the expression of one's inner thoughts and feelings is often very difficult to put into words.  once in awhile you might think of the phrase or word that aptly expresses what you feel, but often that is not the case.  how many times for a special occasion, or even no occasion at all, have you spent a great deal of time reading card after card after card searching for just the right card saying just the right thing.  well in my own way i have resolved that problem for myself.  i was, for unknown reasons, given the ability to "paint pictures with words".  for as long as i can remember, i have found it easier to put my thoughts, dreams, ideas and even sorrow into words on paper than trying to verbalize them to anyone i know.  mostly i wrote only for family and very close friends and often the majority of my writing went unread by anyone but myself.  a good deal of my work is a true inner door to myself.  for years i felt i wasn't any good at writing, but found it as a release.  so i wrote and wrote and wrote, keeping my fears of inadequacies and my insecurities to myself by not letting anyone see what i could and had done.
     now, obviously, my view has changed or you would not be reading these words.  it took me a long time and much agonization to decide to share my words with anyone who might be interested in reading them.  after having a few poems on another site, the feedback and comments were so positive that i finally can admit that, hey, maybe i am pretty good at this after all.  now i know that many will not like my words and even think that i am not any good at all, but those people are entitled to their opinions and i respect them for that.  the people that read my words and feel a connection, or a sense of understanding of not being alone, knowing that there are bright spots that glimmer and can grow.  even if i touch only a handful of people, for whatever reason, or in any way, then i can at least know that someone was touched by the sharing of the words from my heart and in turn comes back and touches me.
     so i invite you to enter my lair and share my reflections of life, love, family and friends.