In Threes: Quotes and Poems

Living gratefully today, I give thanks for the words that flow from the heads and hearts of others and those that flow from my own head and heart. I appreciate the emotions, experiences, connections, and Nature that inspire so many of these words.

So today’s post, my first of the new year, is all about words. Three quotes from others. Three poems from me. Read them through. Read them slowly again. Which one(s) resonate(s) in your own head and heart? Take it with you today. Take the words and the generative energy of the writer(s) with you. Happy New Year! Happy new day!

WORD FOR THE DAY (1/3/23)

In the bigger scheme of things the universe is not asking us to do something, the universe is asking us to be something. And that’s a whole different thing.

-LUCILLE CLIFTON-

Dusk to Dawn

The dusk of one year

gives way to the

dawn of another.

The grayness of

regret gives way

to renewal.

Lisa Valentine (12/31/22 and 1/1/23)

WORD FOR THE DAY 12/28/22

Behold this day, for it is yours to make.

-BLACK ELK-

End of Year/Wasted Time

Thirty million seconds

passed in the last year.

What have I done

with myself?

I rested, wrote, ran, walked,

conversed, worked, spoke,

listened, loved, fretted,

recovered, meditated,

served and sought.

I didn’t waste away,

or get wasted,

or even waste time.

Wasted time isn’t

in my lexicon anymore.

Honoring time is.

Lisa Valentine (12/22)

WORD FOR THE DAY (12/26/22)

The times are urgent; let us slow down.

-AFRICAN SAYING-

Frozen in Time

cherished memories

challenging moments

from a year now over

will become

permanent fixtures

in my head

and heart

only because

emotions flowed freely

before being frozen

in timelessness

Lisa Valentine (12/31/22 and 1/1/23)

The picture below inspired this third poem.