Before the Change

By John G. Henning

The book takes you on a short journey to a time when an emotional roller coaster was the daily way of life. It is about friendship, love, and all of those emotions trapped inside looking for a way to be expressed both for family and loved ones. Walk in these verses written with a heart opened for all to see; take the steps.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490885377

John G. Henning

John Henning has written two other books of poetry about emotional aspects of life surrounded by the time in which they became real. Each one has its own special piece of time and is written for that time within the confines of that time.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 John G. Henning.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4908-8538-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-8539-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-8537-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015909847

WestBow Press rev. date: 06/23/2015

Contents

PREFACE

THE FRIENDSHIP BOOK

Introduction

Acknowledgments

Adventuresome Ally

Adventure

Appreciative Avenue

A Day of Appreciation

Showing That I Care

Forever Caring

The Cradle of Compassion

Compassionate Friend

Considerate

A Friend of Consideration

Empathy

Eternally Empathic

Gentle as the Wind

Gentle

Giving My Heart

I Give You

My Beating Heart

Never-Ending Heart

Heart Rapture

A Special Kindness

The Kindest Touch of All

Neat

The Neat Box

Organized for Life

Are You Organized?

Patient

Principles of Patience

Being with Smiley

My Friend Smiley

Soft

Speaking in Softness

My Talented Friend

Tidbits of Talent

Thoughtfulness

Thinking of Thoughtfulnesss

Warm Hands

Warm Days

Warmth

Welcome Your Warmth

LOVE WHISPERS

Introduction

Anniversary

Birthday Wish

Camellia

Cavern

Circle of Hope

Cloud Quest

Dream of a Sunny Spot

First Day of Fall

Girl in Love

Golden Night

Green Garland

A Hallows’ Eve

Heaven’s Door

Inner Leaf

Inner You

I Promise

Last Moon

Love Lake

Magical Woods

Moon Dream

Needles

Pastel Lake

Pieces of Heart

Sand Spikes

Silver Moon

Snow Prints

Softness of a Cloud

Sometimes

Special Friend

Stream

Strength

Temptation Trail

Winter Scene

Wishes

SINGLE WORDS

Introduction

Flower

Tree

Sky

Water

Stream

Snow

Grass

Hills

Cloud

Rain

Blue Sky

Gray Sky

Stones

Sea

Pebbles

Peace

War

Fear

Weakness

Love

Bird

Flight

Ground

Day

Night

Sunrise

Sunset

Midday

Evening

Stars

Moon

Shooting Star

Far

Near

Always

Treasure

Loss

See

Hear

MYSTICAL JOURNEY

Introduction

Carousel

Cast No Reflection

Coming of Age

Eternal Windows

Evolution

Heaven Steps

Infinite Vortex

In Days of Old

Manor East

Manor East Reprise

One

Petals

Queen of Hearts

Santa Rosa

Sands of Imagination

The Sunset After

We Have Passed This Way Before

PREFACE

This collection of poems, verses, and short essays contains small individual groups of works that, at first, I was going to publish as separate books. I decided that since all the writings included in those intended books were from a time before the change—my return to the church in 2004 and my subsequent adjustment to a new life—I would place them together under the unifying title, Before the Change.

The collection of writings found within the pages of this book, as with all my writing, is from the heart. I never had a choice.

In 1996, I started to write again with passion after many years in which I only wrote bits and pieces and fragments from my past. I put two collections together and published them. In 1992, a lot of things started to change in my life, so that by 1996, I needed an outlet and rediscovered writing. A lot of that material found its way into my first book, Omega Factor. As I noted in that book, there was hurt, love, and disappointment surrounding me in so many different ways.

The individual collections gathered here are The Friendship Book, Love Whispers, Single Words, and Mystical Journey. Each collection has its own introduction offering some reasons for the writings or a collection of thoughts relevant to the time they were written.

I know that some of these collections will touch you, while others may not make that same connection. I hope you enjoy them, as I enjoyed writing them.

THE FRIENDSHIP BOOK

Introduction

Don’t fear now, don’t turn away, it is just a dance

—The Dance, Omega Factor

I was once given a list of things describing what a friend is. The list ran from a to z. I thought that it was the neatest list I had seen, as it described so much of what a friend is, what a friend will do for you, and what a friend can be to you.

I decided to write verses as they came to me about those words, my friend and friends. My insights into special friendships can be seen in some verses, as I have at times moved from friend to friend. I had a lot of hope at that time that I might finish my whole list of relevant friendship verses. Just like life, we sometimes run out of time or look toward other avenues without completing the journey placed in front of us, and that is what happened here.

I thought that I had only two choices. The first was obvious: finish the list. Of course, the second was to not do anything. Well there was actually a third choice, and that was to put into print what I had written. Those verses that I had written—my honest feelings at the time—were alive with friendship. It’s not that the rest of that list didn’t need to be completed, but it just was not the time.

This book brings together those verses and lets those unwritten verses that originally were to follow just stay in past experiences.

Enjoy these verses, as they are simple. They are not from a scholar but from someone’s heart. So, share some of them with others, those who are your present, past, and future friends. We sometimes just let life go by too quickly and never focus on those who are our true friends.

Be a friend today.

Acknowledgments

Thank you for being there when I needed a friend. You helped me through a tough time and made each moment easier to face. When we have tough times, a friend is a blessing; thank you.

Adventuresome Ally

There is a mystique about this veil of adventure.

This quest is to find something new or to try to feel something new.

Traveling to new boundaries we have created so that we might reach them,

You have become an ally in this adventure called life.

As each day passes, the adventure becomes obtainable.

We feel the need to continue toward the goal we have set:

A journey we wish, we need, we desire to complete.

I am so rich to have you travel with in this adventure called life.

Adventure

I think that I like the adventure for its beginning and for its ending.

The beginning is when it is new and alive with excitement.

There are no boundaries; I can soar beyond the clouds in the sky.

I can scale any mountain. I can skim along the ocean’s crest. I can fly.

The ending provides closure to a wonderful experience.

There are no boundaries; I can dream a new adventure as surely as I stand here.

I can visualize my next quest. I can be brave, bold, and daring. I can be there.

I think that I like the adventure for its beginning and for its ending.

Appreciative Avenue

I walk along the lane, sympathetic to your feelings.

I stroll along the alleys, understanding of your kindness.

I drive along the roads, favorable to your wishes.

I ride along the freeway, considerate of your tenderness.

I wander along the terraces, enlightened by your glow.

I run along the boulevard, sensitive to your nearness.

I travel along the friendly street, aware of your smile.

I pass along the avenues, supportive of your lovingness.

A Day of Appreciation

It would make me so very happy if for one day you would appreciate me,

Not for all the things that I do, but for me.

Could you this day look into my eyes and see the truth within them, within me,

You would know what was inside of me.

It would make you so very happy if for one day I would appreciate you

Not for all the things that you do, but for you.

Could I this day look into your eyes and see the truth within them, within you,

I would know what was inside of you.

Showing That I Care

With every moment that passes, I cherish that moment with you.

As each day goes by, I cherish that day with you.

There are so many things that I would like to say to you,

But I am at a loss for words when I feel this way about you.

I wish I could find a way of showing that I care.

When you look my way, my heart stops beating within me.

I hold my breath until I force it from me.

Then when I can talk, I babble so badly that I don’t know if I am myself.

Maybe someone has taken over that person inside me,

I wish that I could find a way of showing that I care.

So, if you see this babbling fool turning blue as if he