9/13/16

© Photo Dan DeMarle 2016

© Photo Dan DeMarle 2016

If the universe spoke to you today,

would you have listened?

If God spoke to you today from a burning bush,

Would you have noticed?

How much beauty did you drive by today,

but did not see?

How much pain did you stumble by today,

but did not even notice?

I saw more than 10 beautiful things today.

I heard mothers speak from the heart about their hopes and fears.

I had casual conversations with complete strangers.

I listened while my wonderful wife told me over dinner together,

about her day.

I saw extreme poverty,

and I saw wealth.

I saw hope,

and I saw social and racial injustice.

And last week I found ying and yang in a tree.

So universe if you speak to me,

I am ready to listen.

 

Tree in Genesee Valley Park 10/15/16

© Words and photo Dan DeMarle 2016

The Beach was closed for the season, but the view was still beautiful. View of Lac Nominingue, Nominingue, Quebec Canada on a side trip from L’Petit train du Nord -Bike trail 9/12/16

© Words and Photo Dan DeMarle 2016

With each passing,

We are left trying to make meaning.

We try to take the whys, hows, and whens

We know the Who.

And make the puzzle pieces fit.

.

With each day and then year,

we struggle to put the pieces together

We struggle to make meaning,

of the whos, whats, whys, and hows.

.

Sometimes the pieces however just don’t fit

The whys don’t match the hows.

The broken vase from the kitchen table,

just won’t go back together,

And we are left wondering.

.

Left puzzling.

.

Until we realize that maybe we were the missing piece.

Maybe our life changed the outcomes,

Maybe we changed the dark to the light.

Maybe our presence was a why or a how.

.

This does not answer the whos and whats,

but it gives us meaning, in the middle of the night.

.

© Words Dan DeMarle 2016

Along the Pine Creek Trial in PA.9/3/16

© Photo Dan DeMarle 2016

Along the river trail in Genesee Valley Park, Rochester NY 10/1/16

© Photo Dan DeMarle 2016

Here’s that pretty girl

She always says hi

Always asks how we are doing.

She’s sweet and young.

After the crash we found her picture

with her name scribbled on the back

Stuck into his wallet.

In all these years,

We have never asked her

How she knew him.

Often as she smiles and waves goodbye,

I picture her and two young children,

A boy and girl,

and think about what might have been.

 

© Words by Dan DeMarle 2016

Gas, grocery, sub store along the Pine Creek Trial in PA.

© Photo Dan DeMarle 2016

Stopped on the way home today to pick up a chicken BBQ dinner. It was offered at a local church. All the volunteers were in their 60s and 70s.  As I was waiting for my dinners, a young well dressed women walked up. She began asking questions about whether the chicken was organic, and how it was cooked.   Finally one of the older volunteers said ‘Honey if you have to ask, this is obviously not the BBQ for you.”

 

© Words by Dan DeMarle 2016