After A While

After a while
it gets tiring
to always be the one
     who initiates
     who cares enough
           to go through lengths
                 to show how much I care

After a while
it gets pretty old
when all you do is give
and you don’t get anything in return

After a while
the waiting takes forever
and all you want to do
   is leave
   give up
   once and for all

After a while
it gets frustrating
and confusing
and mind boggling
        and you question
                  things
                     people
                         events
                            motives

After a while
the smile that has been pasted on your face freezes
over
and you frown
or cry
instead  of smile
And somehow
it makes you feel a little better
if only for a while.

Heaven on Earth

Sunset by the Beach at Point Lookout, Maryland

Nature’s wonders never ceases to amaze me.
The view is picturesque
more like a postcard
surreal but breathtakingly beautiful.

I stare at the wonder
of God’s handiwork
and am thankful
for being alive.

In the morning
after a night in the tent
I awaken
to the sounds of different birds
chirping,
calling,
beckoning,
to come and see
the promise of another day.

I wake up
and see
children playing outside
free from the cares of the world
not worrying
about whether a car will whizz by
or a stranger snatching them
as they play freely.

Fishing by the pier
I hear the water lapping
splashing against the rocks
as the silence
is interrupted
by the sound of a happy fisherman -
my husband.

This
right here
is heaven.