Both these poems were written by my mother, in memory of my sister Mona

Remembering Mona

In my little room
I while away time
Just looking around
Thinking of you

Every moment I miss you
It was so hard to part
And each memory of you
Is cherished in my heart

My beautiful baby
So brave and so kind
All I have now is the memories
That you've left behind

Just looking around
There's so much to do
And right here before me
Is a picture of you

You're looking at me
With your beautiful smile
Saying I'm happy in heaven
So mamma dont cry

Don't cry for me mummy
Here there's no pain
So au revoir for now
Until we meet again

Mummy
7/7/2009

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She was only fifty seven
When she was called up to heaven
This lovely sweet daughter of mine

She was admired for her beauty
By young, old and sundry
This lovely sweet daughter of mine

They needed a star up there over yonder
And the brightest star was still to find

He felt she was meant for ..
That star, so He sent for ..
This lovely sweet daughter of mine

my walk for Lymphoma

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

This year I will walk/run 26 miles, to complete a marathon in memory of my sister Laurainne (Mona) whom we lost to non-Hodgkins lymphoma in April.

Mona, you are my inspiration, and everything I ever want to be.

You fought the good fight, you finished the race, you kept the faith.

-- this is my song for you, duckie --

The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup
I say a little prayer for you
While combing my hair now,
And wondering what dress to wear now,
I say a little prayer for you

Forever, and ever, you'll stay in my heart
and I will love you
Forever, and ever, we never will part
Oh, how I love you
Together, forever, that's how it must be
To live without you
Would only mean heartbreak for me

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Each of your donations helps accelerate finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. More than 823,000 Americans are battling these blood cancers, and your contributions to Team In Training will help bring them hope and support.

On behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, I thank you very much. I greatly appreciate your generosity.

Please visit my web site often to see my progress.

Gaelyn

Poem on the state of my life today :)

Leisure

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

-- W. H. Davies

What I know now

I just got hold of a book called "What I know now, Letters to my younger self" a compilation of letters in which extraordinary women like Madeline Albright, Queen Noor etc. share the wisdom they wish they'd had when they were younger.

If I were to write a letter like that - which younger self would I choose to write to? The child of ten, on the brink of losing the wondrous innocence of childhood, or the girl of seventeen just starting college, the woman of 24 embarking on a new life in America, or the 30 year old coming to terms with the fact that there is much in life that is out of her control?

Perhaps I'll project forward, imagining myself at 65, telling my 36 year old self to live life one day at a time. Quoting Poe "All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream"

Mornings

It's a cold, gray spring morning in Boston. The sun hangs low in the foggy sky. It glints in through the gaps between the blinds and the window frame, every day reminding me that I need new blinds. I stretch lazily, my head hurts, and I don't want to get out of bed. It's too windy to go running. I watch a yoga DVD, sitting on the couch, as I chomp away at breakfast - 1/2 a banana, a handful of chopped pecans and cranberries, shredded oats, and a cup of 1% milk. I should actually do the yoga, I tell myself. I stand up and touch my toes as a token gesture. Someday I will be able to stand on my head.

Sleepily trudge into the bathroom - who is that looking back at me in the mirror? I really should scrub out all the mascara before I go to bed at night so I don't see scary raccoon-face every morning. Step on the scale and look skeptically at the number I see. A nice hot shower later, I feel like a different person. Browse around in my closet looking for what to wear. Underclothing, tights, silk shirt, black suit, high heeled pumps. Pressed powder, mascara, eye-liner, lipstick, gloss. Earrings, necklace. Perfume. I am now ready to face the world.

I purposefully stride down Mass Ave, get my usual morning coffee at the corner shop - grumpy barista guy grudgingly makes my coffee, giving me tremendous amounts of attitude as he does it. Every day I wonder, "what's your problem, dude". One day I will ask. The homeless guy at the corner dutifully whispers "beautiful" as I walk past - actually as every woman walks past, so it's a little creepy. Oh well, whatever!

Damn the heels - they get caught in the cracks in the sidewalk and I almost trip over several times. Some days I wear sneakers or my granny walking shoes, and then swap them out at work. But today, I just want to be a fashion freak. Besides heels make me feel sexy, and I feel I can take on the world. I'm not quite sure why that is. Ironically, I can't really take on the world if I fall flat on my face from tripping on the cracks in the sidewalk.

Just one more morning like any other. And every day I wonder whether today will be different - will it be the day that the cute guy on the train does more than just smile, or the day my boss gives me my dream project or an unexpected promotion? Wondering about the unknown is what keeps the spring in my step, even when it's just a morning like any other ...