I will be taking a vacation break from my blog until January 2, 2012.
Best Wishes,
Susan Pearl

#305 "Ageless Teaching" by Susan Pearl

A child's right to dignity and respect does count,
And that is what the teaching of a child is all about,
A child should be told how important dignity and respect are,
And knowing this is an important part of a child going far,
Each child has a special uniqueness like a pearl to find,
And to find that 'one of a kind' quality within will last an entire lifetime,
Giving an insightful meaning to all of the wonderful beauty to behold,
Children can carry this timeless teaching from their youth on into growing old.

#304 "What We Radiate" By Susan Pearl

A considerate person warned me that a kitchen countertop appliance was hot,
The person didn't want me to accidentally touch it because it was cooling and unplugged,
I thanked the person for the warning but I knew the appliance was hot because  I could feel the heat radiating from it without touching it,
By just being in close proximity I felt the radiated heat,
I wonder sometimes if people radiate what they are feeling,
A happy person radiates joy,
A calm person radiates peace,
A person of goodwill radiates love,
To radiate love, joy and peace makes for a wonderful atmosphere,
And that atmosphere is held to be near and dear to heart each day of the year,
So sometimes we should ask ourselves what we radiate in what we say and do,
Because to change our atmosphere it is likely that our life will change, too.

#303 "Love Will" By Susan Pearl

Love will meet our every need for each day for what is good and true,
So at the end of a day, when it is all said and done,
Besides whatever we do,
Love will be the one,
That helped us through.

#302 "My Adult Child Fun Thought" By Susan Pearl

The child in me doesn't know limits or when to stop,
The adult in me knows limits and knows there will be consequences to my actions,
I think I am a combination of both--I am an adult child,
The child in me is full of merriment and wonder,
The adult in me is sensible and analizes things to my highest degree of thinking things through,
I also think, "Don't take life so serious", "Don't be afraid to try something new",
"People don't have to understand every single reason for every single thing that they do",
But I know I like to stay within my comfort zone so I give the reply,
"I don't have to if I don't want to and you can't make me so don't even try".
But is it the child in me or the adult that would answer like that?
Seems like sometimes in trying to figure this all out I don't know on which side I'm really at.

#301 "Identity of A True Friendship" By Susan Pearl

When you are a good friend,
Then you are there through thick and thin,
But you have to watch out that you aren't suckered in,
Being a good friend to yourself first shouldn't ever have to end,
In order to keep being someone else's good friend,
Friendship should never ask you to go against what you know to be true,
And if it does ask that, then being a friend first to yourself is what you should  do,
For betrayal of your true self is far more than losing a friend you see,
Betrayal of one's self is the losing one's own true identity,
So no matter what "to our your own self be true",
And your own true identity will become stronger the more you do.

#300 "Blog Journey" By Susan Pearl

Today is my three hundredth plus blog,
I have enjoyed writing this blog and on some days writing is like:
The feeling of keeping up with a playful, frisky, running and friendly fetching dog,
Or quickly I have to write down an escaping thought because it is like hanging on to a slippery frog,
Or sometimes seeing something new is like stepping through a thick fog,
Somedays writing is as easy as falling off a log,
Or it can be as hard as trying to free up a stuck wheel cog,
Yes, oh, yes, how I have loved the journey of writing this blog.

#299 "Tips for "Role and Roll" By Susan Pearl

With the word "role", spelled with one "l", remember the word "play" ( also spelled with one "l"),
Because actors 'play' a 'role' in a 'play',
"Roll" spelled with two "ll's" makes me think of another word with two "ll's" and that word is "hill".
We can 'roll' down the 'hill'.
Cicular motions over and over like a roll of yarn or a roll of paper.
Also, the two "ll's" make me think of a "jelly roll" and that I should take only one and not two.
And to eat one roll and not two is sometimes hard to do.

#298 "Disappearing Time" By Susan Pearl

Jets high in the sky leave a trail like a long white stream,
It is easy for the line to catch our eye for a moment to pause and dream,
Wondering if, like the jet, our jouney of time will fly by,
And then somehow vaporize before our eyes,
Leaving a disappearing trail that vanishes into thin air,
Only to be known by us remembering it had been there.

#297 " Two Circle Thoughts" By Susan Pearl

When something in life keeps coming around in a big unwanted circle,
I question myself, " What lesson am I missing?",
Something is not evenly distributed,
Someone is doing more than his or her fair share,
The answer usually lies within those two thoughts somewhere.
Going in circles can also happen when there is no sense of direction,
Or when there is a refusal to learn a new way,
And things come back to where they began day after day.

#296 "Gridlock" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion there is a definate difference from when we "stop" from an agreement as to when we "balk" from an agreement,
When too many people "balk" we reach a situation that is called "gridlock",
Without agreement there is no unity to get things going forward,
Without unity progress will "stop".

#295 " A Turning Point" By Susan Pearl

When does good clean fun,
Become a dirty deal for everyone?
When excessiveness for more fun becomes the biggest part of a scene,
Chances are it will be then over the top and turn into something mean.

#294 "I Knew Then" By Susan Pearl

First it was by the hour,
And 'then' it was by the day,
That's the way it went for me,
For a heartache to go away,
And 'then' one night on TV when they showed the national weather map,
My eyes didn't look to the place where you are now living at,
I knew 'then', oh, yes, I knew 'then',
The heartache was over, it had come to an end.
And so each day better and better thoughts to me had come,
Until this new time for me without a heartache had begun.

#293 "Take Pride" By Susan Pearl

Take pride in whatever you do,
Even if you are sweeping with a broom,
Leave not one crumb on the floor in the room,
Do your best no matter how big or small the task request,
Taking pride in your work gives satisfation in a job well done,
And that in return is where a good feeling of pride can come from,
You will be known as someone whom people can count on and would be excellent help,
Because you do things right and keep meeting the high standard you have set for yourself.

#292 "Being Fired Up" By Susan Pearl

It is nice to see someone excited about life,
To see someone "fired up" and enthusiastic about what they do,
There are three parts to a fire; heat, fuel and oxygen,
Take away one of those parts and there will not be a fire,
To be "fired up"about life I think there are three imoportant parts,
The "heat" of the fire is our "passion" for something and it has to be important to us ,
We have to have passion about what we do and find reward and fulfilment in life,
The "fuel" part of the fire is to have an ongoing source of using our talents and abilities,
and a contiuing source of enjoyment,
The "oxygen" part of the fire is the energy we put into our efforts and living our principles and values,
In my opinion, if we have passion with continuing sources of giving our very best and receiving fulfilment with a renewing energy --we will be "fired up" about life--a life that we enjoy living with excitment. 

#291 "Light of day" By Susan Pearl

A child who lives in the shadow of others or of things will not experience the brightness of the sun shining on his or her own self worth and confidence.
There is something about seeing things in the light of day that brings a clarity of truth and knowledge of  experiencing such a presence.

#290 "Workbreak" By Susan Pearl

"Work" like anything else can be over done,
Especially if people are on a constant run,
For prolonged stress may eventually have an affect on health,
And without health what good is wealth?
So it could be time to slow down the pace,
And not be keeping up the break neck speed of a race,
And maybe by taking an enjoyable break it would not be counter productive,
Because being refreshed may bring new outlooks and new energies to give,
And instead of feeling burned out or pushed to the limit time after time,
A person will have a renewed way in seeing the picture of work with a better frame of mind.

#289 "Tangled" By Susan Pearl

When something is tangled it doesn't have to be entwined or entangled with something else,
It can be all tangled up within itself,
A rope that is tangled can not reach the full length of its potential,
Yarn that is tangled has to be untangled to be useful for a handwork project, 
The act of untieing the knots within oursevles can allow us to go further than before,
To reach what we were grasping for just beyond our reach and be able to even go beyond,
Untieing the knots of bitterness, jealousy, and self pity can make useful the part of us that was once tied up,
This allows us to be the person we want to become, to go the full distance we know we can go,
And to know with time, patience and understanding with ourselves that this can be done,
Then we are on our way of reaching the goal of a desired and the best possible outcome.

#288 "Time And Good Fortune" By Susan Pearl

The high winds and gusts were causing turbulence for our ride,
But we knew time was on our side,
We could stop until things would pass and then proceed,
So having time on our side is a luxury we sometimes indeed need,
But it doesn't go that way each day,
Without time on our side there is not an option for another way,
So we have to continue going through with what we are going through,
And hope that good fortune is on our side while we do.

#287 "Depth Of Hardship" By Susan Pearl

I remember an interview on television of a nine year old boy,
His family was being focused for a homeless feature on the news,
The interviewer asked the boy if there was anything he would like people to know about being hungry,
The boy, without hesitation, said, "When you are hungry, you can't sleep."
I know sleep deprivation can take a hard and terrible mental toll on people,
So now I am aware of the added tremendous difficulty of the people who are hungry,
A nine year old boy showed me that insight in the interview,
It made me realize more depth of the hardship for those who are hungry,
In a follow up television program it was reported an individual had watched the report and had helped the boy and his family,
But it taught me that when children are hungry they can't sleep,
And there is something about a hungry and tired child that should make us weep,
We can't do it all but if we can help one that is what we should do,
One by one dreams do come true, and the ability to sleep and dream is for everyone, too.

#286 "Being Thankful" by Susan Pearl

"Being Thankful" is one of the key components that unlocks our own happiness.

#285 "World Playground" By Susan Pearl

If we view the world as a big playgound with so much wonder to see and do,
Then we have to know that there will also be some big bullies on the playground, too.

#284 "Can't Be Late" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes it is hard for me to wait,
A feeling arises in me like we are going to be late,
And there is nothing that we are going to and no one is coming here,
So why do I feel late with no expected company and we aren't going anywhere?
When I ask for something I guess I want it to be right now so that means fast,
It's a habit I want to break because that feeling of being late is an anxiety from a time past,
A past when things had to be done in a hurry and each day the scurry was on,
And I shouldn't feel that way now because those days of "can't be late" are over and gone.

#283 "Change Is Upon Us All" By Susan Pearl

Things can change when something new comes into view,
Even though at times we don't want it to,
Because such a view of change can be an end,
When we are wanting things to go on for another round again,
Or the change could be more and be better than we had hoped for,
But to have realistic expectations no matter what the view has in store,
Keeps us knowing that even on a day without a cloud in sight,
That same day can change and hail ice stones before night.

#282 "An Impression" by Susan Pearl

It could have been a moment lost but it wasn't,
It was recorded in a child's memory,
A loving kindness that would be remembered,
And talked about from time to time,
And thought about from time to time,
As the child became an adult the moment didn't stay behind,
But was carried through life as a treasured memory,
Giving a lasting impression of a kind act that was recieved,
And the person who gave the kindness to the child may have not known,
How many times over the years good thoughts were reaped by the kindness that had been shown and sown.

#281 "A Good Candidate" By Susan Pearl

A person one time was trying to explain politics to me,
The person said "Politics is kind of like - you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours",
I think we should have people run for office who don't itch.

#280 "Deep Thoughts" By Susan Pearl

The deeper the thought, the deeper we go with what we know,
And better are the chances of finding something new as we think these thoughts through,
Like going as deep as a person possibly can to an ocean floor,
To discover what very few have ever seen or been able to discover before,
And if it is meant to be, a once hidden pearl awaits there for us to find and then see,
Because going deep within ourselves in our thoughts makes for a very rewarding journey,
That gives a wealth of worthwhile value and these new thoughts will continue to show,
Beauty upon beauty before our eyes that we can now realize by having reached such depth of soul.

#279 "Enjoyable People" By Susan Pearl

It is so wonderful to be with people who are good natured and of good humor,
Who are filled with goodwill and mean well,
Interesting and mannered,
Who want to do his or her part and not have you do more than your share,
And wouldn't want it any other way,
Oh, how I like to have people like that in my day.

#278 "Loyalty Versus An Idol" By Susan Pearl

Loyalty is not keeping an unlawful secret,
Loyalty does not want us to go against our moral convictions,
Loyalty wants us to stand up for what is right,
To defend the defenseless and to protect the innocent and vulnerable,
Loyalty is a commitment to do what we know is good and unselfish,
Selfishness preys on and overpowers victims for own self interest and gratification,
Loyalty askes us to live being loyal to what we truly believe in,
Loyality is built on trust and is held together with mutual respect,
Without trust and respect such loyalty becomes having an idol,
I was told in a sermon once that anything that keeps us from doing the right thing is an idol.
I remember that sermon and believe those words to be true.

#277 "Sobering Thought" By Susan Pearl

I was told to drive slow,
Because a botttle neck road situation was changing the traffic flow,
So I went as slow as I should go,
Waiting for things to improve with more driving room beginning to show,
I needed to be on time and so I wondered what had changed the traffic flow,
Then I saw a vehicle needing a tow,
I saw flashing lights and that was all I needed to know,
My inconvenience disappeared before my eyes at what I saw as I drove by slow,
And all of a sudden I arrived at a place inside myself that made me know,
How precious life is and how fast people in our lives can come and go. 

#276 "Dancing On The Beach" By Susan Pearl

With the breeze by the coconut trees we danced so slow,
The sand beneath our feet felt like a satin sheet,
Comforming to which ever way we wanted to go,
The moonlit beach was as long as the eye could reach,
With the caresses of waves that would come and go, and oh,
With the breeze by the coconut trees we danced so slow.

#275 "One Of A Kind" By Susan Pearl

So as with a pearl is made by having the irritation of a grain of sand,
The pain of the irritation becomes coated with the mother of pearl made by the shell fish,
Like an automatic defense system is in place of having a good coming out of something hard to live with,
So, too, learning to live with life's irritations will develop a special character within us,
That makes us become far more than we ever were before in so many valuable ways,
Ways that could only become processed by learning to live with a pain and having something productive come from this process,
And then knowing this process forms a beauty from within that is rare and so hard to find,
That's when we become living a special and beautiful quality, like a pearl, a real one of a kind, and pearls take time.

#274 "Have Patience/ Be Kind" By Susan Pearl

Have patience and be kind,
Because we don't know what burdens may be on another's mind,
Maybe another is thinking of a past hurt or tragedy,
And this perception will then be what the other can only see,
To get beyond this place will take time,
Until then have patience and be kind.

#273 "Hear Say" By Susan Pearl

Second hand talk is really "hear say",
People saying what they hear from another each day,
Sometimes it falls into the category of destructive gossip words,
Other times it is the telling of something concerning that was heard,
Wanting to know if another has heard it, too or what another knows,
So round and round the merry go round of "hear say" goes,
But where there is smoke there is fire and therein the test for questioning does arise,
Does second hand talk fan a dying ember and turn it into a burning blaze of lies,
Or can it reveal something that we are better off to know, or may not ever knowing it is best,
It's a toss up, and the thing about "hear say"  is that it really may be none of our business.

#272 " Past Resentments" By Susan Pearl

If an old resentment came in a printed form,
It wouldn't be worth the paper it was printed on.
It would also be like a worthless currency to continue to pass around,
This negative input becomes like litter tossed to now become cluttered ground,
Such useless scatter, disturbing matter, distracting to be put into a new day's view,
Someone's old resentment is a waste that subtracts from life's true beauty and from me and from you,
It leaves nothing behind but a mess of tangled windwhipped trash caught by whatever it can cling to,
And sometimes these past resentments are passed on for another generation to wade and sort through.

#271 "Love And Happy" By Susan Pearl

In my life I have known a very kind man,
Who loves and accepts me for who I am,
And I'm so happy that I'm married to him.

#270 "Different Scenarios" By Susan Pearl

We shouldn't fear the different scenarios we can face along the way each day,
We should trust with our core values in place we will know what to do and say.

#269 "Connecting The Dots" By Susan Pearl

We have to go with the facts and not feelings when connecting the dots,
Then by connecting the dots a picture will begin to emerge,
This picture will show us a reality.

#268 "A Hit And A Miss" By Susan Pearl

Some things are best kept at a distance,
Lightning is one of those things for me,
The nearer electrifying lightning is the more terrifying,
Thunder and lightning go together the closer they are the nearer they are,
The further apart they are the further the distance,
But when the booms and the flashing strikes happen at the same time,
It's yikes, thunderous flashing strikes, upon strikes, yikes upon yikes,
Then the sound and sight get to be fufther apart again so the passing of a storm has now come,
I like lightning at a distance but then at the same time it would be over head for someone else,
So I have to take a turn, too, with the things in life that hit and miss both at the same time.

#267 "Thank You Times" By Susan Pearl

Take time to say "thank you",
And mean it from the bottom of your heart,
With sincere appreciation the words of criticism will depart.

#266 "No Guarantee" By Susan Pearl

Rocks can crumble,
Anything on legs can stumble and tumble,
Balloons can gently wave and then suddenly pop,
Some people will go when they should stop,
We all have to live with these odds so don't tell me,
That against such things you can sell me a guarantee.

#265 "Ways Within Ways" By Susan Pearl

"There are ways within the ways", I heard him say,
And that is something I want to think about today.
For there are times without a doubt,
All we can do is find a way out,
Then sometimes an opportunity will extend,
Other times if a way is continued it will lead to a dead end,
And such a dead end will come over and over again,
So we shouldn't think that it is over as long as there is a way to take,
With ways of faith, hope and love we know "within" the best decision to make.
And within that way there may be another way to fine,
One leading to another, marking our own journey of faith, our journey of hope and our journey love through time.

#264 " How " By Susan Pearl

How can we ever cross the finish line if we keep shooting ourself in the foot?

#263 "Peace Of Mind" By Susan Pearl

If you are uptight by feeling down and overwhemed then find time to unwind your thoughts,
And remember how loved you are and how much good you've got,
Because these things do want to come to mind, too,
And show happiness and a wonderful time that has happened to you,
These loving thoughts will bring a strength of peace,
That will make the other negative thoughts to cease,
Because when our thoughts are centered around not things that are weak but things that are strong,
We will think of what is right and good about life instead of about what is wrong.

#262 " The Musical Time Note" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes music evokes in me a very strong memory,
And such a stong memory is like an emersion in an era of a time gone by,
More than just a thought, several senses are transported to an unrealistic feeling of being in the sixties,
And flashbacks of fashion and hairstyles of a world that came and then only to disappear,
But once in awhile it wants me to think that somewhere carried inside of me it is still here.

#261 "Duty/Responsible" By Susan Pearl

My mother called a responsibility to be her duty,
I call a duty to be my responsibility.
Somehow, the word "duty",
Isn't used like it used to be,
Still, we all have a duty that calls us to be responsible in a way only we can do,
And by being responsible to this duty we know that we are living our purpose, too,
I have my duty to fulfill while I can,
How I keep my duty will determine how responsible I am.

#260 "A Betrayal Reason" By Susan Pearl

If ever you feel betrayed by someone you love,
Know that lusts bring out the worst in everyone,
Whether it be lust of money, passions or for an ego that needs to be gratified and satisfied,
A betrayal from a lust can be the reason that has caused many a tear to be cried.

#259 "Watching Paint Dry" By Susan Pearl

With some things it is best to think things through from beginning to end,
And to do this before we actually begin,
Otherwise, we may paint ourself into a corner before we realize it's too late,
Without a door watching paint dry on the floor can seem like a very long wait.

#258 "The Timeless Test" By Susan Pearl

We agreed that there was a good work that needed to be done,
And with that agreement our journey had begun,
It was difficult to see what the children were going through,
And we both knew there was a lot of work to do,
Because children should know there is love on this earth,
And children should learn respect and know their self worth,
There should be a generation who doesn't know such a mean spirited hate,
Before it becomes a way of life for them because then it will be too late,
We gave it our all to show equality for everyone and lived what we believed,
And taught that we are all the same no matter what race, color or creed.
We did our best to put prejudice and bigotry to rest,
Hopefully, others will carry on and answer this call and meet this timeless test.

#257 "Hold Your Own" By Susan Pearl

When I was growing up there was an expression "you've got to hold your own",
Hold your own,
Hold your own,
Hold your own,
I was taught the meaning of this expression was that you can't let others push you around,
When opposition comes --- "hold your own",
Your will power inside of yourself has got to be stronger than the force coming against you,
Hold your own,
When the creative force within you is stronger than the destructive force coming against you,
You will "hold your own" and withstand with success which is a form of progress,
Over and over again to "hold your own" will show,
And bring you a life that only to "hold your own" can know.

#256 "The Pearl Of Trying" By Susan Pearl

I used to "try" to right every wrong, big or small,
I thought I knew it all,
But if it doesn't cross a line,
I have found a pearl with time,
That I do the best when I "try" to get along,
And find what is right and build on that instead of tearing down what is wrong.

#255 "Statis Quo Boat Passengers" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion:
There are two types of people who do not want to rock the boat of statis quo,
There are those people who can not swim and are afraid of the water. They doubt they could learn how to make it and feel safer in the boat of statis quo, even though in the statis quo they are low it is all they know,
Then there are those people of a high statis quo who can swim very well but they do not want  to get wet because it would be inconvenient and they want things to stay exactly the same way,
And so goes the boat of the statis quo,
Riding the waves of the times with passengers having dreams and passengers living dreams there are certainties and uncertainties in the statis quo boat,
With all hoping it will just stay afloat.

#254 "Strife" By Susan Pearl

When people believe they can not live a life of their own,
Then the seed of strife has already been sown.

#253 "The No Punch Bunch" By Susan Pearl

Anything that comes across as being disjointed in any way can not pack a punch.

#252 "An Ice Capade Serenade" By Susan Pearl

The ice skater is spinning,spinning, spinning,
Followed by graceful smooth moves that soothe and then take our breath away ,
A captive audience is held in total silence knowing how fragile these motions are,
Transporting them to a world of defying beauty along with risk of a slip and chance,
With elegance and flashing speed they see the triple axel so perfectly done,
Followed by a double axel, oh, how thrilling, the end of the routine is about to come,
The ice skater, once again, is spinning, spinning ,spinning then stops with suddenness,
Now leaning forward to take a well deserved bow for giving us a flawless performance.

#251 "The Game Time Clock" By Susan Pearl

Some people want to remain the same,
As if adding time back on the clock at a football game,
Over and over they try to reset a game time clock in their favor and not beyond a certain age,
Only to find the real passing of time has come and gone and they,too, like all others will change,
No one is the exception to the rule and there is no place in the real world to find,
That is not subject to be ruled by the passage of time.

#250 "Countless" By Susan Pearl

Last night when I went to bed and began to pray,
I thought I would think of each blessing I had received that day,
But it became clear to me that the blessings were too many to individually recall,
And so I grouped the blessings and called them "countless" thanking God for all.

#249 "Passing Of Public Opinion" By Susan Pearl

Few things are as cruel as public ridicule,
Few things have the elation as public recognition and appreciation,
But to privately know and feel within ourself all is well,
Then privately what the public thinks really doesn't matter because it will then seem to us like the passing of idle chatter.

#248 "Finding What Is ReallyThere" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes in life the tests we go through show what is really there within us,
What tests show can be good and sometimes the tests show an underlying problem,
When we think or are trained to think our answers will be outside of ourself,
Then we will keep looking and be an ever seeking type person,
Not ever truly settled,
We may aimlessly wonder and go from one control  to another contol,
While having unrealistic expectations of what others can do for us,
True support systems will show us how to be independent,
Not teach dependency on them,
When we know that we have within ourself an ability to adjust, to adapt to change,  
Then we will know that the answer is not held by someone else,
But by going deep within ourself we can find a hidden strength that we may not have ever known,
Sometimes in life the tests we go through show us what is really there within us.

#247 ""Can And Can Not" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion the difference  between "stubbornness" and "fortitude" is very real,
To me "stubbornness" is a high form of fear,  fear of change, fear of being corrected, fear of a new way or a new time.
"Fortitude" however, to me, is based on a strength of a value system that a person holds as an important part to the structure of the person's character and living within that value system in peace.
The behavior of "fortitude" can be displayed on a stage and the audience would find it to be inspiring but the behavior of "stubbornness" can not.

#246 "Not Like Before" By Susan Pearl

I found the patience I didn't know I had lost.
I paid a price without knowing the cost.
But maybe,
I found a patience I had not known before,
The price I paid showed me what I hadn't seen before,
And now with a new patience and knowing the score,
I won't go through the same doors in life I had gone through before.

#245 Tips for "Peek" And "Peak" By Susan Pearl

"Peek" with two "ee's" is something we do with our two eyes.  Taking a quick look is taking a "peek".
"Peak" with the "a" is for  "a highest point or a very top of something.  Like --a mountain "peak".
(Think of a capital "A" for this "peak".  The very top point (the highest point) of the "A" is a "peak".

# 244 "Live And Let Live" Susan Pearl

If we begrudge the life we live, we have only ourself to forgive.
Because we have missed seeing something new along the way that life tried to show us on many a day,
And a lesson was there for us to learn at each repeating turn,
But if we were begrudging and judging every step of the way,
Then it is time to learn how to forgive, live and let live,
And try to match the good we see in each day,

#243 "Recognizing An Illusion" By Susan Pearl

Some people or some things project an illusion,
This illusion is for entertainment,
Entertainment can become a way of life,
When the illusion is believed to be real.
So what is real and what is an illusion?
Is the hand quicker than the eye?
An illusion is something we think we see but it is not real,
Or, maybe, an illusion is something we want to see,
And so we accept whatever it claims to be,
An illusion can be like wearing a mask for a temporary time,
But an illusion is not meant to be permanent or is it to become the real deal,
The illusion is for entertainment and a temporary escape from reality,
But it is up to us to find our way back to what is real,
And then when an illusion is before our eyes,
It will be something we can quickly recognize.

#242 "Abundance Need" By Susan Pearl

During difficult times of things being sparse and scarce,
Therein lies a need for a great love to be in abundance.

#241 " A Lasting Memory" By Susan Pearl

This is a song I have written. Hope you enjoy it.

Every bit of each time that I'm with you,
Makes a big dream of mine come true.
It means so much the small things you do,
And I love each time I am with you.

We don't borrow trouble from tomorrow,
And think of bad things that may come our way,
We know that for each good or for each sorrow,
Our love will lead us through on that day.

The things that used to bother us and bring us down,
Today they don't even turn our heads their way.
I guess it is just all part of a process,
To make a love that will always stay.

What the future has in store for us,
We don't know what will be,
So every bit of each time right now let's live,
And our love will give us a lasting memory.

#240 " Hovering Moment " By Susan Pearl

People can say "Give me my space",
"Stop breathing down my back",
"It feels like you are hovering over me",
But helicopters hover,
Birds hover and, also, angels hover,
And if it is not a  helicopter or a bird hovering over,
It may be a moment shared with a person who can be compared to a hovering angel,
Some people are there when we need them,
And their love for us is steady and long lasting,
Like a special guardian angel,
They are there whenever we need help or need a word of  encouragement,
They are not far away because they want to be there for us,
And, also, they love us and want things to go well for us,
These people in our lives are special and should be appreciated,
For the time, attention and any hovering moment they kindly give to us.

#239 "Then And Now" By Susan Pearl

The thoughts that once held me captive have now escaped me.

#238 "It Will Come And Go" By Susan Pearl

One time I was feeling nervous about an upcoming special occasion,
I kept going through the special occasion in my mind hoping it would go well,
A wonderful person noticed my nervousnes,
This person said to me, "It will be like any other day.  It will come and go."
I didn't understand these words until I was older,
And I heard it said that for every event there will be a conclusion,
So now I understand that whenever I imagine an upcoming event I should invision the conclusion of the event, also.
This has become important and helpful to me,
It helps me enjoy and appreciate the moment of the occasion because I know the event will have a conclusion,
Also, when I think of a special occasion I think about the conclusion of it and that brings into perspective that, "It will be like any other day.  It will come and go."

#237 "Take Time For The Sign" By Susan Pearl

I thought it was a two way street,
But it was a one-way dead end road,
All the signs were there in place for me to read,
But I didn't take the time to see them,
I was too excited to get where I wanted to go,
And that was all I thought I needed to know,
I missed the signs,
But the signs were not missing,
Signs that would have helped me to find a better way,
Now the signs are easy for me to see and read,
They stand out to me whenever  they come along,
And show me if my my path is going wrong,
So on a two way street is where I stay,
The road of  living a life of "give and take" with others each day,
Knowing that a change in direction can become the opportunity of a  possibility,
Whenever, down the road, only a one-way dead end would be there for me.

#236 "Real Fun" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes I think people misuse the word "fun",
They misuse the word "fun" like it is some sort of eraser,
That can erase the damage after it has been done,
And then they will say, "Oh, I was just having fun."
Like that is suppose to erase the pain,
And makes things alright again,
But real fun,
Shouldn't hurt or cause damage to anyone.

#235 "Tips for "When" and "Win" " By Susan Pearl

"When" (with the "e") is a marker in time to wait and see.("ee")-like "When we get there".
"Win" (with the "i") is to come in first for some sort of competition,- like  "to win a prize". The word "prize" is,  also, spelled with an "i".

#234 "Freedom To Be" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes I think "being free" means different things to different people,
Like "free" to take addictive substances but yet so entrapped by that lifestyle,
Like confined by a vehicle on a trip yet feeling free to see the scenery,
The freedom of thoughts daydreaming in a familiar easy chair without a care,
Freedom to me is to be me and to use my abilities to be productive and to be happy,
Without infrigement on anyone else's rights or they on mine,
For some, after meeting their responsibilities, "freedom" is having nothing pressing to do,
For others "freedom" is looking to find an opportunity of having a dream come true,
So what is "freedom" to me may not be "freedom" for you,
But the one priciple of "freedom" we do have in common in which we believe,
Is that all of us are equal,with a right for respect and dignity,
No matter the race, color or creed.

#233 "Promise And Hope" By Susan Pearl

Each day is a day of new beginnings,
New beginnings of promise and hope.
Living the promise that whatever strength we need will be there at the exact time we need it,
And having the hope that love will prevail.

#232 "Let It Shine" By Susan Pearl

There is a good happening right now,
For us to find,
It wants to shine,
And light each day we live,
With joy,
And love to give.

There are visions waiting to be seen,
That will bring hope to build a dream,
And in each of us rests,
A desire to do what is best,
So as we grow,
A good will show.

So there is a good from within,
Renewing us again and again,
To dream, to hope, to love and to give,
Seeing the true gift that we can live,
Glimmering, shimmering good from within to find,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

#231 "A Lovely Thought" By Susan Pearl

My wish for you today is to have a lovely thought,
A thought that brings enjoyment for hours,
Like a room filled with fresh cut flowers,
A thought that makes your spirits soar,
And believe more than ever before,
A thought that gives joy and peace,
And causes troubling thoughts to cease,
A lovely thought that will stay all day,
No matter what, come what may.

#230 "True Legacy" By Susan Pearl

The best of plans are put to the worst of tests,
There is no way to know which way it will go,
Until all of the facts are in,
And then with time that could even change again.

Who knows what, where or when some things begin or to end.
We just have to do what should be done when the time has come,
And if we are judged at a later date that we did fail,
All has not been lost as because time could show we did prevail.

For we did what we thought was best during a worst of tests,
And on that fact through time our true legacy rests.

#229 "Experience Can Speak" By Susan Pearl

Don't wear the words of others,
To your own self be true,
Believe that you can do it,
And follow through,
And if they say you can't,
And that there is no way,
Let them be the ones who wear ,
The words that they say,
Because experience can speak,
And it really does work this way.

#228 "Time Changed Me" By Susan Pearl

When I was young I liked the idea of being swept off of my feet by a handsome Prince on a beautiful horse and we would ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after.

When I was in my middle years I liked the idea of being swept off of my feet but only if I knew first where he would be taking me.

Now in my older years I want my own horse and I want to ride side by side.  I can change my mind at any time and not have major consequences because I had the Prince sign a prenuptual agreement.

#227 "Tips For Soul And Sole" By Susan Pearl

Tips for soul and sole,

Soul spelled with the "u" can mean a spiritual universal union of understanding beyond ourselves.

Sole spelled with the "e" is  the bottom of our feet from below the toes to the end of the heel.
The sole of a shoe is the bottom of the shoe.

A cobbler repairs shoes.
A cobbler ia a dessert.
"Cobbler" is spelled the same but it has different meanings.

#226 "That Is That" By Susan Pearl

I remember a high school principal.
He was a very good principal and was very respected.
He would often call for an all school assembly to meet in the gymnasium and he was a very gifted motivational speaker.
During one assembly he said he had noticed that a student had a habit of dragging a sharp pencil lead along the walls while walking from class to class.  He said he would ask for such a habit to stop.
He said that it wasn't really that big of deal but "what if everyone in the school did that" as each one walked in the hallways and would drag their pencil lead along the walls.  He asked for us to think about what a school problem that would become for the appearance of the school and the upkeep it would require.
So he said he had to stop because "what if everyone did that"  and "what is fair for one is fair for all" because "everyone is treated the same."
Now, over the years I have noticed that employers have had to dismiss an employee that may seem to be over a trivial matter but the fact is "what if everyone did it"-so it just can't be, and "that is that."

#225 "Coloring The Sky" By Susan Pearl

Imagine a teacher in a first grade classroom.
The students have bright shiny faces and paper and crayons in front of them. the students are going to color a sky and they are going to decide how everyone should color the sky.
The teacher says, "Today we are going to color the sky.  How would you like for us to color the sky?"
One student says," I think the sky should be blue."
Another students says excitedly, "I think the sky should be blue and white.  I think the white clouds look like polka dots or flufy pictures in the sky."
Another student says, "I think the sky should be a beautiful pearl gray."
"How about," exclaims another student,"grey and blue and white?"
"Let's color the sky many colors like light pinks and dark pinks and shades of purple.  It can be a sunrise sky," suggested another student.
"How about  coloringing the sky reds and golds?  It can be a sunset sky,"" said another student.
"I know," said an enthusiastic student, "I think the sky should be colored black with  tiny silver stars."
The students waited for instruction from the teacher on how to color the sky.
The teacher said," You all get to draw your favorite colors for the sky.  Isn't it wonderful that everyone gets to have his or her own favorite colors and it really is like that for each one to see and enjoy?"
A student said," The sky is really neat."  Another student said loudly, "Wow!"
The teacher smiled because she knew she had accomplished her task as a teacher and the students now had a new appreciation for the beautiful different colors of the sky as seen through their own eyes and, also, through the eyes of others, too.
That was quite a lesson for the students to learn that day.  A lesson that there's more than one way to color a sky and each way is right.

#224 "No Lie" By Susan Pearl

I don't know why,
But it is no lie,
There are some people I hang onto every word they say,
And there are some people I don't even want to exchange the time of day.

#223 "Rhyming Tips For Tow And Toe" By Susan Pearl

Rhyming tips:

Tow with the "w"---Woe is me, my car won't go.  It needs a tow.

Toe with the "e"---ends of our feet is where they grow.

#222 "Remembering Can Bring Comfort" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes when I have a hard decision to make or a difficult task to accomplish or a difficult time to go through that takes not only tremendous effort but,also, great faith and courage,
I try to remember the times before in my life when I made it through such difficulties,
Time and time again I can remember how I recognized and met a needed timely requirement and made it through to see another day and a new time,
time and time again I remember the strength (I didn't know I had)  to meet the challenge of the moment,
After so many times of "forward march" in so many ways and areas of life,
I begin to find comfort by remembering the times before,
And know the difficult task at hand will be met like all of the others had been,
It's been proven to me it will be like that and if I did it once I can do it again.

#221 "A Picture Of A Negative Consequence" By Susan Pearl

Whenever a person has a fence a gate is an important part of the fence,
A person needs a gate to have a way out and to access entry when needed,
Living with a negative consequence is like living with a broken down fence,
Unwanted things can enter and things held of value are more vulnerable and can easily leave,
Living with a negative consequence is like living with a broken down fence,
It has to be fixed, repaired and made whole again for the negative consequence to be counteracted,
The consequence of addressing a negative consequence will be a positive consequence,
And we will feel safe and things of value are taken care of in a proper and timely manner,
Good efforts will  accumulate instead of disappearing before our very eyes,
Like leaving through a broken down fence which is a picture of a negative consequence.

#220 "You Break It You Fix It Or Pay" By Susan Pearl

When we break a rule of common sense,
We will have to fix something in our life as a consequence,
Otherwise, we pay for what we broke by being foolish in different ways,
And it will be a high price to pay until common sense is restored like before.

#219 "Preparation" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion, the challenges we have met,
Prepare us for the the challenges we haven't had to face yet.

#218 "Too Much" By Susan Pearl

Certain shiny substances and materials reflect light,
Some materials, like bricks, do not reflect light,
Even this gives an opportunity for balance,
Balance is having things not too much one way or not too much the other way,
And "balance" it is a very important point of view,
Because too much of anything is not always in a person's best interest,
Life can get out of balance and it can happen real fast,
Say, for instance, the thought of a reflection,
If a person is lost in a barren or wilderness setting using a substance that reflects light
May send a signal to others, and that signal by a light reflection can become a source of finding the lost person,
However, too much reflection while driving a car can be blinding and give a instaneous setting of not being able to drive properly and being temporarily disorientated and lost,
If such a blinding reflection continued it could become dangerous for safe driving,
Too much reflection can cause problems and right amount of reflection can solve a problem,
Too much of anything can drive us off the road in life,
And it can happen real fast.

#217 "Tips For Soar And Sore" By Susan Pearl

Soar with the "a" is what airplanes do.  An airplane will soar across the sky.
Sore with the "e" is an "ouchee".

#216 "Balanced Choices" By Susan Pearl

I like spontaneity and I like routine,
My life is balanced somewhere in between.
So somewhere is a good place to be,
At least it has been for me.
No extremes of being only one way or being only the other,
But somewhere in between seems the best way to be,
Instead of one choice or two choices I really do have three,
And choices add to the quality of life so in between is the choice for me.

#215 "More Water?" By Susan Pearl

To be upset or to not be upset that was my dilemna.
To have an evening meal in a high scale restaurant was a very special occasion for us.
The table was set beautifully. The water was in elegant goblet style long stem glasses.
We had been told the atmosphere of this restaurant was something to behold so we consented to go there with other family members to enjoy it, too.
Then the steaks were served and things changed fast for our table. 
My husband thought his steak was tough and so he stabbed the steak with his fork to firmly hold it in place while he took his steak knife and used it like a hand saw going back and forth in short fast rapid motions trying to cut through the steak. 
The table started shaking so much that the water started spilling out over the tops of the long stem glasses.
It was like our table had been placed on top of a jackhammer and we were trying to eat with a raging vibrating, shaking table connection to a jackhammer going at full speed.
The table quieted down as my husband had finally made it though the steak to actually had his first bite of meat. 
Then the table vibrations started all over again for him to cut his second bite of steak.
More water was spilling and slushing out of the goblets and I couldn't really believe that this special evening had tuned into an embarrassing experience.
I had never tried to eat a meal at a shaking table before and I don't think the other family members had either.
Thank goodness they didn't serve peas or they would have literally rolled off of the table. 
My husband did not have a clue what he was putting the rest of us through in with the sudden eruputions of a shaking table.
The waiters wanted to refill our water but we declined.  We had not drank any of our water. The water had spilled out over the top of the goblet onto the beautiful tablecloth leaving  large circles of spilled water around the base of each goblet. 
I didn't know if I should be upset with my husband or not be upset by knowing he is the type of person that if if he has something to do --come hell or high water--in this case -spilled goblet water, he is going to get the job done no matter what it takes. And in this case a tough steak needed to be cut up.  He would have helped to cut up anyone's steak if we had asked him. 
I chose to laugh.  I knew that no matter what the challenge at hand my husband would meet it.  Cutting up his steak changed the restaurant up scale sophisticated atmosphere to a funny and comical setting.  We began roaring with laughter and it was a such great fun.
It was well worth the price of the meal.
Why we didn't send the steak back to the kitchen I'll never know.
I guess we just were too busy trying to hang on to our own meal with the shaking table that we didn't have time to think about it.

#214 "Discernment Of The Selfish" By Susan Pearl

Selfish people will come and go from our lives,
And each will take a part of our life if we let them,
They can take our time, our strength and our attention even our assets,
To be only for themselves without any mutual thought or any mutual mention,
And it can take a toll on our self esteem over the course of time,
Because selfish people think only of themselves without the best interest of others in mind,
To be taken apart bit by bit and part by part and giving it away with nothing to show in return,
I'm telling you in my lifetime that was one of the hardest lessons I ever had to learn.
I learned to say "no" time and time again,
Selfish people have come and gone away but the unselfish people became my friends to stay.
And it is a far better life than it was before that I can certainly say.
Because I am no longer being selfishly used and the people I now know wouldn't want it any other way.

#213 "Retrospect" By Susan Pearl

"Retrospect" is looking back for a forward perspective,
For a scientist it is the ability to analyze former tests and applying the results to get closer to a wanted discovery,
To a pilot it is following training and the manual which has been made by many "retrospects" and equipment testing,
To a baker it may be learning the oven bakes hotter in the back so now the the pan is turned midway through the baking process for best results,
Now if  a new oven is purchased and changed the former retrospect would become outdated and no longer appliable,
"Retrospect" is filled with learning, through an updating process of lessons learned and assesssing the outcomes,
And because things change then the current ways become the proper use of a new "retrospect",
With new facts applied the next effort should have a better and more successful outcome,
And "retrospect" continues to analyze the current data and making new manuals for safety with the best possible outcome for everyone.
Our current perspective should contain the current "retrospect" otherwise an outdated setting may emerge that is stuck in the past and may lead to eventual dysfunction.

#212 "Good For All" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion there are good things in motion at all times,
I think that if we have become separated from the good potential around us it is up to us to reconnect with the potential for good,
I think it all begins by truly wanting good for all,
And then truly wanting to be a part of that good,
And not wanting to be separated from the good around us at any given time,
Which will require recommitment to a value system of being in step with the motion of good for the benefit of all.

#211 "Tips For Heel And Heal" By Susan Pearl

Heel with the two "e's"-"ee" is the part on the back of our feet ("ee"- two e's).
Heal with the "a" is for an ability to be healthy again and the process of such "a" recovery.

#210 " Original Design Of Seeing New Things" By Susan Pearl

The older I get with time,
The more I return to my original design,
A design of delightfulness in being alive,
And seeing something new without going on  a drive,
This original design is like having a childlike wonder,
Finding new and wonderful things to see and to ponder.

#209 "Frozen In Time " By Susan Pearl

This week I was reading and the phrase "emotions frozen in time" caught my attention.
At first I  thought that to remedy frozen emotions a person should allow whatever emotion that is frozen to absorb the warmth and beauty of the current setting,
Then I realized the real setting is "frozen in time",
It is the "time" that is frozen,
To be frozen in time is to be locked into the past,
 It would be to an advantage for a person to have a realization and an awareness that the painful parts of the past have been locked in time and should remain in the past,
Such hurtful feelings of the past do not have to be reexperienced in the present setting,
If we are in the tropics should we be feeling the bitter cold of a previous artic adventure?
That was a different time, and these painful emotions do not have to be reexperienced in the setting and environment of the now.
Time has moved on and so has the surroundings.
Our current emotions should match our current setting and not be frozen in time.
We have left that time in our life and we should leave the negative things of that time to remain in the past where they belong.
If we choose to remain in the past with our emotions we will be frozen to the enjoyments of each day and miss the joy of a new time and new surroundings.

#208 "Understanding Times In Vain" By Susan Pearl

Whenever I think of the things for me that have been in vain,
I know that good has not come from some of the hard work and efforts made,
And even though things didn't turn out the way I thought they would,
I know in my heart I did the best I could,
And even though some efforts given went towards an unproductive area,
Well, at least I tried, my conscience is clear, time to move on from here,
 Now I know the difference doesn't rest singly with me,
That there is only so much anyone can do and then see what will be,
 Knowing that makes it more painless to understand the times of vainness.
And peace comes, knowledge is increased and another turn in a lesson learned.

#207 "1950's Fun on the Run" By Susan Pearl

What fun! What fun!
Playing outdoors on the run!
The boy down the street was the best on stilts.  He was like a giant grasshpper coming down the street.
A new toy was the pogo stick, but I was a little too heavy for a full spring reaction bounce,
So I would try to jerk the pogo stick up and off of the ground.
The best toy was the bycycle.  I had a light on my bycycle and so I would stay out until dusk and  ride my bike with the light on.
One fun game was" statue", when someone would spin you and then let go, 
A person stayed in the position of the hurled landing to be judged who was the best statue.
Other games were hide and seek, red rover, drop the hankie, Mother May I, London bridge is falling down, dodge ball, and jumping rope.
What fun! What fun!
Playing outdoors on the run!

#206 "Rhyming Tips For Which And Witch" By Susan Pearl

"Which" spelled with the two "h" 's--two or more of anything can make for a choice and then a decision to make of course.---like which way or which one or which team will beat.
"Witch" spelled with a "t" may say "Trick or Treat".

#205 "Awareness Sets Swing Limits" By Susan Pearl

To the depth of extent for the creativeness,
Can also be the depth of extent for the destructiveness.
The pendulum of emotion can swing from side to side.
And it can be one heck of a ride.
To the depth of extent for the destructivness,
Can also be the depth of extent for the creativeness,
But time will tell,
If it is the facts or what we feel,
That will dictate the extent of our boundaries and set limits that the swing takes us,
It does all depends on if the swinging pendulum bares the name of "awareness".

#204 "Outgrowing Fears" By Susan Pearl

I remember being in the conveience store part of a gas station.  I was ready to check out when a little boy, probably six years, came running into the store very scared and almost crying.
The little boy said,  "He said he is going to spit on me"!!!!
The store owner said, "Well, we're not afraid of him".
The owner of the store went and opened the store door and looked out.
Sure enough, there was a much bigger boy waiting on a bycycle. 
The older boy took one look at the store owner and rode away.
What this writing is about is to convey how "intimidation" and "fear" are interlocked.
The litle boy was intimidated by the size of the bigger boy.
The bigger boy was intimidated by the sight of the store owner protecting the little boy. 
I think "intimidation"  happens when the other person is overpowered or afraid of harm.
And sometimes is happens because the other person already feels inferior to others and is an easy target for being intimidated.
I think that store owner taught the little boy a lesson when he said, "Well, we're not afraid of him."
Maybe that expression "facing our fears" helps during times of intimidation and can unlock the setting of intimidation and release us from the feeling of inferiority.

#203 "Brighter Makes Things Lighter" By Susan Pearl

Bight thoughts make dim the darkest of times,
And may bring enough light that a person won't have to feel his or her way through,
But have enogh light to know what to do.

#202 "Calm Reflection" By Susan Pearl

I like looking at a picture we have hanging on our wall,
It is a country scene with a serene lake,
The reason I can tell the waters are still is because the water gives a perfect reflection of the surrounding beauty,
It is almost twice the beauty because of the reflection,
Maybe if I would stay calm in life I would see twice the beauty of  the loveliness that surrounds me,
Once by seeing it, and then again with the calmness of peace what it reflects back for me to see.

#201 "Extreme Bill Paying" By Susan Pearl

I have been told that the words "never" and "always" are extreme words,
And that people who use those words often are extreme in their thinking,
I try not to use these words very often with that thought in mind, but,
I "never" pay a bill without understanding the charges,
I "always" know exactly what I am paying for.
If that is being extreme, well then, let it be.

#200 "Parade Of Years" By Susan Pearl

Happy memories are like confetti in the parade of years.
Happy memories are like bits and pieces of gleeful places and loving faces,
All raining down so fast, like the fast past, they represent for a brief moment in time,
With triump and joy they come and go letting us know we truly have had happy memories in the parade of years.

#199 "Rhyming Tips For Tale and Tail" by Susan Pearl

Tale written with an "e" is the telling of a story.
Tail written with an "i" is my, oh, my---a scared cat has a tail that is sky high, a horse has a tail that can swat a fly, a friendly dog has a wagging tail that is like waving "hi" and "bye".

#198 "Waterfall Lesson" By Susan Pearl

I studied a picture of a beautiful waterfall, 
The amazing waterfall has area that were so thin I could seee the background behind the waterfall,
Then I saw so many areas that were completely white with the fast moving waterfall,
I noticed the difference between the two is the length between where the water is falling to come against the next ledge,
The shorter the distances between the waterfall landing ledges to the next landing ledge the more the density of the waterfall,
The farther apart the landings ledges were for the waterfall the thinner the waterfall became,
And that is when a person can see behind the waterfall or see through it,
Maybe when rough areas in life come way too frequently it is best to make an effort to get away for a brief while and put some distance between ourselves and these rough ledges,
This may allow us the opportunity to be able to see through things and be able to understand what is behind it all,
Just like seeing through to what is really behind areas of a fast moving waterfall,
It is good to know what is behind it all for the fastmoving times in life,
And that perspective may see a new lovliness with a new understanding of the full picture.

#197 "Spell Check Double Take" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes a miscommunication can be like a spell check that the wrong word is being used but yet the wrong word is being spelled correctly.

For instance, yesterday was our wedding anniversary and the wrong word for wishing us best wishes would have been "Happy Adversity".

Spell check would have passed the word "Adversity" as being the spelled correctly but it definately is not the right word for communicating anniversary best wishes.

Communication should have a double check of not only the spelling but also the correct word usuage for what we truly want to convey.   It is best to do a double take of a correct word and a word spell check when communicating to avoid any miscommunication. This double take saves time in the long run. 

#196 "Anniversary Tribute" By Susan Pearl

Hello, it is good to be back doing my blog. I had a nice blog vacation from July 8th-August 8th and I have a lot of new thoughts and perspectives that I am looking forward to sharing with my reading audience.

Today is a very special day for me.  Today is my forty-fifth wedding anniversary.  I would like to write an anniversary poem for my blog today.  Thank you.

Many years ago I thought I saw something so good in you,
And time has proved that what I saw is true,
Little did I know that when I promised to have and hold,
That our love would be that of a hundred fold,
And we have known a love that knows no end,
Because what is given comes back time and time again,
I have been there for you and you have been there for me,
When it wasn't easy to be.

And we could count on our love like the strength of an oak tree,
Constant and steady the way love ought to be,
We leaned on our love, too,
When we didn't know what to do,
And it just would not give in,
It gave back more than was taken time and time again.

Over the years we kissed away the tears,
And one by one we put away our fears,
Our love became like a wall refusing to fall,
And we held on through it all.

Time will test all loves to tell if they are true,
Happy Anniversary, I love you,
With a love that has been there for you and me,
When it wasn't easy to be.

And we could count on our love like the strength of an oak tree,
Constant and steady the way love ought to be,
And we would lean on our love, too,
When we didn't know what to do ,
And it would not give in- it's been,
Giving back and giving back over and over again,
It's been a love without an end.

Time for a blog vacation break--I will post again in a month.  Thank you.

#195 "Insecurities Do Weigh Down" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion---If the insecurities and emotional needs of a person outweigh the good efforts and well intentions of another person then it will be an unpleasant and difficult struggle type of an exhausting relationship.

#194 "The Impolite Stare" By Susan Pearl

Are people aware of it when they stare?
Like a rude interlude that doesn't seem to care,
Something has caught the eye to a degree that all present concentration is lost,
The sight of something or someone is the new concentration and it can be for others at an embarrasing cost,
For no one likes to be stared at and have the uncomfortable feelings a stare can bring,
Why you would think such a sight had never before been seen, so a stare can seem and become a cruel thing,
Maybe to the staring person it is always new to see someone who has a challenge or two or even three,
But it is an unrealistic expectation to think that everyone will be without some difficulty of who we see, 
Because for the person being stared at has a right to be there,
And the person doing the staring shouldn't expect perfection to be anywhere,
So realistic expectations and education can help lessen staring at others to a certain extent,
But to continue to concentrate on what a person is doing is to keep their focus of attention and that is better yet.

#193 "Live and Learn" By Susan Pearl

Live and learn,
Learn to live,
Living is learning,
Learning is living,
Live and learn,
Learn to live.

Learn to give,
Learn to receive,
Learn to live,
Learn to believe.

Learn to love,
Live the love,
And love to live,
Live and learn.

Be humble and true,
And there is no telling what you may do.

#192 "Someday" By Susan Pearl

I read a poem once that said that "someday isn't on the calendar",
So the things we would like to do "someday" won't just come and go like a regular day.
"Someday" has to be scheduled and time alotted to have a "someday" happen,
In my opinion if we are thinking in terms of "someday" for having special times while these times are still here and that these special times won't be here in future years for us to enjoy,
Then we already know that there are some things that we should be taking the time to do now.
It is important not to wait for that "someday" to come,
Because "someday" isn't on the calendar and won't happen on its' own.
I think wise people know what they have while they have it,
And it gives peace of mind later in life that a person took the time to have special moments while being together,
Special and wonderful moments while they could and not put these times off for "someday".

#191 "Rhyming Tips For Sail And Sale" By Susan Pearl

"Sail"  with the "i" is for when "I" saw the ship (i) set sail for a trip (i).
"Sale"  with the "e" is for when a reduced (e) price (e) is what we (e) see (ee).

#190 "The Blue Jay" By Susan Pearl

A beautiful blue jay was an entertaining sight for me to see,
I watched the blue jay as it made up the one bird parade,
First a balancing act of walking across the fence top including a hop,
Then posing on a rustic wagon wheel, setting so very still,
A pose that pictured sirene and could be a full page photo in a magazine,
But it was all there just for me to see.

The blue jay looked so dressed up, a classic blue and black attire to see,
So well groomed, like the official bird of a formal royal party,
Welcoming all of us, earths' guests, as we come to greet and behold true beauty,
And enjoy the surprise of the fun when lovely moments come to us unexpectedly, 
Then the blue jay took flight, blue on the blue of the sky I watched it fly and then so quickly out of sight,
Leaving me but before it had to go giving a special blue jay show that it was just for me to see.

#189 "True At The Moment" By Susan Pearl

When all of the facts are not in,
Only speculation is what we have then,
So to speculate from the facts that we do have at the time,
Any decision made then should hold this fact in mind,
That to work with what we know is doing the best that we can,
And if things change and rearrange and there are new facts at hand,
It may or not be time to decide again,
And this process is repeated over and over until all of the facts are in.

If an underlying personal agenda has not been in place,
Then any decision made should be judged with grace,
For the decision was made with what was true at the moment,
Are decisions made in truth with only the given facts at the time are not to regret,
For we are only human and no one knows what the future will definatly be,
So speculation with what is true at the moment and the decision is made upon what we can only see.

They say, "hindsight is 20/20" for a review of what may be better next time to do,
But it is still speculation upon speculation based on current facts of the moment that are true,
Because history continues on to be an ongoing statement of moments of facts,
That become known as they happen or maybe made known by studying and discovering true facts of the past,
And these facts become what is new and true at the moment,
As a base of speculation for decisions made to correspond with the current event,
So when a person wants to talk to me about a past decision that I have made,
And use the latest facts known, I think it is like asking, 'Which came first the chicken or the egg?"

#188 "Fear" By Susan Pearl

Fear is a lead suit that once in awhile I wear,
And the heaviness of fear keeps me from going anywhere,
So the weight of fear keeps me here,
I wait and in the distance fun and laughter I hear,
Imagining without fear the lightness of my spirit could soar,
Instead of experiencing the pain of fear like an untreated sore,
Then out of the blue the lead suit lifts and disappears and I feel new,
Gone is is the fear and gone is the weight of fear that I knew,
Will it come back---I'm sure it may try but if I'm aware of what I wear,
I will remain free and lightly go as I wish to and from anywhere.  

#187 "Questions" By Susan Pearl

Do some things need to come to an end,
Before a new time can begin?
Do some things stay renewed
With faith, hope and love to see them through?
I have heard that healing begins with forgiveness,
And to me that does make sense,
Does meanness and bullying end,
When kindness and compassion begin?
Are these traits taught or role modeled for others to know and see?
Would it just take meeting one kind person in our lifetime for good things to come to be?

#186 "Rhyming Tips For Sow, Sew And So" By Susan Pearl

"Sow" is when we plant the seeds in a row.
"Sew" with an "e" is what we do with a needle ("ee--e") and thread.
"So" is the smallest word of the three but we it is used the most like- "so" much- or- "so" little bread was fed.

Note:  The word "sow" has two sounds.

The word "sow" as a noun is a female pig- a farm animal that rhymes with another farm animal- a "cow".("sow" and "cow" rhyme)
The word "sow" as a verb is when we plant the seeds we in a "row". ("sow" and "row" rhyme)

#185 "New Excitement" By Susan Pearl

What happens when we are not excited about the things or the people we used to be?
What does that mean to you and to me?
I used to be excited to see the same person three times a week,
Then a week came that the person could not come but it was not so bleek,
I found others things to do on those three days,
And enjoyed these new things and in new ways,
So maybe when we are not excited about the things or people we used to be we should know,
There are other things that seem new that we would rather do and we like being free to do so.

#184 "Fields" By Susan Pearl

There lies before my very eyes,
A field of flowers, so easy to recognize,
What beauty mutiplied time and again with the perimeter of the field,
Sharing a moment of time a certain season that has a time of yield,
A gratifying sight that will come and go,
Pretty soon the field may be covered with snow.
But a field of pearls is a different sight to behold,
For the beauty is timeless and hidden and as priceless as gold,
Such a field calls us to explore,
After finding a peral it is only natural to see if we can find more,
And so the pearls of life are there for us to find each day time and time again,
There is one requirement, however, to find pearls in the field of life all we have to do is to look for them,
Come rain or shine,
There are pearls of truth about life for us to find with time.

#183 "Our Maintenance Priority" By Susan Pearl

If a train became derailed and investigators came to find out the reason why,
I would think they would investigate the tracks for a flaw and also the speed of the train at the time and place of the derailment,
A flaw in the tracks could be a problem of the maintainence of the rails,
Time and weather are in motion so maintenance is an important part to maintain things going at the best level possible.
In fact, in my opinion, maintenance is a necessary part for a quality of life,
When we do not think enough to maintain ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually our quality of life will gradually decline or suddenly go off track,
No or low maintenance priority can even lead to our life getting completely off track and go in an unwanted direction,.
Maintenance is a very important part of our well being and helps us to stay on track and get to where we hope to go.
Maintaining our whole self makes for a strong and well kept foundation for our life to run on.

#182 "Butterfly Story Cycle" By Susan Pearl

Beautiful butterfly with  fancy fast fans fluttering wings,
Swiftly circling, darting, then hoovering over the flowers,
The precission of a precissionist flies by in such a precise way,
Bringing fleeting moments of lovliness to and fro throughout the day.

To think the change that beheld the butterfly inside the cocoon,
Becoming what it is designed to be, bringing a special beauty forth, and none too soon,
For more beauty into the world is needed for such artistic joys to behold,
To think these same visions of elegance have been seen by many with stories of such times to be told.

#181 "Freed From Pain" By Susan Pearl

First it was by the hour,
Then is was by the day,
That's the way it was for me.
To have a pain go away.

It started to be better,
One hour at a time, now and then, but it picked up speed,
The hours hooked together and became a chain of one full day,
And I knew that from the pain I had been freed and would succeed.

Because one day hooked to the next day,
And the days held strong became a chain of a  month,
Then the months turned into a year,
The door to the pain remained closed, time now held it shut.

Now it all seems so long ago and far away,
and it started for me first by the hour and then by the day.

#180 "Somewhere Between" By Susan Pearl

Somewhere between being criticized and complimented is an ordinary place to be,
Somewhere between being admired and unnoticed is the ordinarary place for me.
Somewhere between, somewhere between,
Can be a safeguard from being extreme.

The need to dominate, the need to rule, the need to reign supreme,
Doesn't all of that sound extreme?
The answer ordinarily lies somewhere between.

#179 "Thankfulness" By Susan Pearl

Can a person be taught to be thankful?
I think so---I think I was taught at a young age to be thankful.
That was a good lesson to learn,
And I am truly thankful for that.

#178 "Rhyming Tips for Sum and Some" By Susan Pearl

The word "sum" is the grand total of adding everything up.
"Some" is to indicate so much of this or so much of that, like- "I drank some of the tea but not the full cup."--This "some" is not the total amount----"there is some left behind maybe for another time."

Note--"Some"--- the first three letters are "S" "O" "M" ---
The first three letters of "so much of" are "S" "O" "M"

To add up --there is an "U" in the word "up"---
And there is the letter "U" in the word "sum".

Other tips for "weigh, way and whey"

The word "weigh" with the "i" is something "I" do not like to do--weigh on a scale.
The word "way" with the "y"--if ever a person is at a road that is shaped like a "Y" that person better know which "way" to go.
The word "whey" ("wh"ey) is for when ("wh"en) milk is separated into curds and whey.

Tips for "knight and night"

The word "knight" with a "k" may have seved a king ("k"ing) of old.
The word night with a "n" comes after sundown (sundow"n").

#176 "Endless Love" By Susan Pearl

Why does true love not have an end?
Is it because what is given comes back again, over and over again,?
And a true love does hold,
A love that gives back one hundred fold.
Could it be that more is given than is ever taken away?
And that makes a true long love stay day after day,
Constant and steady the way a true love ought to be,
Leaning on such strength is a source of renewal and integrity,
A combination of giving the best and it coming back to be more than before,
Becoming a lasting love that transcends time and by always being able to give more.
So a true love that knows no end,
Is a constant and steady love that has more to give time after time again. 

#176 "Until" By Susan Pearl

When things go backwards as they sometime will,
And a person knows it's time to wait and sit real still,
To see if the decline begins to level out or becomes a steeper hill,
The "in between" of "going either way" is a time called "until",
And so a person will sit real still while waiting for those moments of "until" to fill.

#175 "The Caught Thought" By Susan Pearl

Whenever I feel a little bit down I know the cause of what I got,
It is caused by a torturous or a bothersome thought that is caught,
And I need to rethink or bypass the torturous or bothersome thought,
Until a better thought comes to mind instantly and the troublesome thought does not.

Retraining a thought can take time, maybe over a year,
And it can be a challenge to hang in there,
But the end result will be living a happy and thankful day,
That just seems to come so naturally our way.

No one should feel embarrassed or ashamed for not feeling safe and sound,
To talk to a good friend and to a good doctor is where help can be found,
We need to get more comfortable to talk and discuss what feelings we are going through,
And let the people who know more about such things tell us what to do.

Would a scuba diver wear a scuba suit with three feet loops attached to their gear,
While navigating through the barnicles of the deep such loops getting caught would be a fear,
Sometimes we need someone to tell us what our loops are that keep us caught,
So we can navigate better through life without having such loops and each day have a better thought.

#174 "Two Lovers On A Journey" By Susan Pearl

Two lovers on a journey,
A journey through time,
Two lovers on a journey,
They're going to make it just fine.

It didn't hurt his feelings as he walked out the door,
He thought, "She'll get over it, she has before.
It frustates me so when she looks to me for help,
When I now she has the strength she needs inside of herself."

Meanwhile, she is writing in her journal these words, "I truly know.
There is a kinder side inside of him but why doesn't he let it show?"
Then he went to work in the morning and came home laid off from his job,
She tenderly held him close praying he wouldn't lose his faith in God.

She whispered "We're going to make it through,
Because I believe in our love and I see great things in you."
He said, "Your kind words are just what I needed to hear,
Such words come from your strength and have eased my fear."

She said, "A new life is beginning for us and whatever will be,
I know I have the strength to meet it with the strength  inside of me,
I learned that from you, I learned that from you.

He said, "I now know my words mean as much to you as my touch,
There is more of me to give than I ever knew, thank you so very much,
I have learned that from you, I learned that from you.

Two lovers on a journey,
A journey through time,
Two lovers on a journey,
They're going to make it just fine.

#173 "No One Size Comparisons" By Susan Pearl

Living a full quality of life for some is to go, go, go,
For others it is the peace and quiet of their home and having things be slow,
A person who is busy and goes,
May later want to be a slow person. Who knows?
The one size comparison for all will simply not apply,
People are different, no two the same, and that's why.
I am married to a man who like to be busy and on the run,
I like to sit and write, to me that is having fun,
So to criticize me or him would be out of line,
Because, because, because we get along just fine,
I wouldn't want to be more like him, and he wouldn't want to be more like me,
So together we live in a harmony of letting each other be free and this is a very good place in life to be.

#172 " Our Tide Of Change" By Susan Pearl

The tide comes in,
The tide goes out,
Faith comes in,
Out goes doubt.

The tide comes in,
Hope comes in to stay,
The tide goes out,
Carrying all despair away.

The tide comes in,
And brings love that has an acceptance for all,
The tide goes out,
And takes away hate and prejudices big and small.

Oh, the sea of trust,
Is a must, for us to live by and to recognize and  know,
In more ways than one,
It brings changes to us and to others as we and others come and go.

#171 " Ultimately Better Off" By Susan Pearl

I know someone who is tried and true,
Who has been asked hard things in life to go through,
And each time the challenge was met with a spirit of "can do",
With a strength and courage that is known by few.

The rewards for the trials and tasks would be received later on,
Knowing that life is worthwhile and love will prevail in the long run,
And for all to be better off by what is done,
Will be an ultimate reward in the years to come.

#170 "Rhyming Tip For By, Buy, Bye" By Susan Pearl

"By"-We drove by your house. Please sit by me.... means to be within close range.
"By"- the title is followed "By Susan Pearl" ...this is for the person who wrote something so the author is not kept to be unknown or strange.
"Buy" is when you ("notice "u" in spelling of "buy") make a purchase (notice "u" in "purchase") and for the purchase you have a money exchange.
"Bye" is for when someone is leaving ( has "e")and ready (has "e") to go and we say bye because our time together is over and it is a way of letting each other know.

#169 "Wet Hen Definition" By Susan Pearl

"As mad as a wet hen" is a kind of fun expression,
So it should have a kind of  fun definition,
Now I am getting close to forty-five years of marriage,
So this is my definition of "as mad as a wet hen",
Here goes:
"As mad as a wet hen" is when-
A wife tells her husband she thinks he has been having some back trouble for a little too long,
So, without his knowledge or persmission, she calls the clinic to make a doctor appointment for him,
The clinic says they have just had a cancellation and if her husband can be there in ten minutes the doctor can see him right away,
She tells the clinic to put his name down for the appointment and that he will be there in ten minutes,
The wife then announces to the husband she has made a doctor's appointment for him, that there was a cancellation and so the husband has an appointment to see the doctor in ten minutes and he needs to go right away to get there on time,
The wife did notice a change in the mood of her husband as he was trying to lift his leg to put into the pant leg of a quick change of clothes,
The husband can hardly walk yet alone barely able to get in or out of the car with any type of speed for being in a hurry to be at the doctor's office in just ten minutes.
The husband goes to the doctor appointment that he didn't want, he didn't know about, he doesn't think is even that necessary and he is as mad as a wet hen,
Meanwhile, the wife is saying to the husband to calm down or he will check in with high blood pressure.
So being "as mad as a wet hen" is very short lived kind of being mad.
I guess the "wet hen" dries out pretty fast.

#168 "Good Counsel" By Susan Pearl

It is wise to seek good counsel when a person feels low and weak,
It is wise to seek good counsel when a person has nothing wrong and feels strong,
It is just wise to seek good counsel come rain or shine as the truth is there to find,
Good counsel in a friendship is worth its weight in gold and has a hold on the truth that will unfold,
Good counsel is advice that will withstand the test of time with the good for all in mind,
Sometimes to give others the benefit of the doubt good council will show us as a way out,
Good counsel has a mature and kind point of view that points better options for us to choose,
Then it is up to us to weigh the odds and decide what we know to be true, and that is what we should decide to do.

#167 "Square Number One" By Susan Pearl

The sunset skies light up the white vapor trails left by jets as they fly,
Criss-crossed lines disappearing before my very eyes,
And I wonder why some of my dreams have gone by,
Getting no where fast, coming up empty, why again as each day I try.

Sometimes a person can have the feeling of finally rounding a bend,
Only to find out and see that it is time to start all over again,
Life played like a game won't ever win,
But keeps repeating itself over and over again.

It will send all game players back to square number one,
Back to where they had begun from,
And when the day is done,
That's when the wondering "why" will come.

Some think they have found the answer for staying young,
But some things are inevitable and with time will come,
For others a thought that their power can bring ownership in results yet to be done,
All players of games in life will be sent back to square number one.

#166 "Uncertainty" By Susan Pearl

Some days I wonder why things go wrong and happen the way they do,
Then I go to the deep well of my character that has been made from what I have been through,
And I know that in life there is good times and bad times and everything else in between,
To have only good times or to have only bad times would be an extreme,
So it is unrealistic to think of life any otherwise,
Than that of being fragile with some moments that won't compromise,
The "won't compromise" moments will not bargain,
Things then are final, all said and done, and it happens to everyone,
So what we go through each and every day,
Prepares us for the bigger things that may be coming our way,
It takes a strong character to make it through,
When things go wrong and happen the way they sometimes do,
For uncertainty is part of the picture and that is said and done,
We don't expect the worst but if it comes, there will be no bargain,
So the grace of time carries our strong character through,
When things don't go as we had hoped and wanted them to.

#165 "No Loops/Not Caught" By Susan Pearl

I used to feel sad when I was left out of the loop,
People wouldn't let me in on something new or tell me the latest scoop,
Now I think it is alright with me that I am not in the loop like I used to be,
Because less loops means less entanglements, less complications of getting caught up in, for me,
Less going around in circles because that is what loops do,
More time to explore and see inside of me what's really new,
And important, too, no more loops to jump through,
Because I just don't jump as high as I used to,
So maybe it is me and not them,
That has brought the loops to an end.

#164 "Silly" By Susan Pearl

Today I am thinking of a particular person who can be silly,
This person can jump and click his heels, wake me up to a bugle call without any bugle, can do a "woody woodpecker' call that is halarious, and when he turns on the radio and a song is playing he will do a little jig of a dance.
I think "silly" is a wonderful form of humor.
I think the very best comedians master being silly with satire.
I remember Johnny Carson with his big hat and holding the envelope to his forehead.
It was so silly but it was so funny.
Red Skelton and Lucille Ball were very funny and the best for silly laughs, too.
There is something about having someone be silly that is refreshing and makes a person not take life so seriously,
A person told me once that a secret of life that was good to know is to "not take life so serious".
Maybe that is why I enjoy the unpredictable silly moments so much in life and I'm grateful for those moments that make me laugh.

#163 "Awareness and Change" by Susan Pearl

I had a hand written comment given to me that I remember receiving.  It read, "If you are considering a change probably it is time for that change."

I think that as we go through life we will have different times of an awareness for the need of a change.
When we have that awareness it may be that it is time to consider what that awareness is trying to show us about our surroundings.

I had a surgery once and the doctor said to me, "Surgery is kind of like a divorce--you really don't want it---but you know things can't go on the way they are."

Be thankful for an awareness for a change. Not everyone has such an awareness and it has to be shown to them by other people explaining it is time for a change.

"Awareness and Change" go hand and hand and it is an ongoing journey of change and an ongoing awareness to change.

#162 "One Day" By Susan Pearl

As I stand in the garden of twilight fire flies
Sunset comes and so does fire flies good byes,
A bon fire of colors brilliant array now gives way,
Bringing on a sunset and the end of a day,
The night stars appear and twinkle in the skies,
So lovely and beautiful dazzling before our eyes,
Then illumminous clouds on the horizon arise,
As the dawning of morning's beautiful sunrise arrives,
When I was young my favorite was the twilight fun,
Chasing after the fire flies I would run,
Then when falling in love my favorite became gazing at the stars of night,
Romantic,vastness of glittering lights, while kissing my love as we held each other tight,
Later at the end of a day of meeting responsibility,
The sunset time was by far the most relaxing time to me,
Now sunrise is exciting and holds a special moment of a graditude display,
For I know I have lived to see the beginning of another brand new day,
A day of fun, a day of passion, a day of relaxation knowing I have met the responsibilities expected of me,
And all this in just one day, my, the grandness that awaits, come what may, in just one day.

#161 "Two Thoughts Make One" by Susan Pearl

One person told me there are two kinds of people---the "givers and takers",
Another person told me there are two kinds of people---"the "haves and the have-nots",
I thought maybe the "haves" are "haves" because they are "takers" from the "givers" and the "givers" don't have a choice but to become a "have nots" because after awhile there is no more to give.

#160 "A Fan" By Susan Pearl

It is nice to have a fan,
Who accepts me for who I am,
No make-up, no glitter, no pretend,
No promises that I have a key to unlock the power within,
Or a pretense that I know how to release the potential and someone's worth,
My fan and I live lives that are not in awe of each other but stay 'down to earth".

#159 "Remembering" By Susan Pearl

Remembering:

The love that has gone before us,
The courage that has gone before us,
The sacrifice that has gone before us,
The hope that has gone before us,
For life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness,
And freedom for all.

With pride, respect and appreciation for those who served this call.

#158 "Easy To Please Theory" By Susan Pearl

I was watching an interview with a dog trainer when the interviewer asked this question,
"Of old dogs and young dogs which are the easier to train"?
The answer was brief and suprising to me.
The trainer answered by stating,  "It doesn't matter.  All dogs train the same if they are willing to please."
Now, I'm no dog but this thought was new to me and I couldn't help but apply the principle of the trainer's statement into other areas of life.
I think that a person can be 'conditioned' for certain behaviors if that person is willing to please.
I think needing approval or valadation has something to do with a person's willingness to please others..
And I think if the willingness to please others, if left unchecked, can lead to a life time of being taken advantage of by unscrupulous people who think nothing of using the willingness of others to their own selfishness with no regard to anyone else but to themself.
Such relationships usually terminate when the person is no longer willing to please others.
This can open the door to a new life of having acceptance by others.
Acceptance for who a person is and not for what that person can do to please another.
This would be a much better and healthier relationship and mutually beneficial to both.