The speed bumps I crossed are nearly behind me now, and life is taking on a rosier shade. I hope to not get behind in doing the things I love to do… mainly, sharing my thoughts (put to poetry) with you.

Recently, I was thinking of my own family… my mother’s voice rang in loud and clear with one of her wonderful remembrances, and I wished I could phone her (“to get the rest of the story”).

Of course, I was too late to get the information. And I had not asked when I could have talked to her in person. 

If, only.

I look forward to visiting with you again soon. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the poem… and, have fun with the interviews.

IF ONLY I KNEW MORE ABOUT MY FAMILY’S HISTORY...

Did you ever wonder what life was like
When your grandparents were girls and boys?
Did they like to play? And if they did, 
What were their favorite toys?

Asking direct questions (like an interview)
Might seem too formal a style.
But there are ways to phrase your questions
And you both end up with smiles.

Ask the right questions, and you’ll be amazed
At the delight they feel in remembering.
You will listen, of course, more than you talk.
It takes a special style of listening.

Ask them to share their earliest memories:
Do not interrupt when they start to share.
Listen intently to all they have say.
This is your family history! Are you aware?

There are many ways to harvest your family’s secrets.
You might ask how they got to school…
And expand with related questions,
Always following the golden rule.

You will know how to proceed in your quest for family knowledge.
And I urge you to pursue this as a special assignment.
But do it now, while they are still in your life.
Do not wait till it’s too late, stay in the proper alignment.

While scrolling on my cell phone the other day, I noticed a strange looking word that made me stop for a minute and take a closer look. The word was “Thankuary,” obviously a play on the word “January.” I did catch the word “Thank,” however. Thankfulness is gratitude, one of my favorite subjects.

After my experiences, as outlined in the December 2025 Poem of the Month intro letter, January 2026 brings me a positive progression of small victories as I am getting stronger. The healing is taking place, thanks to the help of doctors and caregivers, and though I know not to expect instant miracles of immediately getting back to the way it was before, I am definitely on the right track, and will get there when I am meant to.

I am so grateful for the progress I have made, and the worry has gone away. 

Lesson learned: Worry doesn’t heal.

The poem, GRATITUDE... written in 2015… is my offering for January 2026th's Poem of the Month. I hope you enjoy it.

GRATITUDE

“Thank You!” These words carry so much ...
Gratitude, humility and understanding.
We have so much to be grateful for ...
Our health, our friends, not withstanding.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
It turns what we have into more.
It’s the healthiest of all the human emotions,
The highest form of thought, and furthermore ...
It’s the greatest of virtues, the parent of all.
Gratitude helps us to grow and expand.
It brings joy and laughter into our lives.
It makes sense of our past. We know where we stand. 

And as we express our gratitude
We must never forget this wisdom:
The highest appreciation for what we have
Is not to utter the words, but live by them.

Sorry to be so late this year with cards and poems, but this year has been one heck of a year, especially the fall.

Summer and fall were busier than usual and we threw in a lovely river cruise in Europe in October. And that is where I “get in touch with my mortality,” as it were. In short, I caught a really bad cold, coughed deeply and broke a vertebrae in my back (compression fracture). Of course, we completed the trip with the help of ibuprofen for what I thought was just a sore back.

Presently, I am under the best possible care and am improving each day exponentially. In another couple weeks or so, the pain should be gone and I’ll be back to my life! 

In the meantime, Christmas is happening and my usual schedule of shipping, wrapping, addressing and delivering, etc., has been disrupted. Bear with me and you should receive this card by Easter!

Taking stock of “Where I was” with a broken vertebrae, and the accompanying pain with that, plus anxiety about “getting it all done in time” brought me to the choice of what I would write about. It’s especially fitting for this December.

WORRY ONLY ABOUT THINGS YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT

“Worry” is to feel anxious or troubled
About actual or potential problems.
Anxiety, apprehension, concern and fear
Are sometimes the feelings you have, pro tem.

“Worry pretends to be necessary,
But serves no useful purpose.”
Eckhart Tolle shared these wise words.
It does not provide any impetus.

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow
It empties today of its strength.”
Our fatigue is often caused not by work,
But by worry, and in your years, shorten its length.

Julius Caesar noticed and commented, in his wisdom,
That “men worry more about what’s not seen
Than what is” — the fear of the unknown, I guess.
Or the fear of encountering the unseen.

It makes no sense to worry about things
Over which you have no control.
There’s nothing you can do about them anyway.
So keep your mind clear and play your best role.