Month: March 2019

Life Has Loveliness ~ Sara Teasdale

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Life has loveliness to sell,
   All beautiful and splendid things,
  Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
   Soaring fire that sways and sings,
  And children’s faces looking up
  Holding wonder like a cup.

  Life has loveliness to sell,
   Music like a curve of gold,
  Scent of pine trees in the rain,
   Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
  And for your spirit’s still delight,
  Holy thoughts that star the night.

  Spend all you have for loveliness,
   Buy it and never count the cost;
  For one white singing hour of peace
   Count many a year of strife well lost,
  And for a breath of ecstasy
  Give all you have been, or could be.

Today’s Reflection ~ Significance

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If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito. Dalai Lama

Grieving’s Great Lessons

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For the past 30 days, I shared excerpts from Dancing Alone: Learning to Live Again. I wrote during the height of grieving not knowing if I’d ever find a way through. It’s now nearly three years since Babe died. I wish grieving on no one; yet, grieving waits for each of us on our journey. It’s not a pleasant thought. I’m happy I didn’t know what it felt like before it happened. As tough as it is, grieving has been a great teacher. Here are 10 lesson I learned on this journey.

  1. Everyone has scars, don’t compare.
  2. Everyone who grieves, hurts. Don’t judge anyone.
  3. It doesn’t matter if you are Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jew, Buddhist, Agnostic, Atheist, or other, it hurts like hell. Anyone who grieves deserves compassion.
  4. Unpack all the good memories and be grateful for each one.
  5. Live each day as if it is the only day you have.
  6. Life isn’t fair, don’t worry about it.
  7. Life is a wonderful gift, don’t waste it.
  8. There is no answer to why, so don’t waste time looking for an answer.
  9. Don’t wait to be loved by others, reach out and connect and keep on connecting.
  10. Life wins. Love wins. Never quit. Never give up.

There are many other lessons, but these quickly come to mind. I’m grateful for the time Babe and I had together. I’m grateful for the space in which I find myself. I’m going to keep on living, keep on smiling, and keep on singing. 

Ordering information for the paperback or ebook version of Dancing Alone: Learning to Live Again may be found at https://optimisticbeacon.com/dancing-alone/

Excerpt From: Dancing Alone: Learning to Live Again by Ray Calabrese. This material is protected by copyright.

Writer’s Wisdom on Writer’s Block Tip 2 of 6

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A blank page is also a door — it contains infinity, like a night sky with a supermoon really close to the Earth, with all the stars and the galaxies, where you can see very, very clearly… You know how that makes your heart beat faster? ~ David Mitchell

The Disappointed ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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There are songs enough for the hero

    Who dwells on the heights of fame;

  I sing of the disappointed—

    For those who have missed their aim.

  I sing with a tearful cadence

    For one who stands in the dark,

  And knows that his last, best arrow

    Has bounded back from the mark.

  I sing for the breathless runner,

    The eager, anxious soul,

“Who falls with his strength exhausted.

    Almost in sight of the goal;

  For the hearts that break in silence,

    With a sorrow all unknown,

  For those who need companions,

    Yet walk their ways alone.

  There are songs enough for the lovers

    Who share love’s tender pain,

  I sing for the one whose passion

    Is given all in vain.

  For those whose spirit comrades

    Have missed them on their way,

  I sing, with a heart o’erflowing,

    This minor strain to-day.

  And I know the Solar system

    Must somewhere keep in space

  A prize for that spent runner

    Who barely lost the race.

  For the plan would be imperfect

    Unless it held some sphere

  That paid for the toil and talent

    And love that are wasted here.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Today’s Reflection ~ Writing

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Good writing will bring you to places you don’t even expect sometimes. James Gandolfini

Healing Power of Love

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M’s Advice

M opened my eyes to the lessons grieving was teaching me and to the wonderful gift called life. It’s a one time gift. I decided the best way to honor Babe, was to discover how to live again. No one ever said it would be easy, but I’ve never quit. M offered me a final piece of advice I try to connect with each day. Here is M’s advice to me from Dancing Alone: Learning to Live Again:

“M took hold of both my hands, “Ray, each day you will meet new people. You’ll feel love flowing to you, through you, and drenching you. You’ll know, perhaps for the first time, that nothing is more important, nothing is better than responding in the moment by offering your unconditional love to whoever is with you in the moment. Trust it, Ray. Trust it, and the power of love will heal you.”

Ordering information for the paperback or ebook version of Dancing Alone: Learning to Live Again may be found at https://optimisticbeacon.com/dancing-alone/

Excerpt From: Dancing Alone: Learning to Live Again by Ray Calabrese. This material is protected by copyright.

Writer’s Wisdom on Writer’s Block Tip 1 of 6

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The blank page in the mind has to be filled before you have the courage to face the actual blank page. ~ Jonathon Franzen

Today ~ Thomas Carlyle

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So here hath been dawning
    Another blue day;
  Think, wilt thou let it
    Slip useless away?

  Out of Eternity
    This new day is born;
  Into Eternity,
    At night will return.

  Behold it aforetime
    No eye ever did;
  So soon it for ever
    From all eyes is hid.

  Here hath been dawning
    Another blue day;
  Think, wilt thou let it
    Slip useless away?

Thomas Carlyle

Today’s Reflection ~ Writing

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Cats gotta scratch. Dogs gotta bite. I gotta write. ~ James Ellroy

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