Most every work day for more than 11 years, I wrote a love note, poem or other inspirational thought, on a napkin – and tucked it in my husband, Marshal’s, lunch – a ritual of the heart. At the beginning of 2009, Marshal started typing them up. It became OUR ritual of the heart to share the Daily Napkin as a blog. Then, in October 2015, Marshal retired, so the whole dynamic changed. I took several months to re-evaluate and decide what I was going to do. The poetry of the napkin is now joined with my art and/or photography images. May you enjoy them. May they feed your spirit.
Rattled
A rattle rattled meI was rattled top to bottomEven my little eyebrow hairsshook free of the debrisBuilt up over thetimes of non-actionOooh – to renewwith the tickleof a rattle…
Gentle Greeting
Once a stick-bugshowed up on my screen doorIt was startling to realizethis odd twig was aliveI felt fearYet, the stick-bug still greeted mein his gentle stick-bug wayThe Spirit in mehonors the Spirit in all living beings
Half Empty?
Sometimes, I see itas 2/3 fullOther timesas ½ empty…When I remember my gratitudeI suddenly discoverThat it is wholeperfect and complete
Spice of Life
Everything inter-relatedspeaking from a wider viewTalks of all the similaritiesthe differencesthe unique individual naturesAh, the spice of Life…!
Bringing Peace
Once, years ago,on a far off tropical islein a forest ranger buildingbuilt high up in treesso wild pigs would not disturbThe woman who brings peaceforetold in name by her grandmotherwas born by her motherwitnessed by her fatherThe soft island breezesbrought a friend...
Favorite Shadow
He wrestled withhis favorite shadowTenaciously chompinghis chopsUntil they were both simply worn outAnd fell asleep peaceful as babes
Seed of Life
One thingthat always comes upIs the little seed of Lifewithin each momentEach situationEach eternity…
Hello Hawk
Hawk ducked underthe low trees in the backyardTo do a little danceand say helloRuffle the feathers, turn aroundshake the tail, bow and dipstare for a bit and turn againHawk says “hi’then soars again
Silence of the Squirrel
Baby squirrelall sweet and soft lookingsat on his favorite branchWashing face with the backs of his pawsthoroughly involved in the taskThen, stillness overcamehis every fiberLooking sideways at that big personthere in the kitchen windowIn a flash, he was gone!
Catching the Breeze
Living on mountain topsor frolicking on rooftopsHumans can catchthe breezes in their hairMore alive simply because of placementAh, but the real trickis catching the breezesin the stillness of the quiet valleys
Keep the Faith
He was one hum-dingerand so was his songAnd the winged one flew bysilently in truthknowing there was nothing wrong“Keep the faith,” the birdie saidas ice fogged morning sprung to lifewith every crisp footfallAnd, he was aware, not afraidin the quiet hoursof his early...
Five Short Minutes
How much can be donein five short minutes?A poem, a song, a sketch,a dance, conceptionA birth, break something, fix somethinglove, live, die…Every moment is an eternityLiving in the momentis living now