Thank God for all friends.....

The Tree of Kindness

Be

gentle

Speak kindly

Think positively

Encourage others

Be there for them

React with understanding

Act with love and patience

Be in harmony with the universe

And at peace with the whole world.

Doreen Scerri ©

Remembering Our Veterans

This is a poem I wrote recently for an online friend who wanted to use the poem on bookmarks to give out as tokens at their Veterans Day Luncheon at their church.
I thought it would be appropriate to post it here today as we take a moment to remember the fine men and women who have given their time and sometimes their life to safeguard our peace and freedom.
Whether we call it Remembrance Day, Veterans Day or Poppy Day, this is a time to remember and honour Veterans and their families. May we never take our freedom or their service for granted.

Let us take a moment to remember
And salute your unselfish way
God bless you dear Veterans
Today and every day!
We thank you for our freedom ~
For our safety you secured
We thank you for your time away ~
Our liberty you bought.
In remembering all the men who died,
The battles fought, the tears we cried,
We honor and respect you,
And remember you with pride.
Saluting you as our heroes,
We feel so very blessed
And we really do admire you...
You're our nation's very best!
Doreen Scerri © 2009

And as I walked on, the trees greeted me...

God is the experience of looking at a tree and saying, "Ah!"

~Joseph Campbell~

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden,
but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it.
~Minnie Aumonier~

As the trees look up to the heavens,
And nod with the morning dew,
Quietly they awaken
As they look down at me and you.

Let us lift our eyes with wonder,
Let us look up and see
The beauty of God's creation
With each and every tree.
~Doreen Scerri~

Dream~Create~Believe

picture taken on one of my walks

Dream~Create~Believe

I found this saying on a site shared by my friend Bev ...

I was inspired by these three beautiful words that have so much energy

Dream a little dream
Dream on...
Your dream can become a reality.

Create, for you are an artist:
We all have hidden talents
If only we dream and believe...

Believe, yes believe...
listen to your inner voice,
Believe...
for all things are possible when you believe.
~Doreen Scerri~

These words have also reminded me of the lovely words by St.Francis...

"Start by doing what's necessary;

then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible"

St.Francis of Assisi

Wordless Wednesday...Wonderful World of flowers

Pictures taken by

Walking ... with a camera

I can't believe I went out walking again today, even earlier than yesterday!

And this time I took my camera with me... people smiled as they saw me take pictures of flowers. I wondered what they were thinking!

The air was fresher this morning and there was a particular crispness to it. I love the autumn freshness on my face as I walk into its welcoming arms.

I cleared my mind and as I walked on, I prayed...for my family, my friends, my on-line friends and particularly those who have asked for prayers. I thought of those who have no one to pray for them.

I found so many flowers, trees and foliage I wanted to capture on camera and I must have taken at least twenty pictures. I will try and share some with you each day this week.

On my way I met a relative who incidentally I had not met in several years and he told me he too had just started walking again. I saw several other 'walkers', people cleaning their front patio, watering their gardens, others leaving for work...and on I walked, with each step feeling more energized.

Before I knew it, I had done my usual route and decided to increase it a little so I walked through a couple of side streets until I came to our Chapel. There and then I decided to enter and spent a few minutes in silence in thanks and praise for this lovely morning walk.

I walked

I prayed

My thoughts I weighed,

I walked

I gazed

Some words I phrased.

I walked

I dreamed

Oh delicious time!

My heart in flight...

at this autumn beauty

so sublime.

Doreen Scerri

Monday's Musings ~ Walking

I love taking this route on my walks.

I took these pictures earlier this year - notice the

quaint archway at the corner of this street

Finally I have started walking again, that is walking as an excercise. Several times I wonder why I don't do this simple yet so effective way of exercising every day. I tend to blame the weather or a bad back and keep postponing my walks.
Walking gives me time to relax, to unwind and maybe even clear my mind so I can think better. Doctors have been telling us for years that walking for at least 30 minutes every day will help to keep us fit and healthy besides reducing our risk of so many different diseases and conditions - definitely a great piece of advice and one way of keeping healthy which costs nothing but the benefits of which pay great dividends. It makes one wonder why there are not many who listen and act for their own benefit. Anyway I will not go into that here. I'd like to focus on the uplifting effect this stress-reducing activity has on me.
Every time I head out on my route which is always pretty much the same except for some side streets, I love noticing aspects of the locality and its people, their habits and environment. When I went out this morning I went on my usual trail which takes me away from the main gas-emission polluted roads and trafficky areas to the more tranquil parts of our neighbouring town. On the way there I passed through different side streets, noticing the various scents and smells, unfortunately not always pleasant with the morning garbage bags that had been put out and with the early morning dew having settled on the wet night pavements as well as on the parked cars. The results produced quite a nauseating effect on my nostrils but I tried not to focus on it while trying to envision its outcome rather on the humid streets waiting patiently to be dried by the yet rising sun. My initial slow pace slowly developed into a brisk walk and soon I was out of this zone.
As, one step after another, my feet took me further out towards the houses with gardens and trees, the air naturally cleared and I enjoyed the freshness and even the faint scent of the fall scrubs and flowers. Although on our island we don't get the colourful display of trees shedding their rust and golden leaves, we can enjoy the spring-like bountiful array of foliage and flowers especially after the first rains. As I walked on I wished I had my camera with me. Some of the gardens were a feast to the eye. Again I wondered why I had not gotten back to walking before now and decided that I'd rather give myself the challenge to keep this up rather than looking back and trying to forgive myself!
As I came to my favourite area, I realised that the side of the street I was walking on was in total shade while the last time I had walked here some time in the summer, I was trying to look for some shade! Yes now I remember that had been another reason why I had stopped walking...the heat waves, did I say reason, maybe so, but maybe that was an excuse too!
So, early this morning from my doorstep and back to my doorstep I am pleased to say I have stepped out with a new challenge. Now here I am back home thoroughtly envigorated and happy to have taken the plunge. My aim is to go out two to three times a week and hopefully build that up to a daily routine ~ that is my new adventure for tomorrow! Won't you join me and take up the challenge too?

What poetry is to me...