Love and hate

Oh how I hate, this Covid 19, this virus and the pain, and grief 

I love the communities of support that are gathering, the 

neighbourhoods that are offering hope, and sharing love. 

I hate this Covid 19 this virus, and the pain and suffering

I love the stories of singing from balconies, of pets being cared for, of a 

101 year old survivor. 

I hate this Covid 19 this virus and the pain  and the loss

I love the health care workers tireless in their care of those isolated by disease 

and  held by risk and compassion. 

I hate this Covid 19 this virus and the pain and the fear

I love the creators of humour, of talking dogs, of comedy skits, of 

rewritten song.

I hate this Covid 19 this virus and the pain and the separation

I love the creators of Zoom, of so many IT platforms accessible to many.

I hate Covid 19 this virus and the pain and the uncertainty 

I love the teachers calling families, checking in, caring offering themselves.

I hate this Covid 19 this virus, and the pain and 

I love the flowers blooming, the buds, the songbirds, the family connections, the truck drivers, the grocers, those sharing their excess purel,  the garbage collectors, the friends checking in,  the community outreach personnel, the walking paths made wider by smile and greeting, the bagpipers, the drummers, the viola players, the singers, the 

I invite you to continue this reflection on love and hate...the song love and marriage was going through my head as I walked this morning and then it changed to love and hate and I realized that 

as all things passionate they do go together.   

It is appropriate to hate and it is wonderful to love.     

May you give yourself permission to feel deeply passionately and out of that passion may you notice all of that which is lovable in your world today.  

gloriafern March 31 2020

Hope Bearers Unite

The sky like, my soul is weeping,
grey dreariness covers the sun,
hiding it seems from
crocus's passionate bloom,
daffodils wrapped in scarves,
mitten still on,
tulips pushing forward

These days of held breath,
watching hope in music played

Breaking hearts hears news of
yet another seniors home with deaths,
and loss of staff and resident,
another death on pleasure destined
cruise, no rescue yet for
those on board

These days of neighbours
gathered six feet apart in gratitude

We wait in prayer in silent ritual
meditative, yoga stance believing
that our friend, will not test positive and
if they do they will be saved,
the horrors of a death absent from
hand held family or friend

These days of love and caring
sent across the wires connection felt

the sun breaks through
in you.

gloriafern March 2020

Something different :)

Good morning everyone.   I have signed up for the NaNoWriMo #StayHomeWriMo.  I am so grateful for the many organizations and groups that are providing us with creative encouragement in these Covid 19 days.   If you want to know more about this supportive adventure you can email me ( if you have my email address)  or comment to the blog, and I will respond to you.  Do not email to this site I will not get it.

A writing prompt that I received was.
Write about a character who's stuck inside.  How do they feel about it? Why are they there.
Here is my writing from that prompt.  I wonder how many of you will recognize my character.

I never get out!  She is a task master!  She always wants me to work, never wants me to play.

I try, I talk to her, I say things and when she finally notices me, she gets upset.  She calls me names, like MONKEY BRAIN.   I do have a brain, but I am not monkey!   BUT I can tell you I would have more fun if I was a monkey.

Imagine, if I was a monkey I could swing in the trees.

ONE day she went out for a walk.  One day when she was out walking I jumped in a puddle.  She did not notice it was me, she thought it was her idea.  When I let her think it is her idea, when I do not say toooo much then she sometimes lets me out, but only sometimes,  I have to be very careful so careful.

I do not want to be careful.   I do not like being careful all the time.  I will be careful about taking physical distance.  I understand that in these Covid 19 days.  I am not talking about that kind of careful.  I am happy to take social distance, BUT she doesn't care.

So

Sometimes I have something to say.

Wouldn't you have something to say if all you got to do all day was sit at a desk.

Wouldn't you say something if the sap was running and the birds were singing and the snow was melting?

Wouldn't you want some attention if the only time you got to move was when she got up from her chair and went upstairs to get more tea or to go pee because she had more tea?

Wouldn't you have something to say if the buds were pushing up through the soil and there were sidewalks waiting to be chalked and bubbles want to blow out joy?

If you were stuck in front of a computer and all you got to do was see the outdoors through a dusty, viney, dirty window

Wouldn't you say something??

gloriafern March 25 2020.

with much gratitude to NaNOWriMO social distancing kit. 

Covid 19

I am invited by Covid 19 to show a little more
appreciation for sunshine, health care, for caring government.

I am invited by Covid 19, to respect distance, to notice connection
across respected distance and difference.

I am invited by Covid 19 to grieve for the many who grieve in Italy, in China,
in Syria, in South Sudan,  in this world we all share.

I am invited by Covid 19 to laugh with Pluto the dog, with facebook memes,
with grandchildren telling non sensical jokes...

I am invited by Covid 19 to reconsider my footprint on mother earth, to consider how will I live differently when Covid 19 has left my daily thoughts?

I am invited by Covid 19 to think a little more about my neighbour, those I know
and those who remain strangers to me.

I am invited by Covid 19 to love the earth, the global family of which I and you are all
a part.

I am invited by Covid 19 to hope and to believe that this world will be a more
compassionate place for all to live as a result of Covid 19

I invited you to join me in this hope and in this belief!
with gratitude
gloria fern March 22 2020

Realities, mine

Two boys play happily,
ninja warriors defeating the bad guys
always.

I walk, with a smile, in
the grocery store, on the street
talk across the unseen barrier.

Deep gratitude for
leaders,  for a social network,
for medical professionals.

Concerned for friends and family
hopeful for a world,  for growing
consciousness.

Delighting in techonologies gifts
for scavenger hunts, photos posted
in three cities, in two countries,

for musicians,  for craft ideas,
for artists doing youtube tutorials,
for the call to mediate,  for the
call to slow down,  to be aware,
to focus on world peace, on love.

Grieving with those who grieve,
laughing with those who laugh,
holding one another in spirit.

Grateful for health care workers,
for scientists, for researchers, for
spiritual teachers.

Walking with gratitude for the
sun, the wind, the water, the trees,
the buds, the bulbs sprouting.

Two boys play happily
defeating dragons.

gloriafern March 2020

True or just real

her poem those lines,  is it true or
or just real, invade me these days, invade my
thoughts as I remember the years of
my life, the ones that got me to here
past my 65th birthday, past the time that
i knew old age hit,   i have known so much
truth in these years, and they have changed,
to becoming a reality that I live by
sometimes, that I hold onto
and they have blown away
with the wind, a gust grabbing hold
just when I least expected it and
a new reality becomes as clear as real
as the last one that I knew
with the certainty that
spring will come, the green heads pushing up where
snow lay, will lead to new blooms
and leaves and shoots
and they will be real.

thanks Carrie Newcomer for pushing me
with your poetic gems.

gloriafern march 2020