My Path

Donna Smith, the host of Spiritual Journey first Thursday chose My Path as her topic for this month. She asked our writing community to ponder how the paths we've taken led us to where we are today. 

Looking back upon my life, I believe there has been an element of choice in the paths I have walked but I cannot say that every pathway has been of my choosing. In many instances, life has intersected my plans and wishes and forced me to take an alternate route. While patience is not my strong suit, I have leaned on faith and hope to guide me through the rocky roads onto a clearing. Within those clearings, I have found that "Learning to live in the present moment is part of the path of joy." (Sarah Ban Breathnach)

Walking on the road of learning

I reflect on a lesson: to

find time to live

mindfully in

the world, to uncover the

brilliance of the present,

the sparkle of a moment-

a single quest that is

accomplished in part

as I inhale the breath of

nature and the richness of the

seasons while traveling a path,

discovering the power of

one limitless word - joy!

©CV, 2017 

Did you notice that the ending word of each line of my poem led to Breathnach's words of wisdom?

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Another inspirational quote I found to light my path:

"In the summer, the song sings itself."  - William Carlos Williams

I bask in nature's majesty

recalling the lull of ocean waves

roaring in harmony against

the dissonance of seagulls

shrieking across endless sky.

I listen in hushed silence for

summer to sing its waning song.

I linger awhile recalling whirling 

sounds spinning across pathways,

receding shorelines filled with the

echoes of frolicking children.

I listen to nature's sounds without regret.

Summer may pass on but there will be new

pathways of promise appearing ahead.

I've traveled different paths each season, 

held onto treasured moments, lingering

in their memories, for they have been

the nourishment my soul craves. 

©CV, 2017 

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Writing is a journey similar to the pathways of life I cross. There are detours, revelations, and stops along the way. I often reach a destination and interact in ways not planned before finding a single moment in time to savor. Paths continue to curve; I meander, follow bends, and move beyond boundaries. With grace guiding me, I have learned to grow as a learner of life noticing, wondering, and recording.

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Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
Proverbs 4:26
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May all !our paths be filled with joy, even the rocky ones that we do not understand. 

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A Stone of Hope

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King delivered a powerful speech, I Have a Dream, in Washington, D. C. Today, decades later, many Americans are honoring King as we celebrate a national holiday, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. King's words, strong in their delivery at the time, still hold true in this age as we face a new year.

One particular line from the I Have a Dream speech resonates with me: "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." In tribute to the legacy of Martin Luther King, I recall an incredible experience I had while presenting at the NCTE Convention in Atlanta last November. I was privileged to take a historical tour of Atlanta, the Civil Rights Tours led by Tom Houck, a personable, informative guide who was Martin Luther King's aide. Being immersed in the life and words of Martin Luther King told from Tom's perspective, was so inspiring that I was moved to pen my first Golden Shovel poem.

The rules I followed for the Golden Shovel poetic form are stated below by Writer's Digest.

• Take a line (or lines) from a poem you admire.
• Use each word in the line (or lines) as an end word in your poem.
• Keep the end words in order.
• Give credit to the poet who originally wrote the line (or lines).
• The new poem does not have to be about the same subject as the poem that offers the end words.

Tom Houck discusses the painting of MLK that is hanging in the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.

"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

From the streets of Atlanta out
to Americans today, life is full of
thoughts: What will transpire in the
new year? What mountain
are we to climb in pursuit of 
a joyful life, not despair?
We stand together on a
precipice holding a stone
with one single word of
wonder - hope. 
©CV, 2017

I, like many Americans, have a dream. On our national holiday, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I remember the sights and sounds of Atlanta brought to life by Tom Houck, an incredible storyteller, and shall honor the legacy of a great man whose life was the pursuit of hope.

Each year, I have written a post honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., an American hero. If interested, they can be accessed by clicking each link below.
-Honoring the Words of Martin, Luther King, Jr. 
-Listening, I hear the Call of Winter
-Importance of Voice 

Each Tuesday Two Writing Teachers offer space for teachers and writers to offer their Slice of Life. Please visit the site here.