Mornings of calm

Feb12

A few ways to recharge your batteries:
After a busy period of having to leave the house early to be at appointments
Or various places
Sit at your desk
With your cup of tea
Sip your tea
Focus on its taste and fragrance
And wait till you feel bored
No rush to go anywhere
Nothing urgent to do
This is your go-slow day

After you feel bored
Do something fun
Write a poem
Draw a drawing
Or whatever your heart desires
This will feed your soul
Energize you
Gladden your heart
Slow time down

You deserve days like this or at least
Mornings like these
Mornings of calm

February 12, 2026

Awful times

Jan14

These are awful times

Innocent people are being killed in the streets

In hundreds and thousands 

Theses are historic times

Their cry for freedom can be heard across the country and across the world

These are uncertain times 

Where are we heading and how?

These are awesome times

Seeing the whole country rise and demand their rights

These are hopeful times

Because we have passed the point of no return

January 24, 2026

Brush strokes

Jan5

Strong brushstrokes of colour

Two slashes in a yellow canvas

A cacophony of colours on metal in three dimensions

As I walk through the contemporary art floor of the Museum of Modern Arts

A strange feeling overtakes me 

I should be painting or writing too

These artists are well known but we are all artists in our own way

We can be inspired by the art of others

And we can inspire others

What a great feeling to be surrounded by art

January 4th, 2026

My books

Jan3

My several bookcases located 

In the different rooms of the house 

Are full of books

I’ve even given some away to make room

There was a time that I had a ‘reading chair’ 

And I read book after book

Lots of biographies, some historical fiction

The odd fiction book 

Some self help books

I remember one time I was at a bookstore looking for a new book

One of my criteria was the number of pages

The more the better

So it wouldn’t finish soon

I read about political figures and actors

I read about people from other cultures 

But now, it’s a different story

I buy a book, read a few pages 

And then it sits in my room

Why am I not reading as much any more? 

I miss it 

Want to go back to it but

The world has changed with social media

The all-consuming social media

I read articles on my phone

But many articles, one book does not make

Times have changed and so have I 

I look with envy at the books on my bookshelves now

It helps that I have published a few books of mine

But I wonder if I’ll ever read like before

December 10, 2025

A village

Nov27

The statistic’s page in my poetry blog shows me how many people are reading my blog every day
Then there is a world map
And and I can see which countries the readers live in
It’s so inspiring
It’s truly amazing
That people in Vietnam and Columbia
Singapore and Indonesia and Bahrein
Read what I write
I look at that world map
And realize how connected we are
How easy it is to communicate with a global audience
We have come such a long way
From the times that we needed to read books to find out what was happening
In the other parts of the world
Or travel
Now, the world is at our fingertips
It has become a village
And we are its inhabitants

Nov 27, 2025

A reminder

Nov24

My nose starts running for no reason

I don’t have a cold

I don’t have allergies 

Then I remember I take cancer medication

Medicine to prevent a relapse

And this medicine has few side effects

One of which is a runny nose

But I try to be thankful for taking this pill

Otherwise the cancer may return

I have to live with the reminders of the cancer I had and the uncertainty of it coming back

The scars of cancer are on my body

My chest doesn’t look the same 

My nose drips and I am reminded that I had cancer a while back

Nov 24, 2025

My phone and I

Oct16

Albert says I’m on my phone too much

First, I protest

Then I think a little and I realize

The reasons why I’m my phone so much

My phones is my means of communication with my friend around the world 

From Iran to Switzerland to Sweden and such

I do my banking on my phone 

My grocery list 

My dictionary and thesaurus is on my phone 

My entertainment 

My camera and my photos are on my phone 

I write my poems and

I read the news on my phone 

I research things 

I listen to podcasts 

And I do committee work on my phone

So, that’s why I’m often on my phone 

Albert protests and says

Your time with me can’t be on your phone

October 16th, 2025

Lessons learned from cancer

Oct16

Cancer has reminded me of how fragile I am 

Cancer has led me through the valley of confusion and disappointment 

Cancer has made my mortality more real

But going through cancer treatment has showed me I can overcome adversity 

with the support of family and friends 

It has showed me how much I am loved

Cancer has taught me to be grateful for each day and to not take my health for granted 

With every difficult experience comes gifts of great value

Yes, the path is rocky and there are unexpected surprises

There are many what ifs and whys

But I try to focus on the positive and learn the lessons of life

October 13, 2025

separate pods

Sep29

Imagine four people in a home

Each in a different room

Not allowed to visit each other

Having nobody to support them when they experience difficulties 

Or celebrate good times 

Now imagine families in different houses 

In the same condition

Not allowed to interact with and console each other when going through tough times

Unable to extend a hand in assistance 

Unable to invite each other to have a cup of tea

Unable to visit each other in the hospital

We are social beings 

We thrive on interaction with each other

We solve problems together

We lean on each other when we need help

There was a time when we had to live in separate pods

To that add the fear of getting sick

The reluctance of getting close to others

And news of illnesses and even death

No wonder mental health issues increased

No wonder loneliness spread

Let’s hope we don’t have to go through  this another time

September 23rd, 2025

It’s a need

Sep29

Quiet 

Peace

Concentration 

No distraction

No questions

No conversation

This is why I come to the coffeeshop

Today I don’t have a pen

So I write on my phone 

My Earl Grey tea warms me up

The music in the background is soothing

Can you imagine where I’m sitting?

I’m on the second floor of my grocery store 

Sitting at one of the dining tables of the staff 

Having got my tea from the Starbucks downstairs

Many places can become writing spaces

I’ve written in libraries many time

In bookstores

At airports

And on the airplane 

You see what I mean

All that is needed is a means to record my thoughts

And an idea to start with

The rest happens by itself

Words flow

Thoughts are recorded

And for some magical reason 

I feel better after writing 

Is it the need for self expression?

The need to create? 

The need to connect with the ethereal space

art comes from? 

In any case

I feel refreshed 

September 23, 2025