J. Charlyne Doerle @ 80! (8/21/12)

Hard to believe you’ve reached this milestone so quickly,
Why it seems like yesterday we acknowledged your 70th!

Along the way, you’ve remained solid as a rock,
Ever kind, ever diligent, ever giving of your talents and offerings.

I’ve never heard a cross word uttered from your lips,
Rather, heaps of affirming, inspiring words are dominant.

You’re known to have infused me with musical hope,
Via supportive patience and commitment to the learning process.

Your presence and efforts have kept Starting Anew a vital force,
Lending organization and leadership initiatives so constant.

One-of-a-kind you are, worthy of life’s best offerings,
While we celebrate the blessings your humanity has brought.

Happy Birthday Char, with enduring love and appreciation!

Nate

Nate the Great at 69 By Sandra Bender - Poem

Do I dare say it? My honey, my lover, my constant companion
is getting older.
When we met, he walked in bounds--I could not keep up.
He is slower now.
The hands that held balls of various shapes, the arms that threw them, the legs that carried them down the field
succumbed to the sting of a nest of wasps.
His ears have failed, yet he persists in seeking
the finest technology to maintain his status as the great communicator.

As his body brings challenges, his spirit blazes new trails.
He is the heart of the family tenderly nurturing our children
who ache with challenges of their own.
He listens, he consoles, he confronts, he inspires.
He has discovered his brain and delights in using it.
New ideas come to him, such as unifying differences, left and right, male and female, religious and spiritual--he appreciates all.
And did I mention cheese? Nate makes several varieties--classic mozzarella, soupy or crumbly, and always delicious.

His love is sweeter now, more reliable, less distracted.
Years have worn defenses and protections away,
leaving pure presence.
Yearning for distant lands and adventures have made way for contentment.
What will the future bring for the man with everything?

Poem - "A Walk"

"A Walk"

My eyes already touch the sunny hill,
going far ahead of the road I have begun.
So we are grasped by what we cannot grasp;
it has its inner light, even from a distance —

and changes us, even if we do not reach it,
into something else, which, hardly sensing it, we already are;
a gesture waves us on, answering our own wave ...
but what we feel is the wind in our faces.
“”
"The Walk" by Rainer Maria Rilke (1924)
Translated by Robert Bly

Mother’s Day 2012 - Poem

Another chance to honor your well-worn status!
How about a marching band bearing a Clematis?
Or maybe with an early morning snuggle,
Sharing nocturnal doings, complete with a giggle.
Followed by a cup of espresso brewed coffee,
Made to decidedly resemble a latte.
How about a walk in the refreshing Spring air,
Celebrating your evolving stamina so fair?
How about lunch at the Purple Parrot,
Selecting from a gluten-free menu containing a carrot?
All the while, let’s savor the mothering role you’ve embraced,
Creating vital nourishment to a blended cast of characters,
All the while making your Hubby grateful and proud!


Happy Mothers Day Sandra
From your Hubby Dear

Valentine's Day Poems

Will You Be My Valentine, Will Ya!

Cautiously tentative in our initial encounters,

Evolving quickly, once the commitment lights went on!

Resulting in present-day’s deep and enduring love potion.

With openness to learn and grow,

Ever refining the process in which two people navigate,

Each with very different ‘operational styles’.

We’ve reached an important juncture in this, the autumn of our lives,

Offering time to cherish the love we share,

Knowing our health and well-being is thereby infused,

Leaving residue for family and friends to glean as well.

Happy Valentine’s Day 2012, Sandra!!!!!

Your endearing Hubby Nate



Yes, I will be Your Valentine, Yes!


When the spring buds open on the azaleas

And the rains bring humidity and warmth

Yes! I will be your valentine!


When the summer vegetables are planted

And the squash bugs and caterpillars feast on them

Yes! I will be your valentine!


When the fall winds blow the leaves off the oaks and maples

And we hurry to cover the water faucets

Yes! I will be your valentine!


When our grandchildren look into our eyes

With awe and expectation

Yes! I will be your valentine!


When our hair is white and thin

And our bodies struggle to keep up with our spirits

Yes! I will be your valentine!


As we walk down that unknown trail

Of physical indifference and spiritual perfection

Yes! I will still be your valentine!


Your ever-lovin' wife,

Sandra

Divine Joy - Poem

Two days post-election so transformational
Begets a mid-morning bike trek on our Long Leaf Trace.

Amid the droppings of Autumn leaves and pine needles
Complemented by southwest breezes and temperatures quite mild.

Ample time and place for savoring new windows of hope
Generating exhilarating connections to the Source of it all.

Fears, deceptions and prevarications now replaced with possibilities,
Secretiveness and isolation now replaced with transparency and humility.

Polarizing spirits being replaced by opportunities for respect and acceptance
Recognizing the oneness in all of God’s creatures, regardless of orientation.

Great God Almighty, how great it is to be alive and relevant again!


Nate Bender – 11/6/08

Of Ignorance and Intractability - Poem

It can be said we live in a polarizing society/world,
Marked by binary positions from which lives are shaped:
Conservative vs Liberal
Republican vs Democrat vs Libertarian vs Independent
Republican in name only (RINO)
Democrat in name only (DINO)
Tea Partier vs all of the above
Regulators vs free enterprisers
Socialism vs Capitalism
Organized Laborers vs Non-organized labor
1 percenters vs 99 percenters
Rich vs poor
Believers vs non-religious
White vs Black vs Brown vs Yellow
Sunni vs Shiite
Jew vs Gentile
Main Stream vs Evangelical vs Fundamentalism
On and on the delineations are formed,
Generating uncompromising adherence to narrowly defined sets of dogma,
Accompanied by distortions of truth and designations of ‘the enemy.’
Ignorance of different ‘maps of reality,’
Make fertile, the ground for division and separation in the world community,`
While diminishing shared common pathways to enlightenment or salvation.
Ultimately, we sacrifice living with unity of purpose,
And potential for enriching the human condition.
The challenges are daunting, yet hold opportunity for creative change.

Nathan J. Bender 2/4/2012

Bill Holm poem

‎"For it is life we want. We want the world. The whole beautiful world, alive -- and we alive in it. That is the actual God we long for and seek. Yet we have already found it, if we open our senses, our whole bodies, thus our souls. That is why I have written and intend to continue until someone among you takes up the happy work of keeping the chain letter of the soul moving along into whatever future will come." by Bill Holm, my Minnesota soul brother!

Bill Holm poetic narrative

‎"If you want to know what I'm really like, at bottom, what I think -- of you, God or the state of the world -- arrange to hide (very discreetly, so early in the morning) and listen. It's my own song of myself, and I will tell you more than Walt Whitman ever did." from 'I begin the day in my sixty fifth year' by Bill Holm, my Minnesota soul brother

25th Anniversary Sentiments - from Jon, Emily, & Gus

How to Celebrate a Beautiful Anniversary:

Recall the years you've spent together,
making a home, building a life.
Each year is a unique blend
of ups and downs, fresh starts,
and happy endings.
Replay the memories.
Retell the stories.

Reaffirm the friendship
at the heart of your romance.
To be loved for who you are is a rare gift.
Hold hands.
Laugh a lot.
No matter how busy life is,
make time for togetherness.

Reflect upon the lessons
time has taught you.
The importance of patience,
the art of compromise.
The healing power of forgiveness.
Marriage takes effort
and giving with your whole hearts.
Be proud of what you have together.

Renew your commitment,
knowing that a good marriage
is a lifetime of "I do's."
Savor the privilege of being companions
on life's journey.
Daydream about all
that's still to come.

In this great big world,
you found just the right person
to love,
just the right person
to love you.
And you get to spend the rest of your life
with that one special someone.
On your anniversary
and every day of your marriage,
Remember how lucky you are....and be happy.

Congratulations!

25 years!
What a great example for our marriage.
I/we hope you have another great year.

JB, EB, AB (Gus says 'a-glasha-asha')

I Married Santa Claus - Sandra's poem 2011

He is not a gardner.
He leaves that space for me,
the most beautiful space on the property.
Instead, he lifts boards, shovels gravel into the right places,
mows the lawn, and plants trees.

He is not a cook.
He allows me the creative work of making our food
just the way I want it.
Instead, he cleans the kitchen after I have littered it with pots, spoons, cutting boards, and vegetable peels
from end to end.

He is not a handyman.
He allows me to hire help to build my projects
with hardly a question about the cost.
Instead, he drives me to my parents’ graves
to place Christmas flowers, to the mall
to search for presents, and to doctors’ appointments
that both of us prefer to avoid.

I said that he had never decorated our house for Christmas.
He disappeared to bring home poinsettas
and a Christmas wreath, which he installed
on the mantle.
Did I say he maintains the car and truck
and arranges vacations?

When I married him twenty-five years ago
I fell into a pot of honey.
Instead of a belly of jelly, my husband has a heart
as large as his enormous spirit.
He is my Santa Claus.

Merry Christmas from your loving wife,
Sandra

On Our 25th Wedding Anniversary 1/1/2012 - poem

Holy cow, 25 years have passed!
We’ve achieved an important mark upon which to take note.
Having weathered the challenges & storms of blending a family,
Amidst managing careers, holding periods of economic uncertainty,
Along with geographic relocation, disease, care giving duties, and deaths,
We hold dear the continued unfolding and recreation of our relationship,
Marked by authentic encounters, allowing safety to fully self-express,
And freedom to discover our individual passions and callings.
Through it all, we just might be role models of possibility to family and friends,
Further complementing the meaning and value of our union.
While twenty five more years fits into the realm of possibility,
Let it be known far and wide, the past twenty five have been the best ever!
Happy anniversary, my dear Sandra, and bring on the rest!


Nathan J. Bender, himself

Merry Christmas 2011 to Sandra - Poem

Marking the 27th Christmas over the years we have known each other,
This one holds a special place, worthy of poetic composition!

During this season of acknowledging joy and thanksgiving,
Clearly, we have much to celebrate, in this our 8th retirement-phase Christmas.

Let’s celebrate the freedom and security resident in our everyday lives,
Allowing new ventures and adventures in support of our individual spirits.

Let’s revel in next generation family expansion, now in full bloom,
Calling forth new challenges and opportunities as parents and grandparents.

Around the corner, another benchmark awaits,
So let’s gather up our travel gear and presents and head to D.C.!

Your devoted Hubby Dear

August Bender’s 3rd Birthday 11/27/2011 - Poem

How can it be, August is now three?
As tall as a tree he is not,
Taller than when he was two it is for sure!

Ever growing in mind, body and spirit,
Leaving behind some of those old toddler ways,
While showing signs of nearing pre-schooler status.

With a will of his strong-minded anscestry,
And a facility to physically engage his world,
He’s laying stepping stones that define his future.

With blond curly hair, like mom and dad once had,
August marks a presence both unique and alluring,
While entering the 4th year of his evolving life.

What’s on the horizon?
A sibling in the making it appears to be,
Further enriching August’s developmental path.

Happy Birthday August!

Grandpa Bender

Claude Williams - Poem

More than fifty years have elapsed since Claude and I first met,
During those innocent times at Ellsworth Junior College.

Standing 6’ 6” in all, the most gifted athlete I ever played with
or competed against on the basketball court.

As an elementary school teacher,
He became one of the most exceptional in the Los Angeles system.

A seeker he was, evidenced by venturing into owning a trucking rig,
And developing his interests in owning and breeding horses.

Through the years, he’s held a special place in my life and soul,
Cementing a brotherly bond, unmatched by my own blood brothers.

Opening his home and family for support and comfort,
During the darkest periods of my life.

Now in the throes of physical and mental decline,
Heightened by a stroke, and relegated to a nursing home.

In the doings of his daughter Jennifer’s wedding,
A current day reunion took place in Dana Point, California.

Reminiscing held special appeal, though lacking some clarity,
Yet validating his special place in my life journey,

Thank you Claude for the love and support you have bestowed on me,
I am forever grateful and humbled by you and your family.

“Odie”

11/12/2011

Happy 14th Birthday Samantha (Poem)

Girl, it’s hard to believe you’ve come this far, so quickly!
An adolescent, through and through, it can be said of you,
With signs of the next stage very much in view.

Leaving behind those formative years of yore,
You continue a life-long journey of growth and development,
Leaving friends and family awestruck and pleasured.

So strike up the band, we’ll dance a jig,
For celebrating another bench mark is a worthy cause,
Knowing Papa Nate is leading with a waltz no less!

Happy Birthday Samantha, with supportive joy from Petal, MS!



11/4/2011

On Sandra’s 67th Birthday - Poem

Marking the passage of time and its ties to the evolving web of life,
Your 67th remains worthy of noting your station in this ongoing process.

More than one year into a retirement era, sans Mother Gray,
Your transition to a more balanced life style is most apparent.

Your spirit has become lighter and your vitality advanced to a higher level,
Offering expanded opportunities to knock off bucket-list junkets!

While you may never find value in living without projects,
You evidence signs of being able to ‘drift,’ modeled by Hubby’s flare for such!

You keep distinguishing yourself among friends, family and classmates,
Validating your humanity, interests and continuing accomplishments.

So let your recently crowned status of ‘most-successful’ inspire you
To keep up the good work and reach for the stars!

With loving feelings from your cohort and cheer-leader, Nate

10/12/2011

Happy 13th Birthday, Max - Poem

10/7/2011

Hard to believe Max has entered teen-hood,
That important milestone in his march toward adult-hood!
So let’s dispense with the ado,
And get on with eating some celebratory goo,
While toasting the child Max was, along with the young man he is becoming.

Above all else, here’s to toasting the special person he’s been from day-one!

Max, you da man, and know I’m the president of your fan club,
So keep on keeping on, while we all live in awe.


Papa Nate

Autumn in Mississippi - Poem

10/4/2011

Lured by weather so cool and pure,
Seasonal callings to drift and envelop the sensations therein,
Only to be enriched by biking on the Long Leaf Trace.

Testing the effect of recently begun spinning classes
While letting internal musings flow to and fro,
Zeroing in on future plans and undertakings.

Fellow trekkers predictably friendly,
Naturally acknowledging each other’s shared presence in the bosom of nature,
Heightening feelings of connectivity with fellow travelers, young and old.

Noting increased strength and endurance,
Extending the effort beyond 20 miles became tempting,
Knowing ‘everything in moderation’ is best for living long and well!

Invigorated by the morning journey,
Realizing my newly formed exercise regimen
Will likely prevent knee replacement in the near run.

So blessed it is to have time and health to savor life,
A life held in retirement, where ‘bucket-lists’ can be fulfilled,
And the aging process augmented by expanding community of friends and family.

Nate Bender

Recount of 50th High School Reunion - Poem

Though fifty years have passed
So much residue still remains
Of a time and place
Seemingly long forgotten
Only to be rekindled
In the gathering of so many ‘strangers’
Most holding no current-day connection
Resulting in regression to a long-ago memory bank
Complete with old patterns of communication
Evoking memories and sensations of alienation
Memories of ‘I don’t fit here’
In a region no longer tied to Home
Infused with customs most secular
Leaving religious doings quite separate
GMO Industrial Farming replacing sustainable methods
Corrupting the purity of by-gone days
Departing for Home in Mississippi
Became a relief
Embracing more suitable ties.

Nate Bender 7/9/2011