Weather the Storm

On my way to work yesterday morning I hit freezing rain.

I made it to work without incident, but, on the way, I was delayed by someone else's misfortune. There was a traffic accident along my chosen route.

On my return home another wave of bad weather hit. I woke up this morning to find a blanket of snow on the ground. It is not deep. It is just enough to make the commute to work slippery.

It's mornings like these that make me want to stay home, crawl into bed, and spend the day snuggling with my wife. Of course, I can't do that. I have responsibilities and one of those is showing up at work.

Here is a little poem I wrote on just such an occasion a few years ago.

Snow

by Mickey Maguire

Snow is softly falling
past my window to the ground
Each flake a thing of beauty
that lands without a sound

The meadow is now covered
in a blanket colored white
It glistens like a crystal dish
sparkling in the night

When the storm, at last, is gone
and the moon is shining bright
Trees encased in icy coats
make for an awesome sight

I do not have the time to sit
and savor winter's beauty
I am reminded by the clock
that I must do my duty

For when the day commences
and I must venture out
the snow and ice will hinder me
along my chosen route

I've little time and won't enjoy
the beauty of the snow
In truth it's not so beautiful
when off to work I go

Alas... Work Awaits

As much as I'd love to stay home with my wife, I am afraid that I must venture forth and make my way to work. That only makes my return home that much sweeter.

I am happy to know that my wife works from home. She does not need to go anywhere. She'll be safe and warm in her home office-- ticking away at her computer. Perhaps that thought will keep me warm until I return this evening.

Be safe out there.

Happy Anniversary to My Wife

In celebration of the years we have shared, I am posting this poem written in our early years together. It's called "Love Has Grown" and, truly, it continues to grow.

Welling up inside me
its bubbling rhythms ring
as if it were a gin-clear brook
fed by a mountain spring.

Meandering through the forest
and shaded canopy
bringing life to woodland friends
that drink wantonly.

All around are sounds of life
my spirit it doth lift
It trips o're rock and boulder
a cool refreshing gift.

It maketh merry melodies
there's music in the air
babbling brook and rustling leaf
a song beyond compare.

Your love is filling up the space
where once I dwelt alone.
Life is so much richer
where the seeds of love are sown.

-------- my additional comment--------

Indeed, life is richer where the seeds of love are sown.

Love, like good soil, must be cultivated. Seed is planted and the gardener must tend to the crop. In time, a bountiful harvest is the reward.

Neglect will destroy the potential harvest. Weeds grow and choke that which the earth brings forth-- much like the demands of modern life can weaken love over time. Thus, we cannot simply say "I Love You" and then walk away and expect things to last.

Love Is the Most Powerful Force in the Universe

Don't let a single day pass without telling your spouse you love her (or him). Like the gardener, tend to your relationship and cherish it.

I bought my wife a beautiful card and a bottle of Versace perfume. It isn't cheap, but, neither is she. It is a small price to pay for the love of a lifetime. Neither gold, nor pearls, nor any other treasures can give me so much for so little.

Genuine love is beyond price.

Romance Is in the Air

It is the night of the "super moon" according to news reports. At 3:42 AM today, the moon will be full and at its closest point to Earth.

What is it about the moon that has always inspired poetic hearts. Is it that it lights our way in the night? Is it the mystery of knowing it exists and whether there is anyone there looking back at us? Is it the "face" on the moon-- that so-called "man on the moon."

Love songs paint scenes of moonlit romance. Poets paint visions of romance by moonlight with their verse. Mariners followed the moon across the sea by night. Even lonely wolves sing to the moon.

Yes, it is mysterious. It is a symbol of creation. It is a guiding light. It is beautiful. And now, it is looming large in the night sky.

Somehow, it reminds me of a song... you, and the night, and the music...

Yes, romance is in the air, indeed.