A Friend For All Seasons

She wants to be

Everything good

To everyone.

She is many things:

A daughter, a sister,

A friend,

A wife, a mother,

Depending on the season.

She looks for the good, the love;

Receiving and giving it in turn.

Learning from mistakes,

Growing.

Of all the love she feels,

She wants to feel God's love for her

In every season.

Two friends—sisters

They call, visit, chat, teach.

Aware of changes, trials, sickness,

Achievements, successes.

They care through every season.

She kneels and asks.

She stays and feels

Then acts on those feelings.

They’ve gotten her this far.

They’ll bless her in every season.

To be a friend for all seasons.

Loving Me

(about 1997)

Remember
It was hard to love me in high school
I had so many quirks
so many pretensions
questions

The pieces of my puzzle
only began to drop
so I could place them
and I cried
like the baby
I was.
I was . . . hard to love
in high school.

Realize
It is hard to love me now
I still have quirks
and less pretensions
more questions

More pieces of my puzzle
are dropped
and daily I place them.
The Lord
hears how
it is.
It is . . . hard to love me
now.

Believe
You can always love me,
see through my quirks,
melt my pretensions,
answer my questions;

Help me place
the dropped pieces
of my puzzle.
And let me cry
on your shoulder,
and look up to wipe
your tears.
The Lord
will show us
you can.
I can . . . always love you
too.

To the Ones I Love

(about 1997)

Communicating with you is as simple as a smile
When I am with you, I am provoked by my heart,
and not my thoughts.
It is more rewarding to hold my tongue, and just listen
and yet I talk and talk, longing to say something to you
of the grace and beauty you bring to my life..
and when there is silence again--
it seems I have done nothing
but to have made another mistake,
for which I beg your forgiveness.
It is because of this that I now live.
Your kindness makes it possible to lift
my head and look for a brighter day,
and to smile during a long, dark night.
It has most often been your hand
which has been lent to me when I fall,
and I must be forever imprisoned with wondering
what I can ever do to repay you.
You are my friend.

The Beginning and the End

A Winter's Day by: Kori Mitchell


The beginning
probably never was . . .
more like a circle,
shaped by the Master,
crafted in His name.
But that's how I see the start--
As a circle of friends
who opened a window
when I had almost
closed a door.
I did not deserve
the gifts you poured
upon me.
But they have been
recieved
in secret thanks.
You gave me shade
under your pointed leaves
smelling of the mountians
at Heaven's feet.
I am only a pine cone
and I see your branches
touching the sun.
That's where I came from,
and that's where I want to be.
but I must grow there . . .
and you must stay standing tall
so when the storms come,
I will not be washed away
except to meet your tender roots.
And I'll feel my own soul
begin to hold and grasp
the Master of
The Beginning and the End.

To Be One

(about 1998-- these are actually song lyrics written when Kori and her mom enlisted me to write a song for a Relief Society meeting)

There is a time,
and that time can be now
to be one,
His love has shown us how.
We've all tasted
the sweetness of His healing
and now
let us act upon this feeling.

There is a way,
and that way we understand now,
to be one,
we must get past all our doubts now.
We all know, we can't deny--
the Spirit here has taught us
and now we need to try.

Just imagine
your burdens so much lighter,
the circle of our friendhsip
growing ever tighter.
Just believe,
forgive and serve each other.
Follow Jesus Christ our Lord,
our Savior and our Brother.

One heart, one way,
we have one chance
on this day.
One heart,
one chance,
one day.

Make it today!

Sisterhood

(about 1995)

Become a part of sisterhood
look to heav'n above.
Sing sweet praises to the Lord,
never give up on His love.

He is like a shining star
in a world of night.
Just open wide your heav'nly eyes
and follow His perfect light.

The world around us falls apart,
a friend seems hard to find.
Each of you His gift to me,
angels he sent in disguise.

Like a sister I will be,
we will never part.
I'll always say a prayer for you
deep down inside of my heart.

Together we must work and strive,
this life is not in vain.
For though we know not where nor how,
We know He'll come again.

Who Helped You?

(about 1992)

Everyone wants
imaginary friends
to talk to
play with
cry to
talk about
because it's fun
and pretending
almost makes you
really believe
that you have one friend
small, green and kind

Crystal the leprechaun
to help with problems
of life
and keep you company
but it's funny
that when you grow up
you learn that believing
has given you a friend,
but maybe someone needs her
more than you do.

You say goodbye
on a day
where the tears are warm
on your cold cheeks.
But it's for the best.
She helped you
help others
forever.

I Know How She Feels

(about 1992)

I know . . .
how profoundly it permeates,
as softly as a sail soaks the energy of a zephyr.
The love and longing in her suspended soul;
I know how she feels . . .
A luminescing light surrounds like a promise.
From a candle, the warmth of truth
filling the focus of her face.
Eyes wander to ponder.
The point of her pen daring, sharing.
The ink she can nearly taste,
drawing her thoughts to the page
as a vessel from the heart
casting a shadow; thinning
into the dark behind her.
She blinks.
Eyes close again,
a soft flash of a dream
touching her spirit
as she recalls
so many times . . .
the laughter; and she smiles,
the corners of her lips rise with her thoughts.
The soft chair around her . . .
and the sorrow; she still smiles,
her closed eyelids
fail to hold back her tears now.
The warmth of the flame ahead
folds loving arms around her.
She opens her eyes to the light
and still remembers . . .
her words become . . . endearment.
I know how she feels.

When I am in College

(about 1992)

I shall wear suit jackets
with the sleeves rolled twice and brown buckle shoes.
And I shall spend my money on pineapple juice
and a small trampoline, and silky pajamas
and say I've no money for hair coloring.

I shall study on the stairs of some important place
and inhale the smell of lilacs or rain on the pavement
and write my love life on the cement with dandelions
and do things to remind me that my spirit is young.

I shall go out in my tennis shoes and jump in puddles
and splash you, and learn to rappel.

You can wear jeans and Birkenstocks and impress me
and eat Froot Loops and Wheat Thins
or only carrots and yogurt for a week.
And look at picture albums and read old letters.

But now we must have seven classes and study at home
and clean our rooms and not lower our GPA
and stay away from puddles, or we'll get sick.
We will call each other sometimes and have fun together
(when we can, of course).

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

when suddenly I am in college and start to wear suit jackets.

He Loves Me

(about 1992)

We don't believe them
and of course we don't live by them,
Still, we do them for fun;
all for fun?

We both say we have a love,
so we each pick a flower;
mine is red.
"He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me . . ."
So does he?

We continue down a dusty road,
jump the cracks
(or we'll break our mothers' backs)
while we still see
whether "he loves me not," or "he loves me . . ."
So does he?

Our path is split by an apple tree;
we each take a side
and vocally
serve our "bread and butter"
on a silver platter.

You spilled the salt
so throw it over you left shoulder
and pick two shiny apples--
one for you, one for me.
We'll twist the stem
A,B,C,D,E,F,G . . .
L,M,N,O,P,Q,R . . .
"He loves me not, he loves me!"

Jump over those train tracks,
kiss your hand,
and make a wish that he really does--
for fun.

Scraps of Life

(about 1994)

I started with a poster board
big, plain, and empty.
There were no mistakes on it.
There were no bright colors,
no design-- nothing to catch the eye.

He told me to come back someday
with some kind of grand design.
He said if I'd remember this,
I'd be the master of a masterpiece.

So I began to imagine
all the great things I could make . . .
polka dots, flowers, big balloons;
All drawn in symmetry,
with precision and prestige.
I thought I'd round the corners
with perfection
and border it with care.
Color only inside the lines
and make it shine with glitter and gloss.
I thought I'd take a ribbon,
weave it to a bow
and fluff it up with wisdom,
surrounding it with delicate lace
and bouncing curls.

But looking up and reaching out
none of it was in sight.
Yet right beside me stood a friend
a smile and a helping hand.

Most journeys go by quickly they say
so today I'm looking back,
examining my poster board,
and recalling that special friend I met.
She traveled every road with me
and gave me moment by moment
scraps she had found on our way.
We piled them up like yesterdays
and always walked on.

Some scraps came from a rose garden pink,
some from a sunny day.
Some were straight from her heart,
others were far off in a big balloon.
Some came from gardens
of apples, strawberries, and sugar peas.
While some came from warm plaid blankets
that sheltered me from the cold.

It was today that I broke down and cried
because I still hadn't made my design.
Until I stepped back to take a good look
and to my surprise . . .
My poster board had become
colorful and bright
etched with wonderful memories,
smiles, balloons, and sunshiny laughter.

No, the corners weren't perfect or round,
the border in and out with sorrow and joy.
Some of the edges were frayed,
but it all came together
and delighted the eye.
All of those scraps my friend
had given me day by day.
And I see that life's like a puzzle.
it can't come together in one solid bound,
but is carefully designed piece by piece
out of scraps from loved ones in life.

On Friendship

(about 1990)

Why did God give me friends?
To look to with understanding,
to see in them my sadness,
find joy in their gladness
so we could be alike,
find what we have in common
and laugh about that.

What I do well
my friend does poorly;
what my friend does well,
I do poorly and that's what I see
when I see my friend;
that I need to work on my weakness,
rely on God, who gave me my friends
to make this weakness a great strength.
Then we can have more things in common.

Why did God give me friends?
To lose myself to in service,
to comfort and to smile at.
To take care of and
to lock in my heart forever.

So I could understand and believe
that we are all sisters and brothers,
each with a different part of Christ in us.
To be there for when someone else can't be,
talk to and make memories with,
remember with and cry with,
write about,
sing about,
hope and dream with,
to stand by.

So when my friend can't see
two feet in front
and the path is dark . . .
just because I'm there,
just because my friend is there,
Christ is also there.

Why did God give me friends?
To never forget,
to hold on to forever-- locked in my heart,
to bring a piece of Christ to me.

Apology

(about 1994)

You know who you are.
You rescued me
on a day as lonely as night.
When neither my words nor my phrases
could comfort me.
And my own hands could not stop my tears.
My head was filled with crying fears,
my own two feet could not
walk the dusty path alone;
my hands were empty.

You clasped your fingers firm in mine,
opened my eyes with your sweet light.
For me to see that I walked not alone,
but that friend, I walked with you.
Your healing laughter,
your own gentle hands
wiped my fallen tears away
to where the soft zephyr of your whispers
carried away all my fears.
You spoke the words and gave to me
melodies of songs mingled with
phrases of your friendship
that comforted me that day.

And you never left me . . . how you saved me.
And even now in such a forgotten legacy,
you refuse to leave my side,
and I think back, and ask myself . . .
Have I ever thanked you?
Dear friend, I walk with you too.

Our Puzzle

(to Alpha Omega pledges 1994)

Do you think He knew
where you'd be today?
That His light in your eyes
would shine my way?

Well, He whispers pieces
down deep in my soul
of the puzzle of life.
And now I know

why I felt His love
when you first walked my way
and why I felt it again
when I saw you today.

The picture is whole now,
the feelings so real
I still hardly know you,
but the love that I feel

tells me right now
you belong here with me
and the friends we have made
forever will be.

The pieces together,
His answers are true.
The puzzle's together
now I'm friends with you.

We each are a piece
of a puzzle that fits
the divine touch of God
like a candle that's lit.

I hope you can feel
the warmth of this love,
for your piece in my life
was sent from above.

Judgement

(about 1995)

What is it they see
when they look at me?
My appearance may fool them
they hear not my silent plea.

Do I blame them?
when I myself understand not
and yet, I do.
I can only show them.

But not alone
I take this road;
He with me together
must show

we take the road
of friendhip along
to help our hearts
feel summer's song

so when we reach
our eye's end
our hearts will know
we've found a true Friend.

Who I Am

(about 2006)

I want to read
but can only write . . .
who am I?
I'd tell you my fears,
but they're spilled in the mist
and floating, suspended,
in the air.

They came from somewhere,
and they've somewhere to go.
It can't be where I'm headed . . .
Who am I?

There's the times of hope,
mostly silent revelation;
that tell me of your secrets.

We walk our path-
once started, it never ends.
For better or worse-
we are friends.

I think the good times
are every moment
we share,
They blend with the bad times
like tonight- bad because
well, because
I have so much to say,
so much I want to confide in you.

I'm afraid to hurt you with my honesty-
that your eyes will fall
and turn the other way.
I love you
and I cannot see you do that.
I should know by now
you won't.
But I can't know
until I tell you
who I am.

An Old Friend

(about 1997)

I talked to an old friend of ours today
who read my heart like before
realizing my worries, feeling your light
burning in my soul.

And knowing why you had come to me
and called me friend
Knowing better than I
even knew myself.

To lean on, cling to, talk to, share with.
Always hard to explain
being overshadowed by the unknown
but our friend saw us holding on.

Two hearts understanding
Our friend read like a book in my eyes
the trials, the failures,
the once-in-a-lifetime wins,

My own blindness
causing grasped hands to slip and fall
but I had a friend
and instead we flew.

The experience to learn
growth provoked by our memories, dreaming
The traveling, teaching, our parting and absense
Pearl castle chances taken from our hands

But somehow given back
in golden rays of sunlight
That became possible to hold
And with returns, there was comfort

Never to let go again.
Bonded by the powers of Eternity
That these acquired strengths
Bring many ways

Many opportunities
A life of endless horizons
Things that only once were before
And someone to call me friend

Together

(about 1997)

Halt and hold in time
all the moments
treasured feelings
that we had
still have
you, me and God.

Never let them go
for they encompass
dreams I have witnessed
come true.

Those parts of my very soul
that reached out to God
and He has answered them
with us together.

They encircle prayers
and songs that have cried,
the harmony in euphony.

And even through
dark perils
grasping demon hands
we run free,
flying away from ledges
And rising, rising
suspended in clean, clear air.

Premortal

(about 1990)

We stood there together.
He took you into His office.
From the look on your face
when you came 'round His door,
I knew it was your turn.

I've always looked up to you.
And there is no doubt you knew
exactly what I was thinking.

I tell you only for memory's sake.
It was a somber high
to know you were next.

You made your promise--
but I knew it already.
And there was no fear--
only anticipation.

But I didn't know when, time-wise,
I would see you again.

My mind and heart wandered...
to that reunion of what we know
to be love-- a true friendship.
So real.

And the joy... and I looked
to see you had been gone
for a while yet.

And He took me into His office,
our Father, and my memory...

The New Road

(about 1996)

Your eyes cry out for me to wait for you.
You see everything ahead through my dreams.
The sun shines straight ahead;
you walk in my shadow

It is not a bad road.
If you fall, get up
and run a marathon.
Or take a step in your own direction.

What do you want?
We walk together now
so my eyes can't stand your pain.
We cry, and the tears finally touch.

When our Friend took your hand
and showed you, like my many prayers,
the many roads- and gave you one;
it is still straight, and not wide.

It will not be easy,
but He calls your name
and you walk straight on 'til morning.
That's where I'm going.

I see the sun reflect
the joy in your eyes.
It's beautiful.
May I walk beside you?