On my neighbour’s back porch there is a peacock
that sits on a table
it is ceramic or porcelain , beautifully regal
it stands
cloaked in white and a bit
of red
and every day when I step out
it catches my eye
and makes me smile
just
by being there
I had a rough week last week, as sometimes I do
I think it was just the week… but it certainly felt a lot longer
(kindly he says, ‘it was only a couple of days’)
at times I struggled against myself
and I was miserable to my husband
I was tired, I was emotional and I was
raw
I know when this comes, being a woman, I know
why this comes
and I try sometimes desperately
to ease myself
through
to be kind,
to be gentle
this too shall pass
and then
to surrender
and quite thankfully, pass it does
and again I offer myself
clemency
yesterday morning, as I was sat quietly reading
my neighbour to the other side
suddenly sings out, “Sunny day, sweeping the clouds away..”
some words inaudible
I think he is singing to his granddaughter
and the song echoes through open windows
it seems these are all of the words he knows to this song,
the first few
as he repeats only this one line, several times
and then quickly reverts back to his usual very melodic whistle
this has me smiling
quite broadly
out on an intended quick trip to the grocery store,
my husband steers us first to the garden centre
because of course, he indeed knows
my heart
and how very simply he
can make me smile
again
an afternoon spent with my girls
telling family stories
truths (as I know them)
and sorting out pasts
leaves me slightly exhausted
but pretty proud that we
have
this
this morning, my husband is gone too early
I have coffee and a nice quiet read
finishing my book
my allergies are in full these last few days
and I feel dizzy and a bit nauseous
when I step into the shower
I look down and somehow surprising myself,
I notice
my purple toes
with the little purple flowers on them
instantly my smile grows
and this
feels good
the sunshine beckons
as well as the blue-ness of a vast and brilliant sky
and I wander an oh-so-familiar yet
always miraculously new
path
graciously I greet each new bloom
“Oh, you have flowered!!”
I say out loud, as I bring my hands together
and to my lips, and smile
in pure delight
I laugh as I wonder what my neighbour might think
if he
is to hear
me
the crazy lady next door
I spend some time admiring my roses
and the gorgeous colours of
the fading blossoms
all things beautiful to be found right here
in these colours
even
as they fade
and then a Monarch butterfly
flutters in
and I can feel myself gladly swelling with
Love
my lungs filling with air
my heart
e x p a n d i n g
and then…
my wings
and again, I express my sincere Gratitude
for this
not every moment of every day do we always feel
wonderful
sometimes we are badgered by hormones, or moods
health issues
something awful in the world
or life seeming to suddenly
fall apart
but for me
the Gratitude comes
in my choosing to recognize
pure Joy
when it arrives
or sits idly
waiting
to be inhaled
and I try
to never miss
taking this in
because I do believe that when you open yourself up
to this
it always
comes
to be caught in the very sight
of delight
sometimes it’s as simple
as remembering
as listening
as greeting
as admiring
as
opening
and
allowing
and sometimes
it’s really just as simple
as
loving
purple
toes! ♥