We make our own rainbows when we smile through our tears.  —Peggy Toney Horton 

Time

Down the road, around the bend

Lived a man who was my friend...

He had no wife or other kin,

how lonely this man must have been!

A squeaky porch swing where he sat

swayed back and forth as he stroked

his cat.

Each day I’d pass and wave and

smile, but had no time to stay a while.

Important duties beckoned me,

I had things to do and people to see.

“I’ll visit soon,” I called to my friend

 As on I hurried ‘round the bend.

"I’ll surely do it,”  I averred,

I’ll stop and visit – keep my word!

We’ll  talk and laugh and have a drink

It’s nice to have a friend, I think.

But Time waits for no one – it hurries past

and promises made seldom last.

The news came early by way of phone

My friend had died – all alone.
My heart beat faster when I heard

“If only I had kept my word.”

And now, I visit where he sat, swing

back and forth and stroke his cat.

   ©2016 Peggy Toney Horton~

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Happy New Year!

“As the final curtain falls on a depleted year, a new year pirouettes to center stage with the elegance and charm of a prima ballerina – and delivers the promise of peace, hope, love and joy.”  ~Peggy Toney Horton

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Can it really be 2017?

It seems like such a short time ago that everyone was all excited about the new millennium. Yes, January 1, 2000 was the day we thought our lives might change forever.

The fear was that the computers we relied on would malfunction. People also feared that our luxuries would be destroyed and that we would revert back to living without any electricity, heat or running water. They called this the great Y2K scare. The scare consisted of the fear that the entire computer systems were going to fail on New Year's Eve 1999.

People saw the new millennium as the apocalypse. They feared that the end of the world was near. A family in Ohio took it to such an extreme that they bought gas-powered generators and a year's supply of dry food because they were so convinced that the end was near. There was complete chaos occurring around the world.

But when the clocks and calendars actually did change to the year 2000, computers barely had any problems. Although there were some reports of minor problems, the majority of computers did all right. And our lives went right on as before in this new millennium that we had feared.

Life is like that.

Sometimes we fret too much about things that never happen. Though we read all the books and listen to the televangelists who tell us God is in charge and He never makes mistakes, so there’s no need to worry, we’re only human and can’t seem to help ourselves.

So go ahead. Make your resolutions. Resolve to do everything better this year. Go on a diet, get more exercise, worry less, enjoy yourself more, spend more quality time with loved ones – and quit trying to please everyone.

You can’t.

Have a great year! 

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Monday Night Snippets

 Saw my doctor today - routine visit.

"Do you work out, Peggy?" he asked.

"Yes."

"How many times a week?"

"Well, I try for three, but sometimes, it's only two... hehe."

"Okay," he said, smiling.

"How long do you spend working out and what do you do?”

"About 30 minutes,” I said. “I work out with weights and walk."

I was starting to feel a little agitated and tempted to ask if HE

worked out.  And what he had for breakfast.

But that would have been disrespectful, wouldn’t it? That would

have brought back all the times my mother said, “You must respect your

elders!” And all the times we’d run into one of her friends while shopping

and she’d  squeeze my hand really tight (I’d have to stifle a scream) so I

wouldn’t say something that would embarrass her.

Lessons I learned at an early age never left me. How could they?

She striped my bare legs with a peach tree switch if I didn’t mind her to

the letter.

Yet we were so different. I  was nothing like her. And didn’t want to be.

I often wonder if she was trying to make me into something she never was.

She was her own person – lived by her own rules.  

I’ve seen her in a situation like I was, when a doctor was asking a lot of questions and it didn't bother her a bit, when she'd had enough, to say,

“That’s none of your business!”

She was more like a spoiled child than an adult. And I loved her still.

I’d better work out now.

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Will it Always Be This Way

                                             

        Of these cold and rainy May days, I’ve grown weary;
        Tho' I shout the words out loud, seems no one hears me.

I’m sure God made the sun – to bring our days a lot more fun,
yet they're so dreary!

Expecting sunshine, I arise – none finds its way into my eyes,
I’m disappointed.

To entertain myself, I try - tiresome season, go on by,
I shall ignore you.

I scale a mountain high and wide and look upon the other side –
it is no greener.

Am l to always feel this bad - or will a new day make me glad;
will there be sunbeams?

Will it always be this dour? Or can it change within the hour –
from sad to joyful?

And then, upon a gentle wind the answers come ‘a floating in
ah, sweet surprises!

A sudden floral smell delights, and things begin to feel alright
the birds are singing..

Their days are short and mine are long - how lovely they fill theirs with song while I’m complaining.

©2016 Peggy Toney Horton~

A Forever Flower

One yellow summer day, long ago,

our paths crossed and seeds of

friendship were sown.

As the seeds took root and began

to sprout, we spent almost every

day together that summer.

We took long, barefoot walks –

often stopping to rest on the cool

grass beside the river and watch

paddle boats slosh by.

We snapped pictures of each other in

various stages of play and referred to

them often, reliving the fun we’d had

taking them.

When you had a bad case of poison

ivy and had to stay in, I crushed ivy

leaves and rubbed them on myself so

I’d get it, too, but I was immune.

When I was confined to bed for a week

with strep throat, you phoned every

day to cheer me up.

As teenagers, we slathered our bodies

with a blend of baby oil and iodine

and stretched out on a blanket in your

backyard, hoping for a golden tan, but

sometimes getting sunburn instead.

Later, we sat on my front porch swing

eating cold meatloaf sandwiches and

sipping tall glasses of iced tea.

In mid-August, the carnival came to

town. Lured by bright lights, cheerful

calliope music, pink cotton candy and

thrilling rides, we hurried to the

fairgrounds each evening at dusk. It

was a magical time!

On rainy days, we’d lie across your bed

whispering about our latest heartthrobs

and other secrets. Your mother served

us hamburgers and cokes.

I cherish each of these memories and

so many more. I loved you like the sister

I never had. You were my best friend!

Too soon, we grew up. You went away

and, for a long while, we’ve lived in

separate worlds.

And yet, our relationship has stood the

test of time and separation. Though we

don’t talk for long periods, we both know

when it’s time. Just as I start to dial your

number, my phone rings and there you are!

Sometimes it happens in reverse.

As I reminisce on this golden autumn

afternoon, I’m thankful that the bloom of

our friendship is as vibrant as ever. 

©2015 Peggy Toney Horton ~

Awakening Senses

 Early morning rain seeps into thirsty
     earth releasing a pleasant

 Aroma that is evident only in this season.

     From my window, I

 See golden daffodils dancing in the gentle

     breeze and

 Hear the cheerful twitter of returning birds;

     Warm sunshine

Caresses my face, delighting my senses

      as I

Taste the delicious sweetness of Springtime

      at last!   
                 ©2015 Peggy Toney Horton~   


             

Spring Festival

On Blair Mountain,

   wildflowers bloom profusely

   in springtime.

Wild Blue Phlox bend and sway

   in the chilly breeze

   while sprightly

Dandelions frolic among them;

   thick stands of

Cattails huddle next to ponds,

   their flowering spikes reaching

   for the sun; copious

Violets creep over greening

   meadows, transforming

   them to blue velvet, and convey

   a stunning image as they vie

   with dazzling yellow

Buttercups for “Best of Show.”

 

               ©2014Peggy Toney Horton

 
 

Peg's Quotes

If forever is far away and tomorrow never comes— how will I ever find you again”~ Peggy Toney Horton

How do you let go without losing your grip--without falling too far to find your way back.  ~Peggy Toney Horton

Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that there is sunshine just beyond this moment of darkness.  ~Peggy Toney Horton

Life is like a big slice of watermelon: though sweet and succulent, it contains many things you’d rather not swallow. The trick is to savor one delicious bite at a time without worrying about what comes next.~ Peggy Toney Horton 

When my father died, I faced, for the first time, the stark reality that there are some things you have to do alone – on your own – in unfamiliar territory with no instruction manual. ~Peggy Toney Horton

Whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul, I shall recall the memory of warm, sunny, late summer afternoons like this one, and be comforted greatly. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Our love should radiate like the sun, warming everything it touches.~Peggy Toney Horton

How can one awaken to the magnificence of January hoarfrost and witness golden rays of sunshine shimmering through icy trees and not be dazzled by the appeal of a frosty winter morn? ~Peggy Toney Horton 

In dreams, I often visit the home of my youth where so many lovely memories were born. This usually happens when I begin to awaken on chilly mornings and see from my window a landscape of naked trees – their clothing on the ground around them – all crunchy and brown and wet with dew. And when Christmas carols fill the air.  ~Peggy Toney Horton  

I long for a place that exists only in my memory – a cheery spot where my heart is happy and my spirit is free. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

What could be more exciting than an October day - It's your birthday, Fourth of July and Christmas all rolled into one! ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Ah, Lovely October! As you usher in the season that awakens my soul, your awesome beauty compels my spirit to soar like a leaf whirling in an autumn  breeze and my heart to sing like a Heavenly choir. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

“Where did the time go? Yesterday, I was a girl, and today, I suddenly find myself in the autumn of my years with the cold winds of winter breathing down my neck.”   ~Peggy Toney Horton  

As the enchanting song of September whispers in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise. ~Peggy Toney Horton

Surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Laughter is to the soul what sunshine is to a flower.  ~Peggy Toney Horton

“Like a dying ember, the child in us often flares up again when we least expect it." ~Peggy Toney Horton

 As the last curtain falls on a depleted year, a new year pirouettes to center stage with the elegance and charm of a prima ballerina – and delivers the promise of peace, hope, love and joy. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

As the year comes to a close, it is a time for reflection – a time to release old thoughts and beliefs and forgive old hurts. Whatever has happened in the past year, the New Year brings fresh beginnings. Exciting new experiences and relationships await. Let us be thankful for the blessings of the past and the promise of the future. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

At Christmastime, whenever I feel overwhelmed and a little out of sorts, all I have to do is think of my father and the things he'd be doing if he were here – and I smile. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

“Beautiful memories are the glue that holds families together.” ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Magical dreams of yesterday convey the smiles for all of our tomorrows.

                           ~Peggy Toney Horton  

Do what makes you happy; don't be afraid to color outside the lines. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Your mission in life is to determine what You believe—not to accept what someone else tells you to believe. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

The most painful loss is one that allows no time to say, "good-bye." ~Peggy Toney Horton  

My mother’s laughter was infectious - like a cheerful tune that lingers in your mind for the rest of the day.  ~Peggy Toney Horton

The day after two feet of snow paralyzed the eastern United States, the sun shone brightly from clear blue skies and it was as if nothing had ever happened except for the deep snow that covered the ground. Peggy wrote: “This beautiful sunny afternoon reminds me of a child who misbehaves and then looks at his mother with wide eyes and declares, ‘I didn't do it!’" ~Peggy Toney Horton 

 My mother made me all that I am, and she wasn’t always gentle. She molded, prodded, scolded and punished... But just as God uses adversity to refine us and make us stronger, my mother combined exactly the right mix of nurturing and discipline to shape my character.  ~Peggy Toney Horton  

Each New Year, we have before us a brand new book containing 365 blank pages. Let us fill them with all the forgotten things from last year—the words we forgot to say, the love we forgot to show, and the charity we forgot to offer.     ~Peggy Toney Horton 

As the old year retires and a new one is born, we commit into the hands of our Creator the happenings of the past year and ask for direction and guidance in the new year. May He grant us His grace, His tranquility, and His wisdom!  ~Peggy Toney 
Horton 

"When I cease to enjoy what I'm doing, then I shall do something mundane ~ like clean my house."  ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul, but I must confess that I love you only because you are the prelude to my beloved October. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

As I drift through the autumn of my life like a fallen leaf blown about by the winds of time, I sometimes ponder my destiny. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

It is very important that we have the capacity to love many different things or people at the same time. Our love should radiate like the sun, warming everything it touches. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

What is writing, after all, except fumbling in darkness endeavoring to light a candle?   ~Peggy Toney Horton

Ah, how quickly the hands on the clock circle toward the future we thought was far away! And how soon we become our mothers.  ~Peggy Toney Horton

When we are very young, our parents inadvertently program us to be what we eventually become. ~ Peggy Toney Horton  

It usually takes looking back to see how far we've come.  ~Peggy Toney Horton

The mind can't delete what the heart won't let go of!  ~Peggy Toney Horton

No wonder time seems so fleeting when you consider that tomorrow, today will be yesterday!  ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Some people become your friend immediately; others inch their way into your heart a little at a time and never leave.  ~Peggy Toney Horton 

My heart swells with emotion each time I recall the sweetness of my youth!  ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Too often, Death brushes my sleeve as He hurries past ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Iciness enshrouds my body—a foretaste of death’s chill. ~Peggy Toney Horton

Remember sweet sixteen – when all the world was new and your life stretched before you like virgin snow waiting for your footprints?  ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Writing unlocks the heart, mind and soul that we might be receptive to God’s blessings.  ~Peggy Toney Horton 

As I drift through the autumn of my life like a fallen leaf blown about by the winds of time, I sometimes ponder my destiny.   ~Peggy Toney Horton 

At Christmastime, the child in each of us longs to be set free. Deep inside, we yearn for the childlike enthusiasm of long ago, but as adults, responsibilities often prevent us from savoring the season as children do, and sadly, Christmas loses its magic. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Happiness is a butterfly that often hovers just beyond your grasp, then suddenly alights on your shoulder, sits for a spell and moves on.  ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Somehow, I think your first love must be like your first dog—no matter how many come after, you never forget your first. ~Peggy Toney Horton  

I have learned that I must push the pause button occasionally and retreat into that private place in my soul where it is only me and God! ~Peggy Toney Horton

I love the night! It's not uncommon for me to see the light of a new day before closing my eyes on the old one. ~Peggy Toney Horton 

God always provides a pleasant memory to help ease the pain of a bad experience.   ~Peggy Toney Horton 

Even in death, my mother smiled. And she had every reason to do so, for I had become precisely what she hoped I would—her mirror image.  ~Peggy Toney Horton  

Listen. Can you hear it - the hallowed silence that envelops the earth as The Holy Night draws near? ~Peggy Toney Horton 

All Quotes ©2014 Peggy Toney Horton

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