Climbing up
to the top of the world
to get the big picture
gain some perspective
on how life really works.
Thinking big thoughts
about small worries
tinkering on solutions
to unsolvable problems
already gone with the wind.
I’m still climbing up
heart in my pocket
mind running ahead
soul yearning to reach higher
now every breath hurts.
I had a tiny inflatable boat
boat to sail the seas
the seas to show me the world
the world to teach me lessons
lessons to improve my character
character to reach my purpose
purpose to bring me home
home where I anchor my boat.
Sitting on a water lily
I called upon a star
feeling rather silly
as it was very far.
Suddenly I saw it fall
the brightest star in flight
responding swiftly to my call
it was a magic sight.
A miracle! I cried out loud
and knew it wasn’t fake
when quietly, without a sound
a star landed in my lake.
*
Do you notice the small miracles in your life?
Oh – such a beautiful baby! Sniff, sniff…a grandchild…I know, we have one too. Mom is reading blogs again. She’ll be busy in the kitchen for a while…so the laptop is all mine! As my kind followers may remember, my eye sight is not what it used to be but don’t be fooled, I’m still enjoying myself! I’m not an old goat, although I can fool mom to carry me back home sometimes when we’ve walked a bit far. It’s so nice when I can sit on her shoulder, much better view from up there! Like this morning when we saw all the white birds in the ditch behind the car port.
Today I got a bit nostalgic. I was looking through my photo collection. You know, me as a youngster, me hunting squirrels, riding in the car…and then there were pictures of all my friends. You now, Amelia girl, King Tashi and cousin Beppe.
Amelia is a Chihuahua. She is very beautiful and lives in north Florida. We get along well…at least when she is not eating all my food, licking my dad behind his ear or diving into my mom’s bed under the covers. Yes, she is wonderful, most of the time, and I miss her. I hope she’ll visit soon again. It always makes my mom and dad so happy because she usually brings the grandchild too.
Tashi is also a good friend of mine. He is a Tibetan Terrier and lives up north, in the capital. He’s very handsome and everybody calls him King! He loves winter and snow and I guess he’s lucky that they have so many blizzards there. I used to live up there too, that’s before I was rescued by mom and dad, and I hated the snow! Couldn’t find any grass to pee on.
Tashi told me that it’s too hot for him right now, like a sauna, he said. He hopes the fall will come soon…he loves the rains too! And of course he has so many attires – for all types of weather! I told him that here in Florida we all go nekkid all the time, he was horrified and I got myself a good laugh…he’s so proper. We are very different, but have so much to learn from each other.
My cousin Beppe in Sweden is much more similar to me, but bigger! He’s a miniature Poodle. Miniature! He is huge compared to me and a youngster. He’s about five, I think, hardly out of his diapers. But he loves to travel! He just came back from a trip to Finland. He told me he could run free at grandpa’s place! He also told me that he loved the cruise ship. They had no problems with power, he could watch TV and his toilet worked all the way!
Beppe told me he was carefully monitoring the journey from his state-room window. I’ve only met him on Skype and we’re Facebook buddies, but we like each other and chat a lot. I can’t wait until he shows the fall fashions for poodles again…he’s a model too, you know.
Then I found pictures of myself as a young man….it’s a pity that dieting is so hard nowadays! I don’t have much hope of getting back to the feather-weight series. Well, one has to enjoy life…oh mom, you’re back already!
Look I’ve just finished your weekend readings…you can go back to the kitchen and cook me something good. I was just thinking about food…haff a tasty weekend y’all!
Blue smoke smells summer
fish fries on the open fire
childhood memories.
Have courage to fly
look beyond your horizon
wisdom will emerge.
Late at night
long after sundown
light still lingers
for a last dance
on the northern lake.
Silence flutters
like butterfly wings
and soundless tunes
of concerto for life
vibrate in the air.
Touch the magic.
The curtains are closed
the audience holds its breath
let the show begin.
For weekend reading I thought I would tell you a short story, just a bit longer than my usual seventeen syllables. This is a true story about elephants and how they taught me a “tiny lesson”.
It was a nice December morning in Africa, more exactly in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. A good friend from Sweden had come to visit us and we decided to go on a safari over the weekend to show her the beauty of the wild. We used to drive ourselves in our sturdy SUV and usually I would be the “safari driver” – so also this morning.
After an early breakfast at the lodge, we set out into the wild to spot some animals. Our friend was particularly interested in seeing elephants. We knew they were plentiful in this particular park because big herds had moved in from neighboring Rwanda where a conflict was raging at the time.
We drove quite a while, from the south to the north of the park, first on a narrow gravel road and then followed a small trail hardly distinguishable in the tall grass. Suddenly we saw elephants crossing the trail in a distance. We got a bit closer, then stopped and idled. We watched in awe as a huge herd, probably 50-60 elephants crossed our path from a sparsely wooded meadow on the right to a grassy opening on the left. Everybody was there, from the huge elders to the small cuties. We watched and filmed the rare sight at a safe distance. Needless to say our friend was excited!
After about half an hour, we could see the heard had settled to eat at the far end of the grassy area. Only two adults were still on the right of our trail, busy eating from trees at the far end of the meadow. I quickly scanned the situation and decided it was time for us to continue our journey. I shifted to the first gear and slowly, quietly started moving towards the point where they had crossed the trail. Everyone continued to film and observe the herd. We were doing fine, none of the elephants had taken notice of us. Or so we thought.
Suddenly we heard a high-pitched alarm. I turned my head to the right and saw a huge elephant belly right next to our truck! A belly, not a butt or a head! The trunk making the noise was high above our vehicle, the front legs right above our heads! The matriarch had been managing the herd’s crossing from behind some tall and dense shrubbery next to the trail. And she had remained behind… waiting for the two latecomers to get their act together. That made sense. But for us my hasty decision resulted in a surprise that could easily have turned deadly.
As I am telling this story now, you already know the outcome. Metal to the pedal, everyone tumbled around in the truck, we all screamed, the video camera hit the roof…but we made it. We now have a reminder of this adventure – with the alarm sound, elephant belly, our screams and all – on DVD. But the truth to be told, I rather watch the latter part of this DVD filmed back at the lodge, where we met this charming young man.
I have thought about this small incident afterwards. I now know why I definitely prefer to see an elephant’s butt rather than her belly. I also learned a lesson, ever so tiny: I’ve got to get my facts right before leaping into a decision. Shooting from the hip might sometimes prove deadly.
Have a great weekend everyone – may your adventures be just a shade safer.
TINY LESSONS BLOG 