“Confidence is knowing who you are and not changing it a bit because of someone’s version of reality is not your reality.” (Shannon L. Alder ) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )..

Buenos Dias Diary (practicing my Spanish 🙂 ),

Woke up this morning to a quiet morning on the path but a world in turmoil with crises, hate, anger and closed minded elements of world’s societies putting challenges in one’s path along with the weather, climate, etc… does make it difficult to follow one’s dreams at times but one may as well be who they are for one will not be happy being someone else… “It is not easy to find happiness within ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.” (Agnes Repplier )… 🙂

Soooooooooooo, I venture down the path being me…. 🙂

I awoke one morning, alone, in history’s past..
Left with a heart full of memories, a decision to make,
Confronted with two paths to my destiny..
Heart and mind to decide which one to take.

Take the one most traveled, the logical safe choice…
The one chosen by the multitudes..the human race,
Like sheep, following a path determined by another…
No self identity, all bearing the same face.

A most traveled path whose direction is chosen by a few
The rest to follow, ever so blind,
Their destiny not chosen by their own hand
Their fate determined, by a closed mind.

The other path less traveled, mysterious and unknown
Where one can be different, like me I confess,
Without fear of ridicule, bigotry  and hate
A path filled with love… and happiness.

A path less traveled where one can follow ones dreams
An open mind to see what others do not,
To live a life guided by one’s heart
While the other path one cannot.

Decision made, with eyes on the horizon
It’s down the path least traveled I do venture,
Excitement fills the air, a smile on the face
Looking forward to another great adventure.

My fate will be unknown, what lies ahead unsure
I do not know…. what my destiny will be,
But one thing will be certain, written in stone
I shall venture down that path …..being “ME“.
          (penned by Larry “Dutch” Woller)

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary” (Steve Jobs)….

And that being said, I shall close for now, Diary…. Not only adventures and dreams but the laundry and mowing… But I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise.. 🙂

Remember, Diary..

Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when your hardest hit,
It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit!
(Wade Watts)

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird, that cannot fly.” (Langston Hughes) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )..

A quiet morning to wake up to
Sitting, gazing out, with a spot of tea,
Contemplating my tomorrows
Wondering, what will the future be.

A quiet morning, a open mind
Thinking about the path, its mysteries many fold,
Each to explore and treasure
Soon a treasured memory to behold.

A quiet morning, a open heart
Another day to learn and explore about me.
It is my life.. only get one chance
Will have to do it my way.. don’t you see.

A quiet morning, being different
Reminding me of words from a song,
Where do I fit in, one asks
One wonders, where do I belong.

A quiet morning, on the path
At the end of it, on the horizon, a lovely rainbow,
It is there my answers lie… the truth is known
Until then, only Fate will know.

A quiet morning, spirit and mind at the ready
To seek the rainbow… perhaps around the next bend,
Once found, I’ll have my answers, you see
And that will be the beginning, not the end.
 
                           (Penned by Larry “Dutch” Woller )

Hello Diary,

Yes, it is a quiet morning on the prairies indeed..and as I sit here with a spot of tea as a gaze about the backyard, it suddenly occurred to me that I envy a weed!.. Yes, Diary, you heard me correctly, a weed… that weed happens to be, wait for it………………………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. the dandelion… 🙂

There are those that do like the dandelion (including me), and while one has to beware of possible chemicals, the leaves are edible and some make dandelion wine.. in spite of that, it is shunned by most, ridiculed, attempts made to make it disappear just because it is different and not up to standards of elements of world societies…

So why would one be envious of a dandelion?… because in spite of all the life’s challenges it continues to follow its dream… “The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.” – (Joel Brown)..

Will to Live
I think of all things that show a zest
For life, the dandelion beats the rest.
The little winged seeds from its white fluff ball
Settle and grow with no urging at all.
Settle in most unlikely places
And soon there’s a crop of dandelion faces.

They are man’s worst pest, but a child’s playthings.
Sometimes I wish I had light down wings
Like a dandelion seed, and could settle at will
On a velvety lawn or a sun-spread hill,
And live with the eagerness and zest
Of the wanton little dandelion pest.
(MARY TRIPLETT)

Soooooooo, like me, it goes to bed of a evening…

And dreams a dream, preparing for the tomorrows… “My dreams are my dress rehearsals for my future.” (David Copperfield)… like me, every morning it wakes up to follow that dream…“Every morning your have two choices: continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them.” (Author Unknown)…

Soooooooooo, yes indeed, while the little dandelion and I have some things in common, I am envious of that little weed as it greats me every morning in all its glory… 🙂

Well, I had better close for now, have a few dreams of my own to browse and a life to live… but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise.. 🙂

Until we meet again,
May the love that you give
Always return to you,
That family and friends are many
And always remain true,
May your mind only know peace
No suffering or strife,
May your spirit only know happiness
On your journey through life.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller)

“When one suddenly finds oneself in a swamp up to one’s armpits in alligators, it is difficult to remember the objective was to drain the swamp” on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )..

Last week had sunny skies and temperatures near 80F, a pleasant day were had by all… leaves were making their presence known…

I even ventured out to do some mowing of the lawn, looking something like this (this photo were taken last year)… 🙂

I have raked the soil and planted the seeds
Now I’ve joined the army that fights the weeds.
For me no flashing saber and sword,
To battle the swiftly marching horde;

With a valiant heart I fight the foe,
My only weapon a trusty hoe.
No martial music to swing me along,
I march to the robin redbreast song.

No stirring anthem of bugle and drum
But the cricket’s chirp and the honey bee’s hum.
No anti-aircraft or siren yell
But there’s Trumpet-creeper and Lily-bell.

With a loving heart and a sturdy hand,
I defend the borders of flower-land;
While high over Larkspur and Leopardsbane,
A butterfly pilots his tiny plane;

But I shall not fear his skillful hand,
My enemy charges only by land.
Would those who lead nations in war and hate
But lay down their guns at some garden gate,
There, bury- their bombs and their bloody deeds,
And join the grand army that’s fighting the weeds.
(Alma B. Eymann )

Hello Diary,

However, tomorrow, a week later I may be venturing outdoors looking like this,,,

Is it because of the virus one would ask?…. No, it is because of this….

It may look more like Christmas time at the North Pole than springtime on the prairies…. 🙂

Twas the night before Christmas
All quiet around the tree,
Not a creature were stirring
I were dreaming about the lottery.

No stockings were hung with care
I needed them…you know,
They keep my feet warm
While I am out shoveling snow.

Cookies and milk were set out for Santa
Just before I went to bed,
Unfortunately Santa didn’t get a crumb
The mouse ate them instead.

There were only one package
A large envelope under the tree,
It was seasons greetings
From the power company.

But I jumped out of bed
And I shouted with glee,
Why were I happy, one wonders
I woke up on the green side of the grass, you see.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller)

Well, I had better close for now, “Every morning your have two choices: continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them.” (Author Unknown), so will not let life’s challenges stand in the way and it is on down the path I shall go chasing those dreams… but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin” and the creeks don’t rise… 🙂

Yes, life’s challenges may make it difficult to venture out
But with technology I can visit places I thought I would never see
So with laptop in hand, I am on the road again
Learning more about the universe…..and me.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller)

“It is not easy to find happiness within ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.” (Agnes Repplier ) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )..

“The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no man has ever been before.” (Francis Phillip Wernig )…. 🙂

I awoke one morning, alone, in history’s past..
Left with a heart full of memories, a decision to make,
Confronted with two paths to my destiny..
Heart and mind to decide which one to take.

Take the one most traveled, the logical safe choice…
The one chosen by the multitudes..the human race,
Like sheep, following a path determined by another…
No self identity, all bearing the same face.

A most traveled path whose direction is chosen by a few
The rest to follow, ever so blind,
Their destiny not chosen by their own hand
Their fate determined, by a closed mind.

The other path less traveled, mysterious and unknown
Where one can be different, like me I confess,
Without fear of ridicule, bigotry  and hate
A path filled with love… and happiness.

A path less traveled where one can follow ones dreams
An open mind to see what others do not,
To live a life guided by one’s heart
While the other path one cannot.

Decision made, with eyes on the horizon
It’s down the path least traveled I do venture,
Excitement fills the air, a smile on the face
Looking forward to another great adventure.

My fate will be unknown, what lies ahead unsure
I do not know…. what my destiny will be,
But one thing will be certain, written in stone
I shall venture down that path …..being “ME“.
          (penned by Larry “Dutch” Woller)

Hello Diary,

With the life’s obstacles, weather, climate change or the virus thingy, seems a good number of people are at home or place of resident in today’s world… and with Easter observation (along with others) on the horizon, staying at home seems to impact those with religious ideologies…they are unable to visit churches, mosques, synagogues, etc…
Well, there was a time when those buildings did not exist, there was a time when there were no organized religious ideologies, no religious leadership… BUT, people still had a belief…. As the Chaplain told my late wife just before her passing “it is what is in the heart that is important, not a name above the door”… one does not need a building or a leader to believe in something…. as has been done for centuries, one can believe at home, perhaps better than anywhere else… 🙂

As the world knows, I am not into religious ideologies.. If I were so inclined, my home and garden would be my cathedral, the sky would be the roof…

The birds and other backyard friends would be the chorus…

And while everyone is different in appearance and thought, they would sing in harmony..

And, of course, this song is always on the program, right Ray?… 🙂

So you see, Diary, one doesn’t need a building or someone telling one how and what to believe, all one has to do is follow their heart no matter where they are at… “Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” (Roy T. Bennett )… 🙂

And speaking of following, the sun has rose, adventures are on the horizon, so had better close and follow my heart on down the path.. But I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise… 🙂

Yes, Diary, for whatever reason you may be confined to home, simply follow your heart and perhaps follow the advice of the Seekers…

“Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow remains a mystery, today is a new adventure. Greet it with open arms, a open heart, a open mind and a smile. Enjoy it because it won’t come again.” ( Larry “Dutch” Woller) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )..

Hello Diary,

Yes, there is turmoil in the universe but in spite of life’s obstacles, I gaze at the horizon, thankful for the opportunity to enjoy life’s journey with a open mind, heart and free spirit… 🙂

A time to contemplate the past
A time to give thanks…they say,
To relive treasured memories
Of each and every passing day.

Thanks for letting me feel love
Be it joy, or be it heartache,
To know someone’s love
A treasured feeling their love did make.

Thanks for letting me live life
To explore, to follow one’s dream,
To seek out and live every adventure
Not enough time in the day… it did seem.

Thanks for letting me meet friends
To share thoughts of love, hope..perhaps a tear,
And by going down the path together in friendship
Doing away with hate, anger….and fear.

Thanks for giving me the courage
To follow my own path…to be me,
To not follow someone else’s path
To live my own….. reality.

Thanks for giving me an open mind
As I venture down the path… allowing me,
To gaze upon life’s treasures, large and small
That many others do not see.

Thanks for giving me an open heart
Able to love, understand and forgive,
And when I grow too old to dream
A place where my memories will live.

Yes, I have much to be thankful for
And every day the list gets longer… you see,
As I venture down the path least traveled
Searching for what destiny… has waiting for me.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller )

Yes, Diary, I woke up on the green side of the grass, I am able to see the sun rise and I have the world at my fingertips.. I hear the sounds of my backyard friends as they follow their destiny while I prepare for my next adventure… it is a wonderful world indeed… 🙂

And I shall close for now, I thought I saw a rainbow on the horizon and life’s adventures are calling…but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

No matter the obstacle
Neither rain, sleet or snow,
With a song in my heart
It’s on down the path I shall go.

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain” (Author Unknown) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )..

I have shared this before, but in the face of conflict and turmoil, decided to share again…. 🙂

“Portrait of a Friend”

I can’t give solutions to all of life’s problems, doubts,
or fears. But I can listen to you, and together we will
search for answers.

I can’t change your past with all it’s heartache and pain,
nor the future with its untold stories.
But I can be there now when you need me to care.

I can’t keep your feet from stumbling.
I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and not fall.
Your joys, triumphs, successes, and happiness are not mine;
Yet I can share in your laughter.

Your decisions in life are not mine to make, nor to judge;
I can only support you, encourage you,
and help you when you ask.

I can’t prevent you from falling away from friendship,
from your values, from me.
I can only think of you, talk to you and wait for you.

I can’t give you boundaries which I have determined for you,
But I can give you the room to change, room to grow,
room to be yourself.

I can’t keep your heart from breaking and hurting,
But I can cry with you and help you pick up the pieces
and put them back in place.

I can’t tell you who you are or who you will be
I can only love you and be your friend
(Adam Clarke)

Hello Diary,

Yes, there is turmoil, conflict and other life’s challenges in today’s world but change is in the air… “For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.” (John F. Kennedy )…

And in spite of challenges, here on the path spring has arrived and my backyard friends, and visitors, are busy following their dreams on their journey of happiness… the rose has awakened from it’s winter sleep…

The tulips and daylilies are making their presence known…

And while I briefly ventured out into the gardens, a Mr. Robin paused in his journey to see what I was doing… 🙂

Yes, no matter the storms of life, “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”( Louisa May Alcott), here on the path we are making those changes as we continue our journey of happiness…

Happiness is to have loved
Than have not loved at all,
To share love with another
To always heed one’s heart call.

Happiness is to follow one’s dream
To be who one wishes to be,
To live one’s own life one’s own way
Not live the life of another, you see.

Happiness is always waking up on
The green side of the grass,
Even though the day may be stormy
Knowing it too shall pass.

Happiness is knowing another
A understanding, caring friend,
Someone to share life’s memories with
A friendship to never end.

Happiness is to pen thoughts
Let the fingers do the walking,
Thoughtful words that come  from within
Because the heart does the talking.

Happiness is knowing when to end a poem
For it is down life’s highway I need to venture,
To gather more memories and thoughts to share
As I live, and enjoy, tomorrow’s new adventure.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller)

Yes, Diary, today I woke up on the green side of the grass and are able to follow my dreams and live today’s adventure and that makes it a zip-a-dee-do-dah day!.. 🙂

Well, I had better close for now.. have a spot of tea and will venture the world and see how my friends and others are doing… but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise… 🙂

A spirit born free, that’s me… 🙂

While sipping a spot of tea
And relaxing in the morning time,
While contemplating my tomorrows
Thought I’d pen some thoughts that rhyme.

As I venture through my life
With each step, all the while being me,
An open mind, a heart of dreams
A spirit, enjoying being free.

A spirit that views another
As another feels, wishes to be,
In a realm of acceptance
So another can enjoy being free.

Free…. to love another
No color, gender or race,
Only to know and feel happiness
No social walls to face.

Free to live life as one chooses
Fallow a dream, the heart would say,
Free to walk ones own path of life
Filled with adventures along the way.

There are those who would color me different
Many to gaze upon me with dismay,
But unlike them, I’ve found happiness
Because I chose to live life my way.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller)

“No matter the pain or suffering, it is always better if it’s a burden shared by two, instead of a weight carried by one alone”… (Larry “Dutch” Woller) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )..

In today’s world with turmoil, it is unfortunate that there closed minded elements of the world’s societies using turmoil and conflicts for their own personal gain, caring little for others… not so here on the path as here there is a dream and hope.. “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul – and sings the tunes without the words – and never stops at all.” (Emily Dickinson)… 🙂

I peer out my window
At a world cold and bleak,
A world of conflict, anger and hate
Mortals are suffering as I speak.

But we have a dream
All my friends and I,
That one day there will be peace
No more mortals will die.

And there will be hope
Of a world filled with love one day,
A wish that could come true
For hope is the last to die…they say.

Not a world of race, color or gender
Nor closed minded ridicule or prejudice…you see,
But a world that respects another’s dream
Of what or who they wish to be.

So I peer out the window
Not with sadness, fear or sorrows,
But a heart filled with a dream of love and peace
For all the world and all its tomorrows.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller)

“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” (Roy T. Bennett )..

Hello Diary,

Yes, a world in turmoil and conflict at the moment… and here on the path have been slowly preparing for changes in the future, but not forgetting those that may be less fortunate than me.. As I gaze about the world, I saw many “in the trenches”, on the “front lines” trying to help as best they can… While I am unable to help them physically, I decided to open the piggy bank and share what I could to help those help others… “When a friend is in trouble, don’t annoy the friend by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it.”…

Planned Parenthood… “When we begin to build walls of prejudice, hatred, pride, and self-indulgence around ourselves, we are more surely imprisoned than any prisoner behind concrete walls and iron bars.” (Mother Angelica)….

Unicef….“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.” (Dwight D. Eisenhower)

Salvation Army… “What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or in the holy name of liberty or democracy?” ( Mahatma Gandhi)…

E.I. Foodbank… “When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.” (Helder Camara)….

DSC…. “At the end of the day people may not remember what you said or did, but they will remember how you made them feel.” (Maya Angelou )….

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” (Barack Obama )..

Well, I had better close for now… life’s challenges, adventures and my destiny are all waiting for me, but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise… 🙂

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” (Abraham Lincoln )