Fair-Weather Friends

According to the dictionary, a fair -weather friend is a person who stops being a friend in times of difficulty.

Difficulties come but difficulties always go. That is a promise that we can stand on if we are able to hold on and hold out. But sometimes, the storms may last longer and come down on our heads with a force that feels unbearable to us all.

However, if we rock steady, we will weather it if we are grounded in our faith. Deep adverse circumstances will make us latch on to something strong and well-rooted like the strength of a ship’s anchor.

During these times, we may feel exhausted and our bank of friends may deplete itself as well. They might simply leave or abandon us, go far away or call less frequently. Or they may behave like the Cheshire cat that vanishes slowly while still wearing a smile.

Those can easily be defined as fair-weather friends or as one elder-mentor called them- half-assed friends. He was blunt and a tad profane, but his description perfectly matched the one from the dictionary.

Those types of friends may be harder to contact during a crisis, but over time we will find that we can lean on our sure and steady rock of faith. It is always right there, waiting for our recognition. It will never leave us just as the sun still shines behind the clouds. We cannot see it, but it sees us.

When the sun does reveal itself again, we will see more clearly. We will understand that gaudy things, puffed-up egos and metallic nothings can all evaporate in the twinkling of an eye.  We will not only see the light, but we will walk in the light.

Once those fair-weather friends see that new glow, they might start crawling out of the woodwork from obscurity.  If we see them coming, we can just smile and say, “Hey there.” And after we have briefly fellow-shipped and parted ways, we can bravely head  in our new directions with a quiet knowing and a remembrance.

Lynn M.                                                  April 25, 2020

Tossed to and Fro’

As we daily grieve our losses,
And life continues to toss us,

We are being made to look up,
In the morning, noon and at sup.

We plead for mercy from above,
Watch for the flight of a small dove.

Offering us glimmers of hope,
So we can breathe and stop the mope.

And know the Master has a plan,
In His time, He will heal the land.

Lynn M.                                                                     April 18, 2020

( In honor of National Poetry Month)

The Storm is Passing Over!

The Storm is Passing Over is the title of a memorable spiritual song that fits these times during the pandemic that is sweeping our world. We must remember that there is nothing new under the sun and others have survived times like these in the past. But, obviously, the storm did indeed pass over because we only know about other plagues from the history books.

I had a two-fold dream and as in days of old, dreams still serve to guide, warn and inform us. I woke up surrounded by others out in the park. People were ecstatic as they bended their knees, exercised, jumped and played on the grass. It was like a scene out of The Wiz after the people had been freed from their years of darkness and captivity. They came to life both renewed and changed as the light poured in!

To many, the stay-at-home order has felt like a form of imprisonment. Many are trying to stay focused as cabin fever sets in and the walls seem to close in on us. We are reminded of our limitations and powerlessness. We wonder if we will ever enjoy the sun again. A woman on tv recently said, “When this is over, we won’t take anything for granted again. We will not take our city for granted again,” she added as she reflected on the city’s normally vibrant life which has come to a temporary standstill.

In the other part of my dream, I woke up and found that my students were stilling there patiently waiting for me to give them instructions. I wondered if they had seen me dozing off, but I checked the clock, directed them to put up their iPads and told them to get ready for recess. This was a sure indicator that things would return to normal again, but we must wait.

We will live again, and I believe that we will come out of this dark period as better and more improved beings. We will remember to check on our loved ones, be kinder to our neighbors and colleagues, say gentler things to one another and live as we were taught as small children.

We will emerge from underneath this heavy fog being more mindful, more spiritual and more cognizant in our daily dealings with each other. We will thank our Creator for another opportunity to live and see another tomorrow. As we stream forward, we can softly hum a tune like, “It is well in my soul.”

Lynn M.                                                                April 11, 2020

Holding On!

In these times of quarantine, fear and loss of life, we must not lose hope. We must do what we can to find some semblance of everyday normalcy amid drastic and sudden changes.

Though we are shaken by the shock waves of constant unknowns, we must seek ways to hold on. Like Aretha Franklin, we can try to ‘Rock Steady,’ as we are thrust to and fro by the news reports.

Rather becoming petrified by the onslaught of dire predictions, we must decide how much we can take or even should take of the minute-by-minute updates. Then, we can find ways to create our own calm, sane environment. We can limit the viewing of the latest news, escape by looking at old movies or reruns that make us feel lighter or listen to some soothing music.

We can luxuriate ourselves with enhanced self-care and simply stop trying to fix things that are out of our control. It’s simple- we cannot. So, we can lean on some good encouraging quotes, verses, hymns, songs and if possible, read a good book.

When it is all said and done, Max Erhmann ‘s Desiderata says it best, “…in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Strive to be happy.”

Lynn M.                                                                               April 4, 2020