Ironically, a week ago I posted a parody between rain and love. Make no mistake, I do love the rain and everything that it represents. However, I have realized that sometimes, you can have too much of a good thing.

This past week in Birmingham, it has rained and been cloudy most of the time. Making days seem much like days seen only in horror movies with clouds, gloom, and a haze covering everywhere. Except Saturday.

Being sent to Target for baby items is not uncommon for me. I guess having a daughter that’s old enough to drive and get those things is just one of the added bonuses that my mom gets for having an 18 year old and then a 7 month old.  So, after my normal routine of going into Target, getting dirty looks, getting asked how old my baby is, and then filling in whichever person decided to actually be so bold, hearing the laughter when I explain that it’s actually my little brother, and walking out…I decided to go to Starbucks.

Sitting in line at Starbucks, I see what would have been the perfect picture of life. And of course, I had no camera.

Sitting in front of me, was half of the street as bright as can be with a few clouds here and there. Fluffy and white, they were the kind of clouds that reminded you of bunnies and laying on your back in the grass during the Summer. On the other side of the street were huge dark clouds, looking as if they were ready to strike with their venom any second. And, connecting these two words, was one of the most amazing rainbows I have ever seen in my life.

Each strand of this rainbow was a magnificent color. Bright and vibrant, even against the dark clouds, you could see every one of them with impeccable clarity. It was at this moment that I realized, sometimes it takes life being dark and dreary to be able to see the things that are truly wonderful, and when they do occasionally it makes them just that must better in contrast.

This rainbow was connecting two very different worlds. At one end, you saw sunshine and at the other, you saw nothing but darkness. Two worlds that created something amazing to see. Two worlds, that individually might not have been so amazing, but when brought together, made everything seem so much better.

All of this while enjoying a White Chocolate Mocha with a shot of Toffee Nut. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Tip tap, tip tap goes the rain as it plunders down from the clouds to the ground outside my window. It's a melody I have missed hearing.


I love snow, don't get me wrong, but nothing compares to rain. Rain is the melody for love…and it's something I've been missing.


I love rain for the droplets that plummet to the earth, making me wonder where they came from, and if falling that fast and that hard is a scary thing to do. I love rain for the way it can be slow and steady, or fast and passionate. I love when there are spurts of both, to make the perfect storm.


I love rain for the comfort it brings. Rain proves to be the rhythmic beating of a heart, beating faster at times than others, but ever presently beating.


I love rain for the fact that it is just about everywhere. No matter where you go, you can usually find rain.

Sometimes, even in unexpected places. Rain isn't afraid to show up in places that it's not usually found. It also seems to show up just as people start to lose hope that it will never show.


I love rain for how you can dive right into it, get all wet and enjoy it. I love rain for how you can choose to stand back, and watch others bask in it. Sometimes, it proves to be better to stand back and watch others enjoy so that you can see what you can have, and that you don't have to settle. Sometimes, it's better to wait.

I love that rain allows you to do both, and it is just as lovely and comforting either way.


I love how rain is responsible for so many emotions.


Rain is there to make you laugh, as you decide to run through it with a friend or someone you love, laughing and smiling as you realize that there will be colds received from this endeavor. That doesn't matter now though. The future doesn't matter, because all that matters is now; this moment. Rain can make you cry as it shows up on a perfect sunny day as you lay a loved one down to rest, or go through an experience that you want them to be there for. It's there to remind you that no matter what, they will always be there. Rain can make you mad upon stepping into a puddle, reminding you of the experiences that once were and that all you have now are the after socks. Rain can lead to heartbreak though, as too much of it can cause problems. Yet, we always welcome it back with open arms, hoping that it won't hurt us this time.


Rain, much like snow, can be enjoyed with your tongue. Rain is clean, pure, and natural.


Rain is a reminder that the perfect storm is out there, even if you have to go through a few bad ones to reach that peak.

Recently, I joined an online community called "Grace In Small Things." I stumbled upon this community from a friend's blog and was curious when I saw all these lists that had things like "the sunset, hearing my dad laugh, and some various other things." When I asked her about it, she said she had joined a community that strives on bringing out the positive things in life instead of the negative, which seems to be the more popular choice in these times.

Many have questioned why people can just believe that God is going to be there for us no matter what is going on. Many people question how someone could believe that someone was taken from us for a reason. There are a million questions that never seem to have an answer. Or maybe we know the answer and we just don’t want to admit it.

As I learned about someone very dear to me passing away, I quickly turned to everything that has happened in the past. I turned to the fact that he was in pain, and that he was in a better place. I turned to the fact that I thought the same thing about friends of mine that were killed in a car crash. I turned to the fact that, while I may not know what’s going on, I gain comfort in knowing that something somewhere is better.

Maybe God is just a crutch humans believe in because we know believing in anything else will tear us apart. Because not believing that there is a God and that there is a Heaven would make us into something that we can’t tolerate. Maybe we, as humans, have to have something to lean on, because we are just that weak.

We never know what’s going to happen in the future. But for the people that we love, we love to believe that the person we love most is somewhere safe and happy. We love to believe that they aren’t in pain anymore and that wherever they are, they are having a nice beer or their beverage of choice and just relaxing.

We don’t want to believe that their life is over. Especially those that were so young. We want to believe that even though they couldn’t grow up on Earth with us, they are somewhere learning everything there is to learn about life and more. We want to believe that the loved ones we knew that lived a long life are watching us now and supporting us in all that we do and helping us decide what we shouldn’t do.

Maybe because humans are weak. Maybe because humans need something to believe in. Maybe its because we aren’t good with handling the truth. Everyone shield people from things. We try and protect the ones we love in any means necessary. And the fact that there is a story book to provide us with characters that we can believe in just makes it easy. Much like the belief that we can all find love and end up like Cinderella and Snow White.

So, for those that question why people believe in God, there’s my answer. At least for me, it’s too hard to face the fact of what actually what might be real. The fact that this might be my only life and that I have one chance to do everything that I want to in this short time, is too much to bear. I’m too weak to do so, and for once, I’m not afraid to admit that. Believing that I had people that I loved taken from me for no reason, and of no use to them, is too much to bear.

So I’m human.

Is there anyone else that’s human?

The way I look at love;

1. Love is something that is truly amazing. It really can't be explained, but sometimes the unexplainable things are the best things.

2. Love is something that isn't found very often anymore. We trick ourselves into thinking we love someone, when really, we are in love with being in love.

3. Love is tricky...because we may not want love, but that's just because we don't want the things that come with love.

4. Love is said to be simple. We give up on love because things get hard and we think that because we get in a fight it isn't love. Love isn't supposed to be easy...it's supposed to require work.

5. Love is being able to get through the fights and the arguments and still being able to talk everything out and be OK. Better than OK actually. Better than you were before the fight.

6. Love isn't what it used to be. Along with the text messaging, IM, and email...love has become impersonal.

7. Love is something everyone wants...from someone...even if they don't admit it.

8. Love is that one thing, that no matter how hard you try, once you love someone and it ends, you can't forget it. It's like that reoccurring nightmare that you have...where you love someone and end up getting hurt.

9. Love is the most abused word used when people are drunk/high/etc, and in the general language.

10. Love is hard to find and doesn't always happen when/with who you think it will. And, if you think you have it, fight to keep it. Don't be so closed off to finding it in unexpected places, because you never know.

When I heard my new profile song from Michael Warren for the first time, the first people that popped into my head were my great-grandparents, grandparents, and great aunt and uncle.

These people have shown me more about love than anyone ever could. They defy the statistics. They give meaning to the word love without even meaning to. They show an example without even meaning to. They simply love each other...until death do them part...and that's all there is.

You know that look someone gets when they really like someone and realize that they want them? Yeah...a buddy of mine called them "hungry eyes," and that really describes what it is. All of those people mentioned have those.

Everytime I see my PawPaw and NaNa look at each other I can see how much they love each other. It's amazing. Every time I saw my great grandfather and mother look at each other, there was nothing but pure addoration in their eyes. Every time I saw my aunt and uncle look at each other...those eyes...they were something to marvel. You could literally see the love in their eyes.

My great grandfather is probably one of the strongest people I know. He made it through the Great Depression, World War II, The Vietnam War, September 11th, and the War on Terror. Not only that, he made it through having an alcoholic father and raising his brothers and sisters with his mother. He repaired old violins, was an exterminator, and an array of other things, just to support his family. Him and my great grandmother were married 68 (almost 69) years when my great grandmother passed away. Before she died, she was put into a room at their assistant living facitlity, and he requested to share a room with her so that they could spend time together. He wanted to be there with her through it all...until the end...no matter the cost.

I'd never seen this man shed the slightest tear...the slightest sense of pain, hurt, or defeat. Until the day my great grandmother died. I saw one of the strongest men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing crumble at the sight of his diseased wife. Talk about a tear jerker. His words when he recovered? Simply, "I'll always love her. I can't make it without her." He died a year later...physically anyway. But we all saw that when she died, she took the best part of him with her. They made each other...they were each other. They were a part of each other...and a half doesn't mean a whole lot unless the other half is there.

My grandparents are much the same way. They have been married close to 50 years. They get on each other's nerves. They have their little tiffs. Just like my great grandparents, they do things that makes the other one crazy. NaNa once told me, "Sometimes I could ring his neck, but I'll always love him." You can see the look of worry when something happens to one of them. They are both getting older, and you can see the worry on their faces when something happens to the other one. They too, are parts of each other...and they balance each other out.

Love is amazing...it's something that can't be explained. However, it might just be something we can watch happen...or fall into without even knowing it. It doesn't follow any certain rules or guidelines...it's just there for the taking.

In a world where everything is so against love...it can be hard to see how love can survive. But, that's the greatest thing about it...it can survive anything. If you want it to. And it's all about want. You have to want to be loved before you can be loved...otherwise, it doesn't work.

Most people are looking for their purpose in life. They want to find what they are good at. They want to find out what they were meant to do. They want to leave a mark on the world they live in. And with good reason. We all want to be remembered. What most people don't realize is that we hold so much power...in relationships.

Think about it.

In a relationship, you have the power to make someone completely happy, sad, nervous, anxious, angry, and a whole lot of other emotions. You. Just you. You being yourself. You have the ability to make them cry, laugh, laugh until they cry, yell, throw something in anger...all that.

With that being said. As you head into new relationships or continue with ones you have, realize how much power you have. Realize that you are in control of this person. They hopefully love you. They care about you. If you feel the same way, tell them. If you don't, tell them. Don't let them go along thinking you are on the same page and then tell them later that you aren't really that interested. That will hurt them worse. Trust me.

If you aren't sure what you are thinking, talk to them. That way, you can make sure you are on the same page. And if your not, you can fix it. It sounds corny and everyone has heard it before, but I've realized talking to each other is really the best thing you can do in a relationship to keep it healthy and going. Even when you are just friends.

That's another thing. If you are just interested in being friends make that clear. It may end up that somewhere along the way, they have developed feelings for you and making that clear is a good thing. That way, they can go on and find someone else.

Don't think that the things you say will go unnoticed. 99.9% of the time the other person will listen to you and is probably feeling the same way. And if they aren't interested in listening, isn't it time to find someone else anyway?

Please realize that your past is just that. Your past. And I know it isn't easy to forget the things that have happened in the past. Believe me I do. But realize that this new relationship is just that. New. It is something unfamiliar and something you hopefully haven't been through before. Hopefully there are different feelings and different emotions. Hopefully, this one won't treat you like the last one. And you just have to trust that they won't. The past is your past and this relationship is your present and maybe your future.

Be honest. Tell them how you feel. Don't be afraid of letting someone else into that thick skull...I mean... heart...

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year and gets that kiss at midnight from the person that want to. And, if not, just remember there is always next year. :)

"My Rock"


No one knows,
about the tears I cry.
I really can't believe,
that you're going to die.

For as long as I can remember,
you've always been there for me.
Helping me realize,
how wonderful I can be.

Always making me laugh,
when I was sad.
Always helping me see
why not to stay mad.

You've always been the strong one,
the one to show me the way.
And now you're leaving this Earth,
and sadly, I am here to stay.

Your belief is amazing.
Your faith is so strong.
Sometimes I wonder if
you've ever done anything wrong.

So imagine the pain
and having the fear
To know as I grow up,
that you won't be here.

And now seeing you like this,
so sad, lonely, helpless and in pain,
It really makes me wonder
if God is insane.

But you must know
wherever you are,
you'll always be in my heart,
no matter about the scar.

One of the things I'll always treasure most,
is that wonderful embrace.....
That awesome hug always made me feel,
like I was in the right place.

You're my paper weight,
the thing that keeps me on the ground.
So even when you're gone,
I know you'll keep me safe and sound.


Background: 


I wrote this poem after I came home from our family's annual Thanksgiving celebration. At this celebration, I saw my Uncle Dwight like I had never seen him before. He just wasn't the same. 


As anyone knows, seeing someone that you love so much go through that, is a terrible thing. So to deal with this pain I was feeling that I didn't really know how to talk about, I wrote this.


I gave it to him on rose colored paper in a wooden frame which my aunt has at her new home now. It was read at his service and has been read at several services since then. 


Shortly after I lost Uncle Dwight, I lost my Uncle Glenn from the same disease very quickly. So this is dedicated to both of them, and to all of the incredible people that I have known that left this world too soon. Because, whether it was actually too soon or not, it always seems so to the people that were left behind.