Thoughts From The Soul: My Journal In A Book Of Poems

By Anita Glaster

I call myself a late bloomer because I was slightly behind the curve in emotional development and self-expression.  In my curiosity and my desire to elevate myself; when watching TV, I would listen to words I did not know, then spell them out and look them up in an old dictionary that my great-grandmother had.  Nevertheless, it would be my tenacity that would keep me on track and defiant in accepting or allowing traditions to rule my life.  I was looking for who I was in the world and I could not depend on what others said that I was.  So, here is to your adventures in finding and growing from self-acceptance and knowledge.  [This manuscript is a quick guide and can only be used for basic content references due to formatting errors in sentence structure. The full updated manuscript can be found under the title: with another printing company.]

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anita Glaster
• Release date: Feb 17, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224715305

Anita Glaster

Anita Glaster is a Licensed Master Social Worker and Counselor.  She has over 25 years of service to the public and has worked with the police department, attorney general's office, battered women and children's shelter, and hospice companies. Her passion is assisting domestic violence victims to help them remove the legacy of violence from their lives and the lives of their children.   She is has been married to Willie A. Glaster, Jr. for 34 years and they are the parents of Gilbert, James, and Everett.

Book preview

Anita Glaster – Coming Soon

Secrets from the Closet

In Mommy’s Shadow

A Beautiful Stormy Day

Who’s Watching the Children

Thoughts from the Soul

My journal in a book of Poems

Anita Glaster

WAGJAM Productions

Forest Hill, Texas

Dedicated to all those who will be affirmed and healed by these words.  Throughout these pages, I give you flowers to honor the work that God will do in you now and until your successful victory. 

The lotus flower – Some say that the lotus flower represents the transcending of man’s spirit over worldly matter since it blooms from the underworld into the light.

Published by WAGJAM Productions

Printed by Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon.com, Inc.

Copyright © 2024 Anita Glaster

All rights reserved.

This book may not be reproduced in any shape, form, electronically or otherwise, unless given written permission by the publisher.

Cover picture:  Courtesy of KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing

Author picture:  Willie Glaster, Jr., MAPM

ISBN:  9798875761072

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements   i

Forward by Anita Glaster   ii

Part I.  1984 to 1988

Close Your Eyes and Forget 12

Let Me See Clearly  14

Where Are You?   16

Be With Me   17

Place Of My Pain   18

Words To Live By  20

I’m Your Elder!   21

Who Set These Standards 22

Labels And Tags   23

Sounds of the Old Life  26

Images    28

Part II. 1988 to 1989 

What is a Touch to the Human Life  29

There Are Limits in Freedom  30

I Did     32

My People     35

Waiting     37

Lost Again    39

He’s Perfectly Beautiful   41

People Say     42

Thresholds/A Walk of Faith  43

The Cost of Self-Preservation  45

Vanity & My Battle   47

Running     48

Poor Ole Man    49

A Broken Heart    51

Remember ME    52

Moving On from My Friends  54

I Don’t     56

My Baby, My Love   57

Don’t Lose Me    58

Hello, Is Anybody Home?  60

The Threshold of a New Beginning 62

Part III. 1990 to 1996

My People (Revised)     64

Pretty Black      66

Second Best      68

Trust Regained      70

Love Unequaled      72

Finding Myself Is Like Kicking Down Doors   73

Ahh, age 40 & over – 40 & over refrain    75

Oh, Insight!  Where Art Thou?     76

The Slow Road to Forgiveness     78

Can’t Claim Them     79

A Glorious Day      80

In Whom I Believe     81

Risk Taking Vs Faith     82

My Relationship with Evil    83

Finding It All on Your Own    84

They’ll Never Forget What You Used to Be   85

Fear       86

Trapped       87

It’s Life       88

The Place of My Pain and My Anger    89

I Was There      91

Why?       93

I Can’t Find the Words     95

So Beautiful and Yet So Vain    96

Aloneness       97

My Epilogue of Idioms 98

Appendix   99 - 100

About the Author  101 – 102

From the Author  103

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I have said to many, if you see anything truly accomplished, in me, it’s because of my husband, Retired AF Technical Sergeant Willie Al Glaster, Jr, MAPM.  It is because of his desire to know me, support me, encourage me, and love me.  His career suffered through the military’s RIFs and low promotion rates, but his family was still his priority.  As the great provider and protector that he is, I am now benefactor of a wonderful life and home. 

Willie has not only ensured that I attended credentialed colleges, but he also made sure that I finished every degree that I needed to be successful.  Even as a 20-year military member, he was a team player in helping around the house and with raising the children.  He was hands on with them in sports, encouraging them, and made sure that they had everything they needed for their extracurricular activities.

Not perfect by any means, but when