“…curve in the road …”

Surf Road, Whale Beach

“May any curve in the road you must travel have a silver lining that sparkles in the sunlight and glows in the dark like a shining star!” ~Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

Note: A 15 July 2010 Weekly Blessing

ISP Medal

August 19-21, 2005, Wash DC, Hilton Hotel

Sentimental Journey

From Morphing Words in poetry

‘Tis incredible beyond measure
Life’s a secret made unfold
Behold the mystery unknown
When time reveals in sweet candour
Pure, sublime – a goal with valour.

The road is not an easy one
To tread along till travels end
Its groove too many; it’s rough, it’s tough
Its sordid scars claim sore defeat.

Trials shape courage and patience
Heaving meekness, spirit buoyed
Forging on, fortitude commands
Life is fearless, endurance proves
To those that master strength forebear.

Journey is adventure far advanced
Unplugged, emblazoned to its height
The goal in sight to fathom light
While dream soars high, the spirit drifts.
Here and then, the sentimental journey ends.

Copyright2005@LCD, All rights reserved

Author’s Note: This was written in Washington DC during the ISP Convention. My personal story of such a long tumultous journey that I have survived. The photo of this poem is the aerial view of California on my way back home from Washington DC.

Postcard from Turkey

A Postcard from Turkey sent by Simone

My dear friend Simone is currently on a world tour. She has already seen many places and the last time I heard from her, she was heading to Italy. Go for it Simone. Strike while the iron is hot. Travel makes a person well-rounded and makes her/him better equipped with cultural knowledge and enhanced understanding of certain countries different from one’s own.

Traveling Quotes below are sourced from Think Exist

“Only the traveling is good which reveals to me the value of home and enables me to enjoy it better.”

Henry David Thoreau (American Essayist, Poet and Philosopher, 1817–1862)

“Traveling through the world produces a marvelous clarity in the judgment of men. We are all of us confined and enclosed within ourselves, and see no farther than the end of our nose. This great world is a mirror where we must see ourselves in order to know ourselves. There are so many different tempers, so many different points of view, judgments, opinions, laws and customs to teach us to judge wisely on our own, and to teach our judgment to recognize its imperfection and natural weakness.” silvertoes

Michel de Montaigne (French Philosopher and Writer. 1533–1592)

Postcards from Washington DC

In dedication to our beloved Auntie Carol Hewer of Oxford, England. oxoxoxoxo

Me and the White House

A quaint figure flanked by cherry blossoms

Two souvenir postcards I brought home from Washington DC Hilton Hotel. Purchased from the hotel’s Duty Free Shop at the culmination of the International Society of Poets Convention held in August 2005. It was at the height of summer and very hot! I thought I had enough of that nagging discomfort from Australia so instead of going with the group on tour to see these interesting places on top of the others, I decided to pack up and go to North Carolina to visit friends. So I missed the opportunity of seeing the White House but I did not regret it.

Here’s the picture of Washington DC I took  from the eight floor of Hilton Hotel where I stayed. Unfortunately, I did not get around much to the main shopping mall as I only had  limited days of stay at the hotel. When I checked out, it was straight to Greyhound Terminus to catch the bus service to North Carolina. It was cool traveling to that part of the State on my own stopping over in Richmond, Virginia for a changed service to North Carolina.

Washington DC taken from Hilton Hotel's vantage point of view

It was in this hotel where the poetry convention was held and I got to see Tony Orlando in person. He and his wife had a lovely teamwork when they sang songs together and we, the audience, also sang along with them especially the Tie A Yellow Ribbon and Obladi-Oblada. We had two fantastic Gala Nights. I love the experience of traveling to see Uncle Sam and back. It was a very lonely flight though, but that’s life. C’est la vie!

Oh, by the way, I celebrated my 55th birthday over there the next day I arrived Washington DC. A lone celebration away from my world down the southern hemisphere. I had my children’s birthday greetings I read while I was there. I wore the nice birthday dress they gave me at the convention. Very sad being far away from them, but again, C’est la vie!

Cheers!