Terminal Sweetness
My daughter Regine suffers
from something many of us
wish we had, but it can
handicap even an ordinary life.
She was born with terminal
sweetness, first noticed even
before her high Apgar score was yelled
out by the stressed out O.R. nurse.
Regine was born smiling,
happy and round.
Her father said she was so perfect that
her smile belonged on the side of a pamper
box.
Now twenty years later her perfection
makes us proud as she sprinkles her love
on those blessed by her presence.
She rejoices when her loved ones are happy
and whimpers when they’re sad
and does anything in her power,
even to her own detriment,
to release the pain in a loved ones’ heart.
Regine doesn’t even eat meat.
That hurts animals.
The Art of Listening
Each morning
when my eyes gently open
with our brilliant sunrise,
I hear the sound
of my 17-year-old dog’s breath beside me—
gentle breaths from a sour mouth
of rotten teeth way too old to clean.
My ears are pulled to my bedroom window
overlooking my yard with pool amidst.
In the distance is a passing jet.
If I push my ears out to focus,
I hear sparrows chirping on a pepper tree,
as if they all arrived for breakfast at the same time.
Who rang the breakfast bell?
and is it audible to every human ear?
It’s summertime, and If I stop for one more moment,
I hear the buzzing of our air conditioner unit
pushing out cool air
on this hot steamy summer morning.
From the next room, a toilet flushes,
and then the sound of my husband
placing his night guard in its plastic container.
These are all morning sounds
that reminds me it’s time to begin a new day
of new ways and new dreams.
It’s a day not to turn back to yesterday,
but a reminder to stay in the moment
And practice the art of listening.
The Spirit of Things
Let’s stop for a minute
to meditate on the awe
around us and feel with it with our heart.
The spirit of all is a pulse,
a vibrational frequency—
some things are like racing hearts
others have the pulse to stop.
A pulse in everything
from the plant in your garden
to the crows on the neighbor’s branches
to the dog who cuddles with you at night
and the buddha on your desk
who scrutinizes all you do.
feel the energy and
you will feel alive
vibrant
yearning to continue
on this life journey, which is
sometimes dull, heavy, and quick.
and occasionally moral.
ABOUT:
Diana Raab, PhD, is an award-winning memoirist, poet, blogger, speaker, and author of 10 books and is a contributor to numerous journals and anthologies. Her two latest books are, "Writing for Bliss: A Seven-Step Plan for Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life," and "Writing for Bliss: A Companion Journal." Her poetry chapbook, "An Imaginary Affair," was recently published in July 2022 with Finishing Line Press. She blogs for Psychology Today, Thrive Global, Sixty and Me, Good Men Project, and The Wisdom Daily and is a frequent guest blogger for various other sites. Visit: www.dianaraab.com. Follow @dianaraab for updates on her work.
EDITOR'S SONG PAIRING:
Bhudda[P. Mogan's Perspective] by Sonic Pulse
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