I write this in memory of my father and don’t worry, I’ve tagged it in humor. It’s my recollection of one of the last times I saw him before his unexpected death. Anyone who has a perfectionist for a father will get a chuckle out of this anecdote…

Recently, as I waited at a red light I looked at all the license plates on the cars surrounding me. Not necessarily to see if they were from somewhere far away but to inspect the screws securing the plates. Strange, I know.

I blame my late father. I can still see him on that sunny July afternoon: bent down lower than a man his age should be. The object of his inspection? The oversized screws holding my license plate. Much to his consternation not only were these screws obviously too big for the job, but they were unsightly. This is just the thing that could keep my father awake at night.

July and I have a complicated relationship. I’m not sure when that happened exactly. I almost want to say that my adult self is paying penance for carefree Julys of my childhood. But that wouldn’t be accurate either. Not entirely.

First, let me just say this isn’t a post about how to know if you are an empath. I just want to express the problems I’ve experienced as an empath myself and offer tips for those of you who are feeling especially tapped out right now.

Empaths are vulnerable to abusive people who take advantage of their good nature and well of compassion. Empaths are far from perfect and are often told they are too sensitive.

I have this small grocery list I found in the pocket of my black wool sweater. Maybe the sweater is more significant than the list I wrote way back when. Somehow though, the random grocery list is an equal treasure.

In case you didn’t know, I’m an artist. It’s not something I’ve talked about here in any depth, until now.

My journey began with drawing and painting classes when my kids were in school. It’s been quite the journey; both in length of time and lessons I’ve learned along the way. I’ve shared a few images of my paintings here. I will share more in this post and part II to come.

Today I’m responding to Colleen Chesebro’s Poetry Challenge Prompt: Circle of Life. The following is a form of Haiku, called a Senryu in a 3/5/3 syllable structure.

I had to look up these poetry definitions, too. I am more a free verse girl, when it comes to writing poetry. However, joining this challenge was a good brain bender. This kind of writing has a way of tweaking word patterns. I confess that I used the Syllable Counter because counting syllables quickly had me questioning my English language skills. *insert laugh track*

If you love to write poetry, do pop over to Colleen’s site to find out more about or join, her Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenges.

CIRCLE OF LIFE

Apple falls
Nearer the tree
Than I knew

I am you
And you could be me
Certainly

My journey
Ironic ending
Circles me

I said I wrote a Haiku. I didn’t say it was good. Learning…

Hello, dear friends. What’s been on my mind is our deteriorating environment and my role in it. Specifically thinking about the cost of convenience. As I place a crack-caffeine, coffee pod into my Keurig machine…I’ve come to realize I’m not doing my part.

Hello Escapees, how is life lately for you? I’ve been away and then sick so have been absent here at the blog for a while. I drafted this post a few weeks ago, so you’ll notice where I’ve provided an update. It’s not my typical blog post but always fun to let you in on what I’m up to.

Life Lately

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted on this meme; Catch Up Over Coffee. So, it’s time for a chat over espresso or maybe you prefer plain old drip. Cream? Sugar? Help yourself…it’s on the table.

Lately

I’ve been getting random comments on archived blog posts. Many of them from law firms or lawyers. These are legitimate comments and even thoughtful and interesting. They are definitely not spam. Apparently a blog post lives on, long after we’ve written it. I guess it’s what they call ‘evergreen’ content. The other ones that continue to garner comments are 5 Tips To Handle the Divorce Bully and Narcissist or A**hole? Know the Difference. In case you missed either of those and you need help with a bully or narc, then check those out.

My daughter got engaged on Christmas Eve and I was *honored* to be the first to know…that said, she isn’t always communicating with me on the wedding details. During this process, I’ve had to accept the fact that we are not a traditional family therefore, I’m not likely to be a traditional mother of the bride. It’s just a fact that comes along with divorce.