where is velma when you need her...

velma

came and went 

in my life too soon.

she created the painting 

above.

she worked to find 

words to share with me

as to how 

one goes about 

creating such art.  

perspective 

is the word 

she taught me.

perspective 

has become my 

mantra.

give me perspective.

keep perspective!

can we have perspective?

on the most part 

i have perspective...

at 

least more

than i did before. 

and yet 

present words

past memories

and that thing called angst

particularly angst as to 

what could be

gets in the way of clarity.

so 

now...

to practice what i write

to practice what i preach

to practice what i long for...

perspective.

breathe in perspective.

yes

this is what i will do.

a friend wrote me the other day 

and told me how her perspective 

had been totally skewed 

because of the words 

spoken by one in her past. 

a friend from the past 

called her and instead of 

warm memories and laughter 

she offered 

judgment and condemnation. 

and yet,

i can't help but believe 

that in the midst 

of words that 

sound like judgment 

and condemnation 

is a yearning for 

something deeper and better

even for the one 

speaking words 

that hurt.

perspective.

life shifts

and constantly moves

this is the perspective 

i've gained in the past four years. 

perspective. 

give me a 

double dose of perspective!

make that a triple!

where is velma 

when you need her!

perspective.

she's here with me.

and 

i 

have 

per

spec

tive.