I just returned from a weeklong trip through the country of Cuba. Living off the grid has taken on an entirely new meaning to me.
Take a moment and think—
What does it mean
To have fresh water to drink?
To splash on your face, brush your teeth
And hydrate your body with its exquisite embrace?
A daily ritual some might accidentally
Take for granted
To have water at your fingertips
And to your lips
To restore your body in big thankful sips!
Today is April 30 and the last day of National Poetry Month. I’ve been excited to celebrate this monthlong event for many reasons: First, I love poetry—in all its manifestations! Second, it healed me. Third, I met my personal goal to self-publish two illustrated poetry books. And for so many other reasons; especially that poetry helps us to understand each other and gives us a sense of all the beauty in the world.
We’re all colorful mosaics. Each and every one of us made up of pieces of life experiences—the places we’ve been, the people we meet, the things we love; feelings of happiness and sadness, tops of Rocky Mountains and rock bottoms, moments of spontaneous elation and unexpected surprises; smiles, hugs, kisses; the walks we take, the poems we read, Sunrays and Sundays—that when combined, are what make us unique individuals.
Have you ever heard the story of The Three Bricklayers? I hadn’t—until recently:
A man came upon a construction site where three people were working. He asked the first, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am laying bricks.” He asked the second, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am building a wall.” As he approached the third, he heard him humming a tune as he worked, and asked, “What are you doing?” The man stood and smiled and replied with a gleam in his eye, “I am building a cathedral.”
I’ve been working on a Poetry In Motion series of animated excerpts from my book Sage Words, and a couple of weeks ago I showed one to a friend. They were thrown off-guard and asked surprisingly why didn’t I do this sooner?