THE CORNER 4 WOMEN

Monday 15 April 2024

THAT WOMAN by Donna Ashworth

"THAT WOMAN"
by Donna Ashworth

I’ve always wanted, very much, to be that woman.

The old one, with the hair like silver that seems to radiate its very own source of light.

The one with the knowing smile that hints at humour ever present and a life that’s been full of belly laughter.

The woman with the deep lines in her weathered skin, lines etched out by adventure, by joy, by fear and by growth.

I imagined how I’d float rather than walk because I no longer bear the weight of the world on my shoulders and I marvelled at how my days would be full to the brim with resting and noticing the world around me.

I would not care for thoughts of guilt because by then I would have learned that resting is doing, and is very important indeed.

There I would be reading, gardening, eating food I had grown and passing my little nuggets of wisdom down, to anyone who wanted to listen.

The contented crone.

The final phase of the journey of womanity.

No chasing youth for me,

I will be languishing, loudly, in the joy of my age and my luck at having got so far.

I’ve always wanted, very much, to be that woman.

Join me, if you like.

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I'M FINE by Becky Hemsley

"I'M FINE"
by Becky Hemsley

Today I said “I’m fine”, not once

But five times altogether

When people asked “how are you?”

Then made small talk of the weather

And so I hid behind my mask

The one I’d worn a while

I set in place my bravest face

And dressed it with a smile

And that was how the day went

All “I’m fine” and talk of rain

Until somebody asked me how I was

Then asked again

They asked if I was truly fine

And I said I was not

And they said they were sorry

That they couldn’t do a lot

But then they sat beside me

Whilst I spoke the truth at last

They listened and they held me

As the tears slipped through my mask

And where before, I’d felt I should

Maintain this brave façade,

I realised there was much to gain

By letting down my guard

See, though my load was still the same

It now was not as heavy

‘Cause sitting and offloading it

Had helped a bit already

Today they asked “how are you?”

And I told them I was fine

‘Til someone saw behind the mask

And asked me one more time

And though they may have felt

That there was little they could do

They’ll never know how much it meant

To tell someone the truth

*******

Becky Hemsley 2022

Artwork by Xuan Loc Xuan (https://www.behance.net/gallery/49451581/Peaceful)

“I’m fine” is from my second collection:

https://a.co/d/hz7kmJs

https://tc4women.nicheebookcollections.com/NEWSLETTER-EBOOK-LIBRARY-SIGNUP.html We now have over 1700 e-books on our library shelves for your reading pleasure, so do come along and check us out.

AFTERLIFE by Becky Hemsley

"AFTERLIFE"
by Becky Hemsley

“In my next life,” said the tree

“I think I’ll be a dragon,

Or maybe be a mountain troll

Who owns a giant tavern

Perhaps I’ll be a little girl

With secret, hidden powers

Or maybe be a tiny ant

That lives amongst the flowers

Perhaps I’ll surf a waterfall

Or burrow underground,

Perhaps I’ll find a heart-shaped balloon

And float up to the clouds

Perhaps I’ll find a rocket

And I’ll fire it into space

Or maybe meet a pirate

With a scar upon his face”

“What do you mean?” I asked the tree

And that is when he said

“You know we’ll all die one day

But our souls will not be dead

So when the world assumes

That I have reached eternal sleep

I’ll worry not because I’ll have

So much life left in me

See, they will take my ever-reaching

Branches in their glory

And I’ll become the pages

Of a many-treasured story

And that is why you’ll often

Find them leafing through the pages

Or turning over new leaves

Of a tale they’ve known for ages

I will not look as I do now –

My life will be rewritten

But they will hear my echo

On the pages if they listen

So if you feel inclined to,

Take a walk into the woods

And take a bag upon your back

Packed with your favourite books

Then find a shady canopy,

A leafy spot to rest

And read the trees the stories

Of the lives they might live next”

*******

Becky Hemsley 2022

Gorgeous artwork by Francesca Dafne Vignaga illustrator

‘Afterlife’ is from my fourth collection, Letters from Life https://a.co/d/f1WmnD0

Sunday 14 April 2024

NOBODY IS YOUR ENEMY

"NOBODY IS YOUR ENEMY" (author unknown)

*ANYONE THAT ANNOYS YOU* --is teaching you patience and calmness.

*ANYONE THAT ABANDONS YOU* --is teaching you how to stand up on your own feet.

*ANYBODY THAT OFFENDS YOU* --is teaching you forgiveness and compassion.

*ANYTHING THAT YOU HATE* --is teaching you, unconditional love.

*ANYTHING THAT YOU FEAR* --is teaching you the courage to overcome your fears.

*ANYTHING YOU CAN'T CONTROL* --is teaching you to let go.

*ANY "NO" YOU GET FROM HUMAN* --is teaching you to be independent.

*ANY PROBLEM YOU'RE FACING* --is teaching you how to get a solution to problems.

*ANY ATTACK YOU GET FROM PEOPLE* --is teaching you the best form of defence.

*ANYONE WHO LOOKS DOWN ON YOU* --is teaching you to look up to CREATOR ( *GOD* ).

Always look out for the lesson in every situation you face in every phase of life.

Be polite, calm, gentle and thankful to God because He will be with you to the end.

Life had taught me lessons. I do not see people at my cross road, because humans are not reliable. I only see God as the author and finisher of my faith.

*R E F L E C T I O N S*

*When you live your life without anyone betraying, hurting, disappointing, disgracing or offending you, then it means you never did anything worthy.*

*The beauty of life, is that it comes with disappointments and betrayals, from people you least expect.*

*Unfortunately, some of us spend so much time crying over these betrayals and disappointments, and end up becoming victims of all circumstances.*

*Remember One Thing:* *Holding unto anger is like knocking your head on the wall and expecting the other person to feel the pain. You are only hurting yourself.*

*The fact is that the world is full of annoying, naughty, stupid and ungrateful people, and you will always come across them at one point or another in life. But the best thing to do, is to deal with them with wisdom and maturity.*

*You can’t get everyone to love you, think like you or behave like you... never.*

*We must learn to tolerate and overlook certain things, we must try to bury the faults of others and move on with life.*

*Anger, Hatred and Intolerance have caused most of the world's problems and solved none.*

*Life is short, you don't know how much time you have left*

*I beseech you to take the pain and forgive that special person you hold grudges against, and iron out your grievances.*

*Muster the courage and apologise to that person you have offended.*

*Life is not measured by the amount of money, houses or companies you have, but by the positive impact you have made in the lives of others.*

BE GENTLE WITH YOUR MOTHER

"BE GENTLE WITH YOUR MOTHER"
(author unknown)

Unfortunately not everyone having a great mom!!

Be gentle with your Mother..

There are times that a quick, short answer jumps out of your mouth. Full of sharp edges that draw blood. And you look away so you don’t need to see the pain you know you caused.

Half of what she does, you don’t understand. The things she allows leave you cold and irritate you.

One moment you want to fold her in your arms, the next you wish you could just shake her a bit.

One day it will all make sense to you.

The things she never told you about, are the very things that hollowed out her insides and then built her up again, so she can carry more and more where no-one can see the weight. Those things that sometimes break her where you can actually see it, even though you prefer not to.

Her eyes notice everything, yet she keeps so much to herself. She steps back and offers her hope for the sake of her child’s happiness. The gratitude she deserves for doing that is far and few between, yet her flame of gratitude reaches close to the Heavens.

Should you be blessed enough to still have her breathing the air of this earth, it’s time you start digging in your gratitude-archives and find the warmth in your heart, the forgiveness in your voice and the same amazement you had as a toddler for her. I beg of you to please, today and every day, be gentle with your Mother.

Because the day will come that her morning greeting will no longer be.

Her words “I love you my child” will no longer be.

Her voice will no longer be heard.

All that will be left are memories..

Be gentle with your Mother.

Saturday 13 April 2024

A PET WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU by Joanne Boyle

"A PET WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU"
by Joanne Boyle

Mum bought me another dog today.

I know that its not you.

I couldn't help but cry

and Mum was crying too.

It didn't look at me with love

or want to run and play.

I know that in time though,

it will look at me that way.

When mum put him in my arms,

at first i felt some guilt.

My mind flashed back to you,

sleeping on my quilt.

The little pup then licked me,

and i felt it tickle my hand.

I laughed and looked at Mum,

and she said you'd understand.

I will not forget you Bertie.

"now what shall i call you?

Ill teach you how to play ball,

and lift your paw up too."

Bertie watched from the rainbow bridge.

he barked and wagged his tail.

He was no longer poorly.

No longer old and frail.

He lived on in the memories

and they would never be apart.

A pet will never leave you

without its footprints in your heart.

*****

Joanne Boyle Heartfelt

art by Steffi Krenzek

#nationalpetday

Friday 12 April 2024

THE POWER OF ONE by Becky Hemsley

"THE POWER OF ONE"
by Becky Hemsley

One leaf can disrupt a whole army of ants

And can leave them all scared and confused

And it takes just one word, even one from a stranger

To render our self-esteem bruised

It takes just one flick of a switch in a light room

To promptly turn everything black

And it only takes one hand to push us too far

Just one straw to break our camel’s back

It takes just a moment when all is aligned

For the sunshine to blot out the moon

And it takes just one foot to kick us whilst we’re down

Just one sprinkle of salt in the wound

And yet when we think of ourselves as the one

Then we think we’ve no power at all

That we won’t make a difference when this world’s so big

And we feel so incredibly small

But it takes just one leaf to announce spring is coming

One seed for a flower to grow

And it takes just one hand to stop someone from falling

Which might mean far more than you know

It takes just a word to make somebody’s day

Just one switch to turn dark into light

And it takes just one foot to stand up for someone,

Just one sunrise to soften the night

So harness the power of one for yourself

It’s a power you’ve held all along

Yes, I know that you think you can’t change the whole world

But you can change the world for someone

******

Becky Hemsley 2022

Gorgeous image by Saraja's Drawer

'The Power of One' is from the book What the Wild Replied

https://a.co/d/dyQRzqb