one word

after an exceptionally busy week, early this morning i finally had a free moment to click over to one single impression to check the poetry prompt. one word...hmmmmm. i don't do "one" word very well (just ask D. or the soul sisters!!!); i'm more like a "whole story" kinda gal. heck, i even talk in my sleep, sometimes in italian according to D. but one word?? that word must be a very important word, not just a run-of-the-mill, everyday type word...it must be a truly inspired word. honestly, choosing just one is like asking me for a preference on my last meal when i just want to eat my way around the world (or at the very least around the **gelato** world!)...i decided to sit with this prompt through the day to see what might unfold in the course of events.on the drive into the city my thoughts rolled around between choosing a word & the week in passing. i spent an afternoon on the phone with one of my very dearest friends who has just lost her momma, bumping around that strange & sticky world of fresh grief.

i spent another day with melissa packing a garageful of clothing to be shipped for her ministry in romania...which led me to near-panic on the drive home that evening~~ we are bound for europe in just 6 short weeks for a journey that lasts 6 weeks & i had not really organized all the notes & emails for that time, nor had i made a good working "to do" list. (yes, that list is now made & the info packet for the entire journey is printed & organized!)

while i was printing all the lodging confirmations from my email's inbox my italian instructor sent me the 2nd email in as many days, this one with an element of concern ("are you alright?? i have not heard from you this week!") . this prompted a side-tracked response with more verb errors that i care to admit, all the while upping my general panic level another notch (yellow to orange, perhaps?!?!)...must. study. conjugations!!...classes start in 7 weeks!at this point on the drive i found myself taking a deep breath, & then refocusing what we were doing today. we were heading to brunch to see an old friend who was playing a gig. no ordinary guy...an amazing flamenco guitarist who is whupping cancer's backside right now!! it was so good to see paco again. he's looking a bit under the weather but his music is as strong as ever.

aaaahhhhh...time together with D. & my boys, a good meal, the best music, a stroll to the river afterwards on this fine carolina spring day...the thought of "one word" came rushing back to me on the drive home. i must admit that the first word that came to mind was "nap"! (i'm a huge fan of restful sundays.)but as my thoughts threaded together, the ever-present whisper was "gratitude." i'm so grateful...

136. for a dear friend like L. & for her momma who brought her into this world, for a chance to be there for her at this hard time...

137. grateful for melissa & her work, for the example she is to my children...

138. grateful for the awesome privilege of travel & all that affords, for the privilege of being able to join melissa if only for a short while...

139. grateful for the opportunity to study the language of my heart in its native country, for my italian instructor, a true peach of a woman with the patience of a saint & a true gift for teaching...

140. & speaking of gifts~~ grateful for paco & his music...

141. grateful for the privilege of holding these wonderful folks in prayer in these difficult days, days of adjustments large & small...

142. grateful for friends far & near...

143. grateful for precious, quiet moments with my family doing very ordinary things like relishing the taste of food, the sound of chords blended to perfection, the scents of spring air...

144. & grateful for a bit of gelato & a 20 minute nap on a lazy sunday afternoon.in the fourth watch of the night

i wake

while quiet stars linger

around last quarter moon,

undiluted recollections

rush in to fill the vacuum left

by easy sleep;

as they parade

before my internal eyes

i'm taken with the question

'is this really unexpected

in the lot that belongs to man?'

the things that i deem good

or otherwise...

so i take them all for what they're worth

wrapping them in soul's quilted embrace

of gentle gratitude.please visit one single impression for more wonderful poetry...thank you Jess from Wayfaring Wanderer for the prompt "one word."