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I see it in faces I meet, hear it in conversations I have and feel it in the hands I hold.

There is a hungering for God, for the mercy and peace and path to love and holiness that only He can bring.

This week, words of healing were given in two beautiful ways: first in a love letter and second in the lyrics of a song.

With the passing of Pope Francis, there has been a welcome and meaningful discourse across all forms of media, on what is holy, good and true. A man... A human born upon this earth like you and I, who was called to a vocation of service and compassion, who chose to live simply and put his energy, not in to the things of this world, but in caring for his flock.

A man who could have been honored with elaborate pomp and circumstance, but chose to simplicity and holiness and to be buried in the same black shoes he served God and walked on this earth in.

Please read these beautiful words about the shoes of the shepherd.

Pope Francis offered the following words in his last letter to his flock the day before he died. You can read the full letter here.

Then, last night I found a respite and healing in an unusual place. After a crazy busy few days, I snuggled up on the couch, pulled a blanket across my lap and cupped a warm mug of tea. Scanning the channels, I stopped at American Idol. Listening to some music seemed like a good idea. Performance after performance filled my heart. Words of gratitude, faith and healing filled their songs.

Then the most amazing 4 minutes I have had in a long time. A single father, of two small girls, Jamal Roberts, sang Tom Odell's song, "Heal."

The depth of his voice brought such meaning to the simplicity of the song. Watch at the end how the audience is speechless...

Check out these lyrics:

Please take a moment and listen to this amazing rendition. You can hear a pin drop at the end.

There are no words.

This was divinely inspired and a much needed message of the way to healing. Compassion, mercy and above all love.

I think the answer to healing for the world is simple, but very difficult at the same time.

We just need to love one another.

Do all things, say all things and be all things to each other

in kindness and love.

I think John Lennon and Burt Bacharach got it right. Imagine if all the energy that goes into divisiveness went into love.

Progressive Poem 2025

Always looking for a new poetic opportunity, I stumbled upon the 2025 KidLit Progressive Poem.

Created in 2012, by poet, Irene Latham, creating a progressive poem was a way to celebrate National Poetry Month (April) as a community of writers. Each year, Poetry Friday Friends and other poetry lovers are invited to join the fun as a poem travels daily from blog to blog, with each host adding a line, beginning April 1. Now, poet, Margaret Simon organizes it each year.

Thank you ladies, for this lovely way of bringing together poets from all over to collaborate! I am excited and a bit nervous.... but here goes!

What I see so far:

Open an April window

let sunlight paint the air

stippling every dogwood

dappling daffodils with flair

Race to the garden

where woodpeckers drum

as hummingbirds thrum

in the blossoming Sweetgum.

Sing as you set up the easels

dabble in the paints

echo the colors of lilacs and phlox

commune without constraints.

I must say this was an interesting challenge. You would think one line would be such an easy thing to write.

Here is a bit of how I came up with my line.

Visualizing really helps me. So first, I read through the poem several times, imagining myself in my backyard.
Then I took a look at the format of the poem. Stanzas 1 and 3 are ABCB with lines 2 and 4 rhyming.
Stanza 2 takes a different approach- ABBB, with three lines rhyming.
My fellow poets seem to be setting up an alternating pattern, so I decided to follow suit.
I noticed all three stanzas begin with a call to action. Open... Race...Sing...

This is my clue!

But what would my call to action be?

Let’s see…I am a painter.

Inspired by the dappled spring light out my window, I have raced to my garden, set up my paints to a chorus of birds. I sing as my brush dips into the colors of the garden with wild abandon.

What would I want to do next….. Hmmmm?

Lift my eyes to the birches? No

Take in the beauty before me? Too vague

I think it's time be mindful, to slow down and breathe….

Breathe deeply the hyacinth fragrance? Not lyrical enough.

Then I remembered my beloved lilacs...

and how they make ME want to sing.

That's it!

Their fragrance is a gift that takes me away from everything and stills my heart.

Just the inspiration I needed.

This has been so much fun! Here is the poem so far, with my line added in bold.

Can't wait to see how this poem progresses.

Time to pass it onto Janet Fagel at Mainely Write to add a line. I hope this was fun for you, and that your curiosity will lead you to follow along each day!