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Beth Patterson

The courage to see clearly

Visit  for a plethora of poems about the November 16 prompt: courage

Competing in triathlons

she is an inspirational speaker.

Climbing mountains

she plays guitar and sings beautifully.

Living alone

she laughs at herself

stays positive, serene and connected.

While describing the autumn sky to her

somehow she knows that particular quality of  blue better than I ever will.

Unassuming, she captures our hearts.

Blind since birth

she helps us see.

Written in honor of a new friend, Nancy S. who moved into the Central Oregon community less than 6 months ago and already has more friends than you can shake a stick at.  Nancy and Koko, her chocolate lab side-kick, go everywhere together. Nancy's an amazing presence (Koko's not too shabby herself!) and we're honored to have them both in our lives.

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing by Carl Pawlowski    

One Single Impression is a community of poets writing and sharing haiku and other poetic forms. Each week a prompt is offered to our muses to see what they cook up! Please visit the site for excellent poems on each prompt. Better yet, come play with us!
Published Sunday, November 16, 2008 11:07 AM by Beth Patterson

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Comments

 

sue said:

inspirational; a wonderful tribute to Nancy (and Koko -- what a face!).

November 16, 2008 11:29 AM
 

Deborah Godin said:

Wonderful tribute to friendship and true courage.

November 16, 2008 12:21 PM
 

Anthony North said:

A marvellous tribute. Such examples should be known to all.

November 16, 2008 1:05 PM
 

Jim said:

Even before your mention of the blindness I was thinking of courage worthy of praise.  She was just doing so much as even a sighted person. [Note, every male ancestor since and including my great great grandfather became blind, I can use inspiration from the likes of Nancy.]

Is Koko a seeing eye dog?

..

Re my poem, I would like to thing that the consideration, temporary perhaps, for his mother was the reason for his slight demonstration of courage.  Mostly he was an example of being cowardly to the ultimate degree (suicide).

Except for the change of course this would be a poem with a slight insight to a coward's thinking.

..

November 16, 2008 4:35 PM
 

Jim said:

I was attempting something a little on the dark sight with a halfway decent outcome.

..

November 16, 2008 4:36 PM
 

Beth Patterson said:

Yes, Koko is Nancy's seeing eye dog, extraordinaire!

November 16, 2008 5:23 PM
 

SandyCarlson said:

That's a wonderful,humbling, beautiful poem. Thanks.

November 16, 2008 5:32 PM
 

Sandy said:

I am so impressed with her courage, and your words.

November 17, 2008 12:37 AM
 

Edward S. Gault said:

She sounds extrordinary, some people have the ability to teach and inspire just by the way they lead their lives.

Nice Poem.

November 17, 2008 1:28 AM
 

qualcosa di bello said:

& it is an honor that you share her with us!  i did not expect the ending... all i could think when i reached it was "wow"

November 17, 2008 9:24 AM
 

Tumblewords said:

A lovely tribute! Inspirational.

November 17, 2008 12:35 PM
 

zoya gautam said:

.."inspirational; a wonderful tribute to Nancy (and Koko -- what a face!)"_

..many thanks..

November 17, 2008 1:32 PM
 

Christine said:

So heartwarming; thanks for sharing this insight into courage.

November 17, 2008 5:19 PM
 

Beth said:

Hello all you fine folk--

Glad your hearts are being touched by this small tribute to Nancy--

Thanks for stopping by and paying your own tributes to courage...

November 17, 2008 8:25 PM
 

gautami said:

November 18, 2008 11:30 AM
 

Tammy said:

What a beautiful new friend and her companion is adorable. Lovely tribute!

November 20, 2008 12:07 AM

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About Beth Patterson

The Virtual Tea House website became 'word-ripe' when, over a cup of jasmine green, I realized that the web has an expanding part to play in the communal aspects of spiritual growth.
One of my favorite hats, among several is: initiated firekeeper in the Sacred Fire Community. Hosting a monthly community fire circle, I'm being taught that the simple act of sitting around a fire with the intent of holding open-hearted space makes for some soulful community!
With a master's degree in religion, my career spans 20 years in end of life care and I currently work in the field of child abuse intervention and advocacy.
Here in beautiful Central Oregon, my spiritual homes of the high desert and the mountains are both in proximity. And for good measure, four hours away is Grandmother Ocean and the stunning Oregon Coast.
I'm making decent progress on the goal set by my mother early on: she taught us that the goal of humanity should be to become ever-more eccentric, i.e. more fully human.
Entering the 'forest-dweller' phase of life, I am honored to host the Virtual Tea House for all who wish to explore how our lives are enriched and made new a thousand times each day by the spirituality we embody. Exploring this engagement together is the purpose of the Virtual Tea House.
Welcome! Let's have a cup of virtual tea together and share what brings us joy, what we are being taught by life, how we are leaning into the Big Questions posed to us each day in sometimes 'distressing disguises'.

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