Service | pictured words

February 22, 2026

Sisters in Service, Walk Proud

Sisters in Service, Walk Proud

There are those who travel
because they have the desire
and the means.

There are those who travel
because they have the need to escape
with no means.

And there are those who travel
because duty calls them …
and this means they must.

These are the sisters who, steadfastly,
walked in service to our country.
They served intentionally.
Honorably. Sacrificially. Heroically.

Love of their homeland drove them.
The road they chose wasn’t easy,
nor was it safe.

It was demanding.
Challenging. Grueling. Trying.

It took discipline. Heart. Courage. Resilience.
A willingness to be at risk,
knowing they will likely be unacknowledged
and unseen, as had their sisters before them.

They chose this road not for glory,
but for the betterment of
the land and people they love.

And this road they’ve chosen
is one they themselves built
with broken ceiling’s glass.

© Marie Elena Good, 2026

It was my honor to read this poem at the Women Veterans retreat sponsored by American Legion Post #587 and Women Veterans Initiative yesterday, (February 21, 2026). It was humbling being in the presence of these women.

November 13, 2022

Bonnie

Bonnie

She showed up at the nursing home, waiting to be let in. Of course her chances for entry were near zero, as animals were not welcome. But this pretty golden retriever would not take no for an answer. I don’t know the story of how she actually gained entrance. I can only tell you that by the time my grandmother was in their care, she had already become part of the facility’s staff. We were told that, from her very first moment inside, it seemed like she had just always been there. She knew where everything was. She knew the routine. She knew this was a quiet place, and she abided. She knew when a patient was soon to die. She graciously stayed with them and comforted them until they passed … but not before seeking entry permission from a nurse. She knew her role. This was her life’s work.

I wonder … sometimes,
might we glimpse Eden’s garden
in full bloom, pre-fall

© Marie Elena Good, 2022