Humble

 

Before God’s creation

I am humble,

knowing we are but grains of 

sand along the shores of time-

and standing alone are

 nearly invisible.

Together we can form 

mountains, reaching to

the heavens as we lift

each other up,

offering a steady shoulder

when needed and accepting

a foothold when we falter

ourselves. 

Nothing truly great is

ever accomplished alone,

nothing in creation can be known

without another. 

Community, cohesion, cooperation,

appreciation, admiration, aspiration

to be all that we 

dream.

Together.

Humble.

CKP copyright 2020

Infinitesimally Minuscule

 

Can you see me there...

Do you dare to even glance?

I am the sunrise that says, 

“We are still here.”

I am that which crawls upon the ground.

Do you think about treading upon my back? 

And that which takes wing,

fading into the sky

Can you feel its flutter as it passes by? 

Must there always be a show

before you know 

we are here? 

We are but an infinitesimal pulse within the heartbeat of Existence.

Minuscule..

If the Universe should tread upon your back,

would you not feel the pain?

Nature mourns her losses

and quietly rejoices in her accomplishments

while humankind never has enough, 

never does enough,

never is enough

to be content.

I am the busy bee that works to live

Often hanging on to my sanity by a thread while the world around me is hurtling towards destruction.

She watches it all silently, faithfully turning on her light at day’s end. 

Do we appreciate the constant reliability of all that

contributes to the whole,

that creates the pulse,

the heartbeat

of life? 

I am brilliant, but you must take the time to glimpse

the magnificence that is here and gone in the blink of Eternity’s eye. 

We are eternal, not immortal. 

Infinity has no timepiece,

knows nothing of beginning or end

and stops for no man’s desperate cry for salvation

from what he has wrought upon himself.

Do you know your place on the wheel,

can you sing with the spheres,

drift on the wind

and be at peace with

being 

infinitesimally minuscule? 

Cheryl Pennington

Copyright words and images

2020

(The year that should never have been)

The Deafening Silence

The Sound of Silence

Hello Darkness, my old friend,

I've come to talk with you again

because a vision softly creeping

left its seeds while I was sleeping

and the vision that was planted in my brain

still remains

within the 

Sound of Silence.

This first verse to an old but perpetually relevant song by Simon and Garfunkel has been a recurring theme for me throughout my life.  In the mystical moment between asleep and awake lie the revelations that sear the soul, the brilliant 'Aha's' that I try to grasp even as they slip once more into the chasm of oblivion.  

My heart cries to capture them and share these truths with the world; but, like glistening drops of morning dew, they disintegrate when touched-shattering into a million molecules that disappear into the atmosphere once again...waiting.  They wait for us to be ready, to be worthy, to be willing to hear and to accept the truth of what they are, what we are and what we have done, and what we must do to be at peace with the universe as we were in the beginning.  Before the desire grew too big, before the killing, the willing that all would be gained at any cost.  

We have moved so far beyond our connection with our earth home that our children don't know the histories any more.  The struggles that made us strong have been stuffed into closets to collect dust along with the musty bones of those whose blood was shed forging the path that brought us to our comfortable place.  The face of humanity has changed from eager hunger for growth and transformation to bored apathetic impatient expectation.  

Is it too late, have we gone too far?  I see kindness still reaching, hear the teaching of the wise ones-their voices rising above the cacophony of technology. The drone of witty repertoire, edgy, cool and quippy but without context.  

Listen to the old for they have lived a life and made it this far having listened to those who went before.   Who has lived who hasn't committed sin, hasn't lived in error, and hasn't changed from the long road?  A wise man once said, "Whoever sees his life and feels he knows the answers to all the questions can be certain he does not even know the questions." 

Listen to the young without judgment and know that they are learning.  Do not allow their toys to raise them, their peers to teach them or their activities to be their only companions.  Parenting means being present, being aware, and it is not for the faint of heart.  Being your child's friend should be your last priority.  A good parent will know the friendship of their grown children once they reach their own maturity. 

 It is said that parenting is a thankless job and it can seem that way for many years. Now that my children are grown I feel their thankfulness in every conversation we have, see it in their beautiful faces and the lives they are creating every day.  Sometimes we didn't like each other when they were young but we always loved one another. Love is neither easy nor disposable.  

Good relationships are hard work.  We are not put here to 'fix' each other or to mold our relationships.  We often have to suffer through changes, for we all change as we grow. Sometimes those changes are too great to sustain our relationship; yet sometimes, if we are patient we can catch up to one another again, find that even ground and see one another with new eyes.  Relationship can be a metamorphosis of love from awkward caterpillar to resting cocoon to magnificent flight.  Don't give up when you realize you are actually separate persons with your own ideas, goals and desires.  

Know that you are never alone.  Especially when you are all alone.  It is in those moments, in the absolute quiet that descends like a blanket around you, that you can be still and know that love is that blanket.  Close your eyes and see it, feel it, accept it. It will be the most complete love you will ever know.  

Never be afraid to share your thoughts, your love or your ideas.  Keeping treasures hidden away is like stealing from those who will value them most.  Failure is not death and fear is the antithesis of Love.  Only love is real.  All else falls away in its light.  Hold on to the Light.  

And the people bowed and prayed

to the neon God they made

and the sign flashed out its warning

in the words that it was forming

and the sign said,

"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls

and tenement halls"

and whispered in the Sound of Silence...

Paul Simon

Changes

Life-

fading

from its brilliant hue,

magenta, emerald, azure blue

draining, waning as the winds

of sorrow shake it to the core

what went before

seems like a dream

unraveling at the seams

and yet when viewed

with fresh understanding

shadow and form

become the norm 

once again.

Definition,

this rendition 

adds depth and mystery

for the hungry soul.

without the 

technicolor,

with each other

to paint the canvas 

anew. 

Inevitable

this flow

no choice but to go

forward

bravely navigating

the changes.

CKP Copyright Words and Image 

2020

Love is All Around..

I decided a long time ago that life is too short to take anything for granted.

People have had many reactions to my ‘obsession’ with photographing life’s moments. I get groans at being dragged from bed before sunrise to await that magical moment when Earth opens her sleepy eyes to greet yet another day. I ignore the pained eye rolls when I insist on hurrying out to watch that same sun make its final descent behind the horizon, giving up daylight’s reign to the mystical night. 

But...who would choose to miss this magnificent moment that has ever truly watched it in awed silence?

The truth is that I don’t take photos as a means of hoarding these memories for myself. They are emblazoned on my soul and rooted in my heart. I take them to share with and inspire others to look around, to see what life gives us with every breath we take, so much of it absolutely freely. 

No regrets,

don’t forget

to see

and be

the miracle

the world 

needs

I had another idea for today’s post but an online friend made a simple statement to me this morning and my focus shifted slightly. Love is, indeed, all around us. Accept it, give it away and it comes back to you; but keep it secreted and it withers. Be safe and well my friends. The now moment matters more than ever before. 

  

Tell It All

That is all for today folks. 

Silent Watching....

The elders watched from the precipice of destruction,

stoic, unmoved in their constant vigil,

feeling mildly perturbed

by it all.

The ancient one shivered against the untimely chill

that had crept insidiously over the season,

forcing his tribe to take to the skies

all too soon, seeking warmth-

sustenance.

The Great Hunter finished the remains of its meal

wondering when the last kill would be

as the Keepers pushed further in,

stripping away the vestiges of

their life’s blood.

They bowed their heads in reverent shame for

such disregard of their Mother’s world,

their chirping drowned by the clamor

of progress, the cacophony

maddening.

She made them stewards of her Creation,

they hold her Essence in their hands,

delicate, brilliant, mighty, precious!

How could they betray her trust

for gold dust?

Can they not see the universe in a grain of sand,

feel her breath in the rush of the wind,

see her artistry painted across the 

canvas of a blue sky in the 

rainbow after a storm?

Her children remain hopeful in their quest

for new awakening, their message plain 

to the loyal who choose to see it

etched on their faces-

“Her heart is breaking..”

What is written on the shores of time for

this human race, then, as it spins itself

wildly into eventual extinction,

guided not by love decreed

but stark, unbridled greed?

Words of shame and empty dreams lay

 broken, fading under a remorseless sun

as Creation toils to rebuild itself

as it is loathe and wont to do-

again and again.

The sun rises and sets

as Nature weeps

for what was lost

awaiting eventuality...

for they understand they are the true Keepers,

the constant, faithful, vigilant

unrelenting survivors

that honor the

 dream...

The simple, hopeful thought to not be alone

within the vastness of Eternity

that became an idea of 

the expansion

of Love.

How can we, the Keepers

of the Creator’s original thought

betray such a gift? 

The Trickster speaks,

your mind he seeks

to have and hold

next to his gold

while the hell

He creates

festers and waits

to be fed

with the dead

flesh he vowed

 with head bowed 

to the lie.

Look up!

Reach for the Light

within plain sight

and live! 

CKP words and photos

2020

Let’s hope so, Bob.....click the link for his message to you..oo..oo....

https://youtu.be/zaGUr6wzyT8

Be sure to stop off for a beer and conversation over at Dan Antion’s Place 

And please don’t be silent. We love comments! 

My Soul is a Tomb

My Soul Is a Tomb

My soul is a tomb-

moldy bones of contention

litter the dusty floors 

and congregate in the

murky shadows to avoid

the shards of filtered light

that steal through the gilded

windows, their arches softly

contrasting the hard lines of

mortar and cold stone. 

The faint strains of a waltz

hang on the stale air like

a fog drifting across the

stormy sea of destiny.

My soul is a prison

where cave dwellers make fire

to roast the flesh of dragons

slain by knights on ivory steeds

deep within the forest of lands

ruled by fairies with 

pixie slaves that live among

the thorns of the rose garden

where children in crips linen

dresses and brown britches

play hide and seek with 

gray wolf cubs that venture

into the daylight while their

parents sleep off the night's 

successful run with the red

blood of the farmer's dog  

staining their tongues as they

dream of being eagles.

My soul is a highway

paved with yellow brick,

lined with bright poppies in

shades of crimson, lavender, magenta

to soothe the senses of weary travelers

on their journey from rough hewn

cradle to the quiet shadows of

their final rest.  

They amble and trot, skip, jump,

race, fall, dance, trip and crawl

towards the promised land where

hand in hand they stand to face

the final judgment.

My soul is a legend 

of hunters, servants, kings

and jokers, dancers, builders,

bakers, forsakers and breakers

of hearts, of saints and sinners,

losers and winners, creating each

life with new vigor, new hope, new

understanding and a vow to make 

the next journey more complete 

than the last-without error,

leaving terror of the past behind

liked shreds of colored paper

to litter the road of memory 

with bright distraction-such

attraction impossible to deny

and so begin again..

and again...

For the prison can be breached

and the highway paved with gold

while the legend will be told in the 

etching on the walls within the 

tomb.

CKP Words and Images Copyright

2020

Then and Now

Today’s combination prompt from Linda Hill for #SoCS and #JusJoJan gives us an interesting change. I love these because they can be so varied.

 This is what I want you to do: 1. Grab the closest book to you when you sit down to write your post. 2. Open it to a random page. 3. Locate the first complete sentence on that page. 4. Use the first three words of that sentence to start your post, then take it from there–write whatever comes to mind. That’s it! Have fun!

I was so excited to read something new from the ‘King’ . So far, so good. 

This prompt also fits with what was on my heart and allows me to share something our good blogging friend Damyanti Biswas posted on Instagram yesterday. 

This simple graphic says so much about who we have become as a society. We are civilized to the point of regression. The first human to view their reflection in the water must have been astounded and perhaps felt less alone in their world. That simple appreciation of self awareness has now grown to gargantuan proportions so that seeing oneself in a reflection stirs so many more negative emotions than positive. On the flip side of that, so many are obsessed with their image to the point of sharing it publicly on any media possible for the attention that will come. Humans have grown to be codependent as a race, seeking validation at every turn and unable to accept the simple satisfaction to be gained from a job well done no matter its magnitude. 

When I opened my book today three words from a new chapter stared back at me.

When he saw...

What came to mind was the first chapter of the Bible, the Creation Story. 

When He saw what he had made he knew that it was good.

I have to wonder what our Creator knows about what has become of the original Creation made so lovingly. Can anyone who truly understands the Spirit of Love believe that a loving God would be impressed with uber technology, over population, or the destruction of the very gift we received in that first thought of a god so many claim to live for? Would that God condone the murder of Its Creation for the gain of some of Its children over others? Would that God congratulate the stewards which were created to watch over the heavens and Earth and all living things created before themselves on what they have done with these gifts? 

Many people tell me I am too nice and that this is a weakness. I don’t know any other way to be, for this is what my soul knows of love from where I came. What should be remembered by those who prey on nice people is that it is not a sign of weakness at all. It is our greatest strength, for when everything else falls away, when the masks are removed and there is nothing but our essence that remains, we will not be ashamed of what we brought to this gift called Life. 

I do not aim to belong to any groups or follow any crowds. I don’t mind standing alone if it means my heart is joyful, my soul is at peace and my conscience is clear. If one person remembers me for something kind I have done, then I will consider myself well remembered. 

Have a great #free48 everyone.

Love and Light...

Where two or more are gathered in my name, there is love...

The manatee...gentle giants

https://youtu.be/RrTfNTzAvYY

Always a favorite of mine.

Natural Order

I spend a lot of time visiting parks and wildlife reserves in search of the beautiful living things that are found there, and I have hundreds of photos to show that they really are magnificent. We are also very fortunate to have a beautiful neighborhood with a small, man made lake where the ducks and various seabirds visit, hang out and come and go at will. I love them and take photos sometimes. I normally prefer not to disturb the general scene with my presence. The wild birds don’t react much to human presence here near the ocean due to living among the hustle and bustle of city life themselves. The ducks, however, think that anything moving is a potential carrier of food, and come waddling over and disrupting any serenity that exists. It is normally quite mundane and quiet as we sit on the porch sipping coffee on a Saturday morning. 

Yesterday, however, found Nature abuzz with excitement and drama and my hubby-the Spotter-had his eye on the details while I grabbed my camera to try and capture the moments. 

Despite my best effort and good intentions, the dim light and excessive movement of the water did not aid me in getting the best shots. But I think you will be able to get the gist of how the morning events unfolded. 

When any Cormorant or Anhinga begins circling in the water with intent, you can bet they are going fishing. I’ve managed to capture images of both birds fishing and get photos of them with their little silvery prizes; so when hubby alerted me that the Cormorant in question had caught something, I grabbed the camera and started to shoot. But I was soon to realize that this was no ordinary catch. At first I thought it was a snake. Wouldn’t you? 

But as I watched the usual process of my feathered friend trying to position its prey for proper swallowing, I noticed it didn’t look like any ordinary snake. It looked like it had fins! I told my hubby and he began looking this up on the internet while I kept snapping. First we decided it was a snakehead fish. Then we found out there were multiple kinds of fish that looked like snakes. It would only be after I looked more closely at the digital images that we would discover exactly what our friend had removed from the little lake. It was an invasive Asian Eel. 

It would appear our wise fishing friend had succeeded in fulfilling his obligation to the natural order. He was quite proud of himself as well, strutting around the lake for a couple of hours after he had swallowed the treat, bathing in the fountain and drying his wings.

He even tried to break up an attempted Muskovey murder. But....that’s a story for another day. Ducks with ill intentions. 

Have a great week everyone! Keep a sharp eye out for invasive eels in your bathtubs, toilets and dishwashers. 🤣😳

This post sponsored by Linda Hill’s JusJoJan prompt/.