southern maine coast

rachel carson preserve album google map

south portland album google map

gisland farm audubon album google map

down east tourist album

a week to go

A week to go now before your surgery

Counting down the days in July in 2013

Your family and friends helping you

Ready for the cancer to be excised.

I think of your two young children

And remember being a child of 13

When my mother was stricken with cancer

Though no one told her or us what it was.

I think of you preparing yourself

And remember how it was for me

When I was diagnosed and waiting

My turn on the surgeon’s table.

I send you the thoughts in my heart.

May you have the strength to bear what you must.

May your children know their mother’s love is assured.

May your husband be your comfort and help.

Everyone’s life changes over time

But sometimes it changes overnight.

We don’t get to choose what comes our way

How we respond reveals who we are.

We can cherish each day we are given

Tell the people we love that we love them

Let go of any minor annoyances

And enjoy the time we have with each other.

the person you are

It’s happy for me and all the people in your life

That you were born

And became the person you are

All these years every day

We know you will be good to us

Living with you is a pleasure.

It’s not easy getting old if you’re aware

Each year is gone never to be lived again

One less year left to be a human being

No matter that it was a good year

A certain sadness visits our thoughts

Thinking of loved ones taken from us.

Time stretches out more behind us than ahead

Looking back generation upon generation

Back and back to the beginning of life and the universe

It’s harder to imagine far into the future

We make plans for this year and next

We think about what might be 5 or 10 years from now.

Time stands still when you are in the moment

Today we are here with each other very much alive

We marvel at this amazing complex experience

Taking in what’s going on around us and with us

The flow of events near us and far distant

We have such a wonderful life. 

ramapo river ramble

picassa album