Healing Father,
so often my life is marred by anger and resentments.
I thank you today for the people who have stood by me in my pain.
I thank you for those who have heard, challenged, advised and loved me.
Their presence has given me hope and freedom.
I thank you, for you have let them carry me into the calm waters of your grace.
Amen.

Just thinking about the many people in my life that truly matter.
A special reading in church this morning made me understand that as strong as
I think I am, I too, occasionally need to be carried along.
Thanks to all that have cared enough to let me know that.
You know who you are.
Keeping the faith for a bit longer . . .

A flutter of wings
in a world washed grey
closing tired eyes
slowly slip away

a fight against The will
learned tolerance to the pain
incomprehensible ruin
terminal drops of rain

the lack of understanding
invisible hands of a ticking clock
solitary hours moving away
shadows lost to the infinite dark

a moment of hope will surely find her
a millisecond of brilliant white light
a midnight angel to soothe her
freeing her soul to the black of night . . .

{for K}

I am currently reading two books: “Book of Shadows” by James Reese and “Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage” by Alice Munro.
I always have several in the backpack.
The count was three as of earlier this evening before I finished
“When God Winks” by SQuire Rushnell, a belated birthday gift from my sister
(actually, wicked belated ).
WGW is a book that explores the deeper meaning of coincidence in our lives.

God Wink ; a personal signal or message, directly from a higher power, usually, but not always, in the form of a coincidence

My sister bought it for me simply because she and I are intensely familiar with God Winks.
There’s this.
Or this.
Or this.

The book goes on to explain that these instances of coincidence (or serendipity, if you like that better) are signposts from the heavens that we’re on the right track; cosmic signals that we are not alone.
I’ve had many “winks” in my lifetime.

A few years after I began writing, I entered a contest at Writer’s Digest.
Ten people could win $100 in WD writing books and a year’s subscription to Writer’s Market, a WD site that helps find a home for that oh, so lonely priceless manuscript.

Months passed and I forgot all about the contest BUT I was still writing.
I remember sitting at the computer one day and staring at the damned blinking cursor thinking, “What the hell am I doing? I can’t write. This is stupid.”
Feeling disgusted and totally unoriginal, I closed Word and checked my email.
Spam.
Spam.
Spam.
Word of the Day.
Spam.
Writer’s Digest.
Writer’s Digest?
Hmmm.
I opened the email and started yelling.
I won.
Ask my wife. I NEVER WIN ANYTHING. Truth.
A wink to be sure.
And hey, I’m still writing, right?
Now I pass the pen to you guys. I love coincidence and I love winks.
Tell me about one.
Come on, now. You have at least one if you really think about it.
I know for a fact that Kelly and Maureen have had a few.
Hell, Annie, too.
How about it guys?
One wink for the gipper? (I’m trying to say that with an Aussie accent)
~m

Ps. Sis, the book was bloody brilliant. I could have written it myself . . .