Who is Norma Budden?

When you wake up in the morning, can you anticipate everything a day will bring forth? Can you predict that a day which starts out with great difficulty will end the same way, or that a day which begins with happiness will end with the same? No! You can't.

From one moment to another, you don't know what you will encounter, and that's what makes life so interesting! There are times you want to be gentle as a dove or as peaceful as a lamb. Albeit, during other times, you want to growl like a tiger, or roar like a lion, depending on what gets thrown your way.

Nonetheless, life is made up of a series of actions and reactions; how you react to a situation, today, can influence how you will feel tomorrow!

Perfect Man

Perfection's over-rated;
There's no way to improve
I couldn't imagine living
In such an awful groove.

But thinking of a perfect man
Is quite another matter.
It conjures up loving thoughts;
My heart - it doesn't shatter.

I wonder if I've met this man;
He's perfect, or so it seems.
Though he claims to have his faults
I believe he's from my dreams.

He holds my bags when shopping
And waits patiently for me.
He rubs my aching shoulders
Then sits me on his knee.

He wraps his arms around me
When we go for walks at night.
He tells me that he loves me,
That everything's now right.

He looks into my troubled soul
And watches when tears fall.
He doesn't judge for yesterday;
Instead, he hears me when I call.

He stares into my open eyes -
Those windows to my soul.
He sees how much I love him;
It's then he becomes whole.

Is this the perfect man?

Copyright Norma Budden 2009

Erica Stevens' life is shattered after the death of her husband; she has been left to raise their young son alone. She can never imagine finding love again but doesn't want to face her son living through life without a father figure in his life. Will Erica find love again or will the emotional impact of letting go be more than she can handle?

My daughters and I went to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in March, 2006, for a spring vacation; we stayed at the Place Louis Riel for three nights on the 17th floor.

The last night we stayed there, with curtains wide open, I looked through the windows. I saw lights on in various offices and saw vehicles going to and fro.

I began to wonder what was going on in the lives of the people I was watching, while they didn't know I existed. Of course, I wouldn't recognize them, not having seen them up close, and having watched them under the cover of darkness. Yet, I wondered about them - about the lives they led.

It spurred me to write this poem and I thought I would share it with you.

Twinkling Lights

Twinkling lights of the city
while darkness shines its face.
What's happening in the streets -
are they filled with hate, or grace?

The cars I now see driving by -
what's happening inside?
Do the people love each other
or does someone feel denied?

Offices aglow everywhere-
the lives many people lead.
Do they love to always work
or does home meet no need?

Twinkling lights of the city.
So much we do not know.
Let us not be quick to judge
so good seeds we can sow.

Norma Budden
Copyright 2006

Once in a while, we meet people who make a wonderful impact upon our lives; these people come in all shapes and sizes, all genders, from all walks of life. We don't necessarily prefer one over another but, instead, share special relationships with all of them.

These are some of the people whom I would like to pay tribute to, people who've enhanced my life in one way or another:

Nan Nichol
Pictured to the right is a photo of my maternal grandmother, Winnie Nichol, whom I consider one of the greatest people in my life. She has enriched my life in so many areas that I can probably write a book in trying to convey just how much she means to me. However, a few words here shall have to suffice.

Nan's home was open to everyone; family, friends, and strangers. Anyone who was in need knew where they could go to find a night's rest or a warm meal. The clock was never a firm dictator, unless it was time for church services or the convenience store was about to close.

Never one to judge me, regardless of what I shared with her about my thoughts and feelings, she endeared herself to me even further as I grew older. Even when she may not have agreed with every decision I had made, she always made it seem she was on my side.

If there is one regret, it's that we did not have an opportunity to travel together. She loved hearing about the places I visited and always wished she had been younger so she could have traveled to some of those places with me. Her eyes lit up at the stories I told and I could see her mind spinning, trying to imagine the places and experiences I spoke of.

Now, she is advancing in years and her memory isn't what it used to be, which brings a level of sorrow into my heart. However, I can only hang on to the memories we did share and treasure them for what they are: memories of wonderful times shared with a person I love deeply.

Unexpectedly, I discovered a lens, Encouraging Bible Quotes, in the early part of January, 2011. This lens has changed the course of my life.

Yes, I've read Bible verses all my life. I memorized lots of them, too, over the years; many of those verses are the same Bible verses I read on AJ's lens. However, while reading through his lens, something happened inside me and I have not been the same since. It's a "good" something - even an "amazing" something - which provides me with comfort even on the hardest and most frustrating of days.

Of course, after reading one lens of such a caliber, I had to see if there were others which appealed to me as greatly. I enjoyed AJ's lens about setting goals the SMART way and proceeded to visit another lens; I discovered AJGodinho's Lensography. Once again, I was absorbed from beginning to end and became lost in another world - a world filled with wonder and sacrifice, love and loss.

He lives in Canada while his family lives in Goa, India. He misses them dearly and wishes he could see them more often. He has his periods of highs and lows. However, despite everything, AJ has an unshakable faith which I admire. It seems that, no matter what comes against him, he knows God is there to help through every situation he faces in life. Essentially, God is AJ's sole provider - a provider who meets all of his needs.

I used to live like that; in some ways, AJ is the me I used to be - the me I want to be again. In this way, AJ, you inspire me more than words can adequately convey. I know it is God working through you which makes all the difference - but it's a wonderful difference and it's made a huge impact upon my life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

Some people may prefer to hang out with friends and go to parties, attend dances or watch sports. Others love to watch movies and spend countless hours on the phone. Of course, there are many interests people have and pursue that I won't mention here.

On a personal note, one of my greatest passions is writing; I love all forms of the written word and spend numerous hours reading the works of others. However, most of my time spent writing is devoted to writing poetry (when I'm not creating Squidoo lenses.)

For me, there's something about poetry which soothes my soul; I can release my jumbled thoughts and, in the process, find relief and release. Sometimes I gain insight about myself which surprises me. Later, I re-visit poems and can hardly believe I wrote them; they are powerful and possess a depth beyond anything
I could have ever dreamed of writing.

One poem I wrote which continually inspires me is:

Jesus Carries Me

I rose from bed this morning.
My heart was filled with glee.
I knew deep within my soul
Jesus Christ was carrying me.

We started another day.
My Lord knew what would be.
I walked, blindly, trusting Him.
Jesus Christ was carrying me.

Problems tried to linger.
They were tossed into the sea.
Worry had no claim today.
Jesus Christ was carrying me.

Burdens weren't so heavy.
They lightened, dramatically.
I had my Friend shoulder them.
Jesus Christ was carrying me.

There were moments of pure joy.
I laughed and danced, mightily.
What a wonderful feeling!
Jesus Christ was carrying me.

Sometimes my heartbeat quickened.
What a wonder to be free!
I felt like a little child.
Jesus Christ was carrying me.

Now, I lay my head to rest.
I know Jesus looks on me.
I close my eyes and I smile.
Jesus Christ still carries me.

Copyright Norma Budden 2004