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Life is to Live
“Life is short, and it is here to be lived.” Kate Winslet
I saw this quote today and wanted to share it with you. Many of us follow a rigid schedule, without any room for flexibility. My mother used to say that we get up, go to work, eat, sleep and do it all again, until one day we wake up old and wonder where our lives went. Structure provides direction, but too much of it stifles creativity. We function like robots, neglecting to see. Staring at our phones, we miss the beauty that surrounds. Ear buds block our ability to hear the birds. Attached, we do not relate to real people, including our families. “Friends” are on social media. Most we will never meet.
Below are 5 suggestions to start living, not existing.
- Try different routes to work or a different grocery store. Force yourself to think about what you are doing.
- Take an unplugged walk before work. Let your senses fill with sight, scents and sound. Feel the sun and breeze on your face.
- Plan dinners with family or friends sans electronics. Put phones on “Do Not Disturb.” Listen to what others are saying. Express how you feel.
- Take day trips. Get out into nature. Go somewhere you have never been. Listen to various types of music. Expand your mind. Visit museums. Step out of your comfort zone. Try new foods. Do something you have never done.
- Make a list of dreams, things you would like to do but put off because you do not have the time or money. Pick one and make it a goal. If you dream of having a yacht, think about other ways to get onto the water, sooner than later. Perhaps a canoe would fill the bill.
A wise woman told me not to wait to afford the big trips, but to build memories with mini adventures. Life is a collection of snapshots. Create moments to remember. Be present and enjoy!

Be Still
“Be still!” No entertainment.
Punishment
“Sit there and think about it!”
Tedium
Worldwide virus halts the train
Stuck inside
Forced to face our inner fears
Panic spreads
Look around at status quo
Comforting
New days dawn, the birds still sing
Flowers bloom
Time to chill, step off the wheel
Wait the storm
Meditate, appreciate
Inner peace
He Is There
Dad provides the worldly needs
Sits silently aside
Stalwart in his outward pose
Fights demons of his own
Leader of the family
Advisor, loving man
Mentor, coach, defender waits
To mend a broken heart
Wiping tears, encouraging
His child’s growth support
Proud of the accomplishments
Arms out to catch the falls
Father in the sense that’s true
Means more than DNA
Dance recitals, soccer games
Wherever, he is there!
Sail on, my Captain
Sixteen years ago I wrote the following lighthearted poem in honor of my husband Roger and two friends, Roger and Mike, who raced our sailboat in the 1998 National Catalina Race held in Westbrook, Connecticut. They took first for the tall rig division in all three races. Yes, readers, the sailboat’s name was Sloopy, the inspiration for the fictional 36 foot sloop that Liz and Garret live aboard in Murder in Mystic, Murder in Newport and Two Headed Snake of Key West. Our Sloopy was fast and my husband could make a mighty Margarita.
I am sharing this with you in memory of my husband, who passed away on July 1, 2014. Sail on, my captain.
The pressure was on
To win a glass cup
Each silently prayed
He wouldn’t screw up
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The guy thing, you know
Machismo, at best
The challenge would come
They’d be put to the test
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The good Lord was laughing
As they hoisted the main.
These three would need blessings,
And more, it was plain
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Wine made from water
Was easy for sure,
But Roger, Mike, Roger
Three races endure?
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The task was immense
But these were nice guys
He raised His arms up
And Sloopy did rise.
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She raced to the finish
Three bullets to boot
Miracles do happen.
There’s proof in the loot.
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The lesson each learned,
To celebrate life
Believe in oneself
Be good to your wife.