Sept. 23- "Pumpkin Time": By Susan Pearl

Why does pumpkin taste better this time of year?
I have looked at every recipe for pumpkin with cream cheese frosting that I have, 
I simply can't hardly wait to have the permeating smell of pumpkin as it bakes in the oven, 
The luscious sight of the pumpkin loaf, 
The blending tastes of the pumpkin, spices and cream cheese frosting,
And hearing the endeared enjoyment of others,
Who even give me a grateful hug for bringing them some,
This covers all five senses, smell, sight, taste, hearing and touch,
Maybe that is why I like pumpkin this time of year so much,
And I really do love fall best of all.

Sept.20- "My Realization" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes in the deep recesses of my soul, I know, I know,
Sometimes in the very core of my ability, I strive, I strive,
Sometimes in the heights of my imagination, I soar, I soar,
Sometimes in the piercing moments of my sensitivity, I see, I see,
That there is more to life than I ever thought there could be.

Sept. 19- "What To Expand" By Susan Pearl

I would like to experience the new tastes of different cultures and broaden my mind,
I'd like to do this from time to time without broadening my waist line,
Because it sounds good to know the cuisine from every nation,
Oh, yes, I know, I have to remember it always comes down to having moderation.

Sept. 18- "The Big Picture Of Respect and Dignity" By Susan Pearl

I do think that:
It is the right of all people to be treated with respect and dignity,
Because all people are equal and have the right to be treated the same,
So as we live a life of respect and dignity for all,
We treat others the way we would want them to treat us,
And that becomes a lifestyle of respecting our rights and the rights of others, too,
Then we become a part of a bigger picture for all to see, of people living together with respect and dignity,
And that is what doing our part is all about and it is important to know,
That our part in the bigger picture of "respect and dignity" does show,
And there will be a mutual harmony of many, eventually,
Because the bigger the picture of "respect and dignity",
The easier it is for all to see.

Sept. 17- "Circling The Drain" By Susan Pearl

Going in circles is not good,
It reminds me of swirling water before it goes down the drain,
I think that when there is an underlying drain on us we tend to go in circles,
It is up to each of us to determine what is draining to us,
And go with the facts that helps us to no longer be so emotionally drained,
No matter how strong our feelings are to keep things the same,
We should remember as long as we don't make a change,
The circling around an underlying drain will remain.

Sept. 16- "Maintaining Success" By Susan Pearl

I was thinking of a person today who has been successful for many years,
I was thinking of the quality in this person that is very impressive,
The quality that came to mind is that this person does not run from problems,
This person addresses each problem and does so publicly and with force,
"To not run from problems" is certainly the best,
And this person sure has passed the test of doing this while maintaining great success.

Sept.13- "Writing Exercise" By Susan Pearl

5 syllables, then 7 syllables, then 5 syllables, then 7 syllables, then 5 syllables, then 7 syllables.

I like to dance fast,
But two fast ones are too much,
The way it should go,
Is to dance fast then dance slow,
One fast then one slow,
Not two fast ones in a row.

Sept. 12- "Pride and False Humility" by Susan Pearl

Relationships change over time,
Some become a mere whisper of what they used to be,
Some become stronger like a firmly planted  oak tree,
So, with our relationships we don't know what will come,
And this is why I try to remember this as a rule of thumb:

Knowing our place in retrospect to other people's lives keeps us humble,
If we want a place of more importance than they want to give us then we are being proud,
But if we stay below the place they want us to be, yet we want to have a strong relationship with them, then we have a false humility.

This works both ways because the place for someone else in our life we will at times have to show to them and convey.

Sept.11- "Heartaches and Tributes" By Susan Pearl

Remembering 9/11/2001 is a memory in my mind that stays locked in time,
I can recall when I heard the news and I didn't realize at first what all it would encompass or its true magnitude,
It was a day of seeing horror before my very eyes,
And of seeing an America answering the calls and the cries,
Because in the midst of seeing what I thought couldn't be,
I saw great heroism, courage and bravery,
It was a very sad and tragic day that came,
And life like before hasn't been the same,
But we have chosen not to live in fear,
And to remember those who gave so much by holding their memory dear.

Sept. 10- "Remembering Comment" By Susan Pearl

If ever I remember a comment for over ten years I think it somehow struck a chord in me,
The comment I remember was a person saying that all his relationships are because of forgiveness.
He said that he has misspoken at times,
And people have forgiven him,
And he is aware of their forgivness and it is humbling to him,
Are lasting relationships because of forgiveness?
Are we kept humble by being aware of the forgiveness others have given to us?
I keep remembering that comment.

Sept. 9- "Another Opportunity" By Susan Pearl

If only having fun becomes the first and foremost thought of each day,
With no thought of work responsibilities and only thoughts of play,
Then the open opportunities that require work may slip away,
Opportunities are like rainbows as they are there for awhile and then they evaporate,
And once they are gone ---they are no longer there like before and it can be just too late,
But rainbows do appear again from time to time,
So with being watchful and ready, another time and another opportunity may work out fine,
But if we are all work and no play,
Maybe we should look for an opportunity to enjoy some fun each day,
Because it is a balance between the two,
And not left to chance then we can decide what to do,
But if our work is fun and each day we enjoy our time,
That is the best of both, work and play, that we could find.

Sept.6- "Upside Down View" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion, if a person keeps having to bend over backwards to please  and accommodate everyone,
Then life will begin to look upside down for the accommodating person,
And after awhile it is time to stand up straight again and see things the way they really are.   

Sept. 5- "Rules, Rules, Rules" By Susan Pearl

Some people will only follow pre-set rules,
Some people make up the rules as they go along,
Some people think that they are the exception to the rule,
Some people say rules bring order,
Some say rules are to be broken,
Some say rules are there for safety reasons,
Games need to be played by the rules,
The very best rule is the "Golden Rule",
That rule is "To treat others the way we would want to be treated",
Or "To do unto others the way you would have them do unto you",
And with that thought now my little writing about rules is through.

Sept. 4- "Hold And Held Away" By Susan Pearl

Hanging on to too many things can become problematic when it effects the functionality of our life,
There can be beds that no one can sleep in because the beds are covered with stuff, 
There can be a dining room table that no one can sit at because it is under clutter,
Could it be that when we hold on to too much, an excessive amount, we can become held away from embracing the "now",
Or could it be that the excessive amount "has a hold on us" and we are "held away" from embracing the now and how things could be--- the way they should be,
To function properly.

Sept. 3- "The Friendship Combination" By Susan Pearl

There are some people who cannot pretend,
"Pretending" is not a quality they have within them,
And they make a very good friend,
Because truth and honesty will win, again and again,
And no matter what situation we may be in,
We can count on them to recommend to us where to begin,
To get where we need to be and what fences to mend,
Because such a setting they don't pretend that they have not ever been in,
And tell truthfully and honestly how they had to contend,
With not knowing what is around the next bend,
And since they made it then we can, too,
We know that is true,
Because it has been said by a friend who can't pretend.

Sept 2- "Expand The Horizon" By Susan Pearl

I have found the only way for me to expand my horizons,
Is to broaden my mind by seeing a view from a new perspective.

Aug.30 -"Riddle Time" By Susan Pearl

Here is a riddle:
What is something you can't buy,
But it is limited,
And you have to "take it" in order to "give it",
It doesn't have wings
But it sure can fly by?

The answer is "time".

Aug.29 -"A Pearl View" By Susan Pearl

When we have to live with a constant irritation it can be so unpleasant at times,
But remember the shell fish living with the constant irritation of the pain of a grain of sand or living with an irritant of another kind,
And then remember a rare pearl is made under such conditions by bringing out the best that can possibly be,
That tolerates the setting by the use of an amazing and built  in special ability,
For the irritation to become a one of a kind pearl does take time,
And that ability to live with life's irritations is of great value that brings new and rare beauty for us to find. 

Aug. 28-"Folly Risks Hurt" By Susan Pearl

When does fun become folly, when does it happen?
Fun should be fun for everyone,
But when it is overdone,
The foolishness of folly comes when it is on a "no limits" run,
Folly has risks of hurting ourselves and harming someone,
Inside or out and feelings count the hurts of folly can quickly come,
I have read that, "Foolishness is the opposite of wisdom".

Aug..27- "Time and Placement" By Susan Pearl

Two totally different circumstances but similar happenings has caused me to have some special thoughts to share,
The two totally different circumstances were:
This past week a friend  left her home to go to an assisted living center,
Also, this past week our grandson left home to enter his first year of college,
Two totally different circumstances but yet similar in the fact that a new time, a new adventure and a big change,
Time and placement in life are in motion,
An ongoing motion that moves us on, and on, and on,
And eventually changes will come.

Aug. 26- "Kind Time Schedule"- By Susan Pearl

Scheduling time is how a lot of things get done,
We should schedule time for work and time for fun,
But one thing each day that should be scheduled into our time,
Is to take time each day to be kind, yes, take time to be kind.

Aug. 9- "Hand In Hand" By Susan Pearl

He showed me things about life that I hadn't ever known,
I showed him how to understand the things in life that we were being shown,
Together we went on life's journey hand in hand for year upon year,
And as different times of life faded into the distance another new time in life for us would appear,
He would keep explaining to me during each new time about the things I had not known before,
While I kept showing to him the new things of life to see and find new depths to explore,
Hand in hand with wonderful fascination and a strong love we have continued on,
Knowing we have learned more together than we ever could have learned alone.


*Personal note:  Today is my husband's and my---   *** 47th Wedding Anniversary.***

This is a very special day for us.

I will be taking a two week blog vacation.  I hope to be back on my blog August 26, 2013.

Thank you,

Susan Pearl

Aug. 8- Wishes For Happiness" By Susan Pearl

Thoughts of happiness and best wishes are coming our way,
Because there are many good people who want that for us each day,
By remembering them and realizing how much we are blessed,
We will feel the love that surrounds us and feel their best wishes for our happiness.

Aug.7 - "Goodness and Kindness" By Susan Pearl

I tell him that he is a very good person, really he has treated me the best,
He tells me that I am the kindest person, much kinder than the rest,
Yes, "goodness" and "kindness" make a wonderful pair,
I wish that goodness and kindness could be in the lives of everyone everywhere.

Aug.6- "Noticing The Small Things" By Susan Pearl

I heard a comment said so excitedly the other morning,
The comment was, "I just love the small things I have",
I thought that such a comment is not heard very often,
Usually it is all about the big things,
So today I am going to notice the small things I have that I love,
And excitedly celebrate the joy of presently having them to love.

Aug. 5- "No Contest" By Susan Pearl

Too much is too much,
Too little is too little ,
Just right is just right,
But somehow it is all relative,
What is just right for one person may be too much for another person,
What is too little to one may be more than enough to another,
But to be thankful for how much or how little is best,
And not be concerned what others have because it is not a contest.

Aug. 2- "Choices On Life's Buffet" By Susan Pearl

I have said at times,
"Life is like a big smorgasbord buffet--everything is there,
And what you put on your plate of life will become a part of you",
I say this because I think it is an important principle to teach,
And now it is up to me to practice what I preach.

Aug 1-- "Disappointments" By Susan Pearl

The news stung me like a bee,
I had my hopes up way too high, you see,
But a disappointment is not a tragedy,
It is a setback that can be temporary,
But that life is a mixture of being happy and being sad, I know to be true,
And this mixed bag of emotions does include our disappointments, too,
So when disappointments come our way,
It is best to think that they won't stay,
Because something better will come along on a different day,
So if you have disappointments give this thought a try,
It has worked for me and I really don't know why.

July 31- "Flaws and Strengths" By Susan Pearl

We all have some sort of  flaw,
A flaw that may be for others to see,
Or a flaw that will not outwardly show or for anyone to know,
But in us all there is a flaw,
Internal or external, it will be there to see or not to see,
Because the fact that all of us have a flaw is a reality,
And no one is flawless no matter what we see,
But with good in our heart and seeing more right than wrong,
We notice not the weakness but what is strong,
And build on the strengths we see and know,
Looking beyond any flaw that will or will not show,
Because that we all have a strength is a reality, too,
And how we see ourselves and others hold this to be true,
Because both flaws and strengths are there, a mixture for us to sort through.

July 30- "Adding Time Recipe" By Susan Pearl

I was reading a recipe and thought,
Oh, my, it is time to add the thyme,
So I added thyme but it didn't give me any extra time to my day in any way,
But the recipe turned out fine,
And there is now another recipe I would like to try that if I added time to some of the things I want to do,
Maybe, just maybe, they will turn out fine, too.

July 29- "To Topple Or Not To Topple" By Susan Pearl

What can cause something to "topple"?
One cause could be a disproportional amount on the top as compared to the rest of the structure,
Another cause is if the structure becomes crooked and is out of a true alignment with the base,
Another cause could be if the bottom of the structure begins to develop stress fractures,
What can help something not to "topple"?
Great attention to maintaining the strength of the base is essential for a lasting structure to withstand the stress,
And having things in balance and in the right proportions by keeping a true and proper alignment at all times,
So the base, the balance, the alignment and proper proportions, all of these work together a lasting strength,
These principles can, also, be applied to other areas of life,
Because buildings are not the only things that can topple.

July 26- "My Craft Session" By Susan Pearl

I am not good at making crafts,
My craft projects usually have four steps,
Step 1---use the glue,
Step 2---now decorate,
Step 3---now cut intricate design,
Step 4---now throw it away.

July 25- "Good Salad" By Susan Pearl

I quietly enjoyed my salad that was screaming with flavor,
The crisp lettuce with soft creamy dressing does it every time,
A delectable treat that is so heavenly to eat,
And it is good for me, too, as long as the dressing amount I don't over do,
But I do like the dressing the best,
So even eating a simple salad puts my self discipline to the test,
So if the salad is screaming with flavor I know the dressing amount I have over done,
Because to me the dressing is where the flavor of a salad comes from.

July 25- "Thank You" By Susan Pearl

A thank you note or a thank you card is an acknowledgement of the thoughtfulness and kind gesture from another,
A thank you call is, also, an acknowledgement to the other person of appreciation,
I even think a thank you e-mail is fine,
I hope that having the good manners of saying "Thank You" continues to be displayed and shown,
It should not become a lost art because taking time to say "Thank You" is in the art of good taste and good manners and perpetuates politeness.

July 24- "Leadership" By Susan Pearl

The older I get the more I realize the benefits of good leadership, 
Leadership that works for the benefits of all,
Such leadership has a strong, consistent, guiding force that is deep set in good character,
A character that respects the rights of others and is unselfish in others behalf,
Leaders step up to the plate and keenly know what has to be done to promote good and have better results,
Results that are for the good of all and bring benefits with new creative resources for progress that only strong leadership can do and get done.

July 23 - "Refresh" By Susan Pearl

I really do think that taking a short nap does refresh me,
And it is, also, refreshing to splash a little cold water on my face,
I prefer taking a nap,
But on some days it takes both- a nap plus splashing cold water on my face to keep me in the race.

July 22- "Our Best Need" By Susan Pearl

Try not to be afraid of people who are mean,
Because that is exactly the way they want it to be,
For if we are afraid of whatever is mean how can we trust kindness and learn to live a life that is free,
We all know when something hits us below the belt,
And we all know when those painful words or acts are felt,
So being afraid is a warning sign to us not to proceed,
Because knowing kindness and freedom will fulfill our best need.

July 19- "Jealousy" By Susan Pearl

Jealousy, to me, is a misled spirit of competition that travels down a wrong trail,
Where "winning" on this wrong trail means as much as seeing the other person fail,
There are winners and losers in competitions everyday and that is to say,
That "trying" is to be respected because it could have gone either way,
And so to sincerely wish the winner of a contest the very best,
Is good to show that our competitive spirit does not lack and that, in fact, our competitive spirit is on the right track.
  

July 18- " Quick Opposite Descriptions" By Susan Pearl

Few and short words can quickly describe many and vast opposite settings--like:
   shout or a silent pout,
   new road or familiar route,
   assured or doubt,
   in or out,
   handshake or bout,
   average or clout,
   thin or stout,
Who knew so few words could describe so much?
But are things either one way or the other or mostly somewhere in between,
I guess it all depends if we are dealing with some various areas of extreme,
So that is for us to know or to find out before we describe what we are talking about.

July 17- "Susceptible" By Susan Pearl

I recently burned myself and it became quite a large open wound,
I thought,  "Common sense tells me that with an open wound like this--- it's not time to go swimming in the pond."
That thought led me to another thought and then another thought and then to this new thought,
I think there are times in my life when we are more susceptible to more pain entering us,
Like dealing with "raw" emotion, exposed and a very vulnerable area in our life,
These sensitive areas cause us to experience a painful reaction that causes us to have even more pain,
During this time we should try to stay in an environment that is conducive to our healing process,
And keep our emotional wound covered with love and forgiveness until it is completely healed.

July 16- "Stay Calm And Stay Free" By Susan Pearl

Some days it just seems like someone hands me a pearl of a new thought that I find to be a moment of discovery,
A person said,  "I have found that to stay free I have to stay calm",
I thought to myself, "Yes, when I don't stay calm and become anxious the anxiety is holding me from being free to enjoy life ",
So I am going to remember to stay calm and stay free,
And not let anxiety hook or get a hold of me.

July 15- "A Fear Weighs In" By Susan Pearl

Oh yes, I have a fear I must confess,
I am afaid to weigh, because I am afraid of what the scales may say,
I have been eatting a little too much day after day,
And now I think there is a fiddler that I need to pay,
So, here I go,
What will the scales show,
When I really already know,
I know I am suppose to face my fears,
I have been told that for years and years,
So I will face the scales with dread,
And after the numbers I have read,
I will begin again to try to lose some weight,
Then someday I will step on a scale and won't even hesitate,
And when that day comes for me,
I will gladly be weighing myself and liking the numbers that I see,
I know I can conquer this fear,
By eatting smaller portions the rest of the year,

July12- " What To Do" By Susan Pearl

Hitting our head against a brick wall over and over again is not for me and it is not for you.
It seems like a change in direction would be the best recourse in action of what to do,
And coming to the same dead end all of the time isn't good either,
Between hitting a brick wall or coming to a dead end let us choose neither,
Then maybe some progress will come to be,
Because we chose a better route for you and for me,
And this new route may be traveled for years to come,
Not only by us but, also, by the next generation.

July 11- "Constructing Depth" By Susan Pearl

A very experienced decorator gave the insightful recommendation that:
The more "layered", the more "contrast", then the more "depth",
"Shallow" is the opposite of "depth",
Something or someone that is shallow is superficial,
Something or someone of depth has an individual character,
I would like to decorate my life with people of depth,
I think it would make a very beautiful life in so many ways.

July 10- "Creativity Connection" By Susan Pearl

I hope this blog expresses my thoughts about a creative connection between people---people who do not know each other,
Yesterday I was watching a game show,
People were asked to name several movies a certain well known actor had starred in,
It amazed me how my thinking and the answers of the contestants were the same,
And then I thought---creativity joins people---it really does,  maybe, even more than we are aware of,
I know destructive forces of nature, accidents and acts of violence bring people together into a common connection with each other,
But I think people are also joined with a creative connection without even knowing how much we are joined together by this creative connection,
I think we need more creative connections with others that join us in a common bond that only the arts of creativity can do by reaching so many at the same time. 

July 9- "Together Strong" By Susan Pearl

So many times I have shared the sincerity of my heart and told what I thought was true,
And a person with more experience in life took time to share with me another thought and new point of view,
For some reason the other person just knew,
What to say to help me through,
And I grew,
I would like to say "thank you' for all the teaching moments in my life and for the insights shared with me, too,
For no "one person" has all the answers for each challenge but "together" we do.

July 8- "Simply Amazing" By Susan Pearl

I heard them describing the event as being "simply amazing",
And that was very well said,
Even though "simply" means to be "uncomplicated",
And "amazing" means to be "wonderfully astounding",
Somehow those two words go together to give an "uncomplicated"   description of something "wonderfully astounding",
And life has so many times, moments, events, happenings, places and sights that are "simply amazing",
Not to mention those very special people we know who are "simply amazing" too,
Yes, "simply amazing" describes it all very well,
Because to say the least life truly is "simply amazing".

July 5- "In My Day" By Susan Pearl

The other day I heard someone say before blowing out the candles on a birthday cake:

"I saw a lot,
I learned a lot,
I know a lot,
And I forgot a lot".

July 4- "Ripples Of Kindness" By Susan Pearl

Do we actually realize what the ripple effect of what one kind act can be?
Knowing that one kind act leads to another and this is the way many kindnesses have come to you and have come to me.
So when we pass on kindness in word and deed whenever we can,
Eventually these kindnesses will find someone somewhere to lend a kind word or a helping hand,
Because kindness to others can, by example, truly be taught,
And the more kindnesses in motion the more lessons of kindness will be shown and learned than not.

Happy 4th of July!

Thank You and Best Wishes,

Susan Pearl

July 3- "Portable Or Stationary Memories" By Susan Pearl

I heard a lady say, "Memories are what is around you",
I say, also, that,  "Memories are what you carry with you",
Either portable or stationary -- both kinds of memories are nice,
But to make your own memories is the very best advice.

July 2- "Point Of View" By Susan Pearl

A "point of view" is something that at all times can be carried within me and within you,
It should give direction, purpose and vision for what we say and for what we do,
And you have your own "point of view" and I do, too,
So we respect the right of each of us having an opinion, that represents our own "point of view",
And if we listen to each other real close we just may find,
That our own "point of view" together might be pointing us in a direction that could be new,
Because we may have more in common than we ever knew.

July 1 -"To Each Their Own" By Susan Pearl

Things don't have to be absolutely terrible or intolerable for us to want to move on,
In fact we can love where we are and still decide to move to a new place and find a new time in life,
For some people the change to new surroundings is an exciting time and an easy thing to do,
But some people don't like change and what change requires them to go through and adapt to,
Some unhappy people move to find happiness but they still don't seem to be happy anywhere,
Other people are happy no matter where they are and carry with them a feeling of being at peace and at home no matter where they are,
So there is no set rule to follow to feel content and at home,
There are so many places for a person to live and to enjoy so to each their own.

June 28- "My Personal Pearl Discovery" By Susan Pearl

Each June I like to especially write about the June birthstone which is the "pearl",
My Dad wanted to name his little girl, Susan "Pearl",
So that is how I got my name,
My Dad passed away when I was one year old,
I consider my name to be a special gift from him,
It was painful and at times irritating not having a Dad while growing up,
But I found I could have a strong love for someone whom I could not remember ever meeting or ever knowing,
Because I knew he had been there and I knew he had loved me very much,
With time and grace a change took place and I began to see more to life than I had known before,
And one "pearl" of life discovery led me to another and that led me to more,
My "pearl" in life was found inside of myself as an ability to live with pain and with joy, at the same time, to "let go" yet "embrace", also, at the same time,
And this process gave to me the rare gifts of having peace and acceptance that were within me and that I was able to find,
Such a personal "pearl' in life is a true one of a kind that became mine,
And, oh, yes, "Pearls Take Time".

Thank You.

Susan Pearl

June 27- "New Type of Exercise" By Susan Pearl

She told that she gets all the exercise she needs everyday,
Several times each day she "jogs" her memory to remind herself to exercise,
While she "stretches" the budget,
She "crunches" time as she does her daily "set up" of the family schedule,
Then she "runs" some errands,
She "jumps" for a chance to buy items that are on sale,
She 'twists" and "turns" the aisles of the store,
Oh, yes, she jogs her memory to remind herself to exercise.
While she stretches the budget............

June26 - "New Thought Base" By Susan Pearl

"I still have a small flicker of hope", one person said,
Those words seems to bring a light into the darkness of a room filled with dread,
To bring a positive thought into a dark and negative place,
Sometimes that's all it takes to bring about a newly enlightened thought base,
A thought base that illuminates for others to see the best possibilities that can be for everyone,
Centered to be built upon peace surrounded by a love that is strong,
To have a small flicker of hope that such goodwill for all is very real and someday can be,
Because a small flicker of hope being held by many is all it takes,
To illuminate the best course that makes a new and better thought base.

June25- "Give Something Beautiful" By Susan Pearl

Let's give the world something beautiful,
Let's really do,
Something beautiful that will bring joy,
A joy that brings more beauty, too,
Cascading moments of a wonderful life so well spent,
By giving something beautiful that brings enjoyment.

June 24- "Misspeak" By Susan Pearl

I don't know why sometimes I say something that I don't mean,
Like last night I was telling about a beautiful drive through the Smokey Mountains,
I wanted to describe the various colors of the mountains as looking like "Fruit Loops",
But instead I described the mountains as looking like "Fruit of the Loom".

June 21- "Ongoing Change" By Susan Pearl

Some changes seem so smooth and seamless,
Some changes seem so jagged and endless,
All changes that come to be,
Are for the ongoing showing of knowing our reality.

June 20- "Win-Lose" By Susan Pearl

A win-win is better than a lose-lose,
And a lot of it depends on us,
The decisions we make,
And the actions we choose,
It is an ongoing saga, for sure,
But sometimes we win and sometimes we lose, too,
It is a part of life that we all are going through.

June 19- "A Future Thought" By Susan Pearl

I don't know what the future holds,
But I would like to think I could say that I spoke my piece and I am at peace.

June 18- "Privilege And Responsibility" By Susan Pearl

She was a faithful volunteer at the nursing home, the piano she would play,
She believed she needed to give back to others in some way each and every day,
She said her folks had sacrificed so much for her to receive an education,
"Sometimes I wonder if they even had enough to eat", she would mention,
So she gave her time and talents in an unmeasured way,
Keeping time as time after time a piano program she would play,
Lives were bettered by her service and sincere dedication,
And hearts were touched and we applauded with many a standing ovation,
To think of all the good that was brought to be to others and to me,
Because she lived what she believed,
That giving back is both a privilege and a responsibility.

June 17- "Working Together" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion we should all work together,
To help a child grow up with having good self esteem,
And to teach each child the art of learning how to dream,
With them knowing this by us showing to them that dreams really can come true,
Protecting the rights of a child will show that child his or her own self worth,
All people defending the rights of children and pleading for the rights of  the vulnerable among us gives this effort a highly needed help,
By showing and teaching the worth and value of all individuals,
Then for those individuals to know and learn of their right to dignity and respect,
Will undoubtedly further their good and positive view of self.

June 14- "In Common" By Susan Pearl

It seems like I don't understand the everyday tech talk about new products like I used to,
I'm wondering if my age may have something to do with it,
I'm not as familiar with the latest trends for the new generation growing up,
But I can remember way back when,
There was so much more for me to have in common and more for me to visit about back then,
But no matter who we are or what generation we are from,
We all have a lot in common because change, change and more change does come,
So, maybe, the generation that was just before me saw all the new changes happening and they felt the same way as I do now,
And it took me this long to figure it all out somehow,
Now I have that in common and understand what it was like for them,
When there was more to have in common and visit about back then,
So we all have more in common than we may realize now that we do,
And with time and all the changes we will know that to be so true.

June 13- "Wake Up Thought" By Susan Pearl

There is an expression, "Wake up and smell the coffee",
But the older I get I actually think it is the smell of coffee that wakes me up.

June12- "Some People" By Susan Pearl

Some people can't,
Some people won't,
Some people will,
Some people don't,
Some people wouldn't think of it,
Some people can't get it off of their mind.

June11- "A Gift Wrapped Day" By Susan Pearl

One person spoke of the value of a day in terms of how much work had been done,
Another person spoke of the value of a day in terms of having fun,
I thought, "How about having some fun with the work you do?
That would be a combination of both and make a good day, too."
Then after thinking things through,
I see each day as a gift and that is what to me is really true,
We should unwrap the beauty of each day, and enjoy the gift of it, too,
And express our appreciation by telling others we are with "thank you".

June 10- "Vacations Have Benefits" By Susan Pearl

Hi,

I really had a nice vacation break.  Vacation breaks are important to me.  There was a time in my life when I didn't realize how much a person benefits from a vacation break especially when a person is doing something they love to do.  But I, also, love being at home and I spent my vacation at home.
So, it doesn't have to be expensive to take a vacation,  Just a little innovation and having time for distraction away from the regular routine.  And it is important to take time for a vacation--even if it is a half day mini vacation once in awhile.


A fun thought from my childhood I would like to share today is this:

Aluminum foil decorations made things shine,
And, as a child, I decorated many things and at any time,
So what could ever go wrong?
Until it was time to bake the turkey and all the foil was gone.

Thank You,

Susan Pearl

Apr.23- "A Wintery Spring" by Susan Pearl

What do you know,
We got more snow,
Here on April 23rd,
Doesn't it seem a little absurd?
Each week has been a mix of winter and spring,
Four days of lovely spring then three days below zero again,
I think one person said it best about the cold and the snow,
"It seems like this year winter just doesn't want to let go".

Apr.20- "Boston Marathon Grief" By Susan Pearl

I will never forget the face of the boy killed at the Boston Marathon,
I will never forget the love he had in his eyes,
He had so much love to give,
And he had so many years ahead of him to live,
An innocent child on a happy day,
But someone else took him and that happy day all away,
The faces of the other two who were also killed,
Haunt me still,
So much life, potential, hopes and dreams,
But fell victim to such an evil scheme,
An evil that takes away from others what isn't their's to take,
An evil that doesn't care because it is driven by hate.

I am taking exception to my "Blog Rest' by posting this today,
Because I have had a heavy heart and wanted to post what I had to say.

Apr.10-"Blog Rest" By Susan Pearl

I started my blog, "Pearls Take Time", on September 5, 2010.
Who knew that on April 10, 2013 I would say----

600th blog!!!  Yeah!!!

Sometimes after years of doing our best,
There comes a time to let things rest,
With my 600th blog being posted today,
I would like to say-
"Thank You" to all my readers wherever they may be,
I have met a goal and I hope there are a lot more blogs to go,
And for others to know this is a very special day for me.

"Pearls Take Time"
Today is my 600th blog!
Thank You---Thank You!!

I hope to take a blog vacation and be back again on June 10, 2013.

Please read and reread my "Pearls Take Time" blogs during this time.

Like true works of art---sometimes writings when read over again,
Can show something new that is enjoyed even more than before.

Thank You.

Susan Pearl

Apr.9- "An Easier Swim" By Susan Pearl

It is not so much having the opportunity of swimming in a perfectly calm sea,
As it is to swim while having a steady calmness in me,
That makes the most of each stroke no matter how choppy the waters may be,
And brings to me into my full potential of reaching the very best possibility.

Apr.8- "How Come?" By Susan Pearl

How come? How come?
How come--- would anyone want to be kept under someone's thumb?
That doesn't sound very adventuresome,
And it sure doesn't sound like very much fun,
I know- I know it is just an "expression",
But among some it's how living their life is really done,
And once we have become adults and are no longer children,
We should take responsibility for our own actions and the consequences of the outcome,
How can we ever grow to know to do that by being kept under someone else's thumb?
It hinders us in the long run,
Because to live our own life is where our growth and maturity will come from.

Apr.5- "Options And Support Systems" By Susan Pearl

If our life feels like trying to stand on a small uneven slippery wet rock,
And we are trying as hard as we can not to fall,
Look at options and see what choices are there,
Options are an important part to having quality of life,
Maybe an answer will come into view and we will know what we should do,
Also, if others are there within reach they can teach us how to step to a solid ground,
These support systems are another important part to having a quality of life,
So be watchful for options and support systems for quality of life by being aware,
Of looking for them and finding them, then soon the feeling of uncertainty will disappear.

Apr. 4- "It's Time" By Susan Pearl

When low self esteem comes around and wants to hold me down,
I know inside my heart that sorting out the unkind words of others is where I should start,
Unkind words from years gone by, holding on into the present day--that's way too long,
Those self defeating words need to be put back in the past where they belong
And then left alone,
It is time to put them away and not wear them day after day,
It's time to wear self confidence today and know things will be ok,
It's time to move on,
Moving on will keep those unkind words once spoken in the past where they belong,
They have been carried around and been strong for way too long,
Leaving these words behind and believing in oneself should bring about a self esteem that is good,
And it's time for that good self esteem to shine and to once again feel fine---yes--oh, yes, it's time.

Apr.3- "The Wheel Of Economy" By Susan Pearl

The wheel of the economy is oiled by the hand of the common worker,
The hand of the common worker is what keeps the wheel of the economy turning,
When common workers are not working the less the wheel of the economy is turning,
The wheel of the economy can spin at a remarkable pace,
Or turn so slowly it appears it may be locking up in place,
The wheel of the economy is oiled by the hand of the common worker,
The more common workers working the more the wheel of the economy is turning,
Turn, turn, wheel, turn,
Keep turning for the good wages of the common worker to keep earning.

Apr.2- "Comment Contemplation" By Susan Pearl

I recently heard a comment that really gave me pause,
I paused to think about the comment because it brought about for me a brand new thought,
I recognize times like this and know when I am being handed a pearl of truth,
The comment went something like this:
"When a person is doing what they absolutely love they don't have time to be negative about life",
So I asked myself, "Have I ever met a happy negative person?
That answer is "No",
My father-in-law farmed for over sixty years and I never once heard him talk about life in a negative manner,
Considering that comment I can really realize in a new way how much he absolutely loved farming, he wasn't negative about life,
If a person loves what they do each day it shows in what they say or in what they don't say,
It is wonderful to know someone who loves what they do each day and I am especially remembering my father-in-law today.


Personal note:

My father-in-law passed away on April 2, 1995.

April 1- "So-So" By Susan Pearl

When "so good" meets "not so good"--that makes "So So",
I have known people who answer "So So" for about everything,
"How are you doing? Answer- "So So".
"How are things going?  Answer- "So So".
"Are you managing well?' Answer- "So-So".

I kind of like the answer- "So-So",
I think it is very truthful.

Mar.29- "Acceptance of Others" By Susan Pearl

I have read about the processes of learning how to accept things about ourselves and about how to accept different changes in life,
"Acceptance" is the key that finally unlocks the door to having peace with ourselves, peace with the situation and peace with our changing life,
Having an "Acceptance" of others is the key that would unlock doors to peace in many an aspect,
Unlocked doors opening to peace with the key of "Acceptance"- that all people are equal and have a right for dignity and respect.

Mar.28- "My Realization Moments" By Susan Pearl

When I don't know the way,
I do know that it is time for me to pray,
When I don't know what to do,
I do know that grace and prayer will lead me through,
And when I am in despair,
Once again I believe,
Someone, somewhere, is saying a prayer,
And that prayer includes a request "to bless all those in need",
Making me realize at that moment that hope is on the way,
Because someone, somewhere, is taking the time to pray.

Mar.27- "Home" By Susan Pearl

So very comfortabe like being suspended in air without a care,
Drifting and floating into slumberland after a long hard day,
What can I say,
That's the way a person's own bed can make one feel,
And that's why the expression, "There's no place like home" is so true and real,
But, oh, there is so much more to being at home then just one thing,
It is being home and experiencing the most familiar comfort known once again.

Mar.26- "Good In Turbulent Times" By Susan Pearl

One day I was vacuuming the carpet in the upstairs hallway,
I heard a "clunk" and so I knew I had vacuumed up something out of the ordinary,
Upon inspection of the contents of the sweeper bag I found a small glistening gem,
The gem had been hidden for years in the carpet and now it had been found,
And it had been found when no one was even looking for it,
The turbulence of the vacuum sweeper had uncovered it and brought it to be right at hand,
A comparison to life could be--- that out of turbulent times sometimes an unexpected good can come, too,
Showing the best in people as they pull together for a common good,
Sometimes out of turbulent times we find a rare strength inside ourselves that we didn't know was there and see a remarkable beauty of kindness in others,
Even if we were not looking for these special qualities they were there all the time for us to find,
Somehow a turbulence brings out these best abilities to be seen and shown to us to be right at hand.

Mar.25- " Best Worth Work" By Susan Pearl

How does a person work their way through difficult feelings?
I think the key word is "work" because it does take a lot of "work",
It takes a lot of "work" to find a way through a grudge to forgiveness,
From being hurt to being healed,
From anger to peace,
From despair to hope,
But it is "worth" every bit of effort of the work in doing so, because then a person will know,
That, by doing such work, the way through it all is found and the very best "worth" in life can now show.

Mar.22- "A Being Set-Up Thought" By Susan Pearl

A cycle of trying to change others will go round and round,
Until it comes tumbling down,
Or until someone stops the chain,
By not letting things continue the same,
For we can only change one person and that person is ourself,
The thought of changing others sets up an endless cycle of trying to help,
Like a form of bargaining, as if- I do this then you should do that to make it fair,
But if I have to do both a set up cycle has begun that will get us no where.

Mar.21- "Tranquil" By Susan Pearl

Isn't the word "tranquil" a beautiful word?
So quiet, so calm, so very still, so tranquil,
Like thoughts of slanted rain gently coming down, so soft and steadily,
Relaxing the body and mind to drift off so easily to have some rest,
Like a suspended peacefulness that falls over us and over our weariness.

Mar.20- "No Guilt Of Remorse" By Susan Pearl

There should be no guilt or remorse for wanting to have a change for a better course,
For some may want to stay with statis quo and not to go a different way day after day,
But within our deep well of a conscience we keep an awareness of right and wrong,
And know when a time for change has come or when a time for that change has gone,
New ways to take, old ways to forsake,
Honesty can be at stake to admit what is fake,
There should be no guilt or remorse for wanting a change for a better course,
We can not fear a mistake when true honesty is at stake,
Wanting things to be better and for the good of all should, also, have ourself included,
Showing the deep well of our conscience is high in character by leaving no one excluded.

Mar.19- "That's Not Who I Am" By Susan Pearl

As the years have gone by I have become more confident in myself,
I know myself and what I stand for and by knowing who I am I, also, know who I am not,
Like a person who has experienced something rare that person will, also, know when it is there and when it is not there,
Throughout life there will be times of peer pressure, times of others wanting us to do things we may not want to do,
I think the best answer is to say, "That's not who I am",
It is a firm answer yet it is not jugdemental,
And I am not a judgemental person,
"That's not who I am".

Mar.18- "Meeting In The Middle Lesson" By Susan Pearl

Don't run after people,
Walk towards people and reach out to people who are walking towards you and reaching out to you, also, mutually,
Draw a line and don't cross it,
The other people should not cross the set line of limits either, mutually,
Meet people in the middle, mutually,
If they cross the line and come onto your side of the mutual line you have just learned something about them,
If they won't meet you at the mutual line and expect you to do more than your share to meet them you have just learned something about them,
These are all true lessons being taught to us,
And not all our teachers in life will be at a blackboard.

Mar.15- "Forgottten Dessert" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes when a dessert is so rich and full of calories,too,
I try to cut the dessert in two,
And save some for later in the day,
It gives something to look forward to,
And if I happen to forget about it, all I can say,
It is better yet for me to have the second half the following day,
But I have never ever forgotten a dessert long enough,
That it has to be thrown away.

Mar14- "Naive" By Susan Pearl

They say there is a fine line between opposite emotions and that is hard for me to understand,
To me the distance between opposite emotions should be so far away from each other that they couldn't even be seen in the same spectrum,
But others do know much more about these things than me and so they help me see,
The naive and idealistic ways of myself and how I have a tendency to see things the way I wish they could be.



 .

Mar.14- "Lasting Efforts" By Susan Pearl

When personal considerations are for the good of all right now and to come,
Then some very wise decisions will be made and lasting efforts will be done.

Mar.13- " A Reality Of Life" By Susan Pearl

I have been told that:
To think we will win every time is an unrealistic expectation,
To think we will probably lose each time because something will go wrong is anxiety,
To think we will definately lose each time no matter what we do and there is absolutely nothing we can do about it is depression.
These thoughts have too much certainty one way and are too underdone the other way,
But somewhere in between such extreme thoughts therein lies reality,
The fact is that sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, it is all a mixture and that's a reality of life,
To have continuous acceptance of this reality the better off our life will be,
And I would be remiss of my responsibility to not write about what I had to learn about life's reality,
We can do our best and still lose, we can make mistakes and somehow win, but to move on keeps us ready to begin with hope again.

Mar.12-"More Space And Change Of Pace"By Susan Pearl

A person shouldn't criticize another person for wanting more space and a slower change of pace,
Time to get away from a hectic work schedule once in awhile,
This slower pace can be renewing and beneficial and it is not being lazy or negligent,
When things are coming at us fast and furious it is best to have some distance or space between it all,
In fact, I think such times of getting away from it all and having a slower pace can be very rejuvenating,
It doesn't have to be expensive either, sometimes just sitting in a lawn chair somewhere watching the clouds pass by,
Such a break from routine is productive and brings much more accomplishment for a person with this renewed energy.

Mar.11- "Time Change" By Susan Pearl

We changed our clocks to "spring forward" one hour,
At 12:00PM yesterday I said,
"This no more feels like noon than the man in the moon".

Mar.8- "Steady Course" By Susan Pearl

Even when landmarks are obscured,
A compass will show what is sure,
To hold a steady course.
Even when things go the wrong way,
A person knows which way to go for a better day,
To bring back a steady course.
And getting to the destination that was hoped to find,
Is a journey of knowing the best thing to do at the time,
And by doing the best thing at the time, time after time, so steadily,
Holds the course steady in getting to the place where we want to be.

Mar.7- "Not To Buy" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes I think people think too much of money,
And as some say, "The best things in life are free",
So what could these things be?
Peace of mind by living within our conscience is a real possibility,
Also, health and happiness, living a life filled with joy and clarity,
The gift of time, a priceless memory,
These are some of the "best things in life" that are free,
All these are invaluable and can not be bought in any store,
And these are just a few because there are so many more,
Money has a place that is something that no one can deny,
But the ultimate best things in life are things that no one can buy.

Mar.6- "Sparkling Dreams" By Susan Pearl

Streams of dreams have gone by,
Yet the sparkles of dreams in streams I can still see in my mind's eye,
Oh, a diamond to wear gleems, too,
But what can outshine dreams coming true?
Fulfillment of what is hoped for and believed to be,
Sparkling dreams in my mind's eye are still there for me to see,
So have dreams really gone by,
When the sparkles of them are seen in my mind's eye?

Mar.5- "Try" By Susan Pearl

Just because I lost my balance in life and fell,
Doesn't mean that I can't get back up and become steady again and sure,
Same destination but a different journey and maybe an occasional detour,
I can make it and only time will tell,
Things can work out without a doubt,
So to try, try and try again is what it is all about.

Mar.4- "A Different World" By Susan Pearl

Recently it seems like people don't give each other even the time of day,
Yet alone to having something nice and encouraging to say,
Could it be the break neck pace that is being chased,
Makes it hard to take time or to visit face to face,
Being very friendly isn't really now advised for safety,
Because they say it is a different world than it used to be,
And so, as hard as it is to say I think this different world is here to stay,
With technology being now how we give the time of day in a different way.

Mar.1- "Sports" By Susan Pearl

The clock is ticking away,
Time is picking the hour and the day,
To show us when the last game is over and done,
Then we'll know the final outcome,
And who won,
Then it starts all over again just like before,
The whistles, the buzzers, the crowds and the roar,
The spirit of sports takes flight to soar,
To carry us to see that final championship winning score.

Feb.28- "The Pearl Gift" By Susan Pearl

Sometimes to find a gem we have to leave the comfortable enviorment that we know,
Like a pearl is found in the ocean where we have to leave air and gravity to find it below,
But we have the ability to hold our breath and we can swim under water for a brief while,
We must be willing to go the limits of our potential to find a priceless pearl,
But, there are times when we are given a pearl by someone else's efforts to find it,
We appreciate what they went through to share and give to us what they found and know to be true,
Bringing more value to life's worth by filling it with more rare beauty to see,
We are grateful to have such an illuminating gift and to know the treasured times it will show,
Not all pearls are just for us to find,
Some are found by others to be given to us with true beauty to be revealed with the passage of time.

Feb.27- "No Label Vision" By Susan Pearl

Does it really matter the size of another person's thighs or the kind of car the other person drives?
Shouldn't people be seen as "people without any labels" and not just their flaws before our eyes?
Everyone has strong points and weak points, too, so who should be the leader of the pack?
I was taught when we point our finger at someone else we have three fingers pointing back,
Also, I was taught that we lead by example, too, and that thought alone should direct us as to what to  do.

Feb.26- "Kind Words Bouquet" By Susan Pearl

There was a couple so very much in love each day,
That they decided to give each other a daily bouquet,
A daily bouquet made from the kind words that they would say,
So each day they gave each other a bouquet of kind words heartfelt and true,
Day after day, year after year and all the while their love stayed fresh and new,
They could not afford to buy bouquets of flowers but there was a special loveliness that they knew,
And they were surrounded by a beauty of love that only the giving of their kind words could do,
Their love never faded away,
Each day they would give to each other a sincerity of heart kind words bouquet,
Words that only to each other they could give and only to each other they would say,
And that couple is still giving kind word bouquets and are very much in love to this day.

Feb.25- "Belief's Assurance" By Susan Pearl

Clouds blocking sunshine's rays
We have all known those days,
But we know the sunshine is there,
Even in a dense cloudy atmosphere,
We know the hidden sunshine is there,
Even if in a tightly closed deep dark room,
We know sunlight is happening somewhere,
And that belief assures there to be,
More to know than we can see.

Feb.22- "Watch Out" By Susan Pearl

Just as the moth is drawn towards the flame,
Watch out for playing a "self destructive" game,
The lure and being prone are there beyond compare,
So that person must stay constantly aware,
For consequences will come without a doubt,
A prone person has to be viligant and "watch out".

Feb.21- "Deny Or Ignore"

In my opinion, there has to be a very clear way to explain the difference between denying something and ignoring something.

So to me---
Denying is not recognizing that something is even there.  Denial is not accepting the presence of something.  It is like that "something" doesn't exist even though it does. Denial is avoidance of the recognition of the existence of something.

Ignoring is recognizing something is there but treating it like it is invisible.   Ignoring accepts that something is present but gives no attention to it. Yet, its presence is acknowledged and not denied.  Ignoring is recognizing the existence of something but avoidance of it.

I have at times denied the pain and the hurt caused by some people in my life.
I now recognize the pain and the hurt and I ignore the people who caused them.

Feb.20- "Ever" By Susan Pearl

Somedays I feel tireder than "ever",
Then another day I can feel as young as "ever",
I've heard that a certain person is as mean as "ever",
Also, some people are as good as "ever",
And as big as "ever",
But another is as thin as "ever"
Do people really live happily "ever" after?
So what is "ever"?
The dictionary shows the meaning of "ever" is "always",
And I think people can live happily "always" after,
"After" they learn to forgive,
And "after" they learn to live and let live,
"After" a lot of things then better times can come,
With a hope of "happily ever after" being there for everyone.

Feb.19- "Hearing Distance" By Susan Pearl

When does something healthy and enjoyed become unhealthy?
Could it be when it crosses over a line to be excessive and over done?
For anything done in excess becomes not good for us in the long run,
When a constant balance is held between the extremes it does contains something very certain,
And the certainty is that the constant balance will steadily keep us within a clear hearing range to the voice of reason.

Feb.18- "Time Perceptions" By Susan Pearl

I think my perception of the dimension of time has changed for me over the years,
When I was young it seemed like I had to wait a long time for a special occasion to come,
Now that I am older the special occasions seem to come so quickly that there is hardly enough time to get ready for them,
A special occasion is barely over and it is time for the next one,
Maybe it is because that to me a week now seems like three or four days,
Then a full month seems only like a couple of weeks, 
And a year doesn't seem like a full year either, like it used to,
When I was young I remember having time on my hands,
Now the hands of time show me how fast the hours of a day can go by,
And if I lose track of time then maybe that is why,
My perception of the dimension of time is that it has begun to fly,
And it's not going to wait for me,
Like I used to wait for those special occasions to be.

Feb.15- "Grief" By Susan Pearl

I have read that bitterness and self pity are misguided forms of grief, 
But for self pity and bitterness there can be relief,
There are things in life that are not fair and things we can not understand,
But our tears and sharing of feelings with others can become likened to that of a guiding hand,
A guiding hand that helps us find an entrance to acceptance,
Acceptance of  a sorrow that won't leave,
Learning how to live with what we grieve,
We don't ever get used to it but we do learn to live with it,
Sometimes minute by minutes, bit by bit,
Until our minutes turn into an hour,
And hour upon hour will build a way to become one whole day,
We can not change the way some things are, no one can,
But acceptance can find an entrance when led by a guiding hand.

Fed.14- "A True Friend" By Susan Pearl

Having a good friend is a special gift in life,
A true friend is a "blessing" who brings good,
Days are bettered by knowing a true friend,
Joy with much gratitude accompany such friendship.

Feb.13- "My Simple Life" By Susan Pearl

I am not on the computer like I use to be,
I have gone back to watching good ol' TV,
There are favorite shows that I like the best,
I crochet and I feel so content and blessed,
I live a very private and simple life now,
So many busy years got to be behind me some how,
Retirement has become a lovely time for me,
And I do enjoy the calls each week from family,
Retirement to me is having time that is free.

Feb.12- "Foolishness" By Susan Pearl

I read once that fools can only love what is pleasing to them,
There are settings and times in life that are not very pleasing,
But these areas of life still need to have love and kindness,
To think that this is not a very real likelihood would be foolish.

Feb.11- "Sensitivity Insight" By Susan Pearl

Since I have lung problems it amazes me how quickly my lungs let me know when something is  irritating,
I have a sensitivity and certain irritants make it difficult for me,
Another person who has healthy lungs does not even notice the irritant,
We can be together in the same room and I have a reaction and the other person does not have any type of reaction,
In life sensitive subjects and  certain things are irritating to one person and not to another person,
If a person pays attention to what is irritating maybe that person will also become aware of what specific area is also very sensitive,
Then maybe a person can understand better why something causes a reaction of irritation and address the area that is sensitive to this irritation.

Feb.8- "My Bermuda Triangle" By Susan Pearl

I have an end table by my chair in the TV room,
I call my chair "official project center"---
Because I try to do as much as I can from my chair,
The problem is if I put something on the end table,
It is like it disappears and I can't find it anywhere,
So I have nicknamed the end table by my chair, "The Bermuda Triangle",
Because anything that enters there is never seen again,
Until a good cleaning and I find things that I forgot I had,
And I find where things are and really they hadn't gotten away very far,
So mysteries get solved, the lost is found, until I lay something else down.

Feb.7- "No Guarantee" By Susan Pearl

When things are all said and done,
Good and bad things can happen to anyone,
And if we think we have a physical immortality,
We are not being aware of what really can be,
But we shouldn't live our life in fear or anxiety,
So we live our life each day knowing there's no guarantee.

Feb. 6- "Updated Expression" By Susan Pearl

I have heard the expression, "we agree to disagree",
But I have been thinking lately that another timely expression could very well be,
An updated version of this expression saying, "we disagree to agree".

Feb.5- "Sharing Prayer" By Susan Pearl

It seems like after saying a prayer,
There's more happiness to share,
It seems like after saying a prayer,
There's more peace to share,
It seems like after saying a prayer,
There's more encouagement everywhere,
So:
Yesterday when a lady told me of a happiness she wanted to share,
I knew right then and there she was sharing what had been her prayer.

Feb.4- "Hope's Renewed Way" By Susan Pearl

There once was a very trecherous passage way,
And people took this same path every day,
Each day was a struggle from morning until night,
Every day seemed like hard labor and an intense continuous fight,
Frequents falls into the dark valley below were very common,
Life was hard and thoughts of a new route had been forgotten,
But with time renewed hope for a better way of life is what the people began to say,
And to have a better way of life there needed to be a better way for them to take each day,
Through determination and desiring the best for all, a new route is what they began to take,
And to this day the route of hope leads the way for people to find what their dreams can make.

Feb.1- "The Kept Answer" By Susan Pearl

I would like to share a memory of my father-in-law and mother-in-law,
When my father-in-law was in his seventies he put up his own quonset building,
He was so agile and had no fear of heights and could walk easily on the top of the quonset,
One day my mother-in-law came outside and saw him walking on the top of the quonset,
She loudly called to him, "Aren't you afraid?"
He called back, "Of what?'
She then said, "Well, if you don't know I'm not going to tell you."

* My father and mother in-law had many good years together and enjoyed over sixty years of marriage.

Jan.31- "Rich Becomes Poor" By Susan Pearl

Fat, in or on food, does make it taste very rich,
But, too much, can make a very poor diet.

Jan.30-"Both Ways" By Susan Pearl

Life is a mixture of joy and pain,
Of laughter and many a tear,
Of fair and unfairness,
Life goes both ways year after year,
So we have to stay strong when things go wrong,
And appreciate the good times while they are here before they disappear,
Because life goes both ways year after year.

Jan.29- "No More Tricks" By Susan Pearl

Mental tricks are hard to see,
But some people are tricksters but I'm more aware of them than I used to be,
Because falling for their tricks time after time,
Had become a naive habit of mine,
For I am prone to believe what I am told,
But being tricked does gets old,
Oh, those tricksters will play a trick today,
But I'm not falling for what they say,
For their reality is not mine,
And therein is the truth to find,
The game of tricks I would rather not play,
I am not tricking myself into going their way.

Jan.28- "Enjoyable Person" By SusanPearl

I heard a person say,--
"I don't know what is always right but I sure know when there's something wrong",
Also, that person said,
"I was born in the morning but it wasn't this morning",
I enjoyed being with this person very much and learned a lot about common sense,
And, now, I know when "Something is just a bunch of baloney". 

Jan 25- "A Smiling Embrace" By Susan Pearl

A smile can be like an embrace,
To see the loving look on a face,
And somehow there is a connection in place,
Like a felt touch yet held apart by space,
Oh, yes, a smile can be like an embrace.

Jan.24- "Husband's Surprise Answer" By Susan Pearl

My husband looked so happy the other day that I asked him to explain,
"What are you thinking?' I inquired,
I was expecting for him to say that I am the most wonderful wife ever desired,
Instead, he said he checked the jelly in the fridge and that the expiration date hadn't yet expired,
I think my mouth dropped open, I laughed, and I told him,
"I thought you were happy about me, I didn't know it was because you didn't have to throw out the jelly."
He smiled his smile that I love to see so much,
And we had jelly sandwiches that day for lunch.

Personal note:   I say-----"Isn't life grand"------!

My husband and I have been married for 46 years.

Jan.23- "House Key" By Susan Pearl

We knew our life wouldn't be the same again,
If we didn't pretend,
So we lived in the house of denial acting like nothing was wrong,
Not knowing it couldn't last long,
But after awhile,
We couldn't live any more in our house of denial,
The house had fallen down,
Only broken pieces of pretense were now on the ground,
We decided to build a house with only acceptance of what is true,
By facing the truth we knew we could withstand what we had to go through,
And with things not like they were before,
There isn't any need at all to pretend anymore,
Living in a house of truth is a strong place to be,
And the peace from such acceptance holds the key.

Jan.22- " My Door" By Susan Pearl

What is at the door?
Could it be different then what was there before?
Oh, my, oh, dear,
It looks like fear,
I'm keeping the door shut and that is a must,
Because I am only opening my door up to trust.

Jan.21- "Creative Process" By Susan Pearl

Some of the best ideas have come from an effort to bring betterment,
Some of the best ideas have come from neccesity,
Some of the best thoughts began as a concept of a dream,
New thoughts and new ways of doing things are imagined as possibilities ,
This ingenuity is sparked by the creative idea,
Creative ideas lead to innovation,
Innovation leads to change,
Change leads to new possibilities,
Possibilities that were envisioned by creative thoughts,
The creative process can bring betterment to all,
The creative process can meet the needs,
The creative process can make dreams come true.

Jan 18- "May" By Susan Pearl

May:
May childhoods be of happiness and wonder,
May children feel safe and grow up in peace,
May these children become a generation to usher in peacefully the changes beneficial to all,
May these changes be accepted without painful difficulty but understood and agreed to be essential,
May the human made anxieties and traumas of the past not be passed on to a new generations any more,
May this come to be,
May it begin with you and me,
May we shoulder this responsibility,
May eventually, all children know a life that children of the world haven't known before,
May, without the trauma and anxiey, these children grow up and have the ability to adjust to the changes that are needed for this all to really be.

Jan.17- "Fushion Of Color" By Susan Pearl

Moments, turning into minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades,
And with decades after decades those bright and colorful years of early life won't fade,
But add fushion to the beauty with new bright and colorful moments in life to be made.

Jan.16-"Gratitude List" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion, when a list of pet peeves is longer than the list of things that are liked,
There needs to be a better attitude of seeing everyday things with gratitude,
Because each day holds hidden gems and all we have to do is find them,
And gratitude will show a way to see the things that are there to like in each day.

Jan.15- "Goodwill Lesson" By Susan Pearl

In my opinion, the goodwill we have brings joy,
The stronger our goodwill the stronger the joy,
Remembering, goodwill towards all will include ourself, too,
In fact, it is important to have goodwill towards ourself,
Because if we get down who can we really help?

Jan. 14- "Connection Time" By Susan Pearl

Some people are naturally ahead of the times for many, many years,
And then all of a sudden they are exactly on the mark for the times,
It can work like that and a person knows such a connection when it happens.

Jan.11- "Not Alone Call" By Susan Pearl

My hair was standing on end,
But I wasn't in any wind,
I was seeing on TV the bullying of an innocent person,
And I thought, "Oh, please know you are not alone,"
Like amusement park mirrors bullies have a distorted view,
And this distorted view is what they see others through,
So don't believe anything bullies say to be true,
It is a reflection of the distorted way that they do,
I would like people to know they are not alone,
I would like them to see that they are not alone,
There are better things in life awaiting for all to find,
These are ahead and to get there may take some time,
And you can make it and everything will turn out fine,
But for now, "Please know you are not alone, you are not alone,"
Faith, hope and love are here right now to be shown and known,
Look for them because they are here ---- "you are not alone."

Jan.10- "Living In The Moment" By Susan Pearl

I haven't met tomorrow yet,
I have known the past with happiness and regret,
But today teaches me what I have that is here right now,
And "to live in the moment" I have finally learned how,
Yes,"to live in the moment" is something I have been taught,
In fact, now, I would rather "live in the moment" than not,
Because "in the moment" is where I belong,
As I haven't met tomorrow yet and the past is gone.

Jan.9- "Wisdom" By Susan Pearl

When we apply the very best of what we know that can be done,
For everyone,
With the hope that only good will come,
We have used wisdom.

Jan.8- "Having Mutual Happiness" By Susan Pearl

I don't have all the answers,
And you don't have all the answers,
But "together" we do,
So, let's listen to one another,
Listen to what the other has to say,
Who knows, with a respectful productive conversation,
A new way may be pointed out to both of us,
For a brighter and better day of mutual happiness.

Jan.7- "Windy Day Of Childhood Play" By Susan Pearl

Oh, the feeling of being a child in Kansas on a windy day,
The corner of the shelter belt of trees is the best place to play,
Looking up at the tall pines and watching them sway,
Oh the howling, oh, the roar!!!--- imaginative monsters galore,
The relentless wind seems to be getting stronger than before,
But, oh, being safe the young me so felt inside that mature shelter belt,
With so many hours of childhood play flying away,
Then I heard my mother's voice calling to say,
"Time to come in",
And so it came to an end for that day of playing in the wind,
What a fun day of childhood imagination it had been,
With more times of the Kansas winds to come again.