the cold, they were standing right beside each other. Holding petals all the while.”

The little girl giggled. Through the cold, dark, winter nights she was safe as she anxiously waited for the first bud of spring to blossom again.

I Will Be Here by Steven Curtis Chapman –  

Then by Brad Paisley – 

Stand By You by Rachel Platten – 

Love Like Crazy by Lee Brice – 

The End Is Not The Answer by Three Days Grace – 

Worth Fighting For by Nine Days – 

When I Said I Do by Clint Black – 

Forever Changed by Carrie Underwood – 

Remind Me by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood – 

Would You Go With Me by Josh Turner – 

I’ll Stand By You by The Pretenders – 

Meant To Be by JJ Heller – 

What Faith Can Do by Kutless – 

Autumn

To be clear, there is no Autumn or anyone else. I’m still figuring out how my new life will look and ready to explore that life alone for awhile. But when the time is right, I hope it comes so unexpectedly I have to catch my breath.

But I might have a little crush on Autumn Reeser.

Winter came and I was dark inside

Wasn’t living, just trying to survive

Wasn’t looking forward to Spring

There wasn’t a love song I could sing

And for once, I didn’t want the Summer heat

Then I saw you and you smiled at me

I wasn’t looking, didn’t see this coming

If I did I probably would’ve been running

I wasn’t ready for this again

Wasn’t ready for these feelings to begin

Wasn’t looking to love someone else

But you know I can’t lie to myself

These feelings I wasn’t expecting at all

Damn Autumn, I wasn’t expecting to fall

My life is now brighter than the colors of the leaves

And when I’d all but given up I now can believe

Love’s walked out the door so many times before

I was done, didn’t want it anymore

My heart was healing when I thought it was dead

Taking my time to clear out my head

Tired of being hurt and given up on love

Wasn’t even something I was thinking of

Then I saw you and you smiled at me

I caught my breath as my heart skipped a beat

These feelings I wasn’t expecting at all

Damn Autumn, I wasn’t expecting to fall

A Letter To Santa

Dear Santa Christmas Letter In Envelope With Stamp. Holiday Child.. Royalty  Free Cliparts, Vectors, And Stock Illustration. Image 110044039.

Santa, I’m writing this letter

Asking for your help

I know in years past I’ve asked

For things for myself

But this year is a little different

And I know you know how

This world is a little dark and we could

Use some light right now

So many people are depressed

Giving up, waving the white flag

This year I’m asking for the world

If you could pull out of your bag

Some hope and put it

Underneath our trees

Some faith and give it

To those that don’t believe

And Santa we also need

Lots and lots of healing

All year round Christmas spirit

Open hearts, sharing feelings

But Santa, what we need the most

What we do not have enough of

I know it’s a big ask but what

We need is love, lots of love

Common Love Project | WolframAlderson.Com

What The World Needs Now (Cover) by Various –

Light A Candle by Wayne Haun –

Love Lighting The Dark by The Taylors –

Love Not Hate- Trick or Treat, Halloween Night

Image result for birds dressed for trick or treat

History of the birds:

Love, Not Hate: Part 1

Love, Not Hate: Part Two

Love, Not Hate: Christmas Eve

Love, Not Hate: A New Chapter

Love, Not Hate: A New World

Love, Not Hate: The Division

Love, Not Hate: The Reconciliation

Love, Not Hate: Tragedy At Mandalay Bay

Love, Not Hate: Continue To Love

Love Not Hate: Love On Trial

Birds Of A Different Color- A New World – My God, My Music, My Life

All the little birds wanted to trick or treat

But tonight, their nests they would not leave

It was Halloween night all through the land

But you see, trick or treating had been banned

The parents said the world had grown too dark

And they placed walls around their cold hearts

The land had been taken over by evil and hate

The parents told the little ones they would have to wait

You never know if that bird behind that hockey mask

Is looking for candy or up to some sinister act

Or that bird dressed in that scary disguise

Is carrying a gun or even a knife

The little ones had tears in their eyes

Please let us trick or treat tonight

The little ones begged and said you can protect us

And talk to the neighbors you haven’t spoken to since Christmas

You stay inside and don’t do what the Eagle has said

It was out of love his blood was shed

The eagle said do not live in fear

But it’s what you do keeping us locked in here

How can we spread love and dispel hate

If you keep us locked here in this cage

Related image

Then the parents were quite surprised

Those words hit home they realized

And they soon came to understand

They have let fear and hate rule their land

In fear they had locked themselves in their nests

Letting hate take over while love took a rest

Image result for hate and evil in the world

They didn’t even talk to their neighbors or their friends

They didn’t spread love to strangers and love they did not defend

The light they carry they had let grow dark

But their children’s words had ignited a spark

They realized they had made their homes a coffin

Because of their children, the parents’ hearts softened

Then they said we will go out on this Halloween night

Instead of letting hate rule we will let our love be the light

Tonight we must start to let love grow and hate decline

Yes, tonight in the darkness our light will shine

Hey Papa by Natasha Bedingfield-

Fire Away by Disciple-

Dreaming by P.O.D. –

In Our Blood by Tyrone Wells-

Community by Kira Willey –

Love Not Hate – Tragedy in Texas

History of the birds:

Love, Not Hate : Part 1

Love, Not Hate: Part Two

Love, Not Hate: Christmas Eve

Love, Not Hate: A New Chapter

Love, Not Hate: A New World

Love, Not Hate: The Division

Love, Not Hate: The Reconciliation

Love, Not Hate: Tragedy At Mandalay Bay

Love, Not Hate: Continue To Love

Love Not Hate: Love On Trial

Love Not Hate- Trick or Treat, Halloween Night

Love Not Hate- Teach A Human Day

All the juvenile birds gathered at the big oak tree

They all had tears in their eyes and thought it could’ve been me

Their parents stood close by

They too, had tears in their eyes

They waited until the eagle swooped down

He stood there with them all on the ground

He wiped his eyes and bowed his head

He then looked up and sadly said

“Tragedy once more has taken hold of our land,

These are the things we can not ever understand.

We teach love, kindness we show and words we tell

But it seems like evil yet again prevails.

Sometimes, like you, I want to give up

But we can’t, we must continue to love.”

Then the eagle said, “let’s pray this won’t happen again.”

But then a little robin asked, “don’t you mean when?”

And the eagle for a moment was out of words

Then he composed himself and looked out at the birds

“Little ones, do not be scared to speak up

I know you’re hurting so much

But now is not the time to withdraw , to be silent

We need to hear your voice in these times of violence.

We need to know your hurt , see your tears

We need to hear your words, hear your fears.

And maybe it’s you little friends

That need to give us hope again.

And parents, hold these little ones tight.

And when you tuck them in tonight,

Let them know how much they are loved

And that we, they, can never give up!

That we must continue to see the good

And remember on this branch is where we stood

When we all began to learn

When our prayers were heard

When our world finally woke

And heard our words for years we spoke

Enough is enough is enough

Stop hate, love birds love!

Go home tonight

And let your eyes cry.

Tonight let there be sorrow,

But there will be hope tomorrow.

For tomorrow birds, our work begins again

Give grace, forgive, love, be a friend

Yes tonight, birds, let the tears come as we hold each other tight

Tomorrow, tomorrow my friends, love will rise!”

The First Bud Of Spring- A Love Story

001

It was a long, cold, dark winter. One that she didn’t think would ever end. There was snow, rain, and sleet. A couple of times there was enough ice to nearly break the branches on the trees. The little girl held on. She waited for the warmer weather, the better times, the warmth of the sun. She knew it would come, it was just a matter of time. As she waited patiently, she would say her prayers, she would thank God for protecting her and her mommy and daddy during these cold, dark, winter nights.

Finally, the day had come. The first bud of spring appeared out of the ground. The bud peeked out of her shoot and could feel the warmth surround her. She was filled with so much joy that, at first,  she didn’t notice she was the only bud sprouting. After basking in the warmth of the sunshine for a few minutes she looked around, startled that she was the only one. Where was everyone else? Was she going to be all alone? Did she come out too soon? Was colder weather coming back and she would die because of her eagerness to sprout? She was filled with fear and doubt but she stayed strong. She knew God had a plan for her. It was then that a little girl saw her and started yelling for her dad to come see the new flower. The little girl was so excited that the bud could not help but smile. Her excitement was contagious.

A little while later another bud awakened. He also took a moment to take in the warmth around him. He then looked to see if the others had awakened and that was when he saw her. She was within inches of him and he knew he would love her. It didn’t take long for her to notice him either, even though it took the help of a little girl yelling “Look, daddy, now there’s two!”

They welcomed the spring with all the other buds that started to awaken. With all the other flowers around them, they knew they were meant for each other. When the rains came, he would lean towards her to cover her petals. When the strong winds came they would lean into it together, holding stems. They were inseparable. When the bees came they opened their petals for them so they could spread their seeds to other lands where there were no flowers. They also knew that the bees relied on their pollen to take back to their hives for food. It was a beneficial relationship.  Everything was new and exciting.

Then summer came. It was a scorching summer, one like they had never seen. There was no water. Many flowers died but not our couple. They shared what they had with each other. Every little drop of moisture was shared between them. Luckily, they were also planted where they had shade for part of the day. They counted the hours down together until they were cooled by the shade. Every once in awhile the little girl would come out with a can of water and water them, helping to keep them alive. They were often too tired to open their petals wide enough for the bees to come but they did their best. They knew the only way to survive this summer was with the help of others. They prayed their prayers for rain, for cooler temperatures but it was not to be. Sometimes in life, God doesn’t answer prayers and there are reasons only He knows why. They had reached a point in their relationship that they were still together, but they didn’t talk much. Too much too worry about, too much life got in the way. When was their next rain drop, how would they make it through another day without food, why couldn’t they be like they were in the spring? Did they waste this whole season of their life? They knew better because they still shared the little water they had, they still  protected each other but the excitement was gone.

Before they knew it Autumn was here. They had made it through the difficult summer and were enjoying another season of their life. The rains came again, as well as cooler weather. When he looked at her she was still the most beautiful, most loving, most caring flower in the garden. When she looked at him he was still the bravest, strongest, most handsome flower this side of Eden. They held each other’s petals more each day, knowing that their days were winding down. They reflected on the spring and the summer. Days when their love was new and days when they didn’t know if they would make it. They thought of their seeds spread far and wide, soon to be new flowers that would spread their love and beauty around the world. It wasn’t easy, they had moments of doubt but they fought for each other, they fought for their love. They survived.

Soon the cold winds blew again. They held on for as long as they could but with each passing day, their petals would fall off. They knew it wouldn’t be long now but they held on for each struggling moment. Relying on each other to get by. Praying for just one more second. She was the first to go, as she was the first to sprout. He wasn’t far behind her.

The little girl, all bundled up from the cold,  looked at her daddy and said, “Look, daddy, the first two here are the last two to leave. I wonder if they were happy here, I wonder if they were in love.”

“Now, now,” said the daddy, “we know flowers can’t fall in love but if they could, those two would definitely have been like me and your mom. Through all the seasons and all the weather, the rain, the sun, the cold, they were standing right beside each other. Holding petals all the while.”

The little girl giggled. Through the cold, dark, winter nights she was safe as she anxiously waited for the first bud of spring to blossom again.

I Will Be Here by Steven Curtis Chapman –  

Then by Brad Paisley – 

Stand By You by Rachel Platten – 

Love Like Crazy by Lee Brice – 

The End Is Not The Answer by Three Days Grace – 

Worth Fighting For by Nine Days – 

When I Said I Do by Clint Black – 

Forever Changed by Carrie Underwood – 

Remind Me by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood – 

Would You Go With Me by Josh Turner – 

I’ll Stand By You by The Pretenders – 

Meant To Be by JJ Heller – 

What Faith Can Do by Kutless – 

A Letter To Santa

Dear Santa Christmas Letter In Envelope With Stamp. Holiday Child.. Royalty  Free Cliparts, Vectors, And Stock Illustration. Image 110044039.

Santa, I’m writing this letter

Asking for your help

I know in years past I’ve asked

For things for myself

But this year is a little different

And I know you know how

This world is a little dark and we could

Use some light right now

So many people are depressed

Giving up, waving the white flag

This year I’m asking for the world

If you could pull out of your bag

Some hope and put it

Underneath our trees

Some faith and give it

To those that don’t believe

And Santa we also need

Lots and lots of healing

All year round Christmas spirit

Open hearts, sharing feelings

But Santa, what we need the most

What we do not have enough of

I know it’s a big ask but what

We need is love, lots of love

Common Love Project | WolframAlderson.Com

What The World Needs Now (Cover) by Various –

Light A Candle by Wayne Haun –

Love Lighting The Dark by The Taylors –

Love Not Hate- Trick or Treat, Halloween Night

Image result for birds dressed for trick or treat

History of the birds:

Love, Not Hate: Part 1

Love, Not Hate: Part Two

Love, Not Hate: Christmas Eve

Love, Not Hate: A New Chapter

Love, Not Hate: A New World

Love, Not Hate: The Division

Love, Not Hate: The Reconciliation

Love, Not Hate: Tragedy At Mandalay Bay

Love, Not Hate: Continue To Love

Love Not Hate: Love On Trial

Birds Of A Different Color- A New World – My God, My Music, My Life

All the little birds wanted to trick or treat

But tonight, their nests they would not leave

It was Halloween night all through the land

But you see, trick or treating had been banned

The parents said the world had grown too dark

And they placed walls around their cold hearts

The land had been taken over by evil and hate

The parents told the little ones they would have to wait

You never know if that bird behind that hockey mask

Is looking for candy or up to some sinister act

Or that bird dressed in that scary disguise

Is carrying a gun or even a knife

Image result for dark times quotes

The little ones had tears in their eyes

Please let us trick or treat tonight

The little ones begged and said you can protect us

And talk to the neighbors you haven’t spoken to since Christmas

You stay inside and don’t do what the Eagle has said

It was out of love his blood was shed

The eagle said do not live in fear

But it’s what you do keeping us locked in here

How can we spread love and dispel hate

If you keep us locked here in this cage

Related image

Then the parents were quite surprised

Those words hit home they realized

And they soon came to understand

They have let fear and hate rule their land

In fear they had locked themselves in their nests

Letting hate take over while love took a rest

Image result for hate and evil in the world

They didn’t even talk to their neighbors or their friends

They didn’t spread love to strangers and love they did not defend

The light they carry they had let grow dark

But their children’s words had ignited a spark

They realized they had made their homes a coffin

Because of their children, the parents’ hearts softened

Then they said we will go out on this Halloween night

Instead of letting hate rule we will let our love be the light

Tonight we must start to let love grow and hate decline

Yes, tonight in the darkness our light will shine

Image result for hate and evil in the world

Hey Papa by Natasha Bedingfield-

Fire Away by Disciple-

Dreaming by P.O.D. –

In Our Blood by Tyrone Wells-

Community by Kira Willey –