Soon I move to the beautiful tree lined valley,

Where the wild river flows, tumbling over rocks down to the sea.

Surrounding the home I built are many aged, graceful trees,

With gnarled branches that house squirrels and birds.

Meadows stretch from my home to the nearest field

Strung with flowers waving in the breeze.

Adjacent pastures provide my horses ample grazing,

With room to playfully gallop together.

The tranquility of this place,

Provides me the grace to embrace those in need.

This home represents my soul;

Here all feel welcome and safe.

When you live well,
     That is, within yourself and the world around you,

          It just happens.

Despite any plotting and planning,

     It unfolds quietly, serenely enveloping you.

It occurred when you occupied a tiny room isolated from crowds.

     You observed the way the light peered through the broken dirty windows.

          When the door opened, the breeze blew in the spring balm.

It was warm; 

      The colors of the faded gray door frame

           Contrasted against the rust-colored leaves

                In the green ivy next to the gate. 

This good life engulfs your senses:

     Welcoming the moment's sensuality.

           Just the way a wild animal comes at you,

                When it is curious.

Raindrops dance at my feet

As I squish down grassy green lanes,

Slick silvery streets, muddy gray beaches and snow-covered peaks.

Stinging rain beats my umbrella like a drum.

It rolls down my cozy canopy,

Dousing dusty alleys with a soggy sound.

Tinkling rain chimes down clouded pathways.

Its random rhythm skips along overcast roofs,

Tapping on windowpanes as it rapidly moves.

Puddles seep where deserted dreams hide.

Reflections in pools mirror brighter inner skies,

Of rain-washed adventurers pouring outside.

Come out and play, the rain calls to me…

All day we rode the trails high in the hills,
     Glimpsing the sea through the fir trees.

Passing by wind-bent cypress trees 

     That stretched over the hills to the sea.

As we sped through pole pines, 

     Their needles quivered to life.

We followed the trickling stream down to the beach,

     Where golden poppies bloomed abundantly.

Giving my horse free rein, 

     She plunged into the surf.

Rainbows of water droplets scattered over everyone,

     As we laughingly welcomed the cool shower.

Returning home, the skies darkened,

     And faint stars began to shine.

Occasionally, fire flies sparkled in the dark, 

     As our journey scattered them from the bush.

Finally, we approached the stables,

     Welcomed by a blazing campfire.

We removed our gear,

      And brushed and dried our horses before gathering at the campfire.

Tales were told, jokes were shared, drinks consumed,

     And friendships were further renewed.

Riding freely with the cool wind in my face,

     I never want this to end.

Walking in the vineyards on a rainy day,

Listening to the crows mock the clouds with voices loud. 

Mustard blooms in spite of the lack of rain.

Weeping willows drape green tears on a shining stream. 

We built a home with stone, wood and plaster,

And stables to shelter the horses.

On the porch, we hear the nearby rushing stream tumble downhill.

The sun sets slowly over the western hills bathing us in gold.

Although we have created our own version of heaven,

It is love that fills our home with laughter and joy.

I buried my feet in the cool sand,
     While the expansive sand beach surrounded,
           The ocean's vastness.

The ocean brushed against the 
      Horizon's thin line,
          Which melded into the endless sky.

The sky cradled the moon,
     As the moon beamed over
          The drowsing trees.

The moon lazily shone over the mountains 
     Proudly guarding the earth,
          And the earth lovingly supported the trees.

The haze covered mountains guarded
     The sea's vastness,
          And, the sea reflected the moon towards me.

Then, I wondered:
     Are you looking at the same moon 
          As I?

This pre-dawn meditation altered me deeply.
     I'm struggling to fathom all that I feel.

This weekend, driving through the dry desolation of the San Joaquin Valley,
     I saw blow-torched vineyards,
          Uprooted nut and fruit trees stacked like kindling,
                Abandoned orange groves with fruit rotting on the ground.

All for the lack of water.

Is it folly to build an empire, a dream without carefully nurturing 
     A natural, yet scarce resource?

In our daily lives, do we waste and overlook those special moments
    That, fully embraced, would transform our intertwined lives?

Balancing dreams, planning for the future, and living in this moment
     Requires us to acknowledge we have little control over events.

Stillness, surrender and acceptance of the immediate world around and within us
     Provides a clearer path.

By living in this moment, we achieve the grace to participate in
     Our future.

After all our time together,
     Despite our ups and downs,

We know this love will last forever.

In your smile I find peace,
     For me there will be no other,

No matter what time may bring.

In the memories we created,
     A magic endures rooted in the past.

Not one moment would we retract.

The hard times tested us,
     The sweet times made us lovers.

We know the future offers us great promise.

All that came before,
     And everything that followed,

Made us the greatest of friends.

We know and believe in our love.

     For me, you are the one,
You will always be the only one.

The mind travels,

     Suddenly it arrives.

And experiences what you saw,

     Resulting in an epiphany that overwhelms the mind.

A hint.

     A special event.

           A chance encounter.

You rush to share with a friend.

And at the crossroads,

     You realize it was only an illusion.

What a journey we forged these past few months.

Full of twists and turns,
     That lead us to these crossroads.

This journey has been worth every moment.

Both high and low,
      And, now we face painful choices.

Will it be a life of pure love,
      Or, will our destinies point us to separate horizons?

Oh what a journey we might make;
      If we were in love,
          Together, and made a journey of our own.

Hidden away within the clouds,

On the outside looking in.

Awkward silent moments disrupt our exchange.

Previous unfulfilled promises move forward to the abyss.

Behind the illusion of words, you reveal yourself.

Do not turn away: I am not done.

The rising sun illuminates our paths.

Redemption arrives.

I dream of that someone who understands me,

     Holds, loves me, fits me perfectly.

           Lights up my darkest night.

This perfect image, lives only in my mind,

      Someone I will never find.

            I believe in love, and await for my love to be fulfilled.

Now, I savour my independence,

     Less structured, more free.

            More relaxed, open to variety.

I yearn for that romantic kiss,

     However, life is not always fair.

          Not everyone wants to embrace a long term affair.

My journey began six months ago,

     Meeting stimulating women who aroused me.

          Maybe one of them will join me along the way.

My dream moves steadily toward reality.

     Building a loving environment,

          That attracts and binds that long awaited love to me.

I built this house upon a strong foundation,
     It cannot be shaken by anything.

I built this house
     With love.

As I built this house,
     I turned it into a home.

I will not allow anything to tear it down,
     Nor shatter my dreams,
          Nor frighten those I love and dwell within.

And this home will witness
     Numerous tales, memories,
          Moments of despair, laughter and, most importantly,

                Love.

Freedom to be me.
     What does that mean?

           It means to be happy, curious, empathetic and open to change.

How do you become yourself?
     Certainly not solely by listening to others.

          Because they see you through their own personal filtered lens.

Can I make my own me?
     Of course I can.

          Scary looking at all the good, the bad and the confusion.

However, the exhilaration of taking control of my actions, my destiny

     Far exceeds the lingering state of unease, unhappiness and inability

         To grow, to reach my potential and to love fully and completely.

We are very much the same.

Finding completion through each other.

Everything else distracts from this truth.

This truth pervades our lives. 

These strong feelings do not fade away. 

The way I feel when we talk or make love.

You are uniquely you, and fit me like a puzzle piece. 

Everything else becomes a distraction from this truth.

Love’s not fair.

You are nothing to me,

     Until you are everything to me.

What happened to our love?

I wander aimlessly,

     Searching for answers to unasked questions.

Warm sun on my face

     Slows my hurried pace.

She gently caresses me.

     I feel our love engulf us.

So…there you are, my love.

     Will this moment abide and flourish?

Love's not fair.

When I first saw you, 
     I do not know what I saw in you.

From that moment on, though,
     Everything was brand new.

When I see your face, 
     My heart pounds.

You take my breathe away, 
     Turning my world upside down.

You hooked my heart, 
     With just a glance.

I want to be with you, 
     If you give me a chance.

Love at first sight, 
     Who thought it would be true.

I never believed it could happen, 
     Until I met you.