Secrets Untold Unfold

Yesterday, Day 9 of Laura Shovan's February Daily Poetry Project, led me to remember a secret that was untold until I was in grad school. Rachel Patton Toalson, yesterday's host chose the theme. secrets. She stated, "I've been thinking lately about how no matter how long you've known a person, there are still aspects of their lives that remain mysterious." A special story in my life unfolded when I was in grad school.

Secrets Untold Unfold

3rd grade lesson

where are you from

didn’t know so

I asked at homesge d

she did not tell

secret held close

others Irish

family French???

years later, secret

untold opened

mom rode boat to

America

from Italy

a little child

with her mother

father waiting

one family

together grew

American

lifestyle with friends

Italian 

speaking with grand

until age five

moving onward

during grad school

swirling with pride

tale unfolded

told with honor

dressed like old world

childhood stories

pizza fritta

joy provided

where am I from

nonnie and mom 

Rome New York- first

generation

©Carol Varsalona, 2026

Legacy from Nonnie

At a very young age, I learned how to bake in Nonnie's kitchen.

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So you may have realized the secret. Now, I will tell you why there was a secret for so long. My Nonnie believed that her children should be Americanized once she arrived in America, around 1921. Since I was the oldest grandchild born in the United States, I needed to act like an American. That meant speaking English and graduating from college. Life was different in the 20th Century. I did not know that I was a first-generation child of Italian descent until I was an adult. Where are you from?

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Join me as I share my Slice of Life with my Two Writing Teachers from across the globe. Click here.

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Inquisitive Child

Have you ever been so intrigued that you delved into the whys of mysteries? As a child, I was always asking questions and searching for answers. One day during a summer stay at my Nonnie's house, I found a large box that was bigger than me. It looked like a junk box, so I wondered what was inside. The next day, I tiptoed into my uncle's room to take a peek, but the box was too tall for me to see what was inside. I decided to bend into the box anyway. I rummaged through papers and lots of junk. What follows is written in a tricube poem.

Inquisitive Child

many thoughts

from childhood

break open

mystery

of the box

uncle had

big and tall

unknown things

intrigued me

I indulged

in what could

be inside

rummaging

through paper

found a gem

tiny box

golden bright

was it junk

it looked real

thrown away

but why I

asked myself

while gazing

at the ring

showed Nonnie

scolded by

my uncle

why did he

throw away

a real ring

sadly I

let go but

wished for it

©CVarsalona, 2026

This memory from the past came by chance. I have been a member of Laura Shovan's February Daily Poetry Project for years. This marks the 14th year of Laura's birthday month, which is celebrated on Facebook. "For several years, in order to practice writing and repair the world (the Jewish concept of tikkun olam) during my birthday month, my blog hosted a community poet project." (Laura Shovan)

This year, 2026, the theme is mistory. One thought from Laura resonated with me. "Why does the unexplained or unknown fascinate us?" My experience as a pre-teen "Nancy Drew", led me to be a curious adult and a seeker of knowledge.

Teacher/poet/photographer, Molly Hogan, is our host of Poetry Friday. I thank her for the lovely winter ice logo above and poems created after Wendell Berry's mentor poem, Like Snow,. You will enjoy both of her short poems and those of her Inkling community. Click the link above.

Blogger's Note:

It is the beginning of another Arctic Blast of bitter cold temperatures but I am sitting in my chair bundled up to elevate my fractured ankle. Even though, I fell asleep before posting my blog, I woke after the stroke of midnight to find my computer sitting on my lap..

Embracing Positivity

Each month, the host of the Spiritual Journey Thursday community invites others to walk along life's path. When the invitation sent by Bob Hamera, aka arjeha, arrived in my email, I realized that the prompt, attitude, would be an appropriate one for me. Bob asked the Spiritual Journey community to take a look at our attitude and how it affects not only ourselves but also others.

 

As the community knows, I am walking a tightrope since the sudden passing of my husband in April. Each day, I wake praying to find a new avenue that will restore my soul, revive my heart, and renew my life. Unfortunately, at the end of most days, I find myself standing in a vast ocean of unpredictable, swishing waves, realizing that my emotions are scattered across the sea's waters. Another image appears, a remembrance of days at the ocean, watching the tide ebbing and flowing at a rapid pace. My feet sink into the sand, and my body falls into the cold water, unable to rise with balance. . .

After reading Bob's invitation, I realized that a new attitude is exactly what I needed. By chance, I found an interesting quote on the Purposely. podcast, "Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it." As in the Bible (Phillippians 2:5), Apostle Paul advocates for a new attitude: "Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus." Paul is speaking about having a humble and selfless mindset like Jesus. These thoughts may have been hiding all along, since I believe in a positive mindset. Now, I am ready once again to spark the fire that filled my heart with positivity. This is a necessity. I need to walk the spiritual journey with hope and faith and not waddle in the darker side of life that interferes with a positive attitude. With a strong mindset, faith, and hope, my goal will be to minimize the grief and anxiety I often feel. 

I am grateful for our Spiritual Journey host and community of faithful writers, and am eager to read each blog post. You can join us here if interested.

One Word: Restore

It is official! My one word, RESTORE, has opened my heart and soul as a guide on my 2026 spiritual journey. You can read more here about the steps I took to find my one word and invite my Mind and Body to engage in my under-construction plan.. 

The digital graphic below is my opening piece  a faithful walker on the spiritual journey to revive my heart and renew my life.

one

word floats

like snowflakes

dancing to earth

in rhythmic motion

swaying with every

sound of chilling, blowing winds  

seeking winter's blanket of white      

quietude evolves, nature pauses, 

one word, restore, offers a deeper rest 

© CVarsalona, January 2026, 

This month, the Poetry Sisters gathered to create the first monthly challenge for 2026. Poetry Friday poets were invited to write a tricube. Below you will find my tricube series of 3 stanzas of three lines each.

2026 One Word

one word flies

with weathered wings

should you choose

time moves on

2026 comes

word appears 

"restore" sparks

energy 

guiding light

© CVarsalona, January 2026

***

Arctic Blast

Arctic Storm

blasts through states

with iced snow

winter roars

whirls and twirls

share its blast

cold winds

tip the scale

no snowmen

© CVarsalona, January 2026

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Visit the Poetry Sisters and enjoy reading their tricube poems. Poetry Pals are invited to join in. 

Mary Lee @ Another Year of Reading, Laura @ Laura Purdie Salas,

Liz @ Liz Garton Scanlon, Sara @ Read Write Believe, 

Tanita @ {fiction, instead of lies}, Tricia @ The Miss Rumphius Effect 

*****

It's time to join the Poetry Friday Roundup at the Poem Farm with our host, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. She offers us a triolet poem with two outstanding thoughts: 1. One can be one's best self in many different ways. 2. True goodness will not always be celebrated.

*****

May everyone feeling the chilling winds of the Arctic Blast be restored by thoughts of an early spring.  

Under Construction

Dear Mind and Body,

I decided that this month, you will be part of an under-construction plan of action. That may seem strange, but I will explain why the logo above is my opening thought. After several weeks of deliberating on my one word for 2026, I chose restore. Of course, I need you, Mind and Body, to challenge myself. I would like to see life differently than just gray skies and feeling forlorn. Did you know that an Arctic Blast has spread across the USA? Today, temperatures are dipping lower than before. Layers of clothing and acceptance are needed. 

I am not ready to shoo away the gray sky of winter, but I am willing to stop feeling like the morning routine is regimented and boring. I need to take a fresh approach to start each day. Last night, I ended the evening by reviewing one of the mounds of paperwork that sits on my desk, table, and bed. All of this is a start to a new year that is not about renewing life but restoring it. I invite you both, Mind and Body, to help me restore my heart and soul with positive intentions, stillness, and less anxiety.

💝It is time now for me to settle in

and be comforted by words that flow.💝

"Heart's Reset"

at day's end,

I sit in silence

surrounded by darkness

my one word, restore,

will guide me to

re-store

my broken heart 💔

to a growing heart 💗

draft  ©CVarsalona, 2026  

💝After a stressful week, I sit here at my computer listening to the music video, Restore My Soul.

The lyrics bring comfort,

especially these words: 

Restore my soul, revive my heart.

Renew my life in every part.💝

A Golden Shovel poem evolved from listening to the song many times. The strike lines for my poem are above.

Time to Restore

2026 is time to restore

what is in my

grieving soul

and kindly revive

what makes me strong - my

mind will open my heart

my faith will renew

me and my 

family's life

there is love within

nature's every

beating part

Amen! 

 draft  ©CVarsalona, 2026 

Thank you for listening.

 Carol

💝

Even though it is late, I am offering my blog post, Under Construction, for the Poetry Friday Roundup, hosted by a dear friend, Jan Annino at Bookseed Studio. Jan is sharing her thoughts on one of the honored leaders of the 20th century, Martin Luther King. Jan's statement on MLK is strong. "This weekend, especially, I wonder where a leader is, who can remind us and begin to renew us, with the principles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." Let's band together to lift up prayers as Martin would for peace and justice. 

Finding My 2026 One Little Word

Dear Lord,

It is late at night, and I still wonder why it is taking me so long to find my 2026 One Little Word. I usually find my guiding word before the end of December. Other times, the word finds me. You know that this past year was a series of ups and downs, so I need assurance that one of the six words surrounding me (space, healing, restore, peace, quietude, forward) will be a positive guide for 2026. The following poem has undergone numerous revisions. God, can you please help me choose a word to kick off this new year? 

Searching for My 2026 One Word 

winter white snowfalls

mask earth's terrain

silent thoughts call

from nature's domain

in this sacred pause

nothing agitates

sweet stillness because

it is time to wait

soft clouds slip away

swaying in sky's glow,

and without delay,

prepares a grand show

one little word nears,

restore, stands with pride

ready to lead and guide

I offer it loud cheers

draft ©cvarsalona, 2026 

God, I think I understand now. Restore is an effective, actionable guiding word. With your intervention, my OLW will inspire me to make meritable choices daily. The task of restoring my mind, body, and heart is challenging but essential. I turn to Psalm 51:12. "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." 

Now that I am starting bereavement therapy, I feel hopeful beyond tears to continue my spiritual journey. As a faithful traveler who believes, I can successfully restore my joy of living. With your help, I will be able to rise from the chaos of loss. Thank you for listening and supporting my spiritual journey. You know that it is difficult for me to enjoy winter with a fractured ankle and grey skies, but I am trying.

_Carol

winter blues chaser

wanted to restore sunshine

gift of warmth

©CVarsalona, January 2026

Spiritual Journey 2026

Logo: Margaret Simonn

Photo:: Molly Hogan

This week's host of Spiritual Journey is Margaret Simon, who offers a beautiful original poem that floats with peace and her OLW.

AND

This week's host of the Poetry Friday Roundup is Ruth Hersey. She is sharing a poem, "Soulful Warming" by J. Drew L:anham.