To think about...


To measure you by your smallest deed is to reckon the ocean by the frality of its foam, to judge you by your failures is to cast blame upon the seasons for their inconsistencies.
Kahill Gibran

A Story - Untitled - Part IV


It was a beautiful night, despite the light rain that was still falling as she got closer and closer to his weekend getaway.

She remembered the first time he took her to see it. He was thinking about buying it. To her it looked like a shack but she could tell from the way his eyes darted around the rooms that he was envisioning what could be - not what was.

Over the many months that followed she had seen his vision unfold and become reality. Although she had visited his little retreat often, she had never spent the night. It was a comfy, cozy place set in the woods. She loved it.

She couldn't wait to see him and share his little piece of paradise.

Now stopped at a red light in the town only 5 miles from her destination, she noticed a beautiful nightgown in a shop window. When the light changed, she pulled over, grabbed her umbrella out of the backseat, opened it and ran inside. A bell rang as she entered.

Inside she closed the umbrella and set it by the door. It was eerily quiet. It was nearly closing time on a rainy Friday night, it was to be expected that few people would be out shopping, but where was the clerk? "Is anyone here?" she yelled. There was no answer only a mumbling sound coming from the back of the store. She moved towards it.

All of a sudden she was grabbed. A very strong man had grabbed her arms, she screamed and struggled but he overpowered her and threw her to the floor. Everything went black.

A Story - Untitled - Part III


It was a long drive to his weekend retreat.

She stopped to get gas. She thought maybe she should phone him.

It would be wonderful to hear his voice. She would tell him that she had decided to accept his offer and had jumped in the car and was on her way to him. She hadn't even taken time to speak.

She had just made the decision and gone. She would tell him she loved him and was anxious to be in his arms.

She knew in her heart such a call would both surprise and delight him.

It was funny how each passing mile erased any doubts from her mind.

She had made the right decision...throwing caution to the wind, reaching out for the love he was so readily willing to give. She had taken down the armor from around her heart. Daring to love him unconditionally - daring to believe he loved her just the way she was.

Oops - the pump was spewing gas all over the side of her car. She laughed at how lost she had been in her own thoughts. Call him? No, she wouldn't spoil the surprise.

She climbed back in the car. A gentle rain started to fall. How ironic, the rain was splashing on the windshield while the stars were still twinkling above. She felt sure this was going to be a magical night.

A Story - Untitled - Part II


No sooner had the door shut behind her, than the phone rang. She started to turn the key in the lock and go back inside to answer it. No, better not be distracted. She didn't want to lose her nerve.

He'd been inviting her to come and share a weekend with him, now she was on her way to surprise him. As she drove to his weekend retreat, she envisioned how the whole thing would play out.

He would hear the car as it drove up. He would look out the window, see it was her, smile with delight and come running to meet her. He would sweep her up in his arms and carry her inside.


He would start to ask why…what had made her change her mind? She would place her finger gently against his lips and whisper, just kiss me. Kiss her he would and they would spend the next hours making love.

Such thoughts made her even more eager to get there. She put the pedal to the metal and hurried confident that this weekend was going to be fantastic and happily life changing.

A Story - Untitled - Part I


Was he real or was he memorex?

Had she simply conjured up an image of him?

If he wasn't really the man she thought, if he really didn't genuinely care... was that what she feared so much? Did she think she would suffer physical pain? emotional pain?

Rarely does a woman remember pain. Even the pain of childbirth is forgotten once she is holding her healthy baby in her arms. Even time has a way of easing the sorrow of losing a loved one.

If it wasn't physical or emotional pain, what was it? Was it a matter of trust - faith that it was too good to be true? Was it daring to believe that someone could love her just the way she was? She didn't think she was unlovable or that she didn't have a lot to offer. It was just that, if history were any indication, people who cared about her wanted to change her.

She would be the first to say that she was a work in progress however she found conformity constricting. It seemed inevitable that whenever she let someone get close, they assigned a role and expectations to her. She felt bad when she disappointed them by failing to adapt to their expectations.

Imagination has led to fantastic inventions that were considered folly before they became a reality.

Maybe there was at least a teeny tiny possibility that a man could love her - just the way she was. Not because of, not in spite of, not if only she looked or behaved a little differently, but just the way she was.

Time and time again, it has been proven that "the impossible" is just something that hasn't happened yet.

No one thought man could fly and still he not only flew, he walked on the moon. We actually watched it as it happened. Everyday things we use and take for granted were once thought impossible.

The real question isn't...was he real or was he memorex? Had she simply conjured him up? The real question is whether she has the courage to the take the risk and find out.

Maybe he could like her just the way she was - uniquely flawed and human as she might be. Maybe he could love her unconditionally...maybe, just maybe.

She smiled, stood up, got her keys and headed for the door.

Fantastic Morning


Humidity is low. The sun is shining. The temperature is 70. There is a skin caressing breeze blowing. The sand is white like granulated sugar. The sky is a clear blue dotted only occassionally with a puff of white cotton candy clouds. The water is a magnificient turquoise color. It is a picture perfect day.


It is a fantastic morning. It is Monday. Sometimes Monday's get a bad rap, this one is definitely a day for smiles and one where pleasant surprises will no doubt punctuate the day. Enjoy.

Yeah, but


The Tampa Bay Bucs are 7 and 2 for the season. Today the offense was hot and scored 38 points against the Vikings 24. I was surprised that instead of hearing "fans" raving after the game...they were saying, "Yeah, sure the offensive line was better but the defense wasn't as tough as they had been in the previous games."


It seems no matter how good a team does there are armchair quarterbacks ready to say, "Yeah but."


I wonder what we would do if every time we were winners at something, we had to listen to people second guessing us, criticizing our performance?


It would be fun to relax and revel in our victories and celebrate....yeah but what fun would that be (smile).

You were a child. You played and imagined the answer to the question everyone asked you, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"


Then life happened.