Crooked Creek by Sue Mattingly
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi
The Un-lived Year – Author Unknown Midnight strikes, and the old year’s gone. We close the tablets we’ve written on. And torn ‘twixt hope and doubt and fear, we open the book of the Un-lived year! An Un-lived year! Ah, stained with tears are the well-thumbed volumes of other years! Soiled by blunders and black […]
My Mother I’ve introduced Minnie to you before. If you missed those posts, I’d suggest you use the Search feature on the Home Page to search for “Minnie.” She is a person I’d like you to know more about and her stories are worth your time. Over twenty years ago Minnie, my Mom died and […]
Happy Holidays For my family, it’s almost Christmas. Your special celebration may be different. Regardless, I wish Happy Holidays to you and yours! https://crookedcreek.live/2017/12/24/december/ May you have peace and joy.
Carol of the Brown King by Langston Hughes Of the three Wise Men Who came to the King, One was a brown man, So they sing. Of the three Wise Men Who followed the Star, One was a brown king From afar. They brought fine gifts Of spices and gold In jewel boxes […]
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono So this is Christmas And what have you done Another year over And a new one just begun And so this is Christmas I hope you have fun The near and the dear one The old and the young A very Merry Christmas […]
Letter to Michelle Rochon from John F. Kennedy – October 28, 1961 The White House Dear Michelle: I was glad to get your letter about trying to stop the Russians from bombing the North Pole and risking the life of Santa Claus. I share your concern about the atmospheric testing of the Soviet Union, […]
The Green Book First, an explanation for the title; unless you are familiar with “The Green Book” the movie title can be a bit off-putting. The movie is not about the book, but about the fact that the book was necessary during the 1962 setting of the movie. Once I had seen the movie by […]
We Will All Grieve By adulthood, most people have experienced loss that triggers grief. If you have yet to lose a person or something that means the world to you, then you are probably very young and certainly very lucky. Facing loss of another or one’s own approaching death will bring on an overabundance of […]
From “Remember Me” by David Harkins, Copyright 1981 You can shed tears that he is gone or you can smile because he has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that he’ll come back or you can open your eyes and see all he’s left. Your heart can be empty because you can’t see […]
Most people struggle with confronting a friend or a loved one who is grieving. Attending a funeral or visitation is usually a dreaded event and often our biggest concern is what to say. Most of us know that a grieving person needs rest, food and other practical gifts such as child or pet care. What […]
Stages of Grief In 1969 Elizabeth Kubler-Ross published the book “On Death and Dying” outlining what came to be known as the Five Stages of Grief. Few understood that Kubler-Ross was describing what she had observed in her patients who were dying. It was about personal grief from one’s own approaching death but could be […]
Poem by Sylvia Mattingly Untitled This the night before Christmas and my house is a mess. Full of presents and Christmas fluff and dust, more or less. My socks are flung over the chair back with care in hopes that through pity, I’ll get a new pair. I’m eventually nested all snug in my […]
Home Sweet Home It is a pretty sure thing that most, if not all, who read this have a place to call home. It may not be considered “sweet” but is probably warm, private and comfortable. Do we fail to appreciate our homes? Probably. I know I do at times. Once in a while though, […]
“Light the Festive Candles” by Aileen Lucia Fisher Light the first of eight tonight— the farthest candle to the right. Light the first and second, too, when tomorrow’s day is through. Then light three, and then light four— every dusk one candle more Till all eight burn bright and high, honoring a day gone by […]
December Prayer By Mattie Stepanek, December 1999 No matter who you are, Say a prayer this season. No matter what your faith, Say a prayer this season. No matter how you celebrate, Say a prayer this season. There are so many ways To celebrate faiths, There are so many faiths To celebrate life. No matter […]
Crooked Creek by Sue Mattingly 