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A Day in the Life

I woke up with a roof over my head,

And a large dog yawn to greet me.

The nasty north wind chased me around the neighborhood,

It kept catching up with me but didn’t hold me back.

Oliver (my six-year-old Lab) walked an entirely different route, right alongside me.

Anxiety and worry stopped by to see if they could spend the day,

I too often try to make them feel welcome,

But I did show them the door.

Laughter cascaded over me from the radio,

Morning could be mourning without my radio friends.

I waved at mortality, “Maybe some other time.”

Introspection tagged along with me, all day long.

Doubt peeked in the window.

Confidence sought my company and tried to keep up.

Wincing as I rode past the cemetery,

Wistfulness popped up to push away the pain,

Fondness and memories washed over me,

And deep breaths curled them all up in my heart.

Determination sat in my office, making sure I stayed on task.

Alone at my desk, introspection came back, lingering,

Wondering if “Now is a good time?”

It’s always a good time for thinking, and when thinking of so many things.

Pausing in silence as I ponder the next thing;

I pause longer, knowing that outdoor silence beats indoor silence every time.

And with that, I shut down the laptop and end my workday.

Anxiety, mortality, worry, and sorrow are ready to join me.

They’re much more distant in the silence of the outdoors.

As I pulled the covers over me at night, I sighed at things left undone,

As I turned out the light, I smiled at another day of grace, silence reconvened,

And I exhaled gratitude.

Tom Dietzler
Tom Dietzler
Lifelong, proud somewhat strident Wisconsinite, I love my state and love to sing its praises. A bon vivant and raconteur, lover of history, literature and good conversations. Laughter and music are salves that I frequently am applying to my soul. I have spent time (too much) in manufacturing and printing and have found great joy in my current position as director of operations at a large church in the same area where I grew up. Husband to Rhonda and father of two adult children Melanie and Zack, I’m the constant companion of my five-year-old Lab, Oliver, who is my muse to a lot of my stories. I’m a fan of deep conversation and my interests are in learning and gaining wisdom, so in the last few years I have become and less politically vocal, and hopefully more respectful and open-minded. Rhonda and I sold our home in 2018, bought a condo and have traveled a bit more, golfed a bit more and are enjoying life a bit more. If you take the time to get to know me, prepare yourself for an invite to the 30th state to join the union, a gem located in the upper Midwest, full of beautiful scenery formed by the glaciers, with lots of lakes and trees and gorgeous scenery, and the nicest people that you’d ever want to meet.

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7 CONVERSATIONS

  1. Oh boy!!! The amount of inner-peace that you vehiculated to me between the lines is soul-soothing, my dear Tom! For this, I’ll never thank you enough, friend! 💙

    “Anxiety and worry stopped by to see if they could spend the day,

    I too often try to make them feel welcome,

    But I did show them the door.”

    Those lines made my day! 🤗💎🤗

  2. Thank you. I’ve worn these same shoes on many days. Your poem reminds me of a quote from Bessel A. van der Kolk, “There is something very empowering about having the experience of changing your brain’s activity with your mind.”

    You didn’t have to be grateful at the end of that day, but you were.

    • Grateful is something that I work at to be my default setting. I am not always successful, but working at keeps in more toward the forefront of my mind. I am always grateful for your contributions to any discussion, and very much so on this one.

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