I’m having a mango for lunch today

Before eating it

I briefly consider the best way 

To cut this yellow fruit

But the flesh clings

To the seed inside 

And will not come apart 

However I try 

So I peel off the skin

And bite straight in 

Ah bliss

The juice hits my lips

Dribbles down my chin 

No plate and no fork 

No perfectly cut little cubes 

I just use 

My teeth for what they were made 

I devour the mango 

Thinking wouldn’t it be great 

If I approached life this way 

No perfect formula 

No waiting to figure it out 

Just sink my teeth in
Without thinking about 

What other people might perceive 

Or choose to believe 

About me 

If I could have meaningful experiences

With an all-in attitude 

Instead of thinking, ‘oh gosh will they find this rude?’

I’ll lean into the moment 

The juice all over my fingers and face 

Knowing that this mess

Is proof I tasted the sweetness

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE

I live by the seaside 

I wake and I walk

Down my road named Three

I see the sea

I greet her as always, ‘hello ocean’

I stroll along the shore

Sand is immediately all through 

My walking shoes 

It’s in-between my toes 

There are sand castle creations to admire

I breathe in deep 

The salty smell 

The fresh wind keeps me cool 

The air is clear and so are my thoughts 

A calm mind, a happy heart

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE

I usually stay strong when you go away 

But yesterday

A few tears escaped 

I don’t want to make you feel guilty for going 

Yet my dislike of separation is now showing 

I think the grace is waning 

For this type of job

Where one day you’re here 

The next day you’re gone 

It’s a lot to juggle 

The ever-shifting schedule

Also, I just miss you 

I prefer sharing the bed and cooking for two 

I enjoy your company 

The laughter when you’re funny

The adventure you draw out of me 

Right now we adventure apart 

I hope you can enjoy it 

Though at times it’s stressful and hard 

I’ll try to have fun as well 

Even without you here 

In two weeks time we’ll reunite 

And there will be stories to share

So take care

My love 

I’m praying for you every day 

I’m being comforted in knowing 

Things won’t always be this way 

While they are we’ll stay grateful 

Blessed by this work and this time 

Blessed by you, forever being mine 

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE

Sweet non-sleeper

Energetic game-player 

Keen fruit-eaters 

Easy smile-givers

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE

Distraction, distraction

My phone is an escape into procrastination

Hours spent watching life-sucking videos 

Adding nothing to my intellect or heart 

You start to wish 

For an old Nokia brick 

Because you could only play snake for so long

Before you died and got back on

With the work set out before you 

These days the over-saturation of entertainment 

Pulls us away from actual achievement 

Distraction, distraction

My phone is an escape into procrastination

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE

I’m sitting down to write

And I think that I might 

Try to keep it light 

‘Cause when I wrote last night 

It was about suicide

I’m doing alright 

But I know that in spite

Of shining a light 

So many are in a fight

To survive

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE

Dear Friend,

I haven’t walked in your shoes

But today you can choose 

To stay 

To lose your life in a different way 

Not to your own death 

But to Jesus’ 

The God-man who was raised 

There is life available to you 

Because he exited the grave 

He’s the Way 

The Life you’ve craved

The Truth you couldn’t see 

He is love incarnate 

He holds the keys 

Maybe you’ve tried everything else 

But you haven’t reached out to Him 

Today Love stands with open arms 

Offers a welcome invitation 

There is no correct way 

No exact words you need to say 

You can just let yourself go 

Stop trying to hold on

Feel yourself fall into a transcendent love

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE

I used to choose Bible reading 

Prayer and worship song singing 

As the first things to start my day 

But this year I’ve been waking up 

Beginning things in a different way 

I’ve been rolling out my gym mat 

Stretching out on the floor 

Getting my body active 

And it has been so much more 

Awakening to my senses 

Grounding in my core 

To acknowledge my physical matter 

To give it attention and to draw 

My mind into this moment 

Awake 

Alive

Moving 

Knowing my body needs attention 

Being okay with that coming first

After pumping and sweating or 

Lengthening and stretching 

I lay down flat on my back 

I put on a song that ushers in peace 

I slow my breathing and I rest

The inhale and exhale 

Remind me 

The Spirit is connected in every breath 

I remember my life is sustained by Yahweh 

He holds my being, beginning to end

Starting with moving my body 

Brings me into deeper connection with the Divine 

It is not less Holy than reading of Scripture

Less significant than long outspoken prayer 

It’s sinking deeper into my humanity 

Becoming ever more aware 

He is here 

Abiding in me 

In this human vessel, He resides

He’s not afraid of my flesh 

Does not condemn it or ask me to hide 

He’s inside

Alive 

In my mortal body

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE

“Good morning my beautiful wife”
Is how I was welcomed into the day 
From my sweet, gentle husband 
He knows just what to say 

Sometimes we don’t say enough 
And communication gets blurry 
We make poor decisions 
When we don’t speak up honestly 

Be it fear or embarrassment 
That prevents us from saying what we feel 
It’s so important to push through that 
To be open and share what is real 

When we don’t, it leads to confusion 
We misdirect and we mislead 
Then we get angry or upset at each other 
Because it’s not clear what the other needs

May our communication get ever better
Speaking up and listening with intent 
That we can journey in love and unity 
Being grateful for lives well spent

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE

Though you didn’t get the best beginning
Your story isn’t doomed 
There is room for hope and wonder
The wise would say the more important matter
Is what you choose to build together

SONYA COSSEY CREATIVE