KAREN HESSLER

There is healing power in the beauty of nature.

Tag: keep going

Girls With Swords

By

On April 4, 2023

In Poems, Uncategorized

A poem especially for all who battle breast cancer: may we fight the good fight and win like girls with swords.

Girls With Swords




I once was a girl who
could look fear in the eye
and cut through its power
with the tip of my sword

I once was a lark who
could sing away sadness
the moment the mournful
dove knocked at my door

I once was an eagle
magnificent and wise
who could fly above trouble
who could pick apart lies

will I ever see that girl again
will I ever win this battle
set before me now when
suddenly I don't know how

oh, let the wings of the
eagle lift me up high
let the song of the lark
lift my heart to the sky

let the girl with the sword
fight this battle in me
let me win, let me win!
let me finally be free

Some Days

By

On January 10, 2023

In Poems

Some days are just harder than others. This is normal. Keep going.

Some Days




some days
you must walk
through mud
under skies
of gray

let nothing 
stand
in your way

Hopes and Dreams

By

On November 4, 2022

In Poems, Posts, Prayers




how long does it take
to get from here to there
how long does it take
for promises to come true
how long must we wait
in that mysterious
in-between
where nothing seems
to be happening
where we often
lose our faith
where we fear
we've lost our way
where the lines
are all blurry
where we give up
and give in
can we make it
to the other side
or will we always
struggle in the middle
forever falling short
of the promised land

We all have hopes and dreams, plans and goals that we are trying to bring to life. When our progress seems invisible, it’s easy to get discouraged, and so hard to keep going.

I have found that when I am stuck in the messy middle of a muddled life, the way out always is to just go through it. Go through the hard parts, and eventually you will get to the other side. Know that you are not alone.

Sometimes we have to keep doing the right thing for days, weeks, even months, before we see encouraging results. Don’t give up!

May you find strength for your journey and pockets of joy to sustain you along the way.

Hopes and Dreams - Keep Going

Looking for Beauty and Breezes

By

On June 11, 2022

In Poems

A poem for those hot summer morning walks, when the only things worth walking for are beauty and breezes.

Looking for Beauty and Breezes



When the sun hides beneath 
a blanket of clouds
and the muggy air squeezes
the breath from my chest

I look for a breeze
anywhere
anyhow
as heat seems to rise from
the cracks of the earth

I don't care what
the calendar says
summer arrived
ages ago

and even though I'm melting
like an ice cream cone
I'll look for the beauty
I know will be found

Lessons: Keep Going, Keep Moving, Keep Pressing On

By

On June 7, 2022

In Poems

A poem for when you need a reminder to keep going.

Lessons: Keep Going, Keep Moving, Keep Pressing On



My schooling continues
deep into summer,
each test is a question,
"Am I an overcomer?"

Life rolls out lesson after lesson
some like a verdant carpet
others quicksand and mud
still others like hardened bitumen.

And I have to remind myself
I'm just passing through
I'm not setting up camp
I'm not moving in
I'm rolling out like the tide.
It's just a wild ride, and it will end.

I'm not a failure
I am graded on a curve
as I learn to navigate
every dip, every swerve.

Every student passes
each of life's classes.
Let us be kind to ourselves
for our schooling is hard
rich in rigor, yet full of reward.

As we learn to deal with
lines and limits
disappointment and despair
loss and gain
let our hope remain.

Let us find strength at our core
when we can't take much more.
Let us find silver and gold in the
dreams that we hold.
Let us bend with the wind as our roots
hold firm.
Let us keep going, keep moving
Let us keep pressing on.

For Every One – Keep Going

By

On April 2, 2022

In Poems

This message is for all of us – a reminder to get up each morning and keep going.

For Every One - Keep Going



For every one who walks the line
between beauty and the broken

For every seeker who takes the time
to look for the good in life

For every hunter of lasting treasure
buried beneath the ordinary

For every runner falling short of the 
finish line

For every dashed dream leaving its
stain of disappointment

For every broken heart gathering its
pieces to be sown like seeds of hope

For every warrior who has lost his 
way

May you stand in the presence of
light today

May you walk in the company of
everlasting joy

May you rise each morning and
begin again

Keep walking, keep moving, keep
going, dear friend

Go Forth and Conquer

By

On March 23, 2022

In Poems

This is for everyone fighting a hard battle: may victory come today.

fighting a hard battle: go forth and conquer this day



Add a little sunshine
to chase the shadows away

Throw in a dose of kindness
to keep the monsters at bay

If you want to slay a dragon
begin with the light of day

Fly high the flag of victory
as the nightmare fades away

Let hope take wing and angels sing

Go forth and conquer this day

The Grayness of These Days: A World In Sadness

By

On September 16, 2021

In Poems

This is a poem about the heaviness of world issues, the weight of the world’s problems, and a world in sadness. Feel what you feel, ask hard questions, and keep going.

The Grayness of These Days: A World In Sadness
Sadness has swallowed
my words and clouded
my vision.
My world feels gray 
and wet
colorless and drippy
like a runny nose.

We all feel it.
The whole world is under
a dark cloud these days.
Sadness seeps deep
into the cracks
of every city,
rolls into the folds
of the rural landscapes.

How long must we sit
in heaviness
oppressed and distressed
the feathers of hope
camouflaged
in the gray?

If we reach out
hands stretched blindly
sweeping back and forth
as we plod through the mist,
would we touch
the hidden glory?

Could we bump into
solid rocks and cling
to them awhile?
Can we find
each other in darkness?
Maybe we can breathe in
bits of joy.

Would we feel
the healing balm,
the oil of gladness
in the middle of all
the smoke and mirrors?

What would make
everything right again?

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