Comes The Dawn
Author: Veronica A. Shoffstall
After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
And company doesn’t mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts
And presents aren’t promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open
With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all your roads on today,
Because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans,
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn
That even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure…
That you really are strong,
And you really do have worth.
And you learn and learn…
With every goodbye you learn.
I remember gingerly touching the lace and silk ribbon with little fingers, what a beautiful Easter hat! Placing it atop my six year old head and twirling in my fluffy dress in front of the mirror, I knew I looked like a princess. Every year my mother would buy my lovely little Easter dress with matching hat, purse, gloves, and shiny white patent leather shoes. We would go to mass, and I would elegantly make my entrance into the church reverently dabbing myself with holy water. After a long and solemn service in Latin, we would go home, and my brother and I would attack our Easter baskets, trading candy, and stuffing it in our mouths until my mother would take it away from us.
We can all spot the classic “bad boy.” He’s that guy with dark hair, piercing blue eyes, a walk that looks so effortless and confident, and a body so nice you think it must be photoshopped. He leaves the party with a different girl than he came with, and he makes you feel so special when he talks to you, because this guy that all the other girls are looking at, is looking at you. It’s easy to identify a wolf. They don’t try to hide who they are, and they take pride in how many girls they get. Classic bad boy.
Holding the little gold band and sliding it onto my pinky, I am torn between smiling and crying. So small, and yet symbolizes something without measure. It is the wedding ring of my mother who was married to my dad for over thirty years. Theirs was a love story that spanned a lifetime. He preceded her in death twenty-one years ago today on Valentine’s Day of a heart attack. In October of last year, she joined him in heaven, also having had a heart attack.
With all of the chocolate, heart shaped candy, giant teddy bears and flowers Valentine’s Day is often times known as “Singles Awareness Day” or in other words the Holiday couples love and singles loath, which is understandable, because singles often times get left out of the Valentine’s Day festivities, well until now. Here is a list of things singles can do this Valentines Day, instead of just sitting home, eating Nutella, and watching the Notebook.
Valentine’s Day is a day that children especially love. Schools over the years have let children celebrate that day if it’s on a school day to give out valentines to their friends. Parents usually send cookies, cupcakes or other refreshments that help to make it special as well. I remember it being a fun day even when I was a kid.
When a young woman imagines the “perfect date,” it usually consists of a tall, dark, and handsome man picking her up on time, with flowers and typically going to dinner and a movie. The man should behave as a gentleman and walk the lady to her door at the end of the evening without expecting an invitation inside.
The first thing you learn is how to fall. I learned this valuable lesson in Martial Arts along with many great tools. Growing up in the sixties friends and I would flock to the local Theater to see James Bond movies with great excitement. I never wanted to be a Bond girl, I wanted to be Bond. Times being what they were I was totally discouraged into believing that girls were not meant to do Karate, Judo, Kung Fu or any of the Martial Arts. No wonder I thought that boys had more fun in life. My passion progressed in high school as Bruce Lee hit the scene performing flawless exhibitions of Martial Arts with incredible speed. I wanted to be a warrior and immerse in the ancient wisdoms that cultivate such physical power. Life progressed as it often does and want-to lists transitioned into have-to-do lists. Somewhere along the way I navigated college, motherhood and the work place while dreams lay in the mist.