Celebrating Life With Family

What is life without a loving family? 

Ever since I was a child, I felt the closeness of family even during challenging times. This year, during springtime, sorrow and loss unexpectedly interrupted our family life when my husband Richard fell prey to an incurable, silent disease. Cancer swept across his body as quickly as mighty waves moving across the ocean. My family withstood the rush of anguish and a heart-rending situation, yet we prepared for a family trip to the Atlantic Ocean in Cape May, New Jersey, and the south shore of Long Island, NY, to honor my husband's life. 

As we drove to the ocean sites, I followed the inspiration of Albert Einstein. "Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life". We felt the glow of sunshine streaming down on us as wind-driven waves rushed in with diamond-sparkling effects and quickly returned seaward. The first seaside landing in Cape Map allowed our extended family to enjoy the children frolicking in the water, the delicious seafood, and creamery ice cream delights. We lived life as a summer vacation should be, and yet we remembered that one member of the group was missing. 

As our immediate family traveled north to Long Island, we eagerly prepared for the Celebration of Life ceremony at Jones Beach's Field 6. The beach was quiet. As we moved closer to the ocean, we watched the constant flow and backrush of ocean waves. The ebb and flow of the tides brought peace to the ceremony. Readers' words flowed across the sea. My mind floated like the waves, not about sorrowful days but to present moments. The seagulls flew across the South Shore beach, squawking in tune with the crash of the waves. The magnificent ocean at Jones Beach, Long Island, NY, offered a private place to honor a man with whom I spent close to 49 years of marriage. I was present, my mind was cleared of daily busyness, and I seemed to float with the rhythm of the tides as I looked across the horizon.

not a day to mourn

but one to celebrate life

peaceful souls connect

©CV, July 31, 2025 

I now think of that day at the majestic ocean. We brought the immediate family together and linked our souls with Richard's. There was a powerful release of tension, loneliness, and grief. "Ocean separates lands, not souls".  (Munia Khan) 

" Say not in grief ' he is no more' but in thanfulness that he was."

Hebrew Proverb 

For me, without family, life spins in an unsettled world.

I am thankful for my family, their love, and support,

and the tiny heart shell that was my heaven-sent sign at the shore.

Today is Spiritual Journey Thursday (SJT). Leigh Anne Eck is our host today. She chose the prompt, family, for each writer to ponder. This is a powerful prompt for me. Please visit her blog post here to enjoy the blog posts on "family". Leigh Anne is sharing about her Mother, who recently passed away. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family.

I am also sending this blog post to Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone. I have missed the last two Poetry Friday Roundups because we were enjoying 9 days of celebrating my husband's life. Now, I am ready to settle down and find a respite through reading both SJT and Poetry Friday blog posts from two different writing communities. I already read Holly's post that provided a look into nature and the word pause.

#haikuforhealing - November 2024

It's late November and the chill is on. Lady Autumn sheds her leaves and prepares for warmer apparel. The scattered leaves fall here and there. Thanksgiving decor and dinner menus are in the preparation phase while grocery stores are busy with shoppers and turkey talk. This year my little grandgirls are coming to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving. We will have a wonderful time gathering together

In the meantime, I am sharing haikus with the hashtag #haikuforhealing. Thank you Mary Lee Hahn for offering this poetry project. What better time to share our thoughts via poetry and photos! (The above image is from Pixabay. Isn't it beautiful?)

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Last Leaves of Autumn

Can you spot the heart-shaped leaf below?

brisk wind spins through trees

leaves bare their heart to nature

autumn transitions

©CVarsalona, 2024

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Hempstead Lake Park, Long Island 2020 

fall's chilled weather

kisses the leaves goodbye

life moves on

©CVarsalona, 2024

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Thanksgiving

handmade-crafted wreath

honors giving side of fall

gather together

©CVarsalona, 2024

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"The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us." -James E. Faust

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Be blessed and thankful at all times. I am grateful that I finally have time to write this blog post and send it to Poetry Friday's host, Ruth Hersey at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town. Ruth is in East Africa working with her husband. Besides being interested in birds with a tremendous knowledge of different species, she teaches English. Her Spiritual Journey blog, My world, your world, our world, is interesting since she has been around this world of ours.  

Connecting With Nature

Autumn holds a wonder all its own.  - Laura Jaworski

Digitized Photo 

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Autumn days slowly transition into eye-catching, picturesque scenes of color. Each day I enjoy discovering fall's beauty in ordinary and extraordinary places. While researching the topic of self-care, I found connecting with nature has positive effects on emotional well-being. Trail walks, apple picking, and other outdoor activities helped reduce stress and anxiety during my recuperation time. The warmth of a September or October day allows me to breathe in fresh air, reflect upon the earth's beauty, and relax. 

For years, my family has picked apples. Recently, we traveled through the countryside on the way to the apple orchard. Remembering years past I looked for trees with a tinge of color. Once we arrived at Stribling Orchard, we found a bountiful apple tree. My little grandgirls arrived before us so their bag of apples was bountiful. The fresh country air and the sweet-tasting red apples made our faces smile.

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September day

sun radiates

family gathers together at the orchard

excitement begins with the first pick

baby smiles

munches apples

Autumn delight

 @CVarsalona, 2024

Trinet poem

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As I search for the best place for vivid fall foliage in Virginia and West Virginia. I reflect on last year's parade of trees. They were dressed in Autumn finery. 

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Height of Fall Fashion

fall's fashion

debuts soon

with a kaleidoscope of color

some autumn trees are fashionably late 

Autumn's parade

is a

must-see event

 @CVarsalona, 2024

Trinet poem

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The Jama Rattigan is hosting Poetry Friday on her blog, Jama's Alphabet Soup. Her post will make you hungry because she is writing about doughnuts.

Swimming Glee

Heartnote for Family Swimmers

Swimming Glee

gathering

family relaxes

smiles float while

soothing water swirls surround

togetherness

©CVarsalona, March 2024

Elfchen poem

On a Sunday, the community indoor pool is quiet. No one but the lifeguard is there. The oldest grandgirl jumps in the water without fear, while the middle child has trepidations without her water floaty. We make light of the missing floating to coax her into the pool. Finally, she sees how much fun everyone is having. Grandpa entices her to use the noodle to take a ride around the pool with him. He gently helps her float along. Her sister who is already on the swim team at age six is showing her ability to swim across the pool and play water basketball. Besides the wonder of a spring-like day that shines through the glassed swimming pool, the smiles on the family's faces make the day even more delightful. My camera clicks away as a memento of togetherness. 

Slice of Life thought:  Grandparent sitting has its perks!

The family gathering in the pool was the perfect setting to join the Slice of Life Sunday Zoom conversation with Stacey Shubitz and Betsy Hubbard. The event was enjoyable and it is always delightful to meet up with slicer friends whether they are familiar or new to the Two Writing Teachers community. Thank you, Stacey and Betsy.

Two Writing Teachers

Day 4

2024

Carol Varsalona, 10-year Slicer

Be My Valentine!

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Valentine's Day has always been a family day to pause and be grateful for love displayed and love given from the heart. For a couple of weeks, I've been under the weather with a lingering cold so this Valentine's Day was a different type of day. Only part of the house featured Valentine's decor with mementos from the past. The meal of choice, heart ravioli was postponed. Valentine heartnotes were on hold. Yet, the family was able to video chat with the grandgirls, watch them open Valentine cards from schoolmates, and eat a delicious-looking chocolate cake with raspberries. Sitting on my table were a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a stunning-looking card. The spirit of love endured.

My gift back to the family is different handmade heartnotes and a new date to celebrate family love. 

Lao Tzu's wisdom withstands time. 

Poetry postcards open the heart to lasting memories. Below are two more postcards that brightened my winter days. 

from Jone Rush MacCullock

from Robyn Hood Black

May the joy of heartnotes bring you winter cheer. If you missed last week when I hosted Poetry Friday, you can find more poetry heartnotes here. This week Margaret Simon hosts Poetry Friday. She offers two poems with contrasting thoughts. Love and grief stand side by side. 

Logo designed by Margaret Simon

Halloween 2023 Memories

  Where there is no imagination, there is no horror!   

  Arthur Conan Doyle   

It's Halloween and the world is a children's playground on this particular day. All the Disney princesses, Marvel characters, and clever homemade costumes appear in schoolyard parades or after-school trick-or-treating. I miss the razzle-dazzle fun of  Halloween dress-up time when I was a reading specialist and a districtwide administrator. Those were the days of Halloween magic!

Now, to satisfy my undying devotion to Halloween fun, I create scenarios that feed my inner Halloween spirit. Eery nightmares let my imagination fly. I wake up trying to decipher what I saw during the night but it all vanishes at daylight. So what do I do? Decorating inside and outside the house, baking treats (no tricks), putting together family costumes, and snapping photos for posterity complete my mission to let creative juices flow. Below are two digitized photo memories from last weekend's Halloween party. Which one do you like best?

skeptical looks rise

withered appearances

quite a surprise

but perseverance

helps families survive

©CVarsalona, 2023

My grandgirls are intrigued with Halloween teeth.

mirror, mirror

on the wall...

©CVarsalona, digital art, 2023

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Word of the Day Fun

  phantasmagoria  

float around my dreams

causing dysphoria

I wake to screams

need sweet euphoria

for nonspooky happenings

that autumn delightfully brings

©CVarsalona, 2023

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The clock is ticking. After a fun Halloween with my grandgirls, I join the Two Writing Teachers community of spirited educators.  I slip in before midnight ready to read a few slices before bedtime. I wonder where my imagination will take me tonight.

    Happy Halloween!    

Grandpa's Birthday

"Birthdays are special events in my family." 

The birthday person has the privilege of choosing the food and cake of the day. It is up to the family to organize the day with favorites and have a cake ready, whether it is homemade or bakery-bought. Homemade cakes were delicious specialty items for the birthday person. That tradition has lasted throughout the years as did the signing of Happy Birthday. My mother baked and designed a cake around a theme chosen by the birthday person. An at-home party with friends was also a favorite. Presents followed. I will never forget my father-in-law's tale of his childhood birthdays. "When I was a little boy, my birthday meant I could have an extra meatball for dinner." That story has been told many times to my children and now to the grandgirls. Each person has their own recollection of a childhood birthday with the family. I remember standing on a chair so I could blow out all of my candles while everyone sang Happy Birthday.

Today was my husband's birthday. He has been talking about a prime rib dinner for the last two weeks but last night, all of us decided to try an Italian restaurant, The Esposito's Fairfax, with authentic Italian recipes. Of course, this reminded me of my Nonnie's fabulous homemade pasta, huge pots of pasta sauce, and fried meatballs. 

Each person has their own recollection of a childhood birthday with the family. I remember standing on a chair so I could blow out all of my candles while everyone sang Happy Birthday. 

Birthdays are special!

As the king or queen of the day,

You choose the storyline.

As the years pass on,

Recollections of cakes, candles, and song

Build a bridge of happy memories.

©CVarsalona, 2023

Happy Birthday, Richard!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

 

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Best Presents from Sierra and Aurora

Happy Birthday signs, a handmade crown, and a delicious cake

On each birthday, let's remember this inspirational quote from Emily Dickinson,

"We turn older with years but newer every day."

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My Slice of Life

Day 25 of Two Writing Teachers

16th Annual March SOLSC! #SOL23

Photos Capture Family Moments

"We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us."  -Ralph Hattersley

Family life is precious so why not celebrate the joys of a family vacation?

celebrate a magical world

a whole new world of fun

where smiles are the signature look

and dreams come true

whether on land or sea,

Disney takes us back

to another time

of imagination

and

possibilities

©CVarsalona, 2023

I agree with Karl Lagerfeld's following quote. "What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment gone forever, impossible to reproduce." My dream vacation with family and the little grandgirls may be over but the memories last. The above photo collage created with Canva reminds me of a magical trip to Disney World and the cruise ship voyage that followed. . I'm pulling out the magic wand and wishing for more to come. Stay tuned.

Thank you for reading my Slice of Life at Two Writing Teachers, a place where teacher writers meet and share their stories. 

A Christmas Challenge

Christmas is over and even without snow, it was a merry weekend of family events. There was a trip to Santa's workshop, Christmas Eve dinner pajama night, and the central event, the extended family Christmas dinner with a gender reveal. The gifts were beautifully presented under the tree. There was an assortment of boxed, bagged, and beautifully wrapped presents, along with a boy/girl pinata for the gender reveal. Needless to say, it was a blessed weekend.

 

While preparing for Poetry Friday, I decided to accept the Poetry Sisters' December challenge. We were asked to think outside of the BOX or into the BOX for a poem on a box. A 4×4 poem was suggested with 4 syllables in each of the 4 lines of each stanza and a refrain line in each stanza (line 1 in the first stanza, line 2 in the second stanza, line 3 in the third stanza, and line 4 in the fourth stanza). I added a 4-syllable title-the bonus step. In a 4x4 poem, there are no restrictions on subject, rhyme, or meter. Thanks to the Poetry Sisters, Laura, Tanita, Mary Lee, Kelly, Tricia, Sara, and Andi for welcoming others to join their challenge. Check out their poems at the Poetry Friday Roundup.

Christmas Boxes

(Pre-Christmas)

Santa Baby,

you jolly man,

any boxes?

I am a fan.

Mine are ready.

Santa Baby,

check out my list-

diamonds maybe-

Perhaps, some clothes,

anything works.

Santa Baby,

a kiss will perk!

(Post-Christmas)

Christmas arrived, 

boxed with good cheer.

You are a dear,

Santa Baby!

©CVarsalona, 2022

Boxed Christmas Thoughts

Christmastime thoughts

under our trees

snuggling in love

like little bees

embraceable

Christmastime thoughts

wrapped in boxes

family sought

gilded boxes

hold all the love

Christmastime thoughts

from God above

new year coming

one word will do

just for you, boxed

sweet Christmas thoughts

©CVarsalona, 2022

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Next week, I will share the wonderful news from Bridget Magee's newest poetry anthology, Two Truths and a Fib. Check out the new video advertisement here.

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Join me at children's author/poet and my once poetry swap partner, Patricia Franz's blog, Reverie, to read her lovely thoughts. Patricia is our host of Poetry Friday this week and presents oodles of boxed poetic goodness from a variety of writers.