Home in the Stream

Home in the Stream describes in poetic form my spiritual quest for wholeness. This quest I feel is related to my destiny and my birth name ""Holmstrom,"" in Swedish meaning ""home in a stream."" I am a holistic counselor and poet who incorporates the messages of body, mind, and spirit in my work as a poet and counselor. My parents were Swedish immigrants who owned a small grocery store in Seattle. I grew up spending much time in the forests around Seattle and the Puget Sound, where I developed a love of nature and the waters of the Northwest. I lived in Alaska for four years. Since l980, I am at home on the shores of Liberty Lake, near Spokane, Washington These poems were inspired by people or experiences in which I was deeply moved to express a profound sense of truth or beauty. When I express this inspiration in art or poetry, I become more complete or whole, more united with my highest spiritual self. In the poem ""Getting out of My Way,"" I describe how when I relax and go inward I can hear a voice which connects me to nature, spirit, and others. Home to me is more than a place; it is a consciousness of truth, love, and peace. Going home for me is a continual process, not just an inner or outer destination. This process means being awake to beauty in the present moment, but also having faith and courage, knowing I am not alone and am part of the creative energy streaming through all of life. Writing these poems helped me transcend negativity in myself and grow into an awareness of being more complete and self-realized. These poems are a gift from the creative stream of life within me to help me and others to find our way back home.