WHAT IS ONE TO DO WHEN PEOPLE, LIKE BUGS, TUMORS AND VIRUSES, LACK COMMON SENSE?

Sooo—where were we?
Oh yes!  You and I were in
A waiting room at Mayo, which
I was relieved to see as being
Empty of people except for me
So, here I sit, peacefully in
Wheel chair, awaiting
My first visit with
The cardiologist whose
Chosen specialty is cancer, and
Having no reason to feel
Concern about keeping
A safe distance of at least
Six feet between myself and
Another person, I am content until
Such time as another person
Appears, whose eyes, much to
My surprise, seem to
Sweep the room before
Locking into mine at which time
This person makes a bee line
Straight for me, jumpstarting
A wave of deeply repressed
Worry to erupt and wash over me so
Suddenly from deep within
The subconscious portion of
My brain as to release fear, which
Leaps out and over
My intuitive powers, leaving
The conscious portion of
My brain feeling deeply
Threatened based in
The fact that the face of
Stranger Danger is
Closing in on me, until finally
My intuitive powers kick in and
Clear my think tank of fear before
My processor can flood with adrenaline
And thank goodness for
That attitudinal change for
The better, because
Next thing I know
My intuitive super power is heard
Whispering words of wisdom into
My more courageous ear:
“Remain alert, Annie, so as to
Astutely absorb the answer to
The vital nature of this next question”
What the heck can
The direct approach of
This person’s need to encroach upon
My personal space mean?
I mean, really—
With my face mask, disposable gloves and
Turbaned head clearly in view, doth not
This holy trinity suggest
My present need to self-protect within
An invisible, yet somehow
Impermeable, insular aura of
‘My Space’, which being circular
Creates an autonomous distancing
Factor separating me by
A margin of at least six feet from
All others, who might otherwise
Unintentionally infect
My vulnerability with CAVID-19
And though alarms, set off by
My defense system, continue to
Brrring inside my head
My processor, awaiting further
Guidance from my intuitive super power
Soothes itself so as to remain in such
A well balanced state of being as to
Be ready to act smart on the spot once
This woman’s presence, still closing in on
My Safe Space at a fast clip, offers
My think tank sound reason to
Comprehend what the heck is
About to take place between
Stranger Danger and me!???
Seriously—this disgruntled face
Drawing all too close to
My mask appears not friendly, at all!

JUST LIKE BUGS THAT SUCK OUR BLOOD, VIRUSES PROVE LACKING IN COMMON SENSE

Before we move on from
Yesterday’s post concerning
Blood sucking creatures that
Tend to bug us to no end
I can’t help but wonder
Why, for Pete’s sake
Must humankind
Contend with strains of
Viruses so deadly as to
Create feelings of
Dread if anyone
So much as draws so close
As to invade our personal space
Thus threatening our
Belief system, which states that
Safety is ours as long as
Vigilance maintains our
Place within the epicenter of
An invisible circle in which
Any human, whose primary shelter
Is not our own, maintains guidelines
Of social distancing, which
Deem a separation of
Six feet between us as
Necessary if we are to evade
Covid-19 from invading
Your lungs and mine
And hopefully, you’ll not mind
If I feel need to emphasize
My fear for my lungs, again, being that
At my advanced age
A rare tumor, having had
The chutzpah to invade one of
My healthy lungs, uninvited, makes
My candidacy for succumbing to
The pandemic nature of this
Particular bug more than
Highly likely, which is
Why my husband and sons
Are right on the money when
Their love for me dictates
No interaction whatsoever with
Anyone other than Will with
The exception of
My appointments at Mayo, which
Has turned into
A ghost town, being that
No one other than
Patients battling life threatening
Illnesses are allowed to exit
Their cars so as to place even
One foot onto the curb where
Care giving staff, well trained in
Compassion, await with
Wheelchairs in which
We, who are in need of
Transport, are whisked away 
Toward one of three buildings that
Make up this medical campus, which
Proves to provide patients, whose
Lives are threatened, as is true of
Mine, with a Mecca of
Excellent medical care, even
Now when an epidemic of
Unknown proportions is taxing
The medical community to
Extents never before
Experienced within
This current generation’s lifetime
And if you should think to ask what
Happened while
I was seated in a wheel chair within
An empty waiting room
Awaiting my first appointment with
A cardiologist, specializing in
Cancer, last Friday—well—
Being that I’ve just spent the last
Two hours ordering
Groceries on line for
The very first time, and since
My mind has begun to plead
Weariness, let’s catch up with
Each other, tomorrow ...

SERENITY, MY FRIEND AND THE MOSQUITO

Here’s the thing about serenity—
Its presence, most especially
While we’re quarantined for
Undisclosed lengths of time, is
Deeply appreciated for this reason:
As with all lovely feelings
Serenity tends to be fleeting
Recently, while relaxing in
Her garden, my friend was
Bitten by a mosquito, and
Being that, over my lifetime
I, too, have been bitten
Experience suggests that
Hosting mosquitos to
Feed on oneself is
Certain to chase serenity away
So, with today’s insight-driven
Intuitive train of thought clearly
Running through
Your mind and mine
Let’s hope that while
Relaxing in her garden, today
Serenity, which needs not be
Six feet away
Will happily keep
My friend company, uninterrupted
(Seriously! What was God thinking—
Giving life to blood sucking creatures?)
🙋🏻‍♀️❤️🌻Annie

AS MY FRIEND THE POET RECEIVED MANY ACCOLADES, WHO’S UP NEXT?

As a matter of fact
My intuitive reply to
My dear friend—the poet who
Didn’t know it—became expansive
(Quelle surpris!) Sooo ...
Ready or not, here comes
The insight-driven
Train of thought, which
Upon awakening, this morning
Filtered ever so naturally into
The conscious portion of my mind:
:
Thank you, Debbie
For being a person who
Loves people, and so
With your heart filled with love
You’d felt need to take
Pen in hand and express
Your innermost thoughts, which
Having been sent through
Cyberspace, may be inspiring
Countless spirits to feel
Reason to smile more
Brightly than
Would have been true
Had you not given me
Permission to pass
Your heartfelt poem forward to
My family and friends, and
So, in keeping with your spirit of
Sharing and spreading
The simple joys of
Intuitive creation, far and wide
Let’s hope that countless others
Who, finding themselves
Self quarantined as are Debbie and I
May feel self motivated to 
Open their hearts so as to
Pass forward their
Innermost thoughts, knowing
Full well how much pleasure
Their families and friends are
Sure to derive upon receiving and
Absorbing warm hugs nestling
Within the musings of
Loved ones, whose presence
We’ve been missing and
Will continue to
Miss more deeply than
Ever before, being that
Not one of us has
So much as a clue as to
How long this first experience
With self quarantine on
A global scope will
Point the fickle finger of
Fate, first here then there, until
The blessed day dawns when
The deadly nature of
This virus, looming darkly
Overhead, has passed, at last
Freeing my spirit and yours to
Feel like grabbing each other’s
Hands so as to form an ever widening
Circle composed of
Family and friends, all of whom are
Longing to feel personally relieved of
Subconscious stress concerning which
Person’s family the fickle finger of
Fate may pass over, just as proved
True during biblical times when
Torrential plagues continued to
Rain torment upon the heads of
The one percent who, caring not for
The miseries of those enslaved
Bowed down before Ramses in
Hopes of being counted amongst
The few who, remaining
Outrageously rich,
Are still considered to be
Absolute Power’s
Red hatted cronies, and though
Patriotic proponents of modern day
Democracy at its best plan to
Rally round Betsy’s hand stitched
Starred and striped, red, white and blue 
Flag in such great numbers with
Fervent hopes of curing
Our nation of the pervasive
Illness from which
We’ve all been suffering, come
November, who amongst us on
A global scope has a clue as to
When the world wide scourge of
Covid-19 will lift, at last?
Certainly not I.  
How ‘bout you?
🌈🌻🙋🏻‍♀️Annie

LETS GIVE A HAND TO A POET WHO DIDN’T KNOW IT😊

The poem copied below was penned by the very first friend I’d made on my first day in high school (circa 1958) during my first period class, Freshman English 101.  Having taken seats next to one another, Debbie and I smiled shyly, simultaneously, at each other, and from that moment in time until forever, she and I have treasured our friendship throughout all of the years and over all of the miles, which, though separating us physically, have not dimmed the love light that brightens our spirits’ smiles whenever thoughts of one another come to mind.  Today, Debbie brightened my spirit’s smile by sending this poem through cyberspace, which, having landed in my email box, inspired me to ask my dear friend for her permission to send it on to you in hopes of brightening your spirit’s smile, too
🥰🙋🏻‍♀️🌈🌻Annie

2020
By Debbie B——- L——-

My roots are gray
My hair is long
The beauty salon Is where I belong
My nails are ragged
The polish gone away
A man/pedi is a dream
For one day
I feel anxious and
Wonder when
We can visit, play and
Shop again
Days are filled with
Reading & TV
Cleaning a drawer is 
Yet to be
The floors get scrubbed
The sinks wiped clean
I vacuum, wash and spray
Til they gleam
Food items, medicine and
All things such
Get scrubbed, cleaned, and
Wiped so much
All supplies are
Fine indeed
Just hope the TP fills
My need
Sanitize, wash hands not once
But twice
At least 20 seconds is
The latest advice.
Home I stay
Walking each day
Writing bad poetry 
Needless to say

A HEARTFELT CHANGE IN PATIO PLANS

Good morning, dear friends around the world,
I thought you’d find it of interest to note that, several day back, our sons’ love arose before Will and me, via FaceTime.  And as familial devotion loomed high over both of our parental heads, each of our adult offspring expressed personal discomfort, which all three have come to feel, at the thought of our entertaining patio visitors (though we’ve always, wisely, followed guidelines by social distancing 18 feet apart from no more than one couple invited at a time).

So clearly and logically distressed were each of our sons that Will and I (freely choosing to consider the depths of their discontent concerning our safekeeping) decided to follow their lead by ceasing to extend loving invitations to access our patio to anyone until reason for self quarantining ends, and so, having experienced role reversal for the very first time with our trio of sons (based in the depths of their love for us), our patio will now be as restricted to only Will and me as has been true of our home, and that edict will remain unchanged until the blessed day dawns when this pandemic corona virus is profoundly deemed history.

As to which portion of their argument won us over?  The fact that too little has been conclusively proven about the virulent nature of this virus hit home.  And most importantly, the depths of our sons’ love imploring us to heed their need for change on our part was too clearly conveyed for our hearts to ignore.  In fact, they’ve convinced their dad to compose grocery lists while graciously appreciating the generosity of spirit of those younger, by far, than Will and me, who have offered to do our shopping, as shopping on line saw delivery dates ranging from one to two weeks away.  No surprise, there.

Though Will and I, hoping to feel as independent as possible, remained on line, last evening, for more than two hours, our attempts to have groceries delivered sooner proved unsuccessful.  And though what’s to be done, over the long run, remains up in the air, no worries arise at this time for this reason—our son, Steven (who lives near by) will surely come up with a plan that’ll keep us well fed in the event that Will’s ingenuity and mine take a hike.

And now my dear friends, feel my love flying face masked and rubber gloved across the miles, offering each of you a warm virtual, virus-free hug as we each take precautionary measures in hopes of remaining free and clear of this stubborn deadly little critter until such time as we can safely enjoy each other’s company, face to face, as had, just a few weeks ago, been taken completely for granted before so much about daily life had need to change quick as a blink of the eye,
(At 11am is it too early to indulge in dark chocolate?  Sigh ...
Well, at times like these—why not?  Just not,  morning, noon and night, right?
😊Right
🙋🏻‍♀️❤️🌈🌻Annie

HAVING WORKED TOWARD DEVELOPING MY PROCESSOR’S CAPACITY TO BALANCE TWO FEELINGS AT ONCE, THIS PEACEFUL STATE OF MIND PROVIDES MY THINK TANK WITH YET ANOTHER WELL PRACTICED SKILL DURING MIND-BOGGLING TIMES

Here’s where skill comes in concerning balancing opposing emotions, simultaneously—I no longer feel conflicted.  How can that be?  As with everything else that develops from a wish into a reality—I chose to make sound use of patience, practice, and determination while working to achieve ever deepening degrees of personal success concerning retaining peace of mind each time an eruption of inner conflict was mine.

I find it interesting to note that, one day, a deeply penetrating sense of inner stillness can feel utterly peaceful while the same stillness on the next day somehow feels isolating.  Generally, the difference between opposing attitudes will reflect which emotional reaction has been subconsciously aroused: one that unwittingly has been stimulated to arise from the past to weigh heavily on my spirit, yet again or one that flits so lightly within my think tank as to influence my spirit’s current level of  buoyancy to float freely forward rather than feeling need to hunker down in readiness to withstand a torrential gale that had actually blown in, years ago at which time, my defense system decided to bury each gust of hot wind so deeply within the subconscious portion of my brain as to make the arousal of  yesteryear’s emotional discomfort feel indistinguishable from new gusts of wind that may threaten to bowl my sense of inner balance to Timbuktu, today—so spontaneously does emotional reactivity usurp control over our processors by way of switching from logical reasoning to over-actively imagining that the worst possible  outcome, which may or may not take place has already happened!

This morning, I came to realize that texting certain friends has begun to mirror blogging in that once I begin to philosophize, my brain spontaneously switches tracks as though all on its own from the conscious side of my mind to the intuitive side, where insight-driven trains of thought are released that tell ME what I really FEEL deep within my core behind denial’s self protective wall, where my darkest fears have remained buried alive though utterly repressed from the conscious portion of my thought processor, which I had ttrained, during my child-raising years, to focus mainly on tpositive outcomes so as to banish any fear of failure that might otherwise grow toward wildly overwhelming my connection to logic, which proves necessary to keeping my whole self feeling so well balanced as to hold inner conflict, which fogs up my thought processor’s natural capacity to function with clarity intact, at bay.  Whew!

See what I mean? Though at first, the conscious portion of my brain began to write this post, within seconds, my power of intuitive thought usurped control over my processor and off we went toward excavating yet another deeper truth that my defense system has been hiding from me until, this morning, when intuition, believing me to have grown so courageous as to have recently taken yet another leap of faith, decided to talk turkey with me via busying my brain, writing to you.
, and thus, while penning one insight-driven train of thought after another, do I come to know more about my innermost self than had been true the day before.

BTW, my power of intuition has guided me to choose with whom to ‘speak’ with great caution, knowing that only birds of a feather fly well, over long distances, weathering storms that arise, together, and I’m forever grateful for the fact that our long distance friendship has chosen to fly on the same wave length without so much as a hiccup interfering with the depths of our heartfelt connection as you and I choose to make our adventurous way from one stage of life through to the next.  How can my intuition know that last statement to be true?  Well, every day, I choose to air my innermost self with those of you who freely choose to open your ear to that which I feel need to say.

On the other hand, choosing to listen to one another with open minds does not equate with agreeing, 100% of the time, so though you and I may be birds of a feather that doth not make clones of a pair of independent thinkers, whom you and I prove to be.
😊🙋🏻‍♀️❤️🌈🌻Annie

PS
Though something has begun to lumber around, heavily within my head, today, my spirit regains its balance each time one side of my think tank reminds the other that I’m the fortunate recipient of yet another in a steady string of ‘no worse’ days.  On the other hand, knowing myself to feel unlike my openly loquacious self, that’s enough about me—How’s by you?

PSS
The fact that while raising my sons I chose to work toward consciously developing the mental skill necessary to balance opposing feelings without the eruption of inner conflict fogging up my sense of logic has worked well for me, over this past half century, and that’s most especially true, right now, when self quarantining for the common good must be clearly maintained for who knows how long—not me—sigh—I don’t have a clue—how ‘bout you? ...

BTW, a dear high school friend penned a poem, which has inspired many of my loved ones to smile and with her permission, I hope to enrich your spirit’s smile by way of cutting and pasting my friend , the poet’s heartfelt musings into tomorrow’s post ...