When Silence Calls

Darkness falls
Closed in walls
Can you hear it
When quiet calls?

Thunder rumbles, lightning cracks
Stops the world in its' tracks
Rain pours down
Drowning out the sound

No one would hear it
No one is around
It remains, leaves a stain
World of pain
Rained down
On this one horse town
Sun and dry air surround
The perimeter of this hollowed, solo ground.

"The Light Inside" by Kyra Faith completed 6/2/2011

Today, I want to share with you my most recent painting, The Light Inside. "Let the light inside shine and reflect the treasures that you did not expect." This was created as a gift for my cousin, Scott, on his 40th Birthday.

"Harmony" project completed May 29, 2011

Earlier this year, I started a project which I posted here and I want to share the completed piece with you now. The project was definitely a leap of faith, something I had never attempted before and yet, it makes perfect sense, as it combines my love of music and my passion for art. The project is entitled, HARMONY and is a living, breathing, work of instrumental art. Yes, I said living and breathing because when it is played, I feel it is life in motion and this piece of art can be played. I would appreciate your feedback on this piece.

Riding the Wings of Love . . . to the Sea of Dreams and Beyond

Today's post is a painting that I created for my best friend and her family as they prepare to move over 2,000 miles away to pursue a dream job. The happiness I feel for them runs deep as this is an amazing opportunity and the beginning of a new journey in their lives. There is sadness in the absence that I will feel in my life with them so far away but I am certain that we will melt the miles away with love, connection and the strength of our 30+ year friendship.
I created this painting for them to express the joy that I see in their future that is built from the strength of their love and the strong and beautiful family unit that they have created which has put them on the path toward reaching their goals and dreams with passion. I believe the foundation they have built will take them on an amazing journey through the sea of dreams and beyond.
I hope you will enjoy this piece, I call it, Riding the Wings Of Love . . . to the Sea of Dreams and Beyond. Completed by Kyra Faith on May 28, 2011.

As Winter Comes to a Close . . .

A couple of photos from a walk through the woods as Spring tried to free itself from the chains of Winter.

Destitute in an Alternate Reality

Propelled forward 
Within the confines of my mind
By stretching the truth from
A vacancy left there by my youth
Stretch it until it bends into some alternate reality
Because the light of day exposes
Infinite possibility.
The limitless energy flow drives fear right through your skull
Like a stake into the heart of your dreams,
fear pierces the boundless energy and paralyzes your soul
Whisking away what lies within and
Leaving it cold on the floor in front of you,
lifeless and destitute, 
framing the burdens of a life left in chains wrapped up in shame.

By Kyra Jackman
April 13, 2011

A Limitless Divine

With intensity in our eyes
Our hearts dancing through
A limitless divine,
Power and passion seep out
Beyond the confines
Of our minds
Into the gift of tomorrow
So that we may lift ourselves up
Into the deepest blue,
Into the richest bounty,
The boundless beauty
That we can touch with our minds.
All of that and more
Surrounds us here and everywhere.
We can borrow that which is within sight,
Absorb with our souls and
Every inch of our being
As much as we can,
Short of drowning ourselves.

By Kyra Faith August 2005 revised March 31,2011

Disconnected Connection

We run to convenience
Losing the personal touch
That as humans,
We crave so much.
We become so disconnected
All the while
Convincing ourselves
We are more connected, more in touch.
We are less in tune with reality,
becoming more and more disjointed.

If we cannot hear
The emotions behind the words
If we cannot experience
All that is revealed in body language.
Can we really engage?
Can we really connect?
We can read the words
Or hear the voices,
All is left up to our interpretation.
Still, it is like watching
A performance from backstage.


Written by Kyra Faith 8/12/2005 and revised 3/28/2011

New painting, currently untitled . . .

Completed by Kyra Faith on March 18, 2011, as of yet untitled.

Peace Out, Peace In

Dive deep into
waters, wind,
life and the living.
Breathe deep, exhale,
take it in.
Wonder, beauty,
fire and ice,
swallow it whole.
Peace, fill your soul.
In the air
that fills the lungs,
Peace, flowing into
veins giving life,
a gift, a treasure,
Peace.

In the beginning,
In the end,
In between
Peace.
Drink it all in
and cry out for it,
Peace.

Written and published work by Kyra Faith.

Waves of Fire in the Heart

This is a painting that I completed in June of 2010. I have been working on the title for it. I have been thinking of "Waves of Fire in the Heart" but contemplated "Oceans of Fire Inside My Heart" and "Oceans on Fire Inside My Heart". Any thoughts to share on which title you prefer? I appreciate any feedback.

Nurture & Feed Your Soul

Nurture and feed your soul
Each day
As it hungers
To grow strong
and soar
and it will.


This drawing was completed by me on May 16, 2010 and accompanies the poem to express the notion that all souls need constant fuel and nurturing to experience growth which causes evolution in the heart and mind.

Fragile: Handle With Care

People run when my lips speak the truth.
Running from the shame,
The burden of my youth.

So, I will walk awhile
Into the wilderness,
Ignore the pain inside.

Walk amongst the crowd
That clings to
Only what is allowed.

Stories told of happy times
To hide the pain
Behind classy rhymes,

Those that tell of
Sugar plums
Or ancient tales of love.

It is acceptable to dream
Of sweet and treasured
Souls that gleam.

Do not speak of the night
Where danger and demons
Fill us with fright.

By Kyra Faith
December 30, 1993

Sunflower Fields Shall Reveal

Is it even real
Telling you only half of what I feel?
Holding back for your gain,
Burying the sadness and the pain.

Are we really friends
If I don't know where to begin?
Do you really care
That I am gasping for air?

I am standing in the shadows
Of those sunflowers in the meadow,
Dreaming that you will look for me there.
I am cold and lonely, lost and bare.

I am desperately searching my mind for a place
That isn't filled with longing or disgrace.
How did I get here in a flash,
If it was not built to last?

Why should it have to be discarded?
Only fools take the role of the broken hearted.
Why did you lead me to the sunflower fields
Only for the empty truth to be revealed?

By Kyra Faith
November 21,2006

Chester the Cat

Chester the Cat

Filled with grace
Your sweet, kitten face
Warmed my heart
Brought joy to my days

Your spirit strong
Life, full and long
As a kitten, you loved to play
You grew more loyal with each day

A faithful companion
Right up to the end
Always generous with affection
All you desired was attention

We shared so much love over the years
Memories will make smiles from the tears



Thank you to my remarkable kitty, Chester, for two decades of love and companionship! I am so fortunate that you chose me!!!

Over Consumption

Over consumption is
The poison in our veins
Slowing us down in many ways
Stealing away valuable space
In our minds
In our hearts
It is undefined
It is broken apart
In our souls
Keeping us halfway
From being whole
We have, we hold
The anecdote
That goes against
All that we have known
It contradicts
What is comfortable
It's lush and green
Spacious and clean
Home to no material things

Hall Of Wonder

Energy strung
So high above
The bricks that built
A world so small.

Life that left
Before it was done.
A soul so hollow
It was bound to all.

The mind collapsed
In it's shell
So shaken
By the ground once moved.

When the eyes
Came into view,
The girl had to ask
What had been proved.

INTO

Here is a poem I completed on September 14, 1989.

INTO
Grasping tight
Into this
Moment of confusion
Stripped of power
I speak,
Time follows,
I repeat.

All is lost into darkness.
Shadows faded,
I found
A strength within
Unknown,
So deep,
Shallow to the cause.
A spark captured
Light of day.

Mountain Home: Whistle Stop Road

Almost twenty years ago, I set out on an endeavor that I had been thinking about for quite some time.  When I first began writing, I had the desire to turn my poetry into song lyrics as I was very passionate about and deeply moved by music.  It was not until my early 20's that I actually set out on this journey.  I started this project with a couple of very influential people in my life who were also talented musicians.  We did work on the lyrics and melodies for some time and nailed down some pretty good material but, unfortunately, it ended there.  I am now at a point in my life where I am going to revisit these songs and hopefully follow through with it this time.  I want to share one of the songs with you today.
This one is called is about a place I call Whistle Stop Road, see what you think.


Mountain Home: Whistle Stop Road


Boarded the 8 am
Headed for the mountains again
Behind me the city fades
As I make my escape
Into as deep inside of me
As I could ever be
Searched far and wide
City to city to mountainside

1st chorus
From the crowded time
Where I was lost
Into this heart of mine
To feel the cause

2nd chorus
This time I'm here to stay
Found my home
I've found my way

Now this Whistle Stop Road
Is a place to call my own

Now I live and love the night
And drink the light of day

Feel as though I might
Shine along the way

(Repeat 1st and 2nd chorus)

Now this Whistle Stop Road
Has Become my mountain home

(Repeat 2nd chorus)

The Gaze

Part One

There it was amidst your gaze
like a starry night
in the country
every twinkle shining
brighter than the one before.
Every time my eyes met yours,
I was carried to some distant shore,
letting go,
seemingly abandoned,
lying in the rising tide.
Shall I be captured
by this tide
only to be cast away
into the cold and dark
alone, searching for your gaze
once again.

Part two


No, the treasure lies
in my ability and desire
to cherish the gaze,
invite the tide to caress me,
welcome the travel to distant shores,
keep my eyes on the tide,
embrace the cold and dark of it
for they too offer warmth and light.

The treasures are not in the gaze alone
and therefor, I should not be searching for it.
Instead, uncovering all the jewels
now buried deep within,
my rewards aplenty.
The work ahead appears
both painstaking and fruitful.
The focus must be on the truth,
the facts, the spoken,
overpowering the unknown,
the speculation, and
the unspoken.

Part Three


How easily the unknown,
the unspoken could draw me
into a variety of arenas,
questioning all the possibilities.
Could it have meant?
Could it mean?
Could it someday be?
Could it become
something more to me
just by focusing on the unknown,
the unspoken?

It is possible to be drawn into
a world of disillusionment,
betrayal of self,
completely out of touch with reality
if the focus is shifted.

Part Four

It is then, that I ask the question.
Why had I allowed the focus to stray at all?
Was it out of desperation?
Loneliness? Emptiness?
Drawn to the life streaming from your gaze.
Drawn to it by power, time and place.
The answers are many.
The questions, too, are many.
The confusion remains in the shadows.
Still, I must embrace, even that which
I cannot fully comprehend
as part of the joy and wonder of it all.

The Dust

I had lost my focus for too long.
A thick layer of dust gathered,
it seemed as a wool blanket
covering my hopes and dreams.
Why had I allowed myself to slip away so?
How had one experience and one person
helped me to uncover and discover?
The dust buried my soul,
my true self, for so long.

Was I so afraid to be?
That I had allowed myself to . . .
not be, feel, think or create
from the inside as I know I can.

How much different the world looks to me now.
How I feel with so much more intensity.
Still, in doing so,
I am aware of the possibilities
that the strength of what I feel will increase,
be enlightened with every turn, with every glance
and with each introduction that follows.

The colors are so bold and bright.
The variables in between are so rich and plentiful.
So full of wonder and excitement
is the path ahead.
Still, I feel fear tugging at my back.
Struggling, the fear tries to keep my steps forward
to a tiptoe, a mere shuffle.
I must push ahead,
fear at my back, possibility in my sights,
follow the path until . . .
I meet another path, until . . .

Standing Still . . . Awakened!

A follow up to my last post, this is another composition of mine from that same period in November of 2002 when I was experiencing some serious changes in myself, in my perspective from the inside out.

Standing Still . . . Awakened!

Time passed and I stood still,
waiting for the world to offer itself,
waiting for the fruits of my labor to be offered up
as reward for hardships,
as payment overdue
for pain and suffering,
for years, for tears, for heartache
as if it was owed to me,
as if it was written in some contract
of life, of parent to child,
of friend to friend, of sibling to sibling . . .
a contract, written by me for myself.

No other is responsible
for bringing the fruits to the table,
for bringing the fruits to me,
for bringing me to the fruits
that are offered by the world,
waiting to be selected and tasted,
devoured, enjoyed, savored
for each and every bite offers
a sample of sweet, sour, bitter,
rough in texture,
filling me whole and leaving behind
a taste of sweet, a bit of sour,
bitterness on the tongue
that lingers awhile
offering gifts
for my senses
to be awakened,
awakened day after day.

Clearing Away The Clutter

Here is a piece that I completed in November of 2002. After some life changing experiences during a trip to California that month, I did a lot of writing. I will certainly share more of this writing in the future as it reflects the evolution that took place in me during that time.

Clearing Away The Clutter

Clearing away the clutter
who imagined it could have such an effect?
To be able to think more clearly,
feel more deeply,
be reunited with your senses, as if,
having met them for the first time.
Breathing much more easily,
seeing much further than before,
observing so many little details
of which I had not even been aware.
The details shine brightly.
It amazes me
that I could have lived without
the depth of feeling.
The details seem to be as necessary as
the air in my lungs
in allowing the blood
to continue to flow.

The world is grand,
the variables are many.
It is an ocean great and fierce,
so beautiful and scary,
so deep and wide,
so full and so lonely,
so blue with many shades of grey,
so vast and yet boxed in.
Turning each way to face yet another wall
to break through.
Oh, what splendor, to break through.
For something new, fresh and awesome awaits
to bring life to something inside
waiting to awaken
with splendor, with awe, full of wonder.

No matter the timing,
there is no preparation to be made.
For, these wonders come and surprise
even the most skilled seekers of life.
It is not in breath that we live,
not in a day or a moment that we live.
It is in wonder that we dance, that we live
full, whole and in awe of the dance, the life, the gift.

AGE

Today, I share with you a piece that I composed in 1998. I was in my mid twenties and preparing for a lot of big life changes; marriage, newly built home, life-threatening heart surgery for my Father and new challenges at work. It was a year full and rich in many ways but deep with emotional struggles as well. It was definitely a year filled with many life lessons. See what you think. Can you relate to feeling this way at some points in your life?


AGE

Sophistication, Wisdom, Power, Strength . . .
Fear, Reality, Helplessness, Loneliness . . .

We look forward to it until we reach it.
We enjoy it until we see the reality of it.

It comes so quickly to meet us.
It steps in the door before it knocks.

What happened? Not so fast! Where did it go?
The time, the youth . . . yesterday.

We wanted to be big. We wanted to drive.
We wanted to go out on our own. We wanted to get married.
We wanted to have a family. We wanted. We wanted . . .
But not anymore.

Now we want it all back.
To cherish, to treasure, to have it all over again.

If you are not here yet.
You get a second chance.
Make it your miracle.

This Thing Called Fear

I often write about this thing called fear. Fear can control our lives if we allow it. Fear can destroy our plans if we let it. Fear can run away with our dreams if we don't stop it. Fear can obstruct us on our path and we must find another route or climb over it. What I want to stop for this moment to talk about is what happens when we conquer our fear. Yes, we can conquer our fear because we created it! When we finally refuse to let fear stand in our way, amazing things happen. Fear is manufactured inside our heads and we shall overcome it! Fear is not the natural way for our lives to be guided. Our natural guide is the shining light within us that directs us out from the shadows and onto the stage where we are meant to shine. I have seen people overcome fear and the most amazing things happen! Look inside yourself and discover why fear has bound you to unhappiness. All of the things you "wanted to do in life" can be accomplished. Overcoming fear can be one of the most rewarding things in life. The possibilities are endless once you are freed from the locks and chains of fear. Break out of that prison, break free for all the world to see and let that light shine!

Stage Fright

From time to time, I will share things that I have written at different points in my life. The following poem was written many years ago, a few weeks after my sixteenth birthday. At times, I struggle with whether or not I really like my earlier compositions. This is one that I can find value in because it has good elements and I think the reader can easily relate to it. I enjoy looking at my earlier works in comparison to more recent ones as it shows growth as a person and as a writer. See what you think.

Stage Fright

A scene is created
To amuse and entertain
The atmosphere seems
Something more than plain.

Changing surfaces
In order to deceive
Trading places
So the viewers will believe.

Cast into a family
Where reality has no name
All of it's members attempt
To be the master of the game.

Pretenders falling closer
Time and space collide
Must we read between the lines
To discover what is inside?

Lovers

I notice them there.
Although, they are unaware,
Locked, one to the other,
Energy drawing them together.
Is there anything else?
Is there anyone else?
They have all that they need,
As solid as can be,
Their cups are filled and overflowing.
Well, I really should be going.
Still, I cannot resist the urge to stare.
Since they do not realize I am there,
The beauty is too much to resist.
Why can't I find something like this?
Such a gift is reserved,
For those who truly deserve.
If I could just have a taste,
I would treasure it until the end of my days.
My eyes are fixated on their intensity,
My heart realizes it is not my destiny.
My soul's desire fuels the fire inside of me.
I find myself in an empty room with only my reflection,
Searching for a reason why my heart deserves a true companion.

Rise Up For Our Sisters and Brothers

Wouldn't you expect
That it would reflect
In their expression, in their gait?
Still, it isn't obvious in their face
that nearly half a million lives
have been essentially erased.
Only a few survive
the evil of genocide.
Only a few are alive
and even they are forced to hide.
We have the wealth, we have the power,
many are dying by the hour.
They are the children of the world,
they are the innocent whose screams cannot be heard,
they are husbands and fathers, sisters and brothers,
they are sons, they are daughters,
they are victims without a voice,
they were never given a choice.
Evil that was born from ignorance and fear
takes more and more lives with each passing year.
When will we rise up and say,
"No more, not on our watch!"?
Rise up, let your soul guide the way,
even if you think you cannot do much.
Unopposed, the evil will continue to gain ground.
Listen closely, do you hear the sound?
They are crying out for our help, begging for mercy.
An incomprehensible number of our brothers and sisters
are suffering and hoping against hope that we will begin to see
their safety and their future is within our reach.
Let us not sit on our hands or try to meet any demands,
let us take to the shore of that not so distant land
and take our brothers and sisters by the hand.
Wouldn't you expect
the world to rise up and protect
the children and the innocent
from the evil, the inhumanity?
It starts, right here, with you and me.
Just think of the possibilities.

From The Inside Out

I completed this painting titled, "From The Inside Out" back in 1994. Of course, this is where I derived the name for my blog. I began painting a few years before this one but it was the first painting that I attempted on a canvas of that size. It began a new phase for me in how I would express myself through art. At this point, I began to allow the paint to flow through me onto the canvas. I have no formal ideas when I set up to paint. I truly feel that the paintings develop me instead of the other way around. I will share more of my creations in the future.

Wandering Aimlessly

I found myself wandering aimlessly unsure of how I got here. I looked around and noticed something familiar that was disguised by the mask of time. The sensation let me know that time had not altered its ability to draw my insides out. Time had not diminished its ability to fill me with peace and the sense of home that comforts my soul. A genuine strength that exists regardless of time or distance yet when I reach out to embrace it, it slips away. If I had imagined the possibility of embracing something so real, whether as a child or in my dreams, I could never have imagined something so full of beauty, warmth and depth. Still, I never imagined that all of this could be within reach and yet beyond my grasp. I may have been wandering the halls of my mind without a map or strolling through the hollowed walls of my dreams believing it to be real. In either case, it has a grip on me. Still, I cannot fully embrace it.

Take the Baby Home, Hold Her Heart in Yours

I would not be who I am without suffering through
the terrors and the pain.
Still, I sometimes imagine what a more simplistic past could do
to reinvent my soul today.


Take the baby home and keep her under lock and key,
save her from the evil that hovers and look what she'll turn out to be.
Take your daughter home and protect her innocence,
keep her just beneath your wings and offer evil no forgiveness.
Take your child home and hold her heart in yours,
protect her soul, give her wings and she will certainly soar.
Take your little one into the garden where birds sing and butterflies dance,
don't let the sun go down on her hopes and her dreams, give her a chance.
Take the baby home again and keep her under lock and key,
save her life, save her soul, save her grace and dignity.

Falling in, Falling Away

falling in, falling away
never thought it would happen this way
the water's so deep but the hill is steep
falling in falling away
there's a high price to pay
lose a lover while losing sleep
falling away, falling in
don't even know where to begin
where to fall at the end of the day to process this
falling away, falling into
lost in silence, found in pieces
without a place to fit in
falling away or falling in
are you either?
have you already
fallen away and fallen back in?
there was a rush of everything all at once
that seemed so real, so vivid, so full of life
pause
paused still
falling away
falling in
no more?

The Reality

The Reality,
It is harsh and cold
It is blameless and full of fear
It feels new and somehow old
Even when it's foggy, it is still clear

It is filled with passion and desire
It is serenaded by heart strings
It sets our souls on fire
Accompanied by the pain it brings
Reality is our friend, our enemy and everything
in between.

It is the wars between what we know, what we don't and what we believe to be.
It is the fear of what we have done, where we have been and what we have seen.

Reality trips us up along the way, brings us back from fantasy and reminds us that pleasure is not free.

Desire, confusion, passion, illusion, mystery, pain, strength, loss, loneliness, comfort, insecurity, responsibility, ignorance, sadness, fear and disappointment are all part of reality.

We are all alone with our own reality.

Another poem . . .

Marching in the Fool’s Parade

You draw me in
Without even a thought
You reeled me in and threw me back
As soon I was caught

The tangled web inside my head
Was woven with your hands
Now each time I go to bed
I’m dreaming up impossible plans

I’m marching in the fool’s parade
On tiptoes like the autumn clouds
My heart danced to the songs you played
Feeling certain that the mate of my soul was found

Now, I see you’re not with me
You’ve made your distance known
Still, inside my mind, I see
The truth and reality of what you have shown

The songs play on each and every day
They bring gifts of love and light
Pouring passion into my heart along the way
Into my soul to broaden my sight

I’m marching in the fool’s parade
On tiptoes like the autumn clouds
My heart danced to the songs you played
Both on the air and on the ground

I’m marching in the fool’s parade
Carrying the load of mistakes I’ve made

Journeys of the Heart

The heart can journey endlessly
Leading the mind out from the ruins
The heart is innately free
Even as the mind is trapped in confusion

Let the heart travel
Let it be your guide
It reminds you not to dwell
In spaces that allow you to hide

The heart cannot thrive in a state of fear
The mind draws this in and hides behind it
Finding a comfortable discomfort here
Stuck, no room for change in this state of mind

Fear tries to take over, heart and soul
While your mind remains paralyzed
Making it impossible to reach your goals
As you lose sight of the soul your heart designed

All is lost to this power called fear
If you let your guard down and let it in
The challenge is very clear
The strength is within you to win

Fear or your heart can be your guide
The choice is in your mind's eye
Do not go to that place and hide
Be alive, bust through the fear inside

Life is not ahead of you
It is full and present in the here and now
You may have some fighting to do
To show your mind the why and how

The rewards are endless
It is evident from the start
As soon as you clean up the mess
That fear has created in your heart

The clarity will bring light
To the visions of your soul
Your heart will guide your sight
The path will be lit toward becoming whole

The Colors of Love

Time for sharing poetry again. I have been writing poetry since about the age of 10. Writing was always an outlet, a saving grace for me in the early years. I was not sure that I loved it or that I was even good at it but it gave me a sense of freedom and helped me through my childhood. It helped me to save myself from getting lost in those very dark places that look inviting to a child that is suffering and suffering, I was. So, after some time, writing became more than just an outlet for me. I fell in love with writing and began really learning a lot about my struggles, the lessons within them and my triumphs from reading what I had written. Also, I began to grow as a writer and this made me love it even more deeply. As my passion for writing grew, I experienced a lot of growth and that cycle has continued throughout the years. My writing from the early years seems much different to me than the compositions that I create today.
Here is a poem I wrote on 7/25/90:

The Colors of Love

It's love and personality
Stemming from positive minds
Hearts come together
Bringing forth more and more
Of the colors of the world

Here, there, and in between
As time turns
The light breaks out
Across the land each day

The colors of the world
Though often tucked away
And sometimes lost
In the chaos of everyday life
Are vivid and constant
If not gradually brighter
In the middle of

LOVE

Running high
Forward into the night

By Kyra Faith

Perspective

All we need is a change in perspective . . .

Life is filled with questions, answers, trials, lessons, beauty, wonder, pain, joy, darkness, light, inspiration, sadness and so much more. All of these can be found in everyday experiences, it is just a matter of perspective. Pain and fear can keep us stuck in a place, even paralyzed. Perspective can free us from even the darkest depths where once we may have drowned. Taking a step back and looking at any particular piece of our lives offers us the chance to be more attentive to the gifts within the pain. Renewed perspective can fill us with renewed hope and peace instead of trapping us under the giant thumb of fear.

Fear is powerful because we feed it, absorb it, become one with it and it directs our lives away from our natural, desired path. We can take back the power by turning the fear into joy, possibility, love and light. Whatever it is that is holding us down, we must embrace it!
If fear is keeping us from trying because there is a possibility of failure, look to the lesson it is holding for us. What is the worst that can happen in failure? We can learn from our mistakes, grow from the point of failure and move forward into success the next time. If fear has us stuck in a place because we are concentrating on the failure itself and continually telling ourselves how faulted and bad we are for failing, fear has the upper hand. Take back the power and tell yourself that you needed that experience of failure to grow and better your life. Show yourself that growth is necessary and embracing failure is the best way to move forward into who you are meant to be.

We are totally in charge of our thoughts and how we allow them to make us feel about ourselves. So, tell yourself about the goodness in you. Remind yourself daily to have the willingness to change your perspective and see the gifts in everything. Yes, I did say everything! Gifts come to us in ways, we are not always able to see, especially when we are drowning in suffering, loss, grief, pain. Make the choice to experience the pain, swimming around in the deep blue of it and soak up all that it has to offer. Do not let pain consume you, swallowing you whole as it can easily do. There is beauty in pain. Some of the most beautiful gifts of my life have come from the most painful experiences. Suffering can gift us with great strength if we allow it to. Loneliness can remind us to treasure the beauty in shared moments. Death can teach us to treasure loved ones and the many gems they stuff into our pockets of life. Physical pain is a great reminder to us not to take our health and all that it affords us for granted. Suffering through abuse can build up walls in the heart to protect and strengthen. It can also create a compassionate, far-reaching soul that has a deep understanding for the capacity that the heart has for healing and reviving life from within.

The gifts in pain and suffering are endless and are there to be discovered and bring you renewed perspective. The perspective is yours and that makes it easily adjustable. The ability to do this will bring immediate results. Changing your life is truly as easy as changing your point of view! We all have sad stories to tell but they are just that, stories. These stories do not define us unless we let them. By repeating these stories, we are telling ourselves and others that they define us, when they do not. Our stories are tools that we can learn from.

Here is an idea, thinking of a very personally painful time in your life and on a piece of paper, write down 5 lessons that you took away from it. If you repeat this lesson with other difficult times of life, the lessons will become more and more evident. You may even notice that you have been trying to learn the same lessons over and over again in life. When we learn the lessons that we are meant to, we can share them with others and truly help each other. Pain should not be the most powerful emotion that we experience. Beauty and wonder are meant to fill our days, our hearts, our minds and our souls. It is attainable. Life as beauty is attainable. Fullness of days and love that permeates our life is not a fairy tale, it is within us and we are the masters of our universe.

Find your peace, find the beauty, discover the light within the darkness until you escape from the shadows and soak up the fullness of each and every moment!

A piece of instrumental art

A few months back, before the holiday rush began, I started a new project. I finally completed it! It still needs a coat of varnish and will have to be put back together but the artistic part is complete. I love music and enjoy painting a great deal. So, this is a fun way to combine those two loves. I am definitely interested in pursuing it further. I would be interested to know what you think.

Melodies are time capsules of memories

Music has been an integral part of my life since the beginning. I can recall from a very young age being exposed to all genres of music. My Mother always seemed to have music on in the house. She introduced us to everything from Carly Simon to Jacques Brel to Mozart to Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee to The Carpenters to The Beatles and much, much more. My Grandfather loved to sing and even recorded himself on audio cassette, singing in Italian, which we enjoy to this day. My Father and Brother played our family piano, often treating us to impromptu concerts. My Brother played by ear and my Father could sit down to the piano and spontaneously play, quite beautifully. We all had our turn with singing solos at school and church, were involved in dance and attempted other instruments too.
So, from a very early age, I have a great deal of memories associated with music. Music was part of a great many celebrations and it was also a great escape from my dysfunctional childhood. On occasion, I have said that music, art and writing saved me. I think there is some truth to that. Music took me on journeys to unfamiliar places, helped me to escape the rough waters that I was, at times, drowning in and helped me to discover the unknown about myself. Music has offered so much to me along my journey. At times, it has been the air in my lungs, it has helped me to experience growth and survive pain, it has brought light to the darkest of days and it was the inspiration for me to begin writing in my youth, which really helped me to thrive from the inside out.
There are hundreds of songs that act as time capsules for me. The moment any one of these songs begins, I am drawn right back to a certain moment in time, to a certain feeling or a certain person that it draws in to my mind. Certain musicians draw me right back to a period of my life. Flashbacks of moments in time that are so vivid, so full of life throw me back five, ten or twenty years to revisit the joy, the pain, the laughter, the tears.
I love music for the journeys that it has always offered. I love music for it's ability to capture feelings, experiences, moments in time. I love music for how it inspires, teaches, comforts, and so much more. I do not wish to imagine my life without music. I am thankful to my family and friends for the wide variety of music they have brought into my life over the years, keep it coming!
I have chosen the songs on the playlist here on my blog for their significance in my life. These songs define me in many ways. They tell stories that I can relate to periods of my life, they describe the paths I have traveled, they express significant relationships that have changed me from the inside out, they speak of things that I am passionate about or they tell you a little bit about my truest self. I may add songs from time to time as they come to mind but they will always have great significance for me.

What songs tell your story?
How has music affected your life?

Falling Crystals

A scene created
And magically defined
By each falling crystal
To stimulate the mind.

Surreal in it's beauty and grace
The white blanket grows
A perfect inspiration
For poetry and prose.

Poetry

From time to time, I would like to share a sampling of my poetry. I will begin today with the following:

Scattered Pictures, reflections in time
Snapshots, scenes playing out in my mind

Watch the reels tell the stories
Oh, the beauty in the pain
The trials hold their virtues and glory
Tears are just the soul's rain

Look at the smiles lighting up their eyes
You can almost hear the laughter song
And remember that pain in your side
That remained long after the laughter was gone

The memories are not just days gone by
They are the lamplight of your journey
That light your soul from the inside
Keeping your heart from waste and hurry

Scattered pictures, reflections of mine
Snapshots, pieces of my heart,
from a not so distant time.