When others say it best.

Thank you for those who have prayed for us in this time of new things and scary things. It is much appreciated. and now for something I don't think I have pulled out since high school-my favorite book, and I will share some of Charlie Straightarrows poetry with you all. I feel content...I feel loved...I feel good...but above all this-I feel wide awake. you can take that as me feeling awake to the future and all its possibilities or as unable to sleep...I will take it as both.

[these do not mean that they are how i feel now or anything, i just like them]
I will tell the story about this book later. (note to self, talk about mom and this book later)

/2.
Some people tend to complicate love
like a florist who wraps a lot of green junk with a single rose
trying to make it appear more than it is-
after all,
what it is is enough.

/5.
Love is
forgiveness
acceptance
and sometimes understanding

Numbers:
If you don't make a conscious effort to change it
the only difference between this year and next year
will be the last digit

some people learn from experience

experiences just happen to others

/7.
along the interstate
besides the ones that read:
"See Rock City"
are blue signs that say:
"Rest Area 1 Mile"
why can't we have them
along the road of life?

/8.
Some people avoid reality at all cost
don't as for my advice or opinion
unless you want the truth
just the way it is
I won't give reassurance
to your rationalizations

/9.
at times
rational justification doesn't exist
it's just
that you really feel
it's something you have to do
if that's the way it is
then do it
and don't look back

Well...since awakeness is still here and tiredness did not set in. The abbreviated version of the story of the book.

I got the book "Where the hell is mulberry street?" for $0.25 at the Christian Mission when I was in high school. it is a small, green, tattered book. I fell in love though. This book makes my imagination soar. I love the bluntness of the man's poetry and his attitude of "take it like it is", but, this book was a gift. A man named Tom gave this book to a woman that he had just barely met but loved her already. It makes me sad that I found it where I did. I wonder what happened to their love. A few years ago I got a suprising email from the son of Charlie Straightarrow. I got background information on him and unfortunately learned that he had passed away. His son had searched his name and found a website I had where I had some of the poetry posted. Charlie's son was glad that I enjoyed his father's writing. I was glad that he found me. I now just feel this connection. This book also got me through a lot of tough times and I just feel good when I read it. Maybe you liked some of the short poems above, I just like the simplicity of it. I wish I still had my email from his son but it was in an account that I cancelled and wish I had kept the email.

Well...gonna try sleeping goodnight!