My earliest memories of my childhood carries me back to when I was little girl not even two years old and walking with my grandpa. On our walk we crossed a small, shallow creek. I wanted grandpa to carry me across. He kept walking. I balked and sat down in the creek. Needless to say, he had the last word. I got up; dripping wet, and ran to catch up with him. I learned a valuable lesson very early about stubbornness and wanting my own way. Many changes have come about since I was in my youth - not all good changes - but not all bad. There has been so much violence in more recent years. Unsafe surroundings are prevalent now. I never grew up with fear of my safety, and miss that part of my life, and the security it offered. The attitude I see now is much more self-centered. I feel we have lost something more precious...love, trust, respect, and consideration for one another. All these times and events have helped direct the course of my life and influenced me in my poetry writing. How nice it would be to be able to take a midnight stroll, perhaps a walk in the park, sit by a stream, or just sit quietly and watch the sunrise or sunset. I have written poetry for years as a hobby and a release for the many pressures I've endured in my life. I have walked paths I did not know that led to roads I did not know, took many wrong turns, and climbed mountains I felt were too high. Life is not all bad. It has been for me a worthwhile journey. I will keep on going, and going, and going. I'm still walking, grandpa.
About the Author: My father said I was born on a Sunday morning about 8:00 a.m. and that I was very wrinkled. I thought about that from time to time, in the years in between, and wondered if that was a forecast of wrinkles to come. The more often I look in the mirror these days, the more I am convinced of what was to come has come. But, no need to dwell on the past...it's here! There have been many events that have taken place since that Sunday morning so long ago - yet such a short time ago. I now have four children, twelve grandchildren, and three great grandchildren - a challenging career, but still a rewarding one - my greatest achievement. For more than 35 years I worked as an X-ray technologist to support my four children, working full time and pulling emergency calls many evenings and weekends just to keep our family together. It was not an easy task but they (my children) were my life. I felt very devoted, responsible and loyal to them. Stress made a strong foe and I found that writing poetry was a release. My three oldest children's father and I divorced after a few short years. I remained single for about ten years before remarrying. My fourth child was from my second marriage, which also ended in divorce. I've stumbled many times, gotten up, and stumbled again. I have grieved, I have pained, I have shed many tears, I have laughed, and through it all I feel blessed to have come this far.