But this is also a chance to stop, consider, reassess... decide what is really important to us as individuals, to the communities we live in, the cities we call home and the planet which sustains us and endeavor to carry this forward when life resumes, as it will, for no storm lasts forever.
I have not yet settled on what my topics will be, will wing it as I go along. Each day I will share a poem beginning with the letter of the day from "Poems that make Grown Women Cry" edited by Anthony & Ben Holden. In times like these let us find wisdom and peace in words, let the words sustain us on all days, and especially those which are darkest...
May you all be safe wherever you may find yourself today.
Love Always
A - Age: 43
B - Book I am currently reading: Several actually - Team of Rivals : The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln; Poems that make Grown Woman Cry; War & Peace;
C - Chore I hate : Cooking
D - Dessert I love : Banana split
E - Essential start my day item: Silence
F - Favourite animal : Warthog
G - Gold or silver : Silver
H - Height : 5ft 2in
I - Ice-cream flavour : Vanilla
J - Job title : Conveyancing paralegal, student, mother, friend, wife, sister, daughter
K - Kids : 2 boys
L - Live : Durban South Africa
M - Most overused word/phrase in my vocabulary : Whatever... followed closely by an eye roll or eyebrow lift
N - Number of broken bones : 5
O - Overnight hospital stays : Several
P - Pet peeve : People being late
Q - Quotes I love : Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "woo hoo what a ride"
R - Right or left handed : Right
S - Siblings : Older sister
T - Time I woke up today : 8.30am (lockdown has totally screwed my clock)
U - Underwear colour : Black
V - Vegetable I love : Butternut
W - Worst trait : Self-doubt
X - Xrays I've had : Arms, foot
Y - Youth or age : Youth is wasted on the young.
Z - Zodiac sign : Leo
ABOU BEN ADHEM
LEIGH HUNT (1784-1859)
(Choice of Joan Baez)
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,
'What writest thou?' - the vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, 'The names of those who love the Lord.'
'And is mine one?' said Abou. 'Nay, not so,'
Replied the angel. Abou spoke low,
But cheerily still, and said, 'I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men.'
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light.
And showed the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.
(1834)