Another Year

Another time to restart the months weeks and days ahead until it is 2022. Another year to continue, discontinue, start fresh or restart the next twelve months all over again. If only it were that easy and sometimes it is except when things happen that are out of our control like deadly disease or people behaving badly.  The land mark days and seasons of our lives, the experiences that took place at particular times of the year evoke memories that shaped who we are today.                  We do not always get the opportunity to redo what was done or do what should have been done as another new year beckons us, staring us down, daring us to take-on 2021 with guts, courage, strength and resolve to do good by thinking, being, saying, praying about things hear and now that make us better and a blessing, focusing on the moment at hand, here and now. 

Another year we have been given to live life in peace as we work on making life more doable for ourselves and others who cross our paths as well as those in other parts of the world.

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THANK YOU!

Thank you, for being such a big part of my life, still, even if you did check-out in '94 and caught your direct flight to heaven. You are engrained in my DNA, thoughts and prayers.  Part and parcel of twindom for me means something special, blessed, on-going. Who can say with certainty how it happens that a child is born and lives, survives, thrives and gets to live another day, year or years. Who is to say how our course runs, starts, stops, reruns, stops again temporarily or indefinitely. The twin connection continues in some capacity as part of the original 2pk design that landed safely swimming upstream as all the other millions of swimming seeds went down stream. The feeling and sense I am an individual and singular being is also me. 

When I reflect on the years gone-by and yet to come, you are frequently part of the landscape. I know you are around as your spirit, things you said and did float around in existence and the memory banks. I wonder how you would be about everything, while making peace with where you have taken-up residence, I pray your place is truly perfect, powerful, peaceful, and full of grace, beyond words. There is so much humankind does not realize, our scope is limited as mysteries and miracles prevail and swirl around unbeknownst and known to us. I feel grateful for such knowledge and awareness of things to appreciate.

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My Story

My story is one that reflects love, hate, happiness, dark days and the brightest nights. It includes a suffering humanity to the sublime innocence of the child within us all. My story has been told by many through the ages, seasoned by the comedies and tragedies life bears. From the mundane and mediocre to the spectacular nature of experiencing miracles, often. 

It is a story book filled with tales of epic proportion, heart warming and at once subtle, mightily forged through fiery days to fleeting triumphant times, I hoped would never end. My story weaves in and out of yours. I am humbled and grateful, better for the wear and tear. I am armed and blessed with beautiful treasures to play forward for the rest of my life.

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A Matter of Life and Death

We are born then we die, what happens between living and dying is only part of the equation regarding our place in the vastness of creation. Our time comes and goes measured by time and experiences.

The birth of new life prompts people to rally in support and celebrate another heartbeat and soul, the possibilities, hoping only for the best. When we go it is not uncommon for people to gather and pay respect to the physical life that once existed. Once again, a time to celebrate life.

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Day In Day Out

One day, life is moving along at a predictable pace, nothing outrageous happening other than on-going disbelief at political leaders running amuck, out of control, beyond reason. Other than that, it is the daily status quo as challenges, appointments, disappointments, surprises and opportunities await, a typical day in our lives. 

Then one day, news about a flu or virus of some sort named after a beer is it, emerges? The health of 

people everywhere, locally, nationally and around the world, is at risk of contracting it. It is deadly bacteria that can render havoc on the respiratory system. "I can't breathe" our life and times when we should be treating everyone everywhere with respect. Now like in times before, our every breath is in jeopardy. Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, has reared it's ugly unforgiving hateful head and is looking for people and places to inhabit. Information, demographics, statistics, studies, research, tests, preparedness, unpreparedness, politics, indifference, ignorance, human frailty withstanding, the stakes are high. The best and worst of people come to light.

The big picture formerly dependent on schedules, deadlines, seasonal events, activities, trips, long awaited special dates and celebrations, all come to a screeching halt. Suddenly, from one day to the next in early Spring, our days and nights are not as predictable. An avalanche of concerns and questions are set-off as change, subtle at first then saturate the media. Headline news of the deadly disease saturates reports the facts and the potential of imminent changes in the name of public safety, with the matter of life and death on the fore front. As much as you do not want to hear about it, you cannot not listen or take your eyes away, until you can't. It is too much and too easy to fall into despair, meltdown. One learns how to pull yourself together and pray for new perspective a different way of looking at living day in, day out.

From fearful consternation to a humble shift takes place, hopeful ideas spring forth with efforts toward new and improved ways of approaching what was. People, places, things taken for granted even chores, an errand, tasks and projects around the house, work and personal commitments evolve into something much more precious and important. We are still here, fragile, resilient and part of an infected world with open wounds, a world, wonderful, wildly beautiful and impermanent.  We do well to be as loving, compassionate, careful and respectful of one another to reflect our very best, while we can.
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Stand By

Let me know you are around. A simple little message to connect, soul to soul. Whether I look for signs from you or something is brought to my attention regarding you and your existence. I know you stand by and help me through moments, days and nights of life here. 

When you left, I knew life would be dramatically different, it required recalibrating my identity as your twin sister. I did quickly realize, once a twin always a twin, even when one of them exists in another configuration. I understand you are present in my earthly life, my imagination and faith tell me that you are around. 

I consider that your life form is perfect beyond time and space, peaceful and happy in your celestial residence. In all of creation, you go beyond anything that can be described adequately. Reaching out, I seek and often find a crazy cool connection, perhaps a thread of communication custom made for me or something boldly set before my eyes to acknowledge your presence.  I am aware and grateful for the fleeting, heartwarming moment. xo

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Connections

The connection between one another, the entirety of existence, the moon and stars, other planets and entities we know not of. No big deal? Of no consequence or breathtaking to see with a mere glance the awareness of a star, a flower, the essence of a person. Whether looking below the surface, on the face of the earth or hoping to catch a falling star in plain sight at night. Through the lens of a telescope, a microscope or direct view, the essence of life, energy, spirit, is brought from the past, new and present and continues on light years away. The connections are massive, minuscule, intrenched in one another and isolated. Some mysteries unfold while others remain unsolved. The heart of the world beats like a baby's murmur, she coos, cries and wails, craving tender loving care just wanting to be loved.

The connectedness between what was, what is and what will be, is all part of the big picture, our own personal picture and everyone else's. Our thoughts determine the quality of the picture from our own perspective. The connection to the past, present and future takes care of itself before we realize it happens right in front of us, from one second to the next, the strands of time carry us through life, through our history and our future. Every experience, emotion, thought, gesture, intention, action and reaction determines the next. Too simple so simple, here and now. Thumbs-up! Very well! 

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The End

At the end of our lives, for one thing we are not always aware we are at the end of life. No one knows for sure when it is we will see our last sunrise or sunset, give or receive the last kiss and hug, say or hear the last kind, weird or worrisome word. We like to think our days are not numbered and limited, that we have more time to reflect on the richness of the days we lived and loved and meant more than we could ever convey and made life worth living.

The depth, breath and scope of our lives goes through the predictable growing pains as well as aches and breaks, bang-ups, hang-ups and blind-sided punches no one saw coming. Life's woes render stretch marks that only become more visible as time goes by. We evolve into better people seasoned by life and experiences, painful and precious, priceless moments. Weather, consciously or sub-consciously one becomes better instead of bitter at living life in such a way that we develop a sense of graciousness cultivated by an acceptance for as the Serenity Prayer say's; ...Accepting the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.

If life teaches us anything it is to go with the flow as one constantly adapts and modifies in order to keep oneself together and at peace, especially when life blind-sides you by throwing blows to the head and heart. To recover in due time, God speed regarding the healing of open wounds that ooze the bloody, sun scorched stench of raw and bloody burns, open wounds and bruises brought on by every little and large thing possible. All of it, the messy, mind altering, heart stopping, completely joy filled times and ugly, hurtful things that make us wish things were not so.

In the end, we hope for a peaceful ending, satisfying and painless close of a good run. We aspire to make our exit on good terms with the people who loved us to death. The End 

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Sunrise

The first rays of light signals the respective part of earth and it's inhabitants of another day and the beginning of another shot at life, another chance to improve ourselves and anything else that can be better than the day before. The yawns, stretches, sighs and first steps of a new day are tentative at first then shift into resolve to move forward with purpose and all the reasons to get on with what may come and what is anticipated.

Earth faces the sun as it rises and laces-on it's dancing shoes, the life-giving dance of the cosmos, continues. People, plants and animals depend on the energy emanated by the massive and powerful star at the center of our solar system. It is an ageless utility company, a constant raging inferno held together by elements that generate light and heat a precise orchestration and daily phenomenon. The day progresses at it's own perfectly timed pace, ever so slightly, spectacularly strong without question a daily presence even when clouds or other atmospheric activity obscure the view.

So much is planned around the sun's existence, humankind would be lost in space without the majestic powerful force, with it's round molten hot spherical shape shining it's blinding, beautiful light on the world. Earthlings look up and expect to see the sun everyday in all of the opulent grand and glorious unforgiving, means and ways it dances the day away. 

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MARK A.J. Ipiotis

Mark's memory is massive, a strong kind of presence, ethereal (light as air and special), familiar, nearby and far away all at once. I wonder about you yet I know you reside peacefully within us all. 

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SHINE!

Shine like the radiating sun in a new day, shine when you feel compelled to shine though you may have acquired a taste for the dark. Shine that distinctive, irresistible light of yours, go on ahead share it in a flash of brilliance like spontaneous combustion reignite someone's burnt-out candle. It is something so simple, subtle but spectacular to shine in a sliver time, to shine is something slight perhaps fleeting as a blink of an eye yet resounding as a tiny spark that turns into a torch. Let it out, SHINE, it's OK!!! 

word

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Growth Rings

Another year goes by as another year begins. 

We live, strive for comfort, contentment, ideally thrive undisturbed with little to no damage, minimal stunting of growth, peace, you know, a happy life the goal. 

We earn another badge of courage with each passing year
 like the growth rings of a tree. 

Here's to each and every strand, cell, soul, glistening, gloomy, glorious, beautiful bit of it! 

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TIME

It was just yesterday we were born, we lived, died, came-saw and left but still living be it in memory or in the physical sense of the word. Time seems to stand still yet it never stops. Thoughts jump into another realm where we are there yet very much right here, crazy.

Wanted to say simply to you Mark, time, space, distance, no matter what, the time we shared is still part of our time now and ever more. You are as much a part of our life and times now as we were when you walked among us. You and mom, De facto existence remains as colorful, fun, heartfelt, contrary and full of goodness as ever.
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Holidays

Here we are with another round of happy days to prepare for, dread or be happy about. Every detail becomes a great big blasted thing. What to make, bake, buy, cry about, be lonely about and long for. The holidays evoke so much from the heart the super sweet stuff that dreams are made of.

The senses are heightened as the days turn into annual big dates on the calendar. What happened to all the years though, the wonder years, the tragic, the tricky moments we survived and made us the people we are today. Did the magic of youth fade into life's wear and tear or does it just take a minute longer to feel the simple joy of the season? When the smell of cooking prompts vivid flashbacks of childhood and the sound of bells jingling gets you all nostalgic about that certain time when Christmas music sounds like the sweetest songs ever heard or felt. 

The holidays are no doubt about as bittersweet a time as can be. Who isn't here anymore? Who joined us? Who needs us, mad at us, miss us, wish us peace and happiness? One day into the next as life goes on, the occasional reprieve to remind us of certain things whether the commemoration is of a sad matter or bright, precious, so rare, once in a lifetime, a day or days, special days that summons acknowledgement, the days that everyone is aware of but not everyone is too keen on celebrating. 

Here's to Happy Holiday's ahead, truly happy, harmonious, simple, quiet, calm or crazy as a perfect storm!

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I LOVE YOU

I wanted to tell you: I love you. I truly love you for no reason and every single reason I can possibly, think, feel and say. I love you for reasons I am not even sure of only that what you have given me and continue to share with me goes so much deeper than what is seen or felt on the surface. With your kind gesture, your sweet spoken word or graciousness in a time when it mattered more than I realized, you offered the best of your love at that moment, a moment that lingers into infinity.

The love you have shown me ever, through the years or in a flash, a thoughtful message or note filled my day and my heart with matters of monumental meaning even though I may not have responded in a way that reflected my gratitude. I take your gestures of kindness into my heart as you express the greatest of what humankind can offer. The love you give to me is priceless and makes me want to be better than I know how to be. I strive everyday in many ways to live up to the meaning of love in all of it's simple heartfelt ways. We are part of every loving fiber of perfection and warmth. We have exchanged something that creation surely intended to sustain humanity in it's purest, clearest form.

There is a love so pure we do not even know how to convey consciously, a particular exquisite element that makes the coldest, proudest most astute person, vulnerable and bring to tears. The dark forces in the world are extinguished by the roaring blaze of love so powerful, it's preciousness stirs ones soul with feelings that go far beyond description. The beautiful most breathtaking components of any living being are there waiting to find a place to reach out to and breathe life into. We don't  know exactly, how or what, when, where this perfection is exactly other than to say we are it, love defined. Anything other than the purest state of our existence has to do with the imperfect nature of our lives, that's life. Alas there is love to give, receive, thrive and live off of.

To find our way we share our goodness and play it forward hoping it grows and is nourished and builds something out of nothing in all it's glory and simplicity barely there yet massive in meaning and potential. All of this unseen and seen in many forms has made a lasting impression on this heart.  How can I forget the love you have given me whether you remember or not I hold on to every bit of something that feeds my soul so much it is as if you just gave me a big hug and we embraced each other like two close children who lost sight of each other and found their way into one another's arms. I do love you so. I love you with innocence and inexplicable ways also like a brand new love, and love rich antiquated and familiar, crazy wonderful, simple and spectacular, healing and precious, powerful and strong as the best of the best humankind has to offer, love precious important magnificent love.
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Still Here

Mark, even though you're physically not here, you are thought of, missed and spoken of everyday. People refer to you and remember what you did and said, the way you conducted yourself with focus, intelligence and good humor. You are still here in our hearts and minds in spirit and in ways that we cannot fathom. I am definitely sure you are here in ways that cannot be adequately explained yet clearly felt as a matter of fact from the heart in a soulful spiritual manner.

Your are still here as the love and respect for you remains as strong as ever in fact maybe more so since you are placed by divine appointment in a state of perfection. Your image is beautiful and larger than life as we recall countless memories that seem as real as the moment they occurred. How precious it is to know we are still connected in a manner that is magnified by an ethereal umbilical cord. Your presence is felt so keenly especially when the sound of your voice, laugh, wit, wisdom, sarcasm, tenderness and toughness are heard and undeniably alive and well vibrating with a strength that goes beyond our earthly understanding.

Every time you are thought of and mentioned you join us as a very important person of interest who has gone on your individual path. You shine bright as the happiest moments we shared and reflect the greatest, sweetest most precious memories we experienced together. Blessed are you dear brother, blessed is your memory and your present spiritual alliance to each of us who are aware of you still here.

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Story Book

When asked recently what my story is; the following broad picture came to mind and includes the bare necessities of my narration, the nuts and bolts and basic big picture of my simple and not so simple story.                                                                                                          My story is one that reflects love, hate, happiness, a broken heart, tears of joy, sorrow, dark days and the brightest most beautiful nights. It includes a suffering humanity to the sublime innocence of the child within us all.  My story has been told by many through the ages seasoned by the comedies and tragedies life bears from the mundane and mediocre to the spectacular nature of experiencing miracles as the best and worst of life goes on. It is a story book filled with tales of epic proportion, heart warming at once subtle, mighty forged through fiery days to triumphant times I wished would never end. 

My story weaves in and out of yours and I am humbled, grateful and better for the wear and tear as I am armed with beautiful blessings, to play forward for the rest of my life ~

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Language

The question was posed regarding language and why everyone in every near or far reaching corner of the world doesn't speak only one language. The answers are found at the core of human experience historically, in culture, climate, geographical and environmental variance, in collective and individual stories politically charged, motivated by religion or simply due to the law and practice of the land.

Humankind however does speak one language of universal similarity it is the language of LOVE. The language that expresses compassion, kindness, emotions and feelings that words often fail to adequately convey. To describe what the heart knows can only completely be shared by a commonality that humanity has been gifted with since time untold. Set in place far and wide, vast nations, tiny villages, cosmopolitan places of progressive movement or humble locations tucked-away underneath thick forest canopies, indigenous, rich or scarce of resources. 

Loves language is saturated in respect, gentle, soft, strong, caring, can heal a broken heart or a battered bruised and bent body. The spoken or unspoken natural virtue of love in all it's glory shines brightly lit by the perpetual heart light even when dimmed can be reignited, revved-up and revived brought about in a little glow or big blaze.

The soul longs to explain itself without uttering a word to live a peaceful existence. How wonderful is the language of love, modest, magnificent, unwavering in it's most innocent and purest form, undisturbed by hesitance or reluctance to risk sharing what is profoundly craved and truest to our innermost being. To understand the best language known is to simply share what we know will feed and satisfy malnourished humanity starving for the optimal kind of clean food nutrient rich with a quality that addresses the mind, heart and soul, yes, it is the language of love.
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What You Have Within ~

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.  The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune.  He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.  But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. "I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious.  Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."

" The Wise Woman's Stone"

Author Unknown

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