Evermore…

΅〜  ೋღ ღೋ      〜΅

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΅〜  ೋღ ღೋ      〜΅

There on a sandy seashore…

Waves crashing…

Warm gentle breeze…caresses seductively…

Softly blowing…playing with my hair…

΅∼ ೋღ ღೋ     ∼΅    

I sit and stare…

Majesty of the sea…

Escaping reality…

΅∼ ೋღ ღೋ     ∼΅   

All senses heightened…

Suddenly aware of everything…and nothing…

Watching…waiting…

Sand between my toes….

Salty spray envelopes softly…enticing…gently…

΅∼ ೋღ ღೋ     ∼΅   

Tranquility…

The sea whispers…

Secrets of the ages…

Eternal treasures…

Brought ashore for me to explore…

Gifts to see, touch, discover…

Cherish…

΅∼ ೋღ ღೋ     ∼΅   

Footprints in the sand…

Trail of my journey…

Washed away…

Nevermore…

΅∼ ೋღ ღೋ     ∼΅  

Till the next tide…

When there’s even more to explore…

Evermore…

~

  ΅~ ೋ ೋ ~΅

΅〜 ೋღ  Christina~ ღೋ     〜΅

~

  ΅〜 ೋღ For Robyn ღೋ     〜΅

    ΅~ ೋ ೋ ~΅

This post was a collaboration between myself and the beautiful Robyn Lee who provided the gorgeous photos for this poem September 2012. She is such a talented and beautiful soul who loves all she meets and gives so much of herself all ways. This is a re-publish to say…if your reading my dearest sweetest friend I miss you…I love you…and I am sending so very much love and healing energy…along with all my prayers to you!! Be well and know how treasured you are ♥♥!

Decadence In The Dark…

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Twilight Moon

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I feel your gaze…a soft caress…
I see you between the pale light of the rising moon and deep shadows…
There and not there..
Waiting…
Come find me…
Dance this subtly surreal dance with me…
Decadence in the dark…
Let us stay in the hidden peripheral..
I, in the trance of twilight’s tempestuous temptation…
You, on the edge of everything and nothing…
There… not there…
Come find me…
Take my hand…
Rescue me…

~*~

christina signature b&w~*~

Copyright © Christina Brownlee 2013

Edge of Peripheral…

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Peripheral

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I can almost see you
I know I don’t know you…
Simultaneously, I know everything about you…
You are in my dreams…
In my thoughts…
We meet there occasionally…
There is the known and unknown…
That magical seductive dance that ignites my imagination…
Recognition….
There you are…
Waiting for me…
On the edge of peripheral…

~*~

christina signature b&w

Copyright © Christina Brownlee 2013

In A Moment….

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In A Moment…

 You can laugh…

You can cry….

You can behold the most beautiful things…

You can have your breath taken away…

You can experience excruciating agony…

You can cry tears of joy…

You can be given devastating news..

You can smile…

You can create unforgettable memories…

You can fall in love…

You can brighten someones day…

You can give your heart away…

You can walk away from love…

You can break a heart…

You can mend a heart…

~*~
All this and more you can do in a moment…

Cherish every moment…

 For it’s not how much time you have…

It’s the moments you fill it with…

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Copyright ©2012 Christina Brownlee

Chosen Ignorance…

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Sometimes it’s too hard…
This battle fought within the mind…
It is an illusion to think you can’t handle it…
A luxury you can’t afford…
Just because you choose not to see.
Doesn’t make it less real…
Doesn’t make it right…
Hiding the minds eye from the truth won’t make it go away…
Everyone has hard choices to make..
At some point you have to realize what lies before your eyes…
You hid for far too long thinking it couldn’t happen to you…
Thinking it was for the best…
Ignoring of the casualties of cruelty..
Choosing the perceived stronger side…
Believing the lie…while the truth stared at you waiting to be recognized…
Knowing in your heart it was wrong..
Too far from your reality…
Now it’s coming closer to you…
Truth is impatient…
It will be seen…it must…
You can no longer hide behind your chosen ignorance…

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Copyright © 2012 Christina Brownlee

Evermore…

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There on a sandy seashore…
Waves crashing…
Warm gentle breeze…caresses seductively…
Softly blowing…playing with my hair…

I sit and stare…
Majesty of the sea…
Escaping reality…

All senses heightened…
Suddenly aware of everything…and nothing…

Watching…waiting…
Sand between my toes….
Salty spray envelopes softly…enticing…gently…

Tranquillity…
The sea whispers…

Secrets of the ages…
Eternal treasures…

Brought ashore for me to explore…
Gifts to see, touch, discover…
Cherish…

Footprints in the sand…
Trail of my journey…
Washed away…nevermore…

Till the next tide…

When there’s even more to explore…

Evermore…

~*~

~*~

Poem Copyright © 2012 Christina Brownlee  ~ Photo Credit © Robyn Lee

I would like to express my most sincere gratitude and appreciation to Robyn for generously sharing her gorgeous photographs in this collaboration with me.

Thank you Robyn ~Dearest friend ♥♥!! ~

Unconditional Love…

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother”

~Abraham Lincoln ~

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Unconditional love…

Never ending support…

Patience to endure…

Healing hugs…

A balm to my soul…

Ceaseless words of encouragement…

A legacy of steadfastness, love, wisdom,

soothing words, gentle nature…

Commitment to withstand the severest storms of life…

Strength to protect beyond comprehension…

My best friend…

Believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself…

Never a doubt…

Always selfless… All ways there….

One word…

Mom…

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It’s time to introduce the most influential and incredible woman in my life…my mom. Penny…thewhyaboutthis.com . She is my hero and my biggest supporter throughout my whole life, and even through the pitch black valley myself and my children have been through for the last two years. She stood witness, she cried with us, she fought with us…she was/is always an incredible source of inspiration and comfort when we need(ed) it most.

We each started our own blogs for different reasons…it was never intentional to keep our relationship from our precious new friends here. We never dreamed we’d be able to meet and cherish so many so fast. For reasons which will soon be made clear…I wanted to share with you all, newest friends and those who have been with me when I was only brave enough to post a famous quote…then a quote with a picture….then writing poetry (prose)…which I never dreamed I would be able to do…at all!

This has been an incredible adventure…becoming connected with bloggers around the world. Your outpouring of love, concern, and support has filled my heart, made me cry tears of joy, and inspired me beyond what I ever dreamed could be possible.

Mom (Penny) and I decided it was time to share this information because she has a done a few posts about each of my children and now one of my journey through the unimaginable torture of the last two years. Not just grief, but what was intentionally inflicted on top of that grief.

Please visit www.thewhyaboutthis.com and read today’s post “and then she waited…” if you are interested in my story. As a gracious loving mom and grandmother…she has shown me the true meaning of unconditional love…my whole life…but even more so during the last two years. If I am half the mom to my children that she is/has been to me…then I am blessed with the greatest of gifts.

I love you mom…wouldn’t have made it this far without you!

Thank you for always being you, always being there, and for not running away at the repeated insanity thrown at us…

Your most grateful daughter,

Christina ~

Copyright © 2012 Christina Brownlee

River of Words…

“It is such a secret place, the land of tears.” 

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince ~

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Suppressed temptation…

Longing…anticipatiously…

Dream of loves sweet embrace…

Yet again…slowly rushing…

Peace, joy, happiness…

Sublime impatience…

Remember…No…don’t remember…

Create new pieces…a new journey to adventure…

Excitement…

All that I was is added to all I will become…

The path I fear to tread…

Fear, pain, agony…new pieces…

Now I know…

Now I can add those to the past puzzle…

Tears falling…

Creating the new river…

Ready to be swept away…

Letting go…

My sadness makes you immortal…

Reflections in my eyes of who I was…

Morphing into….

Who I will become…

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Copyright © 2012 Christina Brownlee

~The Very Inspiring Blogger Award ~

I was given a double blessing in one day – two nominations for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award!! I’m so very honored, flattered, humbled, and just smiling away over here!

When I began this blogging journey I had absolutely no idea how amazing, wonderful, fulfilling, rewarding, healing, illuminating, inspiring, and encouraging it would be to me! I feel doubly blessed to receive these two awards for The Very Inspiring Blogger — that I could come to mind for this award is like a humongous gift to me that I cherish completely!

I would like to thank George at www.georgehayward.wordpress.com for the first nomination and Penny at www.thewhyaboutthis.com for the second. Each of these blogs is so chock full of Ah-mazing posts…you will not regret checking them out! I guarantee you will be hooked and want to follow! 🙂

Please know I am extremely honored that you both would choose me for this. If I’ve managed to inspire anyone….then I am a very very happy girl!! 😀

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Now for the RULES to follow when nominated for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award:

1. Display the award logo on your blog.

2. Link back to the person who nominated you.

3. State 7 things about yourself.

4. Nominate 15 other bloggers for this award and link to them.

5. Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award’s requirements.

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Let’s see…7 things about me….

  1. I love Jane Austen – have read all her books and seen the movies. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite movie (A&E version with Colin Firth) but the newest release of Emma with Romola Garai by PBS Masterpiece is a close running second!
  2. I’m a wannabe techno-goob who plans on learning CSS!! This is gonna be fun! If my blog looks funny in the coming days you’ll know why! :p
  3. I homeschooled my 3 kids until this last school year (10 years total).
  4. If you haven’t read my first post – I have 3 amazing kids – 18 year old daughter, 12 year old son and 10 year old daughter.
  5. Every year on the day after Thanksgiving we have “Jamma Day” The rule of Jamma Day is to be as least productive as possible! With lots of leftovers from the day before we get to just relax, play games/video games, and watch movies. It is a cherished tradition began in 1998 – my husband (before he passed) and I created to purposely avoid Black Friday sales.
  6. I want to learn how to be a better photographer…travel with my kids and take awesome pictures – And then blog about it of course! 😉
  7. I stopped homeschooling in order to get a job (being now the sole provider). We were interrupted in many things with the fight for our home these past two years (see first post if you want to know more). Still searching while I try to figure out what career I will choose, preferably one from home – I want to be here for my kids as much as I can! 🙂

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And now for the nominees I’ve chosen for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award – Do check them out if you get a chance! Each one has inspired me in so many ways I had to share this with them! 🙂

  1. http://michellesomer.wordpress.com
  2. http://justspokenthoughts.wordpress.com
  3. http://fictionalmachines.wordpress.com
  4. http://anelephantcant.wordpress.com
  5. http://blessedwithastarontheforehead.wordpress.com
  6. http://subhanzein.wordpress.com
  7. http://ngtolentino.wordpress.com
  8. http://pjgracecommunity.wordpress.com
  9. http://www.recoverythrumylens.wordpress.com
  10. http://jdgallagher.wordpress.com
  11. http://celestealluvial.wordpress.com
  12. http://tebogondlovu.wordpress.com
  13. http://seadogssaltymusings.wordpress.com
  14. http://nekneeraj.wordpress.com
  15. http://thepoeticwriters.wordpress.com/

Congratulations to everyone! Keep doing what you do…you are all amazing! Blessings and best wishes for a wonderful day!!

Christina ~

Success…

“To laugh often and much;

to win the respect of intelligent people

and the affection of children;

to earn the appreciation of honest critics

and endure the betrayal of false friends;

to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others;

to leave the world a bit better,

whether by a healthy child, a garden patch,

or redeemed social condition;

to know even one life has breathed easier

because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

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I have been so deeply moved the past few days by reading other blogs and posts that some might find sad or melancholy…to me I found myself. I found a connection to others in that deep dark place that only people who have had or are going through tragedy can truly relate to. No one can know…each is a unique story.

Perhaps it isn’t just that they’re are going through or have gone through tragedy but are in touch with it nonetheless. The truth of it is…it is success to me. If you can write words and arrange them in such a manner as to evoke a feeling, good, bad, sad, or otherwise then you have made a connection with someone…with any one who reads your words.

We each are unique and have our own story to tell. And we each have our own way to tell it…poems, photographs, quotes, funny stories or whimsical ones that make you smile or laugh…or be sad and cry…or really think about how a particular piece means to you…it becomes part of you now.

They each serve their purpose…our blog is our home. Our own little piece of this internet cosmos and it moves in ever widening, ever increasing, circles of friends and connections to others…some we are blessed to interact with, some we never hear about but could have made all the difference in the world for without ever knowing. It is important…vital, to write or show through photographs what we see, feel, and think…regardless of the emotional response.

We are all healing, rediscovering, sharing, connecting…

                     and because each voice is unique and touches others then we are by the definition above…Successful.

Christina ~