Excursions in Daily Living Read online

  Giver of directions…

  So I’d plot out the route

  Marked in red ink

  Write down the major turns

  By highway names…

  Clutched in my hands

  From the back seat

  I’d tell Dad, “NOW there is a turn,

  Just up the road, make a left, …”

  I was quite brave

  For often Dad would say

  “here, or is it up there…”

  I’d clutch the map, looking up the road…

  Usually, all worked out well

  Except our first trip

  To see my Mother’s sister

  Just moved to Griffin, GA…

  I can still remember

  Dad had worked all day

  We were sitting on ready

  As he came in, we loaded up…

  Rushing to get on the road

  We had a long, six hour trip,

  It would be

  a near midnight arrival time…

  All two lane roads,

  Down to Birmingham we headed

  Then onto H’way 78 East

  Winding across north Alabama…

  Mom & Dad up front

  Two kids in the back, ages 6 & 12,

  My map clutched tightly

  In hand, watching signs all along the way…

  Then we turned onto GA H’way 16

  Unfamiliar territory, winding road,

  Approaching eleven,

  Everyone tired, out of sorts…

  Then I made a wrong decision

  Dad asked “Is there a turn,

  Do we go left or stay straight here”

  I panicked, looking at map, looking at the road ahead…

  ‘Turn left’, but as I said it

  I knew it was wrong

  He turned, I reviewed the map

  ‘Um…. Dad… I think I was wrong…”

  We had gone a few miles

  So he had to turn around

  Tired, out of sorts,

  I was so desolate, humiliated…

  We eventually got there

  On the right street

  But house numbers

  At midnight are hard to read…

  So I was out of the car

  Walking down a gosh awful dark street

  Trying to read house numbers

  At the end of a long, long, long drive…

  Eventually we got there

  As I walked up to the door

  With Mother’s words echoing in my head

  “Now, she has a gun… so make sure she hears you!”

  Defining me

  Defining the person living within –

  Once there was the child

  Daughter of my parents

  Struggling to define self...

  Next came the adolescent

  Learning, rebelling, expanding

  Self-expressive growth

  Separating into individual...

  Young adult progressed

  Knowledge embraced endeavors

  Expanding, focusing, reaching

  Encompassing future potential ...

  Somewhere in the 'middle' years

  from valley existence to mountaintop celebrations

  Life was lived in accumulations

  Surviving the daily existence....

  From crisis to crisis

  Conquering the 'daily grind'

  Teaching, meetings, changes

  Productive life force sought to be...

  Daughter, single person, secret poet, teacher,

  Wife, Mother, divorced person, poet in hiding,

  Single parent, retired, part-time professor, poetic expressor;

  Labels, all inclusive, yet not quite descriptive...me!

  Fellowship

  Tuesday mornings

  Marks the time

  When we gather together

  Making something together ...

  The material... donations…

  Others participate by giving

  Yards & yards & yards of material…

  Colorful, joyful, & varied...

  The group number goes up

  And down, ladies coming

  When they can...

  Cutting out, stitching, & laughing ...

  Some of artistic nature

  Draw faces, numerous faces,

  Some stuff & stuff & stuff...

  Talking, laughing, & sharing...

  Everyone has a contribution

  Each one had a talent

  Diverse, united... yet a single goal

  Making Mission dolls, fellowship ...

  Cry me a river

  There have been times

  When tears were released

  In torrents of grief

   From the depth of my soul...

  Cry me a river

  Of soul wrenching

  Distressing, depth of expression,

  Intensely flowing, sobbing flow...

  Eventually, in resolution,

  The flowing water of tears

  Would come to an end

  A sobbing, no more water to flow...

  Depth of painful release

  Washing of my soul

  Peaceful tranquility filled

  Calmness engulfed, quiet remained...

  As exhaustion washed over me

  Releasing a restfulness

  A relaxing of stressfulness

  A white peace of spirit would fill me...

  Turning over the burden

  Of life & living

  To something stronger

  Than simply me...

  To release

  To rest in

  To be more

  Than just me...

  ###

  Connect with the author at:

  Web site: Ann Evans

  Facebook: Excursions in Daily Living

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