This morning, looking up through
the window
my eyes come to rest on a
lovely, plumped up morning dove
sitting quite
peacefully, as they do
on a branch, in the
cedar
wishing then, as I do
to take his picture
capture for a moment
this
peaceful being, who appears
as if he might indeed be
watching,
over
me
there is a comfort in this
I cannot as it happens, take this picture
as my lap is fully inhabited
by the snuggliest pup
and I can’t really move much
so we sit
and just watch
and
there is a comfort in this, too
as the dog has conveniently displaced my
book
this morning, I am also sat here
thinking about things to be
most grateful for
and, as always… about love
(but of course, as with me
these thoughts will come about, kind of
topsy-turvy
and possibly your kind patience
will be required)
Nearing year’s end, I
with great conviction, announced,
To Whom it May Concern
that beginning in January, I would be dedicating my time
to
a monumental clearing out
of
stuff
as it happened, beginning this new year
we would (finally)
be saying good-bye to our 1950’s green linoleum kitchen floor
sporting as it has for some time now
a giant patch of torn up-ness
and then,
as we would have to ‘clear out’ for work to be done
we would be moving forward
from there
almost immediately after said announcement,
our decidedly old, and well used refrigerator
unceremoniously, breathed its last
and so we ended and began a new year
with that small bit of chaos,
contractors, Christmas, and most probably
for me
covid
however, such is life, amiright
we got through it
then, barely two weeks in,
a place has opened in long-term care
for my mother-in-law
and we
have twenty-four hours to decide
(or lose placement on a waiting list)
before, as does happen
once again,
plunging in
both of our feets, as they say
to the clearing out, clearing up and
ploughing through
of the
stuff
of
life
we have been here before
this may well be the tenth or eleventh time
of piling up,
in this room, parents and grandparents
chances are
this might be a steady sort of
waddle through
but this too, comes to me
in gratitude
and in love
this too, is how we open our hands
to possibility
to kindness
to
each other
the many ways in which we love
the world
and all the ways
we keep ourselves open
to
receive
(whilst doing,
the best
we can)
this my dear friends, is life
amiright
we get through… 
