BALLOONS by Ruth Calder Murphy

I have a tendency to over-analyze things...

Beliefs, methods, values, emotions and conversations, and even my technique and form when I play music or run. Analysis isn’t a bad thing; it’s born, in the first place, of questions and curiosity and a desire to be better - to learn. This is good.

It can take over, though.

When thinking about something, or trying to measure it in some way, becomes bigger than the thing itself - bigger than the enjoyment of it or the beauty of it, the just because of it - I think it can be damaging. Certainly, I’ve seen this with my musical performances, amongst other things!

I love blowing bubbles. I love balloons. I love the blooming, the colour, the “just because” of being a part of their release. There’s a symbolism there, for me - a metaphor for letting go and letting be - even if only for the sake of a few glorious moments of translucent colour, set free.

Everything floats away - our lives are transient things - and it’s good to think, to work things out, to analyse and explore. However, there’s a place for simply exhaling and being here, now, in the moment, because sometimes, lighter-than-air matters. Just, because.

Balloons

by Ruth Calder Murphy

Blowing bubbles

because sometimes lighter-than-air

matters,

when sunshine catches it

and turns it rainbowed and sparkling -

just because…

Bobbing balloons on a string and letting them go

just because -

because releasing and letting go

(because lighter than air)

matters...

Because birds and butterflies

and for that matter,

time and seasons

and my spirit (singing dawn choruses)

and well, and...

Everything

floats away,

away,

away…

Trying to make it stay is like holding onto bubbles

or bobbing balloons till they’re tired and empty

and all the colour’s turned to grey...

Everything floats away

on the relief of an exhale -

on the bubble-blowing,

balloon-bobbing

release

of yesterday.

Ruth Calder Murphy is a writer, artist, music teacher, wife and mother living in London, UK. Her life is wonderfully full of creativity and low-level chaos. She is the author of two published novels, The Scream and The Everlasting Monday, several books of poetry and one or two as-yet unpublished novels. More of Ruth' Spiritual poetry can be found in her book, Spirit Song and the soon-to-be-released sequel, "River Song". She is passionate about celebrating the uniqueness of people, questioning the unquestionable and discovering new perspectives on old wonders. She is learning to ride the waves that come along—peaks and troughs—and is waking up to just how wonderful life really is. You can visit Ruth and view more of her art on her website, or on her writer's page on Facebook. All her books are available on Amazon, here.

~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~

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