Forever-optimistic-me believes in miracles, you see, knowing that a closed door can open with the right code or key. It can be as easy as 1, 2, 3, enter. 

There are many times the door isn’t sealed tight and a little, tickle of light can peak through to reveal, love not dead, friendship not shredded. It’s those times that can unseal a way for everything to be fixed and mended. It may not be the same as before, but being the “same” is what shut the door. 

Forever-optimistic-me believes in miracles, you see. Years ago, I was gifted a broken drum destined to be at the bottom of the dumpster with the trash things. It was badly torn and had lost its voice. My friend’s hope was for me to paint something upon its head to give it value again. So, on my chair it sat for almost a year. 

“Large, beautiful, broken drum, what do you want to be?” I mentally sang to it every time I would see it waiting for me. 

One day animals flowed from my brush onto its face as if to say, “we want to be seen”. Out they came, blue-eyed wolf that grew from the leaves of trees, and the hawk’s wing. Overhead did fly an owl and birds in the sky, and by wolf’s side, another owl stayed by, while white bear protected wolf’s hide. Above it all, in the branches of the trees, words of hope flowed forth from me…“Broken drum made anew by twine and paint to renew the torn hide thought ripped beyond repair, meant for the trash, a broken ear. This drum that lost its beat now sings a sweet painted sound with owl, hawk, wolf and bear, and hidden images…can you hear?”   

Broken drum was transformed. Therefore, Drum was broken no more. 

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Forever-optimistic-me believes in forevermore – 

forevermore for you and you and you and me. That’s my dream…

Forevermore…

By Lisa Nomikos

When the dove flies in for a closer look, 

During a conversation with a sad hook,

And jumps to the sill peaking in,

A staring contest does begin

with my bird who was listening in, to a sadness story of friendship lost to the winds.

When the dove bobs its head in greeting,

its sweet eyes meeting my bird’s eyes and mine, as if to say “don’t worry, it will be fine”, as if to acknowledge the closing door of friendship lost in time. 

A staring contest does begin 

between my bird who was listening in, 

And the dove whose feathers were ruffling 

in the wind. 

With a gentle squawk, my bird bobbed her head, And the dove bobbed again as if to say the promise “I’ll see you another day”, then flew away. As easy as that a new friendship formed – a message of love and hope reborn, an unexpected opening door. 

Lifting her foot, with a “help me, help me” look, and a gentle squeak, begging to take a peak, I lifted my bird to the windowsill to see, to know, where her dove friend could be. 

And there, on the ledge she sat until the street lights glowed, searching, searching, searching the sky for the dove friend who connected eyes, that seemed to say, “trust me. Trust me. All will be fine. We are friends forevermore.”

Forevermore is the door we all need. To trusting friends to love us enough not to leave. Friends forever is a promise to be, true to each other for eternity. Forevermore. You and you and you and you and me.