“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) 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… 🙂

Hello Diary,

Have been busy taking care of business, stopping the world briefly to share a few thoughts… this weekend is Memorial Day weekend here on the prairies, a time set aside to remember the women and men who served this country, some sacrificing it all… we should not forget the families and friends who sacrificed also…  🙂

I did serve, upheld my oath of service, but I did so with sadness because while in Vietnam I seen first hand the needless suffering that conflict had wrought, mainly to a people who were caught between two ideologies and suffered the most, who were willing to live and let live peacefully but had no voice in the matter, their destiny dictated by many who would not feel or witness the suffering…. “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)…  🙂

 

I am setting down… 🙂

We were volunteers, one and all
So Noble.. Proud.. and Brave,
Did not know the reasons for  war
Just a people from tyranny to save!

Glasses held high, we made an toast
Surely that Victory would rule the day!
While back at home, the voices of unrest
Not a kind word for  us did they say.

Some could not vote, children were we
Some could not drink, but still our battle cry,
Even with all that we could not do
For us children, it was to do or die!

Vietnam were a beautiful land
The people were caring and kind,
The children at play, following their dreams
The thoughts of conflict did not to come to mind.

But for us , Vietnam was a hostile land
The dangers of conflict abound,
Whether the paddies of Vietnam or the fields of home,
Seemed for us, not a friend could be found.

But we proudly  gave it our all
Faced  our destiny, with a hint of fear of tomorrow
Some to return to a mother’s joy
Some to return to a mother’s sorrow.

So should you be looking on today
One more toast,  hold your glasses high,
To PEACE, HOPE and LOVE, may they long endure
CHEERS, LADS AND LASSIES!!!.. And SEMPER FI
     ( Sgt, Larry “Dutch” Woller, 12th Marine Regiment, Vietnam, 1965–1966...)

“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom” (Isaac Asimov) … 🙂 I have a better idea and we can celebrate peace and living, not conflict and dying.. 🙂

I set here looking at the news
The powers wanted peace they say,
And while they spoke, bombs were dropped
20 children died that day!

What’s wrong with this idea?
Why not give PEACE a try,
Let’s give it a go, everyone
Maybe no more children will die 

Smiles on their faces, while shaking hands
Arms deals for defense would come into play,
A bomb went off in a crowded market
10 children died that day.

What’s wrong with this idea?
Why not give UNDERSTANDING a try,
Let’s give it a go, everyone
Maybe no more children will die 

 A war to end all wars, they said
Yet to war they always return,
Death, destruction, suffering and pain
Won’t they every learn?

What’s wrong with this idea?
Let’s give LEARNING a try,
Let’s give it a go, everyone
Maybe no more children will die. 

 Anger versus anger, hate versus hate
Seeds sown by war at home and away,
Starvation , sickness, a mother in tears
More and more children die every day.

What’s wrong with this idea?
Why not give LOVE a try,
Let’s give it a go, everyone
Maybe no more children will die.
( Larry “Dutch” Woller) 

Well, I had better close, life’s adventures are calling, along with the chores and laundry.. But I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…  🙂

May your spirit only know peace
May your heart only know love
May all your dreams come true
May your life’s journey be filled with happiness
And life is all that you wish for it to be….
                       (Larry “Dutch” Woller)

Our wish for all; “Is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.” (Agnes M. Pharo) 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… 🙂

Hello Diary,

The new year is filled with changes and even though life occasionally puts some storms in my path “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” (Louisa May Alcott), and I have no regrets for I follow my heart and for the most part do it my way even though I may have had to adjust the sails from time to time… I do not complain for there are those who have have life worse than I so I just put a band-aid on my wounds and venture on down the path “Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow them.” (Louisa May Alcott)…  🙂

Change in many forms, are ongoing and coming and by working together we can make this world a better place even though we may be different, “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 ) … so I wake up every morning with a open mind and a heart full of hope,  dreams, understanding and love and follow my heart…  🙂

There is much we can do and what we do may seem small at first glance, but “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” ( Mother Teresa) …  and there may be times when we feel like we are doing it alone, but together we can make a difference and make 2023 a better year and the world a better world for everyone..  “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” ( Maria Robinson )…. 🙂

 

And here on the path we can continue to follow our dream filled with hope because “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)… 🙂

Hope is a feather floating in a bright blue sky
Hope is that sparkle that shines in your eyes.
Hope is a butterfly fluttering on the wind
Hope is good times spent with family and friends.

Hope is a newborn baby’s cry
Hope is a Mother’s lullaby.
Hope is the rainbow after a rain
Hope is the harvest of golden grain.

Hope is the light that keeps darkness at bay
Hope is the breeze on a hot summer day.
Hope is ever present and free of cost
Hope is the last thing ever lost.

Hope is staying positive when the going gets tough
Hope is seeking help when you feel you’ve had enough.
Hope is recovery from simmering sorrow
Hope is believing in a brighter tomorrow.
                    (Linda Hotger)

Well, I had better close for now, getting ready for the new “normal” and the future and the challenges and adventures it may bring, a year filled with hope and dreams,  but I shall return again one day, Fate willin’ and the creeks don’t rise..  🙂

Roses are red
Violets are blue,
Thoughts from the heart
I’m sending to you.

Not just another  day, my friend
For in spite of time, distance or whatever,
If only in spirit and thought
We’ll be sharing this day together.

So, have a wonderful day, my friend
Wishing you all the best, nothing less,
May today, every day, AND your heart
Be filled…...with love and happiness.
    (Larry “Dutch” Woller)

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness, and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” (Audrey Hepburn)… 🙂

“Life gives us brief moments with another, but sometimes in those brief moments we get memories that last a lifetime, So live that your memories will be part of your happiness.” (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… 🙂

Hello Diary,

Today is Mother’s Day here on the prairie and I were not sure I would be able to post today because of the weather… I know I mentioned Moms briefly in my last post but today I  thought I would leave some thoughts for those of us whose Mom’s have left this mortal world and will not be here physically, but will always be with us in our hearts..  🙂

My Mom…:)

My late wife, partner in life and BFF, Kathy… 🙂

There is no doubt in my mind that the Mom's of this universe would pass on the words of Alena Hakala Meadowsf  and  Merrit Malloy to their children and families...  🙂

When tomorrow starts without me
And I’m not here to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
Filled with tears for me.

I wish so much you wouldn’t cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things 
We didn’t get to say.

I know how much you love me
As much as I love you,
And each time you think of me
I know you’ll miss me too.

When tomorrow starts without me
Don’t think we’re far apart,
For every time you think of me
I’m right there in your heart.
     (Alena Hakala Meadows)

When I die 
Give what's left of me away 
To children 
And old men that wait to die.
 
And if you need to cry, 
Cry for your brother 
Walking the street beside you. 
And when you need me, 
Put your arms 
Around anyone 
And give them 
What you need to give to me.

I want to leave you something, 
Something better 
Than words 
Or sounds.

Look for me 
In the people I've known 
Or loved, 
And if you cannot give me away, 
At least let me live on your eyes 
And not on your mind.

You can love me most 
By letting 
Hands touch hands, 
By letting 
Bodies touch bodies, 
And by letting go 
Of children 
That need to be free.

Love doesn't die, 
People do. 
So, when all that's left of me 
Is love, 
Give me away.
(Epitaph, Merrit Malloy) 

Will close for now to venture down memory lane this Mother’s day but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise..  🙂

Hope you ae having the moistest, wonderfulest, bestest Mother’s day ever filled with happiness and love and 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 heart only know love and happiness
On your journey through life.
     (Larry “Dutch” Woller)

“We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving. And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.” (Louisa May Alcott ) 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… 🙂

Before I start to ramble I would like to take this moment to pay tribute to all the Moms in the universe, they are the foundation of the universe.. They do not get the thanks and praise that they so richly deserve and I hope that one day the universe will appreciate the sacrifice they make to be a mom, “ The love a mother has for her children is legendary, it is said a child is the mother’s heart outside her body.”  (Author Unknown)….  🙂

Hello Diary,

Haven’t been online much the past few days, due to the weather… haven’t had any severe weather but the internet provider uses the old phone cable for their internet and the cable is notorious for carrying electrical charges created by lightning and can damage anything connect to it, can even cause fires…so when the thunder roars, it is off the internet we go.. Have seen many mornings looking like this (photo take last weekend;

“Red sky in the morning, sailors warning”… 🙂

But I do not let that stop me from living life because “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain”. (Author Unknown)… 🙂

And while offline I will be taking care of my wealth, which may not be the same as most… 🙂

I’m far richer than the rich
Wealthier than the wealthy by far,
I have gold in the sun
I have silver in the star.

I have dreams that I follow
That are more precious than gold,
As I venture through life
Eagerly watching the dreams unfold.

I have diamonds, too many to count
With each new fallen snow,
As I watch each one twinkle
Basking in the suns glow.

I have nature’s painting
Priceless, a portrait of the sky,
Impossible to duplicate
Though many did try.

 Each bloom of the red rose
A ruby, one of a kind,
And with the white rose
A pearl comes to mind.

Money have I none
But wealth I have got,
And  I don’t fit in with
The wealthy and rich lot.

But I’m not going to change
A rich dreamer I’ll stay,
Till the rivers run dry
And the four winds blow away.
       (Larry “Dutch” Woller )

Yes, here on the path it is a wonderful world indeed… 🙂

Well, I had better close for now, more storms on the horizon.. I will catch up with everyone because “Life gives us brief moments with another, but sometimes in those brief moments we get memories that last a lifetime, So live that your memories will be part of your hapness.” (Author Unknown), so I will return again one day, Fate (and the weather) be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise… 🙂

Hope your journey is filled with happiness and the path is paved with love and 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 heart only know love and happiness
On your journey through life.
     (Larry “Dutch” Woller)

“No road is too long for him who advances slowly and does not hurry, and no attainment is beyond his reach who equips himself with patience to achieve it.” (Jean de La Bruyere ) 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… 🙂

Hello Diary,

Stopped the world briefly, have a cup of Earl Gray and thought I would share some positive thoughts  to calm the waters and chase those dark clouds away… have been dealing with the world and life’s challenges and it can be daunting at times, “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”… 🙂

But one will press on because “Becoming free is learning about yourself; the scared and the insecure, the brilliant and the bold. Embrace both and the journey is yours and yours alone. No longer are you following another’s directions and your path and purpose will present themselves. Only then might you find another wandering soul doing the same thing, who can walk with you but on their own journey. All of a sudden you might find a shared passion and a wrinkled map on the trail that makes sense.”  (Riitta Klint)…  🙂

 

And as John Paul Jones said “ I have yet begun to fight” so there are no white flags here as I continue to follow my dream and if I cannot accomplish what I wish today, there is always tomorrow… 🙂 So, with a smile on my face and a heart full of memories and dreams, it is down the path I venture, even if it is one that is least traveled…. 🙂

It is down the path least traveled I do go
To a rainbow filled horizon I  venture,
To seek, to learn, to know peace, to enjoy life
A path filled with wonderful adventure.

It is a place where one is accepted as who they are
A spirit kindled to life, when mortal born,
A free spirit coming from the depths within
And not subject to ridicule and scorn.

It is a place where I know freedom of thought and being
I am what I am, don’t you see,
Neither this one, nor that one, but all the above
In a mortal world, a free spirit, that’s me.

I do not travel the path alone, you see
There are memories, friends and spirits to behold,
Friends and spirits that share... the joys and sadness
As I gather more memories, down that least traveled road.

So how long will my journey be, one would ask
Will I see the end of the path...ever?
The answer, I believe, lies on the horizon
Somewhere past... the 12th of Never….

So I shall bring my ramblings to an end
For there is one fact that I do know,
To reach the horizon, the 12th of Never
It’s down the path least traveled I must go!
      (Larry “Dutch” Woller )

And as you travel down your path of life, remember hope never goes away.. 🙂

Time flies, and memories fade.
People change and new friendships are made.
Only the true remain forever at our side.
Eventually the disappointment and pain will subside.

It is all about the journey and what has yet to come.
Life is what you make of it; you are what you've become.
Life is too short to hold onto regrets.
Forgiveness is key even though you may never forget.

Cherish the good and remove the bad.
Some people don't realize till it's gone what they've had.
Moving on is a way of life.
There will always be obstacles, pain, and strife.

You must believe that you are strong enough to fight.
You have to believe in yourself to do what is right.
Always do for YOU no matter what you do,
Because in the end the only one who has your back is you.

Never be afraid to take a stand,
And always be willing to lend a helping hand.
A little bit goes a long way.
All it takes is a smile to brighten someone's day.

Your chance to live is now, so what are you waiting for?
The world is yours for the taking and so much more.
Endless possibilities are forever at your disposal.
The chance to live another day is life's golden proposal.

Never let anyone tear you down,
And never let anyone steal your shine and make you frown.
So will you sit in the shadows and let darkness win again?
Or will you rise up and make the light your friend?
                                                       (Hollianne Boucher)

And in spite of differences, distance and time, we shall work together, hand in hand, to make this world a better place, the way old friends do… 🙂

An speaking of venturing down the path, it is time I close and prepare for the adventure...but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…  🙂

Hope your path is paved with love and happiness and until we meet again…

May your troubles be less
Your blessings be more
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door
May the sun shine all day long
Everything go right, nothing go wrong
May those you love bring love back to you
And may all the wishes you wish come true
                       (Irish Saying)