by Naomi L. | November 7, 2014 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
Do you remember me?
How much can you now see?
Are all your memories there,
Wherever you may be?
I wanted to believe
That you would never leave,
That we’d never see the day
When we would have to grieve.
Yet I saw how much they’d strain.
I knew you were in pain,
That all their love and care
Would only be in vain.
Could you recognize
The sadness in our eyes?
How every name you’d say
Would come as a surprise?
I’m sure you always knew
The people there for you.
Your memory was strong
As your love for us was true.
And now that you are gone,
Somehow we must move on.
The pain had gone too long,
But the peace has finally won.
So please remember me
Wherever you may be.
Look down on me with grace
And see my smiling face
To know at last you’re free.
In loving memory of my grandfather, who lived his last years with Alzheimer’s before he passed away. I love you, Grandpa! I hope you remember us where you are now. We’ll certainly always remember you.
by Naomi L. | September 26, 2014 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
A gift with which I’m blessed in every way
Is someone who is always there for me.
A mentor guiding me through every day
To help me be the best that I can be.
You give me hope whenever I am sad,
Encourage me to follow every dream.
You teach me to have faith when times are bad,
For things are not as dire as they may seem.
I’m thankful for your loving warm embrace,
For every time you help me rise above,
For every chance to see your smiling face
And know that I will always have your love.
The greatest wish God ever made come true
Was giving me a mother just like you.
Happy Birthday to my amazing mother! Thank you so much for all your love and support, and for being the best mentor I could ever ask for! I love you!
by Naomi L. | July 18, 2014 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
A “Gift from God”
Is what they said you are.
They called you a surprise,
Sent to bring more joy
Into our lives.
And they were right,
Because you’re nothing short
Of a miracle.
You’re the light
That shines every day
In our hearts.
You’re the sun
That brightens
Our gloomiest days.
You’re the flower
That graces us
With extraordinary beauty.
You’re the fire
That burns fiercely
On the theater stage.
You’re the sugar
That makes our lives
A little sweeter.
You’re the songbird
That always sings
With such a lovely voice.
You’re the rainbow
That paints our world
In vivid colors.
You’re the star
That illuminates
Our very souls.
But above all,
You’re the miracle
That fills our lives
With unending love.
May God bless you
As you have blessed us,
As you bless me every day.
I love you!
Happy Birthday to my amazing baby sister! Thank you for the miracle you are! Blessings to you on your special day and for your whole life. I love you!
by Naomi L. | June 27, 2014 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
You may think
I have a dozen reasons
Not to miss you.
You may think
We’ve grown apart,
That I don’t think of you often,
That I no longer care.
But the truth is that
For every reason I may have
Not to miss you
Now and then,
I have a dozen more
To miss you like crazy
Every day.
I miss your sharp wit
That never failed
To make us laugh.
I miss your beautiful face
That always made the room
A little brighter.
I miss your clever projects
That kept us entertained
For hours on end.
I miss your caring nature
That made the rest of us
Feel so loved.
I miss the time we used to spend
Watching dozens of funny videos.
I miss the nights we used to stay up
Talking and laughing.
I miss the games we used to play,
The songs we used to sing,
The stories we used to tell
Of the life we had growing up.
But most of all,
I miss knowing that nearby,
I always have my lifelong friend.
Know that I wish you all the best
In your life out there,
And always remember that
No matter where you are,
I miss you every day,
And I love you.
Happy Birthday to my awesome little sister! Wishing you the very best on your special day and in everything you do in life! Miss you so much! I love you!
by Naomi L. | June 25, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing |
Today I’d like to pay tribute to two wonderful people who are very special to me. They have loved and supported me my entire life, and I’m so grateful for everything they’ve done for me. So to honor them both, here’s my take on why grandparents can be such great sources of stories and creative inspiration. Happy Birthday, Grandma and Grandpa! I love you both so much!
Why Grandparents Make the Best Storytellers
1) They literally have a lifetime of experience to share. A key ingredient to good storytelling is experience. That’s why when writers haven’t been through certain situations firsthand, they research accounts from people who have. Fortunately, some of us are lucky enough to have excellent sources right in our own families, and those are usually the people who have been through the most in life. Grandparents have decades of experience to share, and that adds up to a lifetime of interesting stories (to cite examples from my family, my maternal grandmother was a ballet dancer and my late paternal grandfather was a WWII veteran). You may have a goldmine of creative ideas among your own relatives, so why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of that?
2) They’re living witnesses to how quickly times change. “When I was your age” seems to be a favorite phrase of many elders, and while young people have a tendency to take it for granted, it’s definitely one of those sentence starters that shouldn’t be ignored. History has never changed at such an accelerated pace as it has in the last couple of centuries, to the point where there are references that only people who grew up in a specific decade will understand (I myself am one of the “’90s kids”). That’s why the longer someone has lived, the more they can testify to how quickly times change. So once in a while, stop and listen to what your grandparents have to say about how the world was when they were young. You’re bound to learn about realities you never even imagined!
3) Their stories come with valuable advice. The best stories are those with lessons that can be applied to real life, and grandparents are full of wisdom just waiting to be imparted. Even if they aren’t applicable to your writing, you’re still likely to find a good moral or two by which to live your life. On top of enlightening you about the past, your grandparents can also teach you how to make the most of your future!
4) They’re comfortable with their audience. Isn’t it wonderful when a storyteller is so close with their audience that there are no inhibitions when it comes to sharing a tale? This seems to happen most frequently among family members. Elders often seem eager to pass their knowledge on to younger generations, and anyone patient enough to listen will likely find that this makes for some pretty good storytelling. Grandchildren, remember: if nothing else, you can always appreciate the joy your grandparents feel when telling you their stories!
5) They tell their stories with love! If there’s one thing grandparents have plenty to give, it’s unconditional love! All the stories and wisdom they share with their grandchildren are told with good intentions; they want their loved ones to learn as much as possible about life and to succeed in the world. You should always respect your elders, but especially your grandparents. If they enjoy talking to you and spend hours telling you stories, it’s because they love you!
Are your grandparents still around? Do (or did) you enjoy listening to their stories? What have you learned from them?
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