toddler scooting

haiku

a toddler scooting

away, laughing, from her mom

all life is a game

local weather

partly sunny—somewhere

but it’s the party cloudy

that has shown up around here

for quite a while

only the kindness and laughter

of family and friends

has kept our sunshine

peeking from between gray clouds

daughter, mother

over  lunch at filbert’s farm kitchen

laughter and pleas for ancestor stories

catching up on the kids’ activities

comparing perspectives on family

gatherings and the tales emerging

from them, more laughter

and moments of tender grief

daughter, mother share the joy

and pain of loving deeply

both daughters

both daughters strong for their families

both aching within for painful losses

but laughing together, scheming fun

in travel plans to fulfill a longing

of many years never realized

until now when they will decide

to make what is yearned for happen

whatever the cost to themselves

to give healing to those they love

healing beyond me

 as a physician, i never healed anyone

my best efforts went to shaping

all around them to help them heal

themselves in God’s arms

this day of remembering

with humble gratitude all

that has been given us, i have yet

again gifted with the laughter 

and caring that heals and bonds

friends and loving family

friends in blue

chuckles at puns

nods at sharing life incidents

warm hugs

smiles of understanding

friends gathered to unwind

together at lunch

and solving a jigsaw puzzle

as they sit looking out

over the pacific

joy at table

lunch and laughter with

favorite friends

brought together by writing

drifting apart to our separate

needs but remaining true

to our belief in each other

aj’s haven

a warm home

welcoming grown children

and extended family

to potluck and skilled baker’s pies

chatter, love and laughter

and our lady, newly happy

stranger in the room

stranger in the room

admired the more he speaks

for the idealism he’s incorporated into his life’s work

and warm reaction to teasing and laughter

it’s reassuring to respond, even wistfully, after years of widowhood

i suppose i am still alive after all

love in abundance

ah, the love in abundance

in this family

generation upon generation giving in support

through tough times

traveling inconvenient miles in difficult conditions

to be there when needed

to see the hurting re-created in warmth

and laughter