Napkin Scrawl #32 - Dancing Stars in the Night Sky

The night sky is clear and lit with beautiful stars, tonight. I always look for the Big Dipper when I look up. I trace the stars from point to point, drawing out each constellation that I’ve learned in past years. The Big Dipper and the Little Dipper, scooping and pouring stardust into each other. The Pleiades, which were introduced to me as the Seven Sisters, and let’s not forget Orion, whose belt is all I can identify.

Tonight, as I sat on the porch looking up, I noticed a different sparkle with my naked eye. I examined two stars, Phad and Merak, that form the bottom of Big Dipper’s bowl. Something new shined out to me. The twinkle of the stars in the night sky, sparkled colors of red, blue, and yellow, too. If you look just right and watch closely, maybe you can see them too. Of course, the scholarly say it’s light refraction or some such explanation. To me, though, their twinkle is more than refraction and dust, but dancing stars in the night sky. Each dance to their on song. First one, then another, and finally I see, they’re all dancing for me, in the night sky, pristine.

Do stars wear diamonds that shine as they dance? Do stars join Balls decked out in sparkles? Of course, I know what school books teach. But to me, they’re dressed in diamonds and dance for us all to see. They dance beautifully and shimmer brightly in the night sky, each saying, "Dance with me."

Napkin Scrawl #31 - Forever and Always

Thoughts of you reach into the depths of my soul as if some unknown force connects us deep inside. For moments at a time, I push myself to keep my mind steadfast on my daily routine. But corralling my thoughts is like riding a wild horse. It bucks and fights the confines of its bit and bridle.

When I let go of the reins of my mind, my thoughts roam freely, and they gravitate toward you. My thoughts look to our God and I hope and pray that you are happy. I take a deep breath, hopeful that he hears my prayers.

I imagine our hearts beating as one in the stillness of that moment. I know, deep inside, that you are thinking of me as I am of you. We know each other's thoughts as if we are of one heart and one mind.

My ears long to hear your voice once again. My voice longs to say your name.

I dream of the day when we will meet again, that moment when our eyes glimpse each other, and our mind grasps that it is you. Our heart will explode with joy; our tears will flow like a river. We will hold each other in our arms in a firm embrace, with no intention of ever letting go. When that time comes, we will both say…"I'm Home."

Napkin Scrawl #18 -- Desert Storms

Temperatures reach the triple digits on a daily basis. Today was no different. Taking time from my daily routine, I sit on the back porch admiring how quickly the angry black clouds moved in. A steady breeze blows the scent of rain across my face. I close my eyes and breathe in deeply.

The air becomes still as a loud crack and rumble reverberate through the sky. As I recline back in my chair with the soles of my feet against a supporting pillar, the thunder reminds me of its immense power as I feel the vibration through my feet.

Soon, sprinkles of fresh rain tickle the tops of my feet as it begins to fall. I curb the temptation to move from the porch to the center of my yard. The sprinkles that start to fall are refreshing, but, the danger of lightning still abounds. No flash appears, yet the sky grumbles and moans as if in pain or angry at lightning’s strike, ripping and tearing through it.

The breeze stops again before the sky moans and grumbles with one last roll of thunder. Deafening silence consumes the air again.

The storm moves further north, and as fast as it began, it ends. Blue skies peek from the angry clouds.

Lightning claws its way through the clouds and sky with thunder as its voice. “I’m not done!” It seems to scream. Just like the rest of the storm, it too vanishes and moves onward.

Maybe on another day, the rain will stay longer, washing the dirt and grime away.

Napkin Scrawl #10 - Remember When...

As I stand in my shower, my fortress of solitude if you will, my memory is a flood of “Remember Whens.” Who knows why this topic astounds me…

Remember when…

You woke to the sound your little brother crawling to the bathroom because he couldn’t walk with his braces on his feet? The braces were to help straighten his knees, but you laugh because he still runs like Forest Gump.

Remember when…

You kissed a boy on the school bus when in Kindergarten. First love of your life, first kiss besides your mother. Kenny, never could put his shoes on the correct feet.

Remember when…

You and your brother collected toads and kept them in the milk box outside on the porch. The milkman hated us that day when he delivered milk and freed the toads.

Remember when…

The neighbor twins came over to play with said toads and decided to see if toads flew. Mom was not happy to have toad splat on her roof.

Remember when…

At six years old, your family picked up stakes and moved to a place where you knew nobody. Sucked!

Remember when…

After moving into new home, neighbor girls came over to meet you. They didn’t care for your brother too much … which was fine because neither did you.

Remember when…

While at Oma’s ranch, Opa was milking cows when you and your brother decided to run through the troughs. The cows were not too pleased with the interruption and Opa didn’t care for getting kicked.

Remember when…

You took matches into a dry field, next to a creek, with your brother. That was fun until the retired fireman/farmer came and insisted upon frisking us because he KNEW I had matches. Lucky for me, our Aunt and Uncle arrived in the nick of time.

Remember when…

You got so sick of your brother that you threw darts at him when he wasn’t looking. *evil grin*

Remember when…

The darts stuck in him.

Remember when…

You threw a broom at your brother and Mom saw the hole in the wall… Oops.

Remember when…

You thought it was cool to cuss… but now you can’t because it speaks your emotions on so many levels.

Remember when…

You stood up to the class bully because he was picking on your best friend. Thanks Mom for teaching me how to kick between the legs. He never looked at me the same.

Remember when…

You played “Truth or Dare” and “Dare” was what all the boys would pick for you.

Remember when…

You played “Truth or Dare” you always picked “Dare” once for them and “Truth” the rest of the time, because we all know that once you’ve seen it, you don’t need to see it again.

Remember when…

You met your trumpet teacher and all you could do was stare at his lips.

Remember when…

You took your trumpet teacher out to dinner. He wouldn’t ask you, so you made the first move.

Remember when…

You and your trumpet teacher got married and while on the first night of your honeymoon, you got a crank call whilst in the throws of passion.

Remember when…

Nine years later, your first son was born. And almost two years after that, your second arrived.

Hmm, the memories do astound me…

Napkin Scrawl #1 - The Monster

My night burns quickly toward its end as my vision blurs and my head begins its almost nightly pulsating routine. My heart beats in my ears, thump, thump, thump as my eye begins its retreat to the back of my head. Yes, a migraine ensues. Down goes the pain pill, backed with a wash of Diet Pepsi. Only time will tell if this to shall pass.

I sit here at my laptop only briefly reading code and tweets, lounging in my upright office chair… hoping. I am hoping that I may once again complete my task instead of putting off for yet another day, the drudgery of this job. Perhaps by putting pen to paper, or in this case, fingers to keyboard, I can eloquently describe my feelings, both physical and mental. Perhaps by setting my mind on things not routinely thought upon, I might beat this monster beating on my head. I stand to face the wall, remembering once before when a slight concussion helped to remove the monster that ravages my head. As memories arise, I realize that though this cures the ache I now feel, it also brings beautiful hues of purple, green, and blue to the surface of my skin.

Oh for some lovely eye candy, to kindly draw my eyeballs back into their sockets. Perhaps, if said eye candy was enough sweetness, it might raise my heart rate just enough to send my blood pulsating back to the blood vessels in my head instead of residing in my ass.

Another thought arises… perhaps a nice endorphin rush would surely help with blood moving from its sedentary zones. Yes, this too might work, but for this to work you most certainly need a partner. For tonight, I do not hold this thought for long. It is only but a thin wisp of thought that blows back and forth like the wind.

I shall think on these things, as the monster on my head begins to exhaust and tire of his beating pain.

Back to work I say, back to work again.