What Is A Miracle?

A miracle is bringing two strangers together at the exact moment in which the woman/child conceives a baby with the exact DNA to create a perfect child.

A miracle is a frightened woman/child learning she is pregnant, refusing an abortion for the only reason being that it is a sin.

A miracle is a loving but abusive man to marry and care for the woman/child and her unborn illegitimate child and claiming it as his own.

A miracle is a mother being anesthetized during childbirth and the child being placed in an incubator without ever being held in her mothers arms.

A miracle is a child being born 3 months premature when the parents are told the child would never live.

A miracle is the parents returning to life without an unwanted child, only to have the child come home after 45 days.

A miracle is a child coming home to a loving but bitter Grandmother as caretaker while her mother went back to high school and held a full time job.

A miracle is a child having a doting father and a neglectful mother.

A miracle is losing her beloved Grandmother and learning that her father was not her biological father and now the father becoming estranged.

A miracle is spending years wondering what was wrong with her, why her mother resent her so, how her mother could love her brother so full heartedly and neglect her so, always asking the eternal why?

A miracle is receiving material gifts as a means of buying love by her mother.

A miracle is being molested by her Grandfather, being raped, being abused by her mother, by boyfriends; having no self-esteem, no self-worth, no self-confidence; never learning the concept of self-love.

A miracle is dedicating herself to helping others because she most desperately needed help.

A miracle is learning to be totally independent and self-reliant since there was never really anyone she could depend on.

A miracle is being suicidal, manic-depressed, co-dependant, self-destructive to the point of mini-breakdowns several times a year but always stopping just short of getting it over with.

A miracle is waking one early September morning from a dream and calling her mother only to have the dream of her conception during date-rape confirmed.

A miracle is being totally devastated to learn that her mother really did resent her and for good reason.

A miracle is awakening to the realization that God works in mysterious ways, even through rape and violence; that a child could live, survive and thrive through all the heartache and pain.

A miracle is realizing that only God could have directed the bizarre events, coincidences and decisions of her life.

A miracle is accepting her parents as they are, realizing that they did the only thing they could have done, the only thing they were capable of doing.

A miracle is understanding her mother as she is rather than work to have her mother understand her.

A miracle is changing her own perceptions to more accepting of gifts from her mother as the only way possible of expressing affection rather than as acts of manipulation.

A miracle is a loving, forgiving and accepting relationship between her and her mother.

A miracle is a more respectful, loving confident relationship with herself.

A miracle is a loving, respectful confident relationship with a kind soul who teaches interdependence, faith, hope, courage, strength, love.

A miracle is learning the lessons of losing loved ones and how precious each moment is.

A miracle is being given the gift of empathy and helping others who are suicidal, manic-depressed, co-dependant, self destructive; those who have been molested, raped, abused; who have no self-esteem, self worth, self condfidence, self-love.

A miracle is being thankful for all the trials and tribulations.

What is a miracle?

I AM A MIRACLE.

Copyright © 2002 by Shawn Murray

Imagine

Imagine
a world where we have to teach
our children the concept of war.
How silly they would think we were,
destroying ourselves;
all the potential wiped out
by one bomb, one gun, one knife.
Could we as historic figures
ever prove to the future
that our hate, our violence,
was important enough
to kill even one other person?
Can we ever justify
the slaughter of innocent children?
Barbaric, they would say
of our prideful, civilized nation.

Imagine
a world where love and learning,
growth and gladness,
were the measure of the day;
where sin and sorrow
were abstract ideas;
a place of peace
goodwill to all man
woman and child;
where "do unto others
as you would have them
do unto you"
were really the only way to live.

Imagine
a place, a time,
where harmony
was more than just
going alone;
where race and religion,
color and creed,
were a celebration
of who we all were;
and embarrassment
of where we came from
as a human race
was replaced
with the notion
that it was only
a stepping stone
to perfect peace.

Copyright © 2001 by Shawn Murray

Summer Showers

Raindrops
through the leaves
on the trees
in the cool summer shower
mingled with the
wet pine
beneath our feet
smells fresh and sweet

The engine of a mower
echoes through the trees
from a distance
as a dog barks
at a passing car

A bird flirts from
branch to branch
as a squirrel
chatters a warning
and runs to hide

I could get lost
here in this forest
and not even mind.

Copyright © 2001 by Shawn Murray

Memories

The memories lie dormant, festering, seething,
longing to be free to overtake me
at the most inappropriate moment
tossing and turning,
waiting and yearning,
cruel and calculating,
just looking for an opportunity
to explode onto the scene
as my poetry

Copyright © 2001 by Shawn Murray

Through the Distance of Time

she caresses my hair
the best she can
with her little hand
she wipes the tears
from my face
she is me
from so long ago
I love her
I tell her so
she doesn't hear it very often
she's in for a life
of sorrow and pain
loneliness, guilt and anger
I want to protect her,
shield her, keep her safe
but somehow I know
she'll be okay

Copyright © 2001 by Shawn Murray