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Life Had Other Plans

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sixth of six children my parents conceived I was second to survive written 26 Aug 2020

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Susan Ashley

Date: 11/22/2020 9:37:00 AM

John, the power of your poignant brevity moves me deeply as I imagine the enduring hardships and sorrows your parents went through. Congratulations for your wonderful win in Brian's contest, my dear friend. Warmest wishes, poetry brother.. ~Susan

John Watt
Date: 11/22/2020 10:28:00 AM

Thank you, dear sister. My parents were used to hardship, coming out of depression era, WWII, and personal tragedies. Their capacity for enduring sadness was exceeded only by their capacity for exhibiting compassion and empathy. I learned about my mother's four miscarriages late in life and she didn't wish to speak of it, but I know it shaped their love and commitment as parents. Thank you for your friendship ~ John

Janice Canerdy

Date: 11/17/2020 6:03:00 AM

This is so moving, John. CONGRATS on your win. Janice

John Watt
Date: 11/17/2020 7:19:00 AM

Thank you Janice for the kind words and congrats ~ John

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 11/15/2020 3:24:00 PM

I remember this one. So nice to see it on the winner list. Congrats, my friend.

John Watt
Date: 11/15/2020 8:00:00 PM

Thank you for coming back for another visit, my friend!

Sara Kendrick

Date: 11/15/2020 1:39:00 PM

Whoa!! Those were not good odds. It is good that you did survive and lived to be a poet, Enjoyed reading this winner. Congrats. Sara

John Watt
Date: 11/15/2020 8:00:00 PM

Thank you for all your kind words, Sara. I consider myself very fortunate ~ John

Sam Kauffman

Date: 11/14/2020 10:15:00 AM

Hi my friend! This touched my heart when I first read it and it did the same reading it again! Congratulations on your win in Brian's contest. So glad to see it on the winner's list. So much said in these simple words. Bounty of blessings to you!

John Watt
Date: 11/15/2020 8:00:00 PM

Thank you for sharing your heartwarming thoughts, Sam. Blessings to you as well ~ John

Alexis Y.

Date: 11/14/2020 8:12:00 AM

Hi John, You penned such a heartfelt one- liner. Congratulations on your winning write- Alexis

John Watt
Date: 11/15/2020 7:59:00 PM

Thank you for your thoughtful reply Alexis. Enjoy your day ~ John

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 8/30/2020 2:31:00 PM

thanks for explaining it all. You were a true survivor!

John Watt
Date: 8/30/2020 3:10:00 PM

I'm glad you asked.

Gershon Wolf

Date: 8/29/2020 8:50:00 PM

Back with congrats my friend, on this heart-rending monoku. May your family only happiness in the future! :) gw

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 9:25:00 PM

Very grateful, my kind friend.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 8/29/2020 6:25:00 PM

wow, John, what a story. So you only had one sibling?? Or am I reading this incorrectly. Maybe others survived AFTER you came second! Congrats. I really enjoyed seeing this.

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 7:20:00 PM

Hi Andrea, very kind of you to ask. My sister was born, then came four miscarriages, then me (6 years after my sister). My parents took one look at me and said "Never Again!", just kidding.

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 8/29/2020 1:10:00 PM

- Congratulations on your great winning line, John :) - // Anne-Lise :)

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 1:16:00 PM

Thank you, Anne-Lise. So nice to hear from you.

Sam Kauffman

Date: 8/29/2020 11:31:00 AM

So glad you are with us! My grandparents had four children - two survived. It must have been heartbreaking for your parents. Thank you for sharing not only their grief, but their courage and commitment to hope for life! Blessings!

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 1:15:00 PM

Thanks for the kind words and family background, Sam. "A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." My parents grew up in the great depression and WWII, both lost a young sibling and both had a great capacity for sadness, and love.

Paghunda Zahid

Date: 8/29/2020 11:07:00 AM

Ah that's a bit sad, but I am glad you survived.

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 1:03:00 PM

I am too, Paghunda. There is much to be grateful for. Enjoy your day.

Eve Roper

Date: 8/29/2020 10:48:00 AM

Great imagery in just one line Monoku, John, and love the picture. Congratulations on your win.

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 1:03:00 PM

Always love hearing from you Eve. Thank you for such kind words.

Michelle Faulkner

Date: 8/29/2020 9:48:00 AM

Coming back to say congratulations, such a poignant piece, John.

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 11:55:00 AM

Thank you for both comments, Michelle. Appreciate the friendship and compassion.

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 8/29/2020 6:37:00 AM

Wow! Very sad indeed but you did survive. Congratulations!

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 11:51:00 AM

Amen, Kim! Thank you.

Krish Radhakrishna

Date: 8/29/2020 4:45:00 AM

Sadness of loss mixed with the precious value of survival and life! I survived small pox that killed many children in the neighbourhood. I survived with a single mark to My face to remind me of the catastrophe! There is meaning and purpose to everything we encounter in life!

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 11:51:00 AM

Thank you for sharing that, Krish. "What ifs" can be overwhelming to contemplate, but they can also teach us much about embracing life and squeezing every ounce from it we can manage. Appreciate your comment.

Line Gauthier

Date: 8/29/2020 4:44:00 AM

Great tribute to the scars and reasons to celebrate in life. Your poem is charged with sorrow, with what might have been's, and with a sense of victory... as well as determination to make good on this stroke of luck. Well done, John ~ congrats

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 11:47:00 AM

All you said reaches me deeply, Line. It is a chapter of my parent's lives more than mine, but it explains a lot about their depth of character and capacity for love. Many blessings to you.

Carolyn Devonshire

Date: 8/29/2020 4:26:00 AM

This is so sad, John. It must be hard on parents to lose so many children. Imagine how different your life might have been. Great monoku - Congrats on your win.

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 11:44:00 AM

Thank you for your empathy, Carolyn. You're right about the different life that could have been. Enjoy your day!

Silent One

Date: 8/29/2020 3:00:00 AM

Im so sorry to hear this... Must have been very difficult for your parents.. What a lovely son they have also.. Congratulations on your placement in the contest..

John Watt
Date: 8/29/2020 11:42:00 AM

Thank you for another great contest, and for your generous words and placement. I have tremendous respect and gratitude for my parents' resilience and faith.

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 8/28/2020 12:28:00 AM

How heartbreaking for your parents. I feel for their pain. I am sure you both were blest and cherished by your parents. I feel that way about my latest grandchild. My oldest daughter gave birth without in vitro at 46. A beautiful poem John. Blessings xxoo

John Watt
Date: 8/28/2020 7:29:00 PM

Yes, my sis and I always felt cherished by my parents. Not spoiled, but cherished. Lovely to hear about your daughter's successful birth. Appreciate all the visits today, dear friend.

Michelle Faulkner

Date: 8/27/2020 8:37:00 PM

How heartbreaking for your parents, you convey so much emotion so succinctly, very moving, John-

John Watt
Date: 8/27/2020 9:21:00 PM

Thank you, Michelle. I wasn't born yet, so I couldn't observe their pain, and they never talked about it. It's only now, after they are gone that it has really sunk it how much grief they must have gone through, and courage to keep trying. I do know that I was very, very loved. Your words are kind, and I appreciate you.

Gershon Wolf

Date: 8/27/2020 5:28:00 PM

This is a Wow of a poem, but your parents really went through the mill there. Are you close with your sibling? Luck and Love, Gershon

John Watt
Date: 8/27/2020 5:39:00 PM

Yes, though my sister and I are 6 years apart, we are close, thanks to her ability to forgive the years of torture a younger brother can dish out! Kudos to mom for her faith and fiber. Thanks for the lovely comment, my friend

Paul Callus

Date: 8/27/2020 1:04:00 PM

Yes, plans do go astray...such is life! Regards // paul

John Watt
Date: 8/27/2020 1:41:00 PM

Indeed they do. Thanks for the visit, my friend.

Francine Roberts

Date: 8/26/2020 8:24:00 PM

wow, same here , my brother is 11 years older than I , there were 4 lost between his birth and mine, all later pregnancy miscarriages, what a sad coincidence

John Watt
Date: 8/27/2020 1:43:00 PM

A sad coincidence indeed, Francine. A testimony to our mothers for the courage they demonstrated to keep trying in the face of tears and adversity. Truly brave women. Thank you for the touching visit.

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 8/26/2020 4:59:00 PM

This made me sad, yet thrilled for your parents that two survived. Perfect answer to contest prompt.

John Watt
Date: 8/26/2020 5:13:00 PM

Yes, I must say my parents were pretty happy. Boy, did that change when I turned terrible 2, haha! Thanks for the kind words, my friend.