My first prize-winning poem

About a month ago, I entered a poem entitled "To my uncle, on his 80th birthday" at www.alanfrew.com . Believe it or not, it was my first poetry contest, and to my delight, my first win! I must admit that I was hoping to win with this particular poem since it is dedicated to my uncle. And so, for your reading pleasure, you can click on the title of this post and read it, along with "For tomorrow", another poem that tied with mine, composed by a friend of mine. So kudos to Jacki for her win!

To my uncle, on his 80th birthday

Nothing could ever dim the shinning light,

Or put out the flame that burns within you.

Rain or shine, you have always been there,

Making life easier for so many souls in need;

Always a kind word to say to your fellow man,

Never does a day go by without a gentle smile.

Could I imagine my life without you in it?

Oh! I think not!

New tales are told in wondrous fashion,

New voyages are taken on the oceans of my mind,

Every time we meet at a crossroad of our lives.

Laughing, loving in the present moment

Like tomorrow would never come again

You are, and shall always be, the best there is.

© wordsthroughtime 2010

Life must go on.

Life is a desire to love,

Love is a passion for life.

Imagination is one`s drive to excel.

To excel is to take action.

Action is what you make out of life.

And so, the world keeps on turning...

The world keeps on living.

Live every second of each hour of the day,

For it will never come by again.

Despite the fact that,

We sometimes want to put

Time in a bottle .

Ànswers nd replies

It is after all, human nature to be curious, ask questions. Though all answers are replies, not all replies are answers we look for.

Lavender

What is lavender? What does it make you think of? And does lavender mean anything to you?
Living with epilepsy, it is more that a flowering plant, much more. This particular flower represents loneliness and isotalion. Most times, lavender grows in a field, so far, nothing unusual about that.
However, have you noticed that most times, unlike a field where wild flower grow. you would find it a field of lavender and nothing else.
Just try and imagine being only one species of a fowering plant. Even though there are nearly 40 kinds of lavender, it`s kind of like always going to the same Baskin-Robbins and always ordering a two-scoop ice cream cone, even though there are 36 different flavours. At some point, human nature takes over and you get tired of going to the same place and ordering the same thing over and over.
In the case of someone who is living with epilepsy, isolation and motonomy can set in, fueled by rejection from friends, family or society in general. At a certain point in time, staring at the same four walls becomes a case of going through the motions, living with loneliness and suffering in silence.
There is always hope for someone who lives with isolation. éwhenever I take the to smell the roses, or in this case, lavender, I always seem to be filled with the hope that all is not lost, the isolation, the solitude can be broken, so they may feel a sense of inclusion, come what may.

Precious Moments

Each moment is precious, as precious as love that is given freely, without hesitation or reservation. it is part of who we all are. livie this day to it`s fullest potential.

Courage

Courage is the foundation to every dream worth fighting for, every hope worth holding on to and every day worth living for. Cherish each moment you are given.

Good thoughts

For every good thought that pentrates the mind, a thousand more will come from the heart.

Daily thought 3

Find a rainbow in your heart and live your world of dreams. Always remember, life is better than it seems

Daily thought 2

With a smile, you give to others better days that they would ever thought they would have.

Daily thoughts

Hello to all!

I know that I haven­`t been attentive to my blog for months now, but lately, I`ve been writing down some daily thoughts on Facebook. I figured that maybe, just maybe I should put these thoughts onto my blog. What a novel idea! So the next few thoughts have been on Facebook for a few days now. So here they are in no paticular order, one thought per entry

You can always hope to be all you can be, by living one day at a time in the present moment.

This, for Mom

Happy Mother’s Day dear Mom,

Author, sculptor and mentor of my personality:

Pleased, I hope, with what you have read in me;

Pleased, I hope, with more episodes to come.

Yet now I, too, would get some pleasure from

Making you the one in which I see,

Of all the players in my family,

The central character, whom I would gravitate.

How beautiful to move in that direction!

Each of us, a separate source of pleasure,

Reading in the others' happiness,

'Til much description, defines unconditional love.

So would we deepen our connection,

Discovering new passages to treasure

As we follow time towards tenderness,

Yearning for what years unread will prove.

Still there

Hello there!

It has been quite a while since I have posted anything. I have been busy during tax season, but I will try not to make this an "annual" event of it. Basically, this is just a post saying to you all out there "I'm still alive" ;o)

It Seems So Dark

The sun sets mountains aglow,
The amber light glistens against the sea.
Afterthoughts enter my mind;
As banshees cry out for me.
I'm standing on this canyon,
As trees dance in the breeze.

Angels cry on a cloud,
As cold steel blades clash into battle.
The sky begins to blacken;
And so I look up and see,
A distant dying star.
As I sleep alone tonight,
a full moon dominates the night.

My tears have all dried out,
The stars have faded away.
Calamity strikes my heart,
It carries me away,
To where it seems so dark

With all these years of solitude,
I can only hear silence in the dak.
I look into a diamond
to find the path which leads me,
The way to where I came from,The way back to my home.

Experiences shared

Most of us have heard at at one time or another'"To understand another, you must first walk in his shoes". I wonder, is there really such a thing? When I think about it, I honestly do not believe that it is even possible. Two people can share the very same experience at the same moment, but the reaction would be different.
Therefore how can we walk in someone's shoes if our reactions or actions are not the same? For that matter, why? Personally, I sometimes have enough trouble walking on my own personal chosen path. It seems to me that I would say, before we walk in someone's shoes, let's get used to our own first.

Little Boy

Time is running away,
You're growing up so fast.
It only seems like yesterday;
I used to think time would last,
Just like the light of day.

Little boy
You fill my heart with joy
Little boy...I love you.
I enjoy every moment
That I spend with you,
My little boy

When I think of times
You've smiled and brought me laughter
Into the lives that surround you.
You are a ray o sunshine;
I can never be blue.

If you want
The most out of life,
Seize the moment
And live it to the fullest
Like only you can,
Little boy.

Someday soon you'll have grown,
And you'll be on your own.
Until then
Climb a tree, sing a song,
Because the road is still long.
The night is so young.

Little Alex

How would you deal when you find out your child has been diagnosed with a heart condition as a toddler? How would you deal with the fact that the very same child, now barely a teen, went in for an operation on his heart and is now in a coma?

Honestly, I have got to say that I haven't a clue as to how I would deal or react to a situation like that. I can tell you that it is happening to a father whom we kept his two boys during our first years of operating our daycare. I knew that little Alex, who is not so little anymore, had a heart condition, but somehow, this scenario never entered my mind. My wife and I are hoping and praying that he pulls through and comes out of his comatose state and recovers from this ordeal.

No child should go through what Alex is going through, no parent should go through the pain of saying a final farewell to his or her child.



You could pull me through
You could always pull me through
Even when I'm lying here
Drowning in my blues
You take the sting out of the rain
And bring the sun back up again
You could always pull me through

-Jim Cuddy

I was happy to see this afternoon that 50 of my friends along with their friends have joined my cause, Epilepsy - Break the isolation,promote inclusion on Facebook in less than 3 weeks! As I write this blog. that number is continuing to grow with every day that passes by. I am touched by the support I have gotten these past weeks. There is at one person who made a commitment to invite 100 people to the cause. That is what I call support!

I know this already has been said, but it bears repeating; the amount of people doesn't seem like much, but it a lot compared to some causes on Facebook that were simply created and then easily forgotten and abandoned to the point where there is only one or two members,including the creator of that causes page! I am proud to say that THIS cause keeps on growing by the day's end. And so I am proud of those who care enough to stop and take the time to join a cause that they care about and that touches them in one way or the other.

I will be posting on this blog and on Facebook event throughout the year concerning our benefactor, Epilepsie Outaouais , So for those who have already joined, keep checking this blog and the Causes page. To those who haven't joined us as of yet, Come on board! We'd love to have you as part of our family!


Cheers to all
Andre

Wishes for 2009

Another year comes and goes.
and time as such, flows.
Events that have touched us
from near or far,
should always remain in our heart.
We've lived through joy and lived our sorrow,
but love our lives like there's no tomorrow.
If we could take a day,
to stop, to think and pray,
the world could be a place
where children could safely play.

My Land

Here is some thing for all of you are about to set out on the road to join family and friends for the holidays.



Take me home
Where living is loving
Carry me
To my land
Angels come
To see the beauties
That are all part
Of my land

When I left so far from you
There was emptiness filling my heart
Ever since that day
I've been feeling this way
I shouldn't have left from the start
Well I miss you so
And I want you to know
My love for you will never go
So now I'm going back
Where I really should be
Now I hear your call
you're calling out to me

And so I travel on this road
Leading me to my family and friends
I'm a country boy
With a heart of joy
I feel like I've never left
Well I think of when I was but a lad
just being proud of my home
You will always
Be in my thoughts forever
I want to see
All the ones that I've missed

Here's to my land
You've given me
More than I can say
And I'll always be
Here 'til my dying day

So if you go
Where living is loving
You'll be led
To your land
And you will see
The many beauties
That are all part
Of your land



Happy Holidays to one and all!!!

May this time be a time of joy, happiness and most of all for family and friends.

Making sense of tragedy

Above is a logo of a cause near and dear to my heart. For those of you who know me, you would not be surprised if I were to say, epilepsy. The logo is from my local epilepsy association, which I am president of.
Ever since I learned of my friend Glen taking his own life, I've been wondering how to bring some meaning to his death. How could I keep his death from being in vain? Well it did not take very long to find a way to honour his memory. As of 24 hours ago, I have established a Causes page on Facebook : Epilepsy - Break the isolation, promote inclusion .
In under a day, 10 people have joined me in this cause. At first thought you might think "that isn't a lot", but the fact is, it is a good start and it is only beginning! The best thing is that the message is being spread around as if it were a snowball effect. If you are on Facebook, I encourage you all to join my friends and I to help promote inclusion and help others to come out from the shadows and int the light.

Cheers to all,
Andre

The final countdown

It is sometimes hard to believe, but we are at the final Christmas countdown! Only ten days before we are gathered with our families around the tree, filled with lights, tinsel, ornaments and childhood memories, and stuffed with gifts wrapped up in colorfully festive paper under that wondrous tree.

For the first time in a very long time, My whole family will reunite on December 24th, barring any unforeseen problems getting there. It is quite special when I think of the fact that 4 generation will be under one roof.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to be with loved ones on Christmas, will surely be filled with the joy and spirit of the season. But what of those who are less than fortunate? What of those who will feel alone on Christmas day? I am not trying to put a damper on what is obviously, the most wonderful time of the year, but I cannot help but have a thought and a prayer for the underprivileged over the next ten days , I especially am thinking of the children. Let us all try to give in some way the gift of hope to those who feel they have so little of. Everyone deserves to have a happy holiday, somewhat free from everyday worries.

Children are treasures

As I am looking over the children that are under my care, alongside my dear wife, I tend to feel lucky lucky that their parents entrusted us with their precious ones. Unfortunately, not all children are as lucky. That is why I joined a cause through Facebook that is dear to my heart, that is to stop child pornography!!!

I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of you who have already joined me in finding a way to stop the abuse of children and the loss of their innocence. I am privileged to have a child who still has that innocence, and will surely lose it, but not because of child abuse or pornography. And so I am throwing an invitation to anyone out there who wants to support this worthy cause and help our future treasures, our kids, our little hearts

Lonely Young Girl

There stand a lonely young girl
In a far away land;
Tears are shedding from her eyes
And falling on the sand.
Thinking of a love affair,
That slowly faded away.
As the moon begins to shine.
Its' light shows her the light.

Lonely young girl
Has a broken heart to mend;
Standing all alone
What she needs now is a friend.
Lonely young girl
Has a message to send.

Sitting on a mountain top,
She looks down towards her land.
as the sun starts a new day,
She wants to cry...but can't

Legends say she met a boy,
That came from distant shores.
She felt emotions of joy
And found the love she lost.

Lonely young girl
Isn't lonely anymore;
She has found true love
It came knocking at her door.
Lonely young girl
Has fallen in love

Lyrics from my past

Here are some lyrics I wrote back in the early 90's that I dug up the other day while doing some "triage" in the home office. I hope you enjoy. So here goes:

Lifetime of Loving

I've learned
Nothing ever last
My thoughts
Of you are in the past
When you phoned to say
You were leaving me
My Heart had shattered
Always believed
That this was to be
But you threw my love away

CHORUS:
Well I gave a lifetime of loving for you
But you chose the art of deceiving
I hadn't a clue
Still I've lived a lifetime of loving with you
And now I live without your caring
Once gentle and true

I think
Of all the wasted time
I seemed
That everything was fine
Thunder and lightning
Had struck me down
With fascination
You waited for me
To fall into your trap
You laid just for me

Taking a look at my life
Oh! the way that I feel inside
Now I know
You must be
Far away from me

I always believed
That this was to be


I hope you liked it. I've found more than a few in my "triage"

If Life Were Fair

If life were fair
Hunger would cease to be
If life were fair
The blinded would see
If life were fair
War would turn into harmony
If life were fair
No one would feel lonely

If life were fair
Tears would always be of happiness
If life were fair
There would not be hopelessness
If life were fair
Broken hearts would be needless
If life were fair
All would be filled with tenderness

If life were fair
I would heal someone else's suffering
If life were fair
I would stop a friend from falling
If life were fair
I would never be in mourning
If life were fair
Life would always be outstanding

Coping with a loss

Yesterday, I wrote about the recent tragedy in Mumbai and how my thoughts and prayer are with the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks. Today, something hit me closer to homeAt this moment, my thoughts are of the family of Glen, a friend of mine, whom I found out this afternoon, took his own life. Each time that we saw each other, he always greeted me with a smile (it was surely the case for everyone else he met during his very short stay among us). But eventually, the subject of conversation was the state of our health. In normal circumstances, one would say "How are you?" and the reply would be at the very least "I'm fine", but in our case we both have epilepsy. The difference between us is that my epilepsy is under control and unfortunately, his could never be, despite countless attempts at a myriad combinations of medications. About a month ago, we took a nature walk and Glen, in his simple way, said, "It's good to get away from the concrete jungle for a few hours and appreciate what we have." Glen made me think of things in a whole new point of view. he knew how to appreciate the simple things in life.
Writing about Glen has helped me a bit, but I feel I can express myself better through a little text I wrote 20 years ago.

This one's for you my friend...

Saying Goodbye

Taking long walks down the back streets
Talking about what's been going on
Sharing our pain our sorrow
Looking to each other
I won't forget our great friendship

You've been there whenever I've cried
When the day seemed so dark and dreary
You made it seem so bright
Leaving is hard to do
Part of me will be soempty

You can be sur that I'll miss you
Even though I'll be thinking of you
Could you have stayed
And not gone far away
You knew as well as I do that...

Saying goodbye to a friend
Is so hard to do
Though I know
We'll meet again
Saying goodbye
Makes me cry

To our southern neighbours

I would like to wish our friends south of the border a happy Thanksgiving. We have seen this past week the events happening in Mumbai and have heard the first hand live on the spot reports from India and testimonies of several who have thankfully survived this ordeal. This is obviously an event on a global scale, still, I can't help but think of all the little blessings that I have been granted. My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to all the families of those who were taken from them. It's times like these that I often think of Garth Brooks' song "If Tomorrow Never Comes". Let us all be thankful for what we have but especially those we love and have love that surrounds us throughout our lives, whether they are family or friends.


Take care of each other,
Andre

Welcome to all

Hello here!
Thak you for taking the time to read my blog. I started this because I love to write and honestly, it s something that I haven't been doing very much of lately. So I will try to post some of my writing and hopefully, along with comments of mine, write new material. Writing to me is like eating, I can't avoid there's no getting around it. It could be a short story or couple of thoughts or just simply, a check, writing is part of me and always will be. And so, begins a new journey of the unknown.


Cheers to all,
Andre