Song

Bluebird of Happiness

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

Snowy Bluebird – March 2018 – Mars, PA

Bluebird of Happiness.

The beggar man and the mighty king are only different in name,
For they are treated just the same by fate.
Today a smile and tomorrow a tear, we never know what’s in store.

So learn your lesson before it is too late.
So be like I, hold your head up high
’til you find the bluebird of happiness.

You will find greater peace of mind,
knowing there’s a bluebird of happiness.

And when he sings to you,
though you’re deep in blue,
You will see a ray of light creep through.

And so remember this,
life is no abyss.
Somewhere there’s a bluebird of happiness.

The poet with his pen, the peasant with his plow,
It makes no different who you are,
it’s all the same somehow.

The king upon his throne, the jester at his feet,
the artist, the actress,
the man on the street.

It’s a life of smiles and a life of tears.
It’s a life of hopes and a life of fears.

A blinding torrent of rain and a brilliant burst of sun,
A biting tearing pain and bubbling sparkling fun.

And no matter what you have, don’t envy those you meet.
It’s all the same, it’s in the game, the bitter and the sweet.

And if things don’t look so cheerful, just show a little fight.
Fore every bit of darkness, there’s a little bit of light.

For every bit of hatred, there’s a little bit of love.
Fore every cloudy morning, there’s a midnight moon above.

So don’t you forget,
you must search ’til you find
the bluebird.

You will find peace and contentment forever, if you will be like I.
Hold your head up high, ’til you see a ray of light appear.

And so remember this,
life is no abyss.
Somewhere there’s a bluebird of happiness*.

What a sight to find this beautiful blue bird on the back railing the other day.  A bright, beautiful spot amidst the blustery snow storm.  It made me think of the phrase, “The Bluebird of Happiness.”  A little googling led me to the song and the beautiful lyrics.  A lot of truth about life in this.

 

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Dear Dictionary… I Need the Word

/ Jodi / 53 Comments

Dear Dictionary –

We’ve
talked about this
before…

Your book is lacking
a few words
I so desperately need.

I’ve already told you
there needs to be
a word created

to describe the
the overflowing feeling
of love

I feel
when I think
of my granddaughter.

Other grandparents
understand
this conundrum…

But now
I need
another word…

I watched
the movie
“Mudbound.”

An Academy  Award
nominated
film

for best supporting actress,
best cinematography,
and best writing of an adapted screenplay.

And at the end,
I sat
speechless.

The anger…
The hatred…
The sorrow…
The heartache…

The hope…
The compassion…
The conviction…
The love…

Dear Dictionary,
can you give me the word
that describes all of this wrapped up in one?

And then I listened
to the closing song,
Mighty River.

and
I
cried.

I so want to talk
about this
powerful film.

But I don’t
want to
spoil it

for those
who haven’t
seen it.

Please
watch
it.

And let me share the opening verse to Mary J. Blige’s Song, Mighty River:

Life is a teacher, time is a healer
And I’m a believer like a river wild
Ego’s a killer, greed is a monster
But love is stronger, stronger than them all.

Can we
please
let Love Be Stronger than them All?

Please.

Hugs,
Jodi

One of these things is not like the other…

/ Jodi / 39 Comments

fall-or-spring-september-2016

One of these things is not like the others…

Who remembers this song from Sesame Street?

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn’t belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

I took this picture of some chrysanthemums and pumpkins in my front yard, and when I looked at the picture, I was startled to see “the thing that doesn’t belong.”

Can you find it?

My oldest son, Jake, LOVED Sesame Street when he was little.  He was transfixed when it came on, and he learned so much from it.  Sometimes I joined him, and other times I did housework while he was pre-occupied and entertained, but so many of the songs still run through my brain triggered by the most unusual of things.

It is funny how something as simple as this can take your mind to a specific place and time and song.

Memories…

The wonderful, whimsical, wacky wonderment.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay

/ Jodi / 56 Comments

old boat at three rivers rowing association youth boathouse pittsburgh pa

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay
watching the……

geese and birds and fishermen and rowers,
cars and bikers and joggers and walkers.
Soaking up the early Spring sunshine after a fun little field trip day with hubby on Saturday.

We stopped by the Three Rivers Rowing Association Youth Boathouse in Pittsburgh.

As I snapped photos, I was drawn to this beat up ole’ beauty that sat alone
amidst all the sleek and shiny new sweep and sculling boats.

It’s beauty caught my eye the most.

Kind of like people.

Youth is sleek and shiny and new and beautiful,
but the real beauty that more often catches my attention
is the kind that emanates from the wrinkles on the face of the older woman
who has spent decades loving and smiling and laughing
with her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

or the rough and calloused, knotty, sun-spotted hands of an old man
who worked hard all his life to support his family.
Hands with map-like veins protruding as if telling a story of the places he’d gone and the things he’d done.
Hands that hurt, yet gently stroke his wife’s cheek, guide his children’s path, and cradle his grandchildren.

Yep – sittin’ on the dock of the….. river….
wasting time?
Maybe not.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Photo submission for the Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge:  Half-Light:  Share a photo inspired by a poem, verse, song lyric or story.  Also in loving memory of “Poops” Pap McKinney, who we remember lovingly today on his birthday.