Increase Love's True Grit

Be the best you can be;

It's all you can do;

Put yourself in ,

Another one's shoes.

Re step your reasons,

Your where and your why;

Only then will you begin to

Grow wings and fly;

Pain is a process,

Letdown a game,

For inside each one of us,

We're all made the same.

Once we embrace this,

And dance through our trials,

Life will have meaning,

We'll endure it with smiles.

Heartbreak is a part of

This challenge and course,

If we clear all our hurdles,

We'll break every curse.

So next time a crisis,

Of loss and grief hit,

Don't believe the illusion,

Increase love's true grit.

Dedicated to my daughter Kelby.  May we live by her example of love and light.

Celby

The pain is so deep- Every time I have a memory, Every time I hear a song you loved, Every perfect picture waiting to be taken, Causes bitter tears of grief to awaken My broken heart again.

Everywhere I go- Everyone I meet, people who I talk to, Remind me of you and your beauty; I miss your caring heart, your giving aura of love; You were so much more than the average person Could have ever hoped to be.

My soulmate- We dreamed together, had grand plans, We laughed about silly things, Fought about even sillier things, Then hugged and reconciled, Knowing our love was one quite rare.

My daughter, my baby- My best friend; I raised you to be loving, understanding, A light in the darkness. How could God snuff out Someone so incredibly beautiful at such a tender age?

How could He allow it- When your presence changed lives And your perspective made everything better? Your glow could be felt by everyone who knew you; You made things make sense, you brought life into situations; You were a constant help to those in need.

I miss you, Celby. I always will- Until God has me take my last breath on this earth, Nothing will ever be the same again. The beauty you left behind is agonizing, The purpose you gave us torturous Because you were ripped from us without even so much

As an explanation.

Don't Give Up

When you've tried your best,Been challenged and tested, And you're still wading through the muck, Don't give up.

When your dreams aren't handed, To you on a silver platter, And you feel like nothing matters, Don't give up.

When others tell you How wonderful their lives are, Know that they too have scars. Don't give up.

When sorrow hangs around, Like a thorny crown, And everybody tells you to smile, Don't give up.

Life is a series of tests And tribulations With an occasional vacation, so Don't give up.

The sun always shines, After it's been gone a while, Know you'll make it through your trials. Don't give up.

For others are watching you, To see what you will do. And if they see you make it through, They might not give up.

Please Do Not Weep

I wrote this poem to begin my novel entitled Breaking The Silence. This poem is a summation, in essence, of my book:  

Do not fret For your grievous loss;

Do not feel Like a wave that is tossed;

Do not weep By yourself, so alone;

For I am with you, Soon you will be Home.

The things of this world Are transient and brief;

I will be your comfort, Your ease and your peace;

Notice the good And perceive not the bad;

Observe what you've learned, The lessons you've had;

For everything you've been through Has come at a cost;

There is good in the bad, You have won and not lost.

I have set you here, love, And you shall I keep;

Do not lose hope, And please do not weep.

-Diamante Lavendar (from my novel, Breaking The Silence).