Gratefully

Hi everyone,

I was delighted by all your warm birthday wishes yesterday, both here and on Facebook. Thank you so much. I tried to keep up all day but some came in after I went to bed at midnight. I couldn’t have asked for a better day, surrounded by three people I love so dearly.

I’ve been thinking about the poem, “Friends,” that I posted for March, and decided it needed a middle stanza to develop the stone’s presence. I’m reposting the result here. I hope you enjoy it.

Friends

A thirsty root, in search of nourishment,
to fill a singular need of hers alone,
edged deeper down through dark unknown,
anticipation growing as she went,
eventually encountering a stone.

Isolated there since eons gone,
the stone perceived her presence underground.
felt her touch with gratitude profound.
Though powerless to impede her moving on,
remembered well a time that meant so much.

The root, seeking sustenance for her soul,
moved away, inching past the stone,
but meeting as they did by fate alone,
each became a part of something whole,
friends from time and place that need had sewn.


(c) 2023 David L. Harrison, all rights reserved

f

The routine

Hi everyone,

Yesterday was productive though short. Daughter ROBIN has now joined us so we have both of our beloved children with us for a while. It doesn’t get any better than that.

This is my quiet time of the day. After a while, Robin will come out of her bedroom on bare feet, kiss me good morning, pour her coffee, and find a comfortable chair to do some writing in her journal or catch up on email. Later, SANDY will emerge from our bedroom. I’ll greet her, she and Robin will talk in low voices, and I’ll take her a cup. JEFF is the late sleeper. He won’t come out of his room before noon, maybe later. Someone needs to make a grocery run. All in good time.

A peaceful retreat

Hi everyone,

Yesterday we drove to Eden Gardens State Park and walked around the scenic 163-acre estate. This time of year the camellias and azaleas are in bloom. We’ve gone there to walk and picnic a number of times over the years. It’s a perfect place to go when you want to be quiet for a time.

Thank you

Hi everyone,

Please know how much your words of sympathy have meant to SANDY and me the last couple of days. She and I, and JEFF, will fly home and join ROBIIN to be with LARRY’S grieving family for the funeral on Saturday. I wrote the obituary, which will appear Thursday in the Springfield News-Leader.

Also on Thursday, I’ll receive the Celebrate Literacy Award from ILA/MLA. I’ll attend the ceremony, being held in Columbia, Missouri during a Write to Read Conference, by Zoom at 4:00 p.m. CST. The next day we’ll head for home.

Today it’s back to the long story. I may not complete it this week but am that close to the end. I’m eager to get it out there.

No commitments this week

Hi everyone,

This should be a quiet week. On the trip down here last week I had the inkling of a picture book idea. Not sure about it yet but I’ll have time in the next few days to give it more thought. One never knows…

In the meantime, some pretty serious afternoon goo foffing is in progress. That includes naps and mild gym workouts. JEFF and his pup Petey have joined us to help.