Be Your Own Kind of Bravery

November 14, 2016 / Penny L Howe / 6 Comments

Fortune Favors the Brave

Gypsy tent and wagon The gypsy fortune teller was very wise and wizened with great age. During this time of her current existence, she had told thousands of fortunes. Whispered and suggested mysterious and wonderful futures to a myriad of people. A great multitude of fools made her wealthy, as had the ambitious, vain, and greedy.

Of the down-trodden, the gentle, the forgotten, she had asked but a small token and then done her best to inspire; peering deep inside to witness their futures. Her “gift” – one not welcomed but accepted. On and on went her memories of those who sat across from her waiting breathless with anticipation for words pronouncing their fortune.

But before today, never had she viewed a woman of such gentle bravery, radiating from her being. Her soul – if you will. Her bravery shining piercingly through the air, hovering protectively as it spread out in progressive waves encompassing all.

A second glance within and the fortune teller finally understood. SHE had returned.

The fortune teller smiled a small, happy smile of relief. Holding out her hand in friendship, “hello my brave Sophia*, we meet again.” Fortune does favor the brave!

again and again

she comes forth to be heard

listen close my humans

“all life has purpose”

do you hear Sophia’s* words

echo through the ages

*Sophia, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom

And remember, small braveries are as valuable as big ones. Often more important too.

‘

Have a great week ahead.

With sincere affection,

~ Penny

She Is The Flow – Haibun (essence of female)

September 23, 2016September 23, 2016 / Penny L Howe / 3 Comments

The flow is the balance.

A runner of life, she knows flow is balance. She is the flow. Running through early morning golden meadows, hair streaming behind, her breathing is deep and even. Her element is air, flow is balanced. A runner’s secret, balance can initiate speed but speed is cause – not effect.

On this morning the soles of her feet touch fleetingly upon damp morning dew. Something occurs, an otherworldly melding of effect with cause. Balance is cause but time is effect. She runs on with balance enhanced. She is fleeter, running more swiftly, the blending of morning’s moisture with air melds microcosmic elements together. Magic? She finds she can now run through time. Her yesterdays, todays and tomorrows – a real/all-time effect!

Now she runs through life … her life and all life. An amazing thing. An illusion? She runs on. She is a conduit of flow and the balance to life. An awakening discovery for her to recognize the strength within.

She, the flow of life

becomes balancing essence

of time, cause and effect

~Plh, 2016

By the way: My previous post was not about me, even though I wrote it in the first person. It was a commentary about people, our current society and where “we” the people are and how we’re feeling about same. So just clarifying, I am fine, doing exceedingly well.

Have an great and wonderful weekend,

With affection,

Penny

Just in the Knowing … Haibun of Love

January 15, 2016January 15, 2016 / Penny L Howe / 7 Comments

♡

Just in the Knowing

Just in the knowing you’re somewhere. Not caring where, just knowing you exist is enough for contentment. Alright, perhaps a whimsical slightly lonely contentment, but contentment none-the-less. Were I to have realized love’s nature as we laughed and played during brief interludes of time together perhaps choices would have been a different making.

But nature of things at the time (Ah, time … immutable passage of linear time) spinning out of control, whirlwind of decision making – poorly thought through – emotionally charged and so we are apart … and yet … we are not.

For all that you are and all that I am create amazing realities of “greater than”. This unknown mysterious quality of perception, not understood but realized and so it is that …

Love has no true boundaries: Not time. Not location. Not even cessation.*

*through the physical departure from our current plane of existence

For truly love is existence and existence is love – superseding any boundaries of time. Time becomes timeless and therefore never ending as is ~ my love ~ for you.

timelessness of life

gifted from eternity

never ending love

♡

It’s been awhile since my composition of haibun. I hope you enjoyed. Thank you for reading, have an excellent weekend!

With sincere affection,

~ Penny

The Many Edges of Reality Within Your Imagination!

November 12, 2015 / Penny L Howe / 3 Comments

Reality’s Edges

It’s been said Einstein’s first thoughts on relativity came while observing light from a lamp post glowing through an evening mist. He was fascinated by the streaming light traveling through misty air in the cool evening of a summer’s day. His imagination alive with the possibility of exploring (at that time) what was perceived impossible.

Gazing at the moon this evening, iridescent reflections shimmering on the river, I’m lost in the rapture of my own imagination. I wonder, am I on the edge of a greater awareness of life? Or perhaps some unknown new wonder soon to be experienced. I feel within me a seed of expression wishing to burst forth – If I can but understand the why of it all.

My mind hovers in thoughtful contemplation. I view the mysterious moon through imagination’s eyes. Moonbeams illuminating, ever so faintly, all that I might be – hidden inside – poised on the edges of reality.

lost within self

mysterious glowing moon

reality’s edge

♡

Have a great weekend ahead,

With much affection,

~ Penny

The Shaman’s Dream

September 20, 2015September 20, 2015 / Penny L Howe / 15 Comments

He, alone in contemplation. Curious and saddened, wondering if he were the reason things had gone wrong, knowing only the way of things and he but a vessel of knowledge, not a portent.

She, the portent. Change swirls about her. Spiralling out. Fibonacci wisdom, from seeds to galaxies ~ her key. She holds the golden key tightly. Her key.

She opens doors to a new awareness. A new reality? So much change. Is nature not to still be nature? Can she really do all this? Yes, she can.

Ahhh, he reflects, of course. She is of nature and birth and growth. She is of life, not death. Her change is the correct change. No more killing fields. Mankind will change. It is so.

He wonders what … how … he will be after the change.

The golden key, a mere symbol, she herself – the key of change. But this change signifies a new balance. Yin Yang become relevantly/irrelevant. Such is this nature of change.

life gives birth to change
change gives life to birth
birth gives change to life

And so it comes ~ A time of great change. Are you ready?

Release date Early Spring of 2016:
The Spiral Corridor
A scifi/fantasy novel (or our actual future?) by P.L.Howe

Being Female ~ Man’s Dichotomy

April 9, 2015April 9, 2016 / Penny L Howe / 19 Comments

♡

The thing is …
we (females) struggle with our place, in the order of things, every day. And men struggle with it too.

We understand the biology of things regarding the female body and the emotion of things, regarding falling in love. Also the nurturing of life and the spirituality of things.

It’s the fourth aspect of things where we run into problems. That is to say “perceived vs actual societal roles” related to our own personal desires for ourselves.

And while we females work this out (and we are), it remains difficult and confusing for all of us.

Perhaps more so for men than women. Bottom line here (I love the term “bottom line” because it means we’re getting to the heart of the issue) I sum up in the follow haiku:

being female
independently human
man’s dichotomy

~ Plh

♡

Thank you for stopping by, have a great weekend, hang in there!

With affection
Penny

How Many Trees …

March 7, 2015 / Penny L Howe / 24 Comments

How many trees to be counted? How many trees to survive? How many trees just won’t make it? How many will still be alive? How many will be felled and forgotten, more (this I know) than a few. I’ve worried, oh yes, how I’ve worried – and don’t know what to do. I thought and thought as I walked and walked though the snow hanging onto my shoes. There seems, well so many, but if there weren’t any, What … then what … would we do?

How many trees must humanity use, too many to so abuse. But at this rate, it seems much to late, and their fate is what we choose. And sadly our own … we all lose.

as numbering trees

number humanity’s days

a sadness for life

Deforestation is a reality on the planet earth. Since we (all living things) need the trees to sustain our life, it is indeed a great sadness. As his Honorable Dalai Lama said. “In our own homes we do not throw the furniture we need into the fireplace to burn up, why would we do this to our home, the planet earth?” A good question don’t you think?

Thank you for reading, I hope my words today give you some “food for thought”!

With much affection,

~ Penny

Progress Never Sleeps ~ Haibun for Yesterday!

February 23, 2015 / Penny L Howe / 4 Comments

The Oil Lamp …

standing upright much as a soldier on parade. The base, cleaned and refilled, silver burner polished to gleaming brightness. The wick trimmed, now standing in attention. Glass chimney thoroughly scrubbed so not one single speck of soot mars the surface.

The oil lamp stands on the table in a modest home. Now to be found in many homes. At the ready for the approaching night when once again it will light the way from darkness to light for those to appreciate man’s great progress.

yesterday’s progress

most wondrous thing to behold

now it never sleeps

“Sometimes progress moves too fast for us mere mortals to keep pace in the endless nights of change.” Penny L Howe

***

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you have an excellent week. Try not to burn too much midnight oil, my friends … and remember to take care of you!

With affection,

~ Penny

The Haibun of Life – I’m Alive.

January 31, 2015January 31, 2015 / Penny L Howe / 16 Comments

and so it will come

new day changing existence

life, not so easy

Life hasn’t been easy, for me. I’ve dealt with just about every conceivable thing one might hope would not happen to them, during my years of existence. And I do not exaggerate. If anything I make light of what has been some very hard times.

Yes, life is hard, and I know you know this too, and have your own life experiences to back that up, and yet for all that, I love life, and my life too, with a passion that is huge. Perhaps life has given me an appreciation for living I might not have, had it been easier. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter because it’s been my life. The one I know the best and the person I know the most about, me.

I know I’ve been incredibly lucky and blessed, repeatedly, during my years because I’m a survivor and with many years left to go in my life, I have a high confidence in my ability to persevere. A few readers know me, and much of my life’s adventures, but it’s not really that important – the specifics, I mean.

The important thing is my understanding that I’ve been forged through life’s traumas and trials to become the person I am today. I would not wish it any different than it is. I face each day with a wonderful determination and yes, positive attitude because I choose to do so.

Regardless of any battles left to be fought, and there will be some, I’m sure, I believe I’ll be the victor there. This is life – my life, at times hard but at other times amazingly, gloriously, beautifully wonderful and I marvel that I am still alive to participate in all that may come my way. And that’s what really matters – to me.

Penny L Howe, 2015

Thanks for stopping by, have an excellent weekend, I plan to … life is good … I feel great and I hope you do too.

With affection,

~ Penny

Drops of Pure Water

January 4, 2015 / Penny L Howe / 17 Comments

Drops of pure water

to succor and secure life

plus many drops more

A few words, a haiku, to illustrate the importance of pure clear water in our lives. I humbly suggest “we” make reasonable changes in our personal lives to help insure the well being of a fresh water supply for our future. Something we can take a positive hand in, beginning in our home and work place.

Thank you,

~ Penny