Just Found Out

Hello Everyone;

I just found out from one of my sisters yesterday that my cousin Teddi has cancer. So I also want to dedicate the earlier poem to Teddi as well as Ailene and my father.

Life is so short as it is, to have cancer taking lives away from us at such an early age seems as though death is cheating life.

We love you Teddi. Stay as strong as you can for as long as you can and know that you are loved.

~Delaina

Ailene

Hello My Friends.

Life is a strange experience sometimes. It seems that when death comes close to us, our heart seems to be more aware of the value of life. Yet at the same time the impending sense of loss causes a lethargic feeling that seems to surround us. Or at least this is what it feels like to me.

Another friend is in the battle of her life against cancer. This rant is dedicated to her, while at the same time it is based in the loss of family and friends that has already been caused by cancer.

Is it Ever Enough?

Is it ever enough to want to hold on to our friends...

Is it ever enough to love…

Is it ever enough to lay claim to a human bond…

Before they slip away?

Is it ever enough to know a life existed…

Is it ever enough to share a laugh…

Is it ever enough to share a hug…

Before they slip away?

Is it ever enough to feel…

Is it ever enough to see…

Is it ever enough to hear…

Before they slip away?

Cancer, are the lives you claim ever enough…

are the souls you suck the life out of ever enough…

are tears shed in your wake ever enough…

Before you rip them out of our world?

Is it ever enough to live no matter how long the life…

Is it ever enough to give all that there is to give…

Is it ever enough to share all that there is to share…

Before they want to slip away?

Is it ever enough to try everything there is to try…

Is it ever enough to fight until there is no fight left…

Is it ever enough to abate the inevitable…

Before they want to slip away?

Is it ever enough to fight death…

Is it ever enough to strive for life…

Is it ever enough to want for peace…

Before they want to slip away?

Cancer, are the lives you claim ever enough…

are the souls you suck the life out of ever enough…

are tears shed in your wake ever enough…

Before you rip them out of our world?

Is life ever long enough?

When will enough be enough?

~

Ailene stay strong, stay focused, and stay as long as you can. We love you.

When your enough is enough know that you have touched and inspired many lives.

Love,

Delaina

Creativity

Hello Everyone;

I know it has been a while since I have written a poem but my mind has been in many places.

One place it has been is in school. For one of my classes "Readers' Advisory" we are to hold a book discussion. The book is Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love.

One of my classmates had the role of finding author information which included this video.

I am sharing it with you all because I found it so refreshing, encouraging and in many ways my experience.

I hope you enjoy all 19 mins of it :-)

A Memory Dream

To Da (the three year-old name I gave him)

A Memory Dream

I dreamt of you last night

I once wrote that your hands are what I would remember…

I dreamt not of a memory we shared

But a memory dream it was

The kind that draws attention to an internal hole, a missing soul leaves behind

I dreamt of you last night, not your hands

A memory dream

A memory that we never shared but an emotion in a familiar place

A song,  a voice of an instrument – human and not

But a memory in dream form all the same

I dreamt of you last night and an emotion that we shared…

I dreamt of you last night

Of your passion that could, if you permit it, expose your youthful heart

A memory dream of your passion for song of voices harmonizing in life

A memory dream of living creation – a song, a voice, a vocal release.

But a memory of a shared wide awake dream

I dreamt of you last night and of our shared passion for creating

I dreamt of you last night and our unrecognized passion

A memory dream that draws attention to a void

A memory dream that does not leave one empty

But rather a memory that reminds the dreamer the void was never there

I dreamt of you last night and found you resided in my dreams

I thought I would remember your hands

   But I was wrong I remember your heart

1 Million 4 FINCA Campaign

Please pardon this interruption in content but…

Hello Friends and Family;

Kris and I are supporters of the non-profit Foundation for International Community Assistance or FINCA. Kris’s uncle came up with the idea when he was in the Peace Corp. Here is a video that talks about the positive change that FINCA brings about in Uganda.

FINCA is a microcredit program that loans money to people in developing countries that earn two dollars or less a day. The loans are given to people (mostly women) who have a skill, a small business, or a plan that needs capital to expand their livelihoods. For example women that mend clothes can, with the loan, buy a sewing machine so that they can make more money to support their family. 98% of the loans that go out are paid back which cycle back into more loans.

The 15^th of November is FINCA’S Anniversary and they need your support. In order to help FINCA help others Kris and I are trying to raise one million dollars $25 at a time.

You can be a part of the One Million 4 FINCA Campaign by going to this website:

http://budurl.com/1m4finca and donating $25 or more if you can.

Also please ask your friends and family to be a part of the One Million 4 FINCA Campaign.

You can show the world that we can do more than make funny videos viral…with your help we can make giving, compassion, and positive change viral as well.

$25 dollars really can change the world and you can be a part of that change.

Thank you for your support,

Kristin & Delaina

Monday's Poem

The Miracles of Love




The miracles of love take many forms:
Like passion shared by lovers
Like apprehension shared by friends
Like concern shared by parents

We walk across this land
Strong with purpose
Yet we are ignorant

We all walk across the earth
As if its sole design was for our individual needs
Thus we feel alone

The miracles of love take many forms:
Like living with less so that others can live
Like leading by example instead of ruling by oppression
Like fighting for the rights of others despite disagreement

We walk across this land
Strong with purpose
Yet we are vulnerable

We all walk across the earth
As if our own ideals and values should apply to others
Thus we are blind to our own coercion

The miracles of love take many forms:
Like appreciation not tolerance
Like support not judgment
Like forgiveness not blindness

We walk across this land
Strong with purpose
Yet we neglect

We all walk across the earth
As if our purpose is the only justification
Thus we are susceptible to our flaws

The miracles of love take many forms:
Like the acknowledgment that we all need approval
Like the determination that we all need substance
Like the recognition that we all share in life

We walk across this land
Strong with purpose
Yet we are fragile

We all walk across the earth
As if we have not a care in the world
Thus we forget to care for one another

The miracles of love take many forms:
This is why we must share passion for each other
This is why we must appreciate each other
This is why we must be concerned for each other

Thus the miracle of love will be the peace we find with each other

Response Poem

Summer 2009

2009 What a year we thought it would be,
New president
New hope,
Awareness of diverse abilities yet...

2009
What a year it could have been.
It is like a birthday, I guess another year has passed
but do we feel any different from last year?
Do we act any different than we did last year?

2009
Education undervalued and underfunded.
Libraries under threat from ignorance,
Children kicked out of pools because of the color of their skin
Graves of love ones turned to mass graves to make a profit.

2009
What a year it could have been.
Not only have we not learned to value knowledge
We have not learned to value life.

2009
We know how to dine
but we are not fine.