Many things I write never quite make it to here. This was almost one of them. I was going to share something else instead. I changed my mind. This is what asked to be written. The world sorely needs kindness and grace these days.

There is a deep soulfulness in all things…
Things, isn’t really the right word to mean so much
There is gentle strength in the waters,
A belief in forever that climbs the trees,
My spirit soars with every wing that defies gravity, and settles with every creature who comes to drink at the pond’s edge
…there is so much to love…

The sky is white as though it is full with snow
The ground is charcoal, somber yet soft
And I wish that the one, would fall upon the other, as I walk in the world between them, overflowing with why’s and how’s
This is my real right now
My here, today
The forest smolders…
I watch the message drifting in the smoke…of what should not be
Every day, stories plead to be seen and beg to be heard
It will be hard, I thought,
I was right
I must go anyway, I thought,
…one step at a time.
If only my tears could be like rain
And calm the flame.

There is a beautiful trench in the sand. Beautiful to me. It declares that men were here, strong ones, who came to help. The line they labored to create slowed down the creeping and saved a great deal. I may never know their names, but I am…grateful, that they do what they do. Everything, would be different, if they didn’t.
Days ago, I walked unbelieving, in this strange world that I struggled to recognize.
There was a coyote,
Alone and searching,
…like me.
For a time we both paused
…I could see my own question
Reflected in his quiet eyes…
What has happened to my home…

Each day I return,
I won’t stop being here
You must do the thing you think you cannot do. I smile a little at the words echoing in my mind. How many wonderful thoughts of others float within me granting me courage.
The more that I write, the more that I know – my hurting is one small stone from the mountain of hurting in the world right now – my hope is but a glimmer of the way we comfort one another in not knowing what is next.
I wander the woods, checking on little things to be sure they are ok and to help where I can.

A tree that arcs like a rainbow, is well and fine
Turtles rest content atop their logs
Ducks are ducking and diving happily as they are wont to do
Wildflowers are blooming
Trees are greening up more each day. In some places the sky can barely be seen now. The ways of spring approach quickly.
Bringing with them…new life

The wind whispers from over the water…how I love to close my eyes and feel it caress my cheek.
High above me is the raucous call of my rare jungle bird!
His song is as sweet to me as any I have ever heard, especially today. It means that his home survived.
He is busy as usual, at his work…and play….as usual. How comforting for anything right now to be…as usual…

There is so very much to be grateful for,
In every drop of rain and closed tight seed,
In every wing that flies and heart that beats,
Lives the promise of hope…
This land doesn’t belong to me, not the flora, the fauna, the earth, the air or the water.
Yet, I know without any doubt, that we are Each and All a part of the whole
To love and care for each other is the only way through. It is the hope we have and the hope we give gracefully away.
We are in this together, in this life full of questions
In the embers and the ashes, in the flowers and the rain

Even now, as I finish this from the swing, a bright red cardinal hops about nearby. It’s a cool misty morning and he cheers me with his non-hurried and non-worried search for breakfast. Peacefully at his task. Knowing that there is enough and that all shall be well…
May all be well with you and yours
always,
suzanne❤️
****
ellie894 March 15, 2020

Looks like the fire got all the groundcover and hurt a few trees. I guess time will tell if they grow stronger or succumb. I’m happy to read that your critter friends are mostly doing well.🦆🐢🐦
Be careful when you meet Coyote though, like Spider, he’s a Trickster.
I love each virtual visit to your magical woods! Thank you for taking me along!💃🏼🦋🌻🐞🌷❤
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Yes, mostly that, the mulched messy layer underneath and some things that had been decaying for a while. A few things came down and are still burning further in. And you’re right, time will tell in a few places whether the roots took too much heat or were spared. The firemen must have worked very hard at those trenches. There are a few of them that stretch as borders preventing the low spread of embers. I keep a good healthy distance from Mr Trickster! Definitely not a pet! Spider makes me giggle. They’re forever building webs across the path from one tree to another and I get covered in sticky web, ugh. 😅
Thank you, always nice to have you! 🦋🌷🐞🦄💃❤️
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Your beautiful prose and wanders are a wonderful balm…I’m feeling the love this late winter morning as our world struggles and in echo to your words, love will see us through!
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One day at a time, all in this together! Thank you so kindly and please take care ❤️😊
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Thank you!
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Well said!
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My pleasure!
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Thank you!
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Awesome ❤️🤗
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🤗❤️, thank you so very much. Take care 🌷
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I am one big tear-ball, sweet friend. 💓🦋🤗🌈☔️🌸
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I’ve been doing that this week…you are such a dear, please be safe. 🌈💗🌧🦋🤗❤️
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All the best, Suzanne. By the way, you have a great dog (I can tell from the photo).
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Dobby Is a great dog 😊 always good for a smile. Thank you Neil, to you as well. 🌷
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That was a fun walk through the woods. I wonder how Dobby reacts to coyotes. I somehow doubt his response would be as poetic as yours. 🙂
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You’re right!! He howls and pursues! I’m left in the dust. But….coyote always outruns Dobby thank goodness. He tires quickly and stops for a nap! 😄
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I’m glad you decided to share what asked to be written. It’s always the best way. We all need the reminder during troubled times that in spite of it all, “there is so much to love” about this world we all share.
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Beautifully said Liz. Thank you so very much. Please take care 🌷
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You take care as well, Suzanne.
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Thank you. ☺️
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That’s a wonderful dog. Yes that was much needed today.
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He’s a treasure, plenty goofy too, which makes him even more so! 😊I’m happy it could find you. Take care 🌷
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The red cardinal looks just like the Angry Bird! 🐦
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He does! You made me giggle 😆. Thank you 😊🌷🐦
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Thank you! I was amused by their resemblance for I’ve never seen or even heard of the red cardinal before. Are they a common species?
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I had never thought about it really but they Do look like Angry Bird. Cardinals are very common here in Texas. I have a family or two of them that visit the yard everyday. They have a bright cheerful song. The males are the brightest red. Females have a brownish cast to their red. They all have the distinctive top crest. A joy in the winter months when there are so few colors outside. Thanks for asking 😊🐦
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Yess❤️
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❤️☺️
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“If only my tears could be like rain
And calm the flame.” Love this! I wish everyone could share their tears for a burning forest, that would be all the rain you need to douse the flames. 🙂🌧
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Together we could put out the wildfires of the world. 😊 Thank you so kindly 🌧🌷. I’m happy to report it rained last night. I’m hopeful it was enough to put the embers to rest 😊
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That’s nice to hear, I hope it was enough too 🙂
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😊
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Awsome
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Thank you! 😊
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My pleasure
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“My spirit soars with every wing that defies gravity” — ahhh. This is indeed calming. Such beautiful imagery, Suzanne, and such a great reminder, practical advice anyone can take. Let’s keep our tired eyes on the wings in the skies. 🦋🕊💖
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Here’s to the wings in the skies 🦋🕊💞 take care 🌷🤗
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Beautifully expressed SUzanne l see you decided to write
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Thank you kindly 🌷
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Sweet Suzanne. My Lord. I had no idea You were going through/went through a fire. I am so sorry. I know it’s the natural order of things and that it’s a necessary part of the cycle. So much newness and Grace comes following the smoke…but it can be absolutely terrifying and the loss can be shattering. I hope You and Yours are well. You are an angel of Your woodland. I can just see You ever so gently making Your way and checking on all Your friends of the forest. My heart goes out to You. Thank You for the beauty You add to the world. And…the world. It’s such strange times, isn’t it? I feel compelled to say something and all my words feel way too tiny. Sweetness and Love abound, though. All-ways. Sending You so much Love and the biggest hug ever. Take Care and thank You for this beautiful post. 🤗❤️🙏🏼🦆🦋
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Thank you Katy, so very dearly 🌷 The good news is that it’s rained for a few days now! I think that all of the smoldering is completely out ☺️🌧. Your thoughts are All-ways full of kindness and compassion and they do my heart good. They’re just right and I’m ever so grateful for them. You’re right, it’s so sad in the beginning. Now, the waiting begins, for signs of new life and growth. 🌱☺️Please be safe and take good care. Get plenty of rest!! Love and huge hugs!! 🤗❤️🤗🌧🦋🌱
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Your Spring will be particularly magical. 🌱🌞🌼Thank You, Suzanne. You too!!! Love and hugs and a silly dance back!!! 💫🌨🌈🙏🏼🤗
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Hugs and Silly magical dances for Spring!!! 😂🌱🤗🌿🌳💐💖
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❤️❤️❤️!
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!!❤️!! 😉🤣
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This brought me to tears. Could feel how you were feeling while writing this.
Everything will be fine. Hope is alive like every poem you have written. We will fight as we are Warriors.
Loads of hugs.
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Your sweet thoughts means so much to me. Thank you dearly Kritika…Warrior Hugs!! I like that 😉💖🤗🌱✨
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🤺🤗💪
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🤗💪🤺☺️
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Dang, l finally got to reading this in its entirety and not fall asleep waking up with another qwerty on my forehead and then had to take all day Sunday to scroll through everyone’s comments before l could get to the bottom 🙂
Beautifully pennded and thoughtfully expressed – given 🙂
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You made me giggle! Thank you for that, and for the kind encouragement. I appreciate it very much. – happy you didn’t get another qwerty ☺️🎶
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Ha ha no, not a qwerty but l spy a Pennded!! Mm, lol 🙂
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Lol, I had to go look for it. I didn’t even notice it. ☺️
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One day I was so tired, I left sweet Saania a comment and it autocorrected her name into something really strange. ….And I didn’t catch it. I was sooooo embarrassed. But she was really nice about it of course ☺️
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Ha ha – gotta love autocorrect and predictive text’s sense of digital humour 🙂
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All you can do is laugh 😆
I’ve come a long way since I started on WordPress. ☺️
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Ha ha – excellento 🙂
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☺️
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I’m just thinking about the belief in forever that climbs the trees.
I know that climb. Feeling it now, in the echo of those words, and of places I walked that continued to come alive in a gazillion unexpected ways,
sometimes in spite of everything…
sometimes because of everything…
Sometimes the log just needs a massive hug. Sometimes so do I. Often, it’s the same hug, drawing its home from two worlds.
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You always leave me such thoughtful insights. Full with truth. I’m very grateful. The climb is both tiring and brilliant. Hugs 🌷
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A belief in forever that climbs the trees, amazing line.
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Thank you 😊🌿
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Excellent writing and photography Suzy! I thoroughly enjoyed this!
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Thank you very much John! ☺️
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You’re very welcome!
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☺️
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