life – dreamer | artist | painter

My Two Cents…

I woke up yesterday from a night of bad dreams, and the moment I opened my eyes, these words started pouring out of me and I knew I had to get them down in order to be able to let this go … for whatever it’s worth, these are my two cents…

The tough times
Aren’t meant
To break us.
They’re meant to
Shape and sculpt us
Into who we are
Becoming –
The next level
Of growth
In who we are
Meant to be.

The tears
We shed
Are meant to
Humble us,
And ground us.
A reminder for us
Of the kindness
And compassion
This world,
And people
Surrounding us-
Need.

We’re all fighting
Battles
Or health issues
Behind
Closed doors
Most people
Never see.

These days,
I would argue,
Most of us
Are often
Disconnected,,
Over-stimulated,
Rarely present,
And too busy
To process and
Heal from
All the things
That continue
To make our
Mind, body,
And spirit
Bleed…
Including me.

The overwhelm.
Our constant
Hustle and bustle-
Always moving.
This world
Is always in a hurry.
We’re so busy
Speeding through
Our days
From A to B
To C to D to E.
Just to get by.
Just to provide-
For our families.
And then-
Many of us
Are struggling to sleep,
And the hours of rest
We actually get-
Never feel like
Enough-
At least for me.

The mindless scrolling,
Binge-watching,
Numbing, vanity-driven
Distractions
Are carrying us all
Further and further away
From the true meaning
Of this life
And living-
Daily.
This frightening pattern
Is slowly killing
The very fabric
That connects us.
The deeper connection,
And sense of community
Is meant to support
And protect us.
As people-
We are more divided,
And more conflicted
Than ever before-
Slamming each other
Online in comments
Behind screens
And closed doors
Over disagreements…
Disagreements-
Over the muddied,
Skewed and
Extremely divided
Waters of corrupt
Media outlets and politics.
This division
Doesn’t suit us.
It’s gutting us.
Turning us
Against one another.
The hate
Certainly won’t fix this.
And I’ll be honest
When I say,
I don’t know
What the answer is-
But I do believe this-

We all need
To pause,
To reconnect
With ourselves,
To God,
The universe,
And our hearts.
We need more time
Out in nature.
More peace,
And quiet,
More time to
Think and breathe-
To reflect, meditate
And pray.
To sit and listen
To the silence.
Allowing ourselves
To reset
And to just be…
To be at ease-
To listen to the breeze,
Watching the birds
Flutter, soar,
And dance
Across the sky,
So effortlessly.
It’s live poetry-
In motion…
To just sit still
And watch the clouds
Form and fade,
Build up, roll in,
And release
Snow or rain,
Or allow
Warm sunshine
To shine through
The cracks
And down
Upon our face.
The raw beauty,
Of this world
And the wildlife buzzing
All around us
Is a gift to behold.
The awe-inspiring
Magic of our earth.
The power, the fragility,
And true honor
Of what it means
To breathe,
To be alive,
To be alongside
Our loved ones,
To be present,
And to feel heard.

We all want the same.
We all want better-
For ourselves,
For our children,
And grandchildren.
For our country,
And for each other.
Let’s all do better-
And be better-
For the higher good.

-Tanielle Childers 12.02.25

Grateful!

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

The pure magic
And beauty of this life
And this world
Is so profound
And powerful,
And suddenly
Becomes exponentially
More meaningful
When a test or tests
Call your current health
Into question.

The sky, the clouds,
The colors of the sunrise
And sunset-
The trees, the birds
And majestic Colorado
Snow-capped mountain tops.
The open fields
And still waters.
If we just pause
For a moment
And ponder…
Just how lucky are we
To be surrounded
By such magnificent beauty.
I’m continually in awe
Of nature’s tranquility.
In times like this-
The sheer beauty
Just hits me-
Differently.

Waking up each morning
And getting to rise
With the ones
That you love.
Getting to see them,
And tell them good morning,
And being able to
Show them your love.
And oh-
The pure magic
In their heartfelt,
And comforting hugs.
What a gift.
What magic to behold.
These simple treasures
Make us far richer
Than any amount
Of gold.

I am over the moon
Grateful
For this life,
For our family,
And all of our friends.
For our laughter,
And every moment-
Together.
For our memories,
Adventures,
And light-hearted
Shenanigans.
For the gift
Of this new day.
For getting to
Rise again-
For this moment
Right now,
For the air I breathe,
And for the strength
Of my body
Still carrying me-
Forward.
And onward.
I am grateful!

SO Grateful!

-Tanielle Childers ©️ 11.25.25

Dragonfly Eyes

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

To our beautiful son, Dason,
Who wasn’t meant
To stay here on earth…
I will never forget you
Or the day of your birth.

I honored your life
By delivering you
As if you were
To be born alive.
It was the only way
I knew how to show you-
Just how much love
We held for you inside.

In times of great sorrow,
You never cease to
Surprise and amaze me-
By showing up
In the most beautiful
And unexpected ways.

Today-
I walked outside
After a few days of
Feeling somber
And sad inside.

And the most
Vibrant dragonfly
Was laid to rest
Right at my feet
As if it had been
Perfectly placed
And was waiting there
Just for me.

My tears were instant.
A giant lump in my throat,
My heart skipped a beat.
I knew in that moment
It was you.
A giant hug from above
A gift of grace
And all the love
And comfort I
So desperately longed for.

I see you
And feel your spirit
Through your
Heaven-sent signs
And dragonfly eyes.
I am endlessly grateful
For you
And I love you
With all my heart
And bigger than
The whole sky.

-Tanielle Childers ©️ 9.7.25

Some Battles

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

Some battles
Just aren’t worth
All the tears that come.

Some might say
That all these patterns
Are too much
For the eye to see…
And I did-
Because that was me.

Until I realized
What the magnitude
Of my words to her
Might convey…

That she is
Too much,
Too bold,
And too different
For this world to see…
And to please tone it down
For all others,
And for the pride
Of the mother in me.

And that reflection
Stopped me cold
In my tracks
And broke my heart for her.
These patterns,
All of these
Beautiful flowers,
And this outfit
All of her own choosing
Are NOT too much
For this world
And me to see.

Rather-
They are
A breath of fresh air.
A palette of innocence,
And pure and simple
Happiness.
This outfit
Now makes my heart
Smile with joy-
For she is a force
To be reckoned with.
She is a beacon of light,
Kindness, love,
And quick wit.
She is smart, bold, fierce,
Creative, and beautiful,
And dances to the beat
Of her own drum…
And I will no longer
Tell her that her outfits
Are too much
For this world
Or for me-
Because her imagination,
And her bright shining spirit
Is everything
This world and I both need.

-Tanielle Childers ©️ 5.9.25

I’m Proud of You!

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

I’m so proud of you
For getting through
Every hardship,
Every battle,
And every struggle
That came from
Every difficult storm
You walked through.

I’m so proud of you
For every part
Of grief you
Overcame.
For moving through
Every feeling
You felt,
For allowing
Your heart to cry-
As you
Stoically,
Quietly,
Or powerfully,
And painfully
Wept.

I’m so proud-
That when the timing
Was just right for you,
You chose
To finally
Let it all go.
Let go of your pain,
And suffering,
The anger,
And sorrow,
And everything
That no longer
Served you-
And in the same breath
You decided
To step outside of
Your comfort zone.
And you chose
Joy and happiness.
You chose to rise, and
To spread your wings,
In order to grow,
And glow
Into the new,
Courageous,
Powerful and
Radiant
YOU.

Shine your light bright
For the whole wide world
To see-
And to feel.
Choose to
Love yourself
A whole lot more,
And a whole lot better…
Please promise me
You will.
Please offer yourself
Forgiveness,
And allow yourself
More grace-
With even more space
For love, compassion,
And patience…
For doing your best.
For who you are
And where you are-
Right now
At this very moment,
And in this place.
Because-
You and I both know
That this life isn’t easy!
And I just wanted you to know-
That I think you’re doing great!

Keep going!

Tanielle Childers ©️ 11-24-24

Life’s Littlest Joys

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

May life’s littlest joys
Make you smile in the moment-
May you find time today
To pause and take in
The beauty all around you.
May you feel peace and gratitude
For simply being present.
And for every blessing
That comforts, calms,
And re-grounds you.

-Tanielle Childers ©️ 8/24

Just Breathe in the Present

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

Little lights flickering-
Like fireflies
In the distance.
The sun-
Slowly tucking the end
Of this wondrous day- in.

I draw in a deep breath-
And then release it,
I close my eyes-
To pause and reflect.
And to rest-
Just beneath it.

There’s a powerful
Energy that breathes
Within the flowers, trees
And natural grasses-

They weave color and life
Across the earth’s landscape-
With such joyous delight-
For the masses.

Dancing and swaying
In the breeze-
With beauty and grace,
And shaking leaves-
In untethered,
And unfurled excitement.

Drinking in
The warmth of the
Glorious sun,
And newly fallen rain-
Relaxed and calm, and still.
And basking in the glory
Of pure enlightenment.

The serenading sunrises
And sunsets
Where sweeping pastels
Paint the sky-
Alive.

Dandelions
Making wishes
And planting
Seeds of hope
For brighter tomorrows-
A thousand times-

Gliding high-
With the wind…
In an effort to
Spread their magic
And a legacy-
Forever to be
Remembered by.

Twinkling lights-
And the subtle moon glow-
Our calming,
Heavenly night light-
Blanketing the earth-
With its falling stars,
And the sweetest dreams-
Trickling down to all-
Who still believe…
In the magic.

-Tanielle Childers ©️ 4.29.24

My Belief

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

My belief is that
God doesn’t
Bring us to the fire-
To watch us
Go down in flames.

And He doesn’t
Ship us out to sea
To look on-
As we’re swallowed
By the giant waves.

And He doesn’t
Send us into the eye
Of any storm
To punish us
In such a way
That we shall
Never again-
See the light of day.

My belief is that
God brings us
To the fire-
To watch us grow
Until that spark ignites.
To look on
As our potential
Grows higher
And higher,
And to help us,
To shine our new light.

And He ships us
Out to sea
So we can learn
To navigate
Uncharted waters,
And gain new strength
As we learn how to swim.
And when we grow
Tired and weary,
He wants to remind us
To go back to
Seeking and
Believing in Him.

And He sends us
Into and through
The eye of a storm
To show us
Our true character
And what we’re made of.
For us to prove
To ourselves
That we can be more
Than we ever thought
We could be-
Despite the toughest
Battles that fall
At our feet.

He sees us-
And knows our potential.
He challenges us
And believes in us
Wholeheartedly-
And in our ability
To overcome
Any obstacle
We are faced with,
In this life,
All the way through-
To the end.

And He looks on
Lovingly
As we rise up
Again and again.
Out of the fire-
Out of the water-
And on the other side
Of every storm-
As a better human
With a bigger heart,
More compassion,
Understanding,
And a lot less thorns.

-Tanielle Childers ©️ 4.5.24

You Can Overcome Anything

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

Dedicated to my kids … because life is never easy – and not without change. And because I want to make sure I pour my heart out in its entirety while I’m still here….And I want my words to continue speaking to their hearts long after I’m gone. 💛

“You CAN Overcome Anything”

The truth is
You CAN handle
Whatever comes your way-
No matter how big
Or how hard-
The life change.
You don’t handle
Everything all at once-
Or all in one day.
You handle it
In baby steps,
And long, deep breaths.
You handle it-
Moment by moment.
Just make the next
Right decision-
And do your best.
Sometimes-
You handle it-
With tears and talks
And late night texts.
You handle it-
With lots of hugs,
And I love yous.
You handle it-
With naps and walks,
Movies, ice cream,
Self-care, laughing,
Praying and gratitude.
You handle it-
With those
Who have your back-
At every turn.
Just keep going…
Lean into the change-
And always-
Learn.
You handle it-
Little bit by little bit.
And as you begin
To adjust to the changes-
You can gradually
Let go of the heaviness-
Or the overbearing weight of it.
And even if you never
Fully get over it-
You CAN get through it.
You ARE strong enough.
You ARE capable.
And I believe-
With all of my heart-
That you CAN do it.
I love you-
With everything
That I am-
And for as long
As I am able to…
I promise
To hold your heart-
And love you
Through it-
No matter what.
You are capable
And strong enough-
To get through-
And overcome
The hard stuff.

Love always and forever,

Mom

Tanielle Childers©️9/23

Transformation

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

I’m searching
High and low-
For the rainbow
In my new normal.
Crying, praying,
Pondering,
And wavering
Between hope
And hopeless.
Between faith
And why this?
Feeling all the
weight, and strain,
And bulk of this-
New world
I’m staring into.
A long road ahead
Of healing,
And reeling,
And struggling
To stand tall,
And strong again.
I feel like I’m fighting
Against the wind.
But I always fight
To win.
I’m weakened,
And I’ve been
Hit hard
By chemo treatment.
My daily struggles
Are no secret.
My dignity
Has taken a big hit.
And I’m right in
The thick of it.
Hair loss, weight gain,
Stiff, painful muscles,
Twitching, sensitive eyes,
And Menopause –
Overnight.
Tissue expanders,
And fluid retention.
I’m down at the bottom
Begging for redemption.
Breast Cancer
Is a disease
and a terrible life infection
A life changing direction,
With deepened introspection
Of who and what
I am at my core
Because everything
That once was-
Is nothing like
It was – before.
I must do
Everything
Within my power
To find the rainbow
After this storm.
I must set my ego aside
And find the light
In my new life-
My new norm.
For there is beauty
To be found
In every life cycle
And in every living form.

-Tanielle 6.20.22

The Circle of Life

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

The circle of life,
the cycles of time.
Sweet coincidences,
synchronicities,
and tender moments
with our loved ones
by our side.

Beautiful memories
that taste of love, and magic,
and carry us for a lifetime.

New beginnings,
and the excitement of new
chapters, and adventures.
New life entering this world
with the promise of
continuation, and elation,
and getting
to watch them grow.
Loving, protecting, and
encouraging them as they go.
Our children bring the promise
of light, and hope through
life’s constant ebb and flow.

Life and loss
throughout our time here-
reminds us of life’s
greatest treasures,
and the value of all
that we hold dear.
Our moments are a gift-
priceless and tethered.
Our loved ones
who have gone on
Live in our hearts,
and throughout
our time here forever.
This life is precious,
and perfectly imperfect
throughout each, and every day.
This world is incredible,
awe-inspiring,
and should be coveted,
and protected in every way.

Take the time to take in-
the sunsets, sunrises,
snowy, and rainy days,
clouds, and endless blue skies.
The glow of the moon,
and the milky way.
The stars that twinkle and shine.
The animals, mountains, lakes,
rivers, streams, and ocean tides.
The flowers, the trees,
the birds, and the bees.
The forests, the beaches,
the sand, and the breeze.
The mountainous, the tropical,
the frozen, the desert,
and the plains.
The earth in all it’s wonder,
and majesty with every
imaginable type of terrain.

Take in the
changing of the seasons,
holidays, and celebrations
of every type.
Life is short, so be thoughtful,
and always be kind.
Live now, and love deeply.
There is no redo or rewind.
Be humble, and gracious.
Forgive, and let go.
Learn every lesson presented.
You’re never too old to grow.
Laugh loud, and laugh often.
And humor your way through it.
Life is good, bad,
and at times unbearable.
That’s just the cold,
hard truth of it.
But the cycles of life
are precious, and breathtaking,
and 1000 percent worth it.

The circle of life,
the cycles of time.
I’m so very grateful,
from the bottom of my heart,
for each one of you.
Thank you for being
such a beautiful,
and bright part of mine.

-Tanielle Childers © 4.27.22

SOME DAYS

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

Some days-
You feel tired
Of fighting,
Tired of hiding
The heartache
Behind your smile.

Some days
You feel like crying
Instead of siding
With positivity,
Even if only
For just a little while.

Some days
No matter
How deep you dig,
Happiness,
Hope, and sunshine
Are difficult to feel.

Some days
It’s okay
To let down and let go,
And to not feel okay,
And just get rest
So you can heal.

Some days
Are not fun days,
Or hit-the-ground-running’ days
Or give-it-your-all days
And it’s okay
Not to be that way every day.

Some days
You just need
To give yourself grace,
And walk away
from the rat race.
It’s okay to take a break.

Some days
Are mental health days
That require
Other ways of dealing-
With a lot less people pleasing
And that’s okay, too.

Some days
There are better ways
Of living, and being,
And giving-
Even when that means
Giving more time for you.

After all,
We’re all just humans-
Being.
And it’s okay to just be human
And nothing more-
Some days.

-Tanielle Childers ©️ 4.26.22

I Am 1 in 8

Poetry by Tanielle Childers, Uncategorized

Breast Cancer
I am 1 in 8.
Blinded by the diagnosis,
and still coming to terms
with accepting this
as my fate.

I could ask, “Why me?”,
and go to a sad,
dark place quite easily.
But that is a question-
that will never
be answered.
And staying there
would rob me
of my power-
Indefinitely.

Instead-
I choose positivity.
I choose hope.
I choose faith.
I choose humor.
I choose to find the things
that make me feel happy,
rather than focus only
on all the difficulty.
I choose gratitude.
And I choose my attitude.
Daily. And intentionally.

Breast Cancer treatment-
is a BIG mountain to climb.
A giant obstacle-
directly in front of me.
And I am facing it head on,
and riding the waves of change,
and the side effects
of every treatment
with as much grace
as I can, to the best
of my ability.
Overcoming this-
And sharing my story
and my journey
along the way-
is part of my life destiny.
And I believe that
wholeheartedly.

Breast Cancer-
Why me?
I will never know
the reason.
And I will never ask.
This is my life test,
and I’ve been
called to task.
I am 1 in 8.
And I will overcome.
I will do my best
to keep my chin up
through this adversity,
and my battle
WILL be won.

Breast Cancer
affects so many.
It’s shocking
when you’re
in the thick of it.
Giant hugs and honor
to all who have been
impacted –
by this enormity.
I stand among the
countless women
who have been down
this road before me.
And I look forward
to standing with them
at the finish line,
as a survivor
with a story.

How Great Is Our God

Poetry by Tanielle Childers, Uncategorized

This was written the day my chemo port was placed, and the night before my very first chemo treatment. I was terrified of all of the unknowns. I leaned into God at every scary turn and it was everything I needed and more – to get me through it. May this poem find those who need it and offer up all of the same to you in your time of need or for someone you love! Love, light and giant hugs to all going through their own life battles right now. May we become beacons of light in the eye of the storm we’re in, to give hope to all those who follow a similar life journey! 💗💗💗

Laughter is the best medicine – so don’t forget to laugh as often as possible to get those endorphins coming your way. Stay strong!

God’s grace-
is a glorious place.
A prayerful,
and meditative state-
filled with peace,
unconditional love,
and safe keeping.
Releasing,
And unleashing me
from all that burdens
my weary,
and tethered mind-
to fearful,
and unkind thoughts-
that slowly rise up
to the tip top.
Becoming louder
And more prominent,
and dominant
than my faith.
I pause in reflection-
And feel God beckon
me back-
to trust in Him
completely.
To not fear this road
I see in front of me.
But to believe in Him,
And to seek the beauty,
amongst the rubble
He has lovingly
bestowed upon me.
I must always retrace
my steps-
back to the quiet,
prayerful space-
when I feel lost-
And He will come
to greet me,
and I must lean in
with everything I am-
to learn every lesson
He is teaching me.
I feel renewed
by the power of faith
He has restored within me.
He refuses
to give up on me.
God’s grace
is everything.
Even through
all of these life trials,
and tribulations-
I am humbled and blessed
by the outpouring
of God’s greatest kindnesses,
and I am wholeheartedly,
and profoundly gracious.
I will do my very best
to remain steadfast,
and courageous-
in the face of-
my greatest challenges.
God’s grace-
Is the most glorious,
and peaceful place.
Where my tears
of gratitude
stream freely.
Where my heart
is overcome
by His eternal,
and everlasting
love for me.
God’s grace
never ceases-
to amaze me.
His amazing grace
always finds me
in the dark,
and reaches out
with his undying love-
to once again save me…

How great is our God!

Beautiful Life

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

BEAUTIFUL LIFE

I am so very grateful
for this beautiful life.
For the brilliant sunsets,
and the early morning sunrise.
For the epic Colorado blue skies,
that transition poetically into night.

For the moon that glows,
the twinkling stars that shine,
and for the afterglow of the moon-
burning brightly into our daytime…

For the storm clouds that rise
to the heavens-
or gently roll through.
For the pitter-patter of rain when it drops-
For all of our life memories,
and my loving thoughts of you.

For the snow when it falls,
and the intricate wonder
of snow flakes.
For snuggling next to you-
when I’m cold.
And waking beside you-
when the light
of the early morning day, breaks.

For the sweet morning bird songs,
that sing of spring and rebirth.
For your comforting hugs
when the sting of this life-
hurts worst.

For the soothing sound-
of your deep voice
that calms, and relaxes my worry.
For the quiet moments spent with you.
When life pauses,
and we let go of the hurry.

For your tender, loving kisses,
and I love you’s.
For our barefoot, mountain wedding,
our custom vows, and I do’s.

For paddleboarding side by side
in the hot summer sun.
For camping, hiking,
night fires, and outdoor family fun.

For jogging alongside me
with our littlest in tow.
I love and adore
every moment with you,
and I love you more
than you’ll ever know.

I am so very grateful-
for this beautiful life.
For all of our family and friends,
our children, and for you-
right by my side.

I love you forever.
I love you for life.

Have Faith

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

HAVE FAITH

Today-
I took a walk with God.
I talked to God.
I cried with God.
I asked why, and what for
and how come? with God.
I pleaded with God.
I prayed to God,
and then I waited
in silence – for God
to answer me.

I waited patiently,
and quietly.
I breathed in deeply,
and exhaled forcefully.
The tears,
and life’s let-downs
poured right out
of me.
Some days
are downright hard-
mentally.
They’re messy,
and they catch me-
off guard,
and unprepared.
But these days are there-
to remind me again…
that timing
isn’t up to me.
as to when-
or how this life
works out for me.
So I breathe in deeply-
Again.
And I turn my faith
right back to Him.
This is God’s Plan.
God’s got me.
And I’m down on my knees
waiting patiently.
Faithfully.
I’m praying silently.
Believing, and trusting
blindly…
in His timing.
In His glory.
In this life story-
that He’s lovingly
laid out for me…
This is my journey
and there’s peace
in knowing
that ultimately-
God’s got me…
In ALL things.
along every step of the way.
Every minute of every day,
God’s got me,
and He loves me.
This is God’s plan
and He has answered me this..
I must put my full faith
Into Jesus-
Nothing less.
Because-
He knows best…
Always.

HAVE FAITH.

Grab Hold –

Poetry by Tanielle Childers

As much as we’d like
to think we control
our future and our fate…

We don’t decide
when or how we will go,
much less, our final date.

I have become
very hyper-aware
of the moments-
and all I’ve been given.

One silver lining
to cancer, I suppose-
is I’ve realized
I’d better get to livin’!

Life isn’t perfect,
nor every day sweet.
But each waking moment
is a gift, and a blessing.

Soak up the minutes,
love hard, and be present.
Hold onto faith through the good,
the bad and the messy.

Have patience,
be kind, and accountable,
Treat your neighbors
as you would yourself.

Live now, live bold,
and laugh often.
And never put your dreams
up on that shelf.

Follow your heart,
don’t give up,
and keep going.
Money doesn’t equal success.

Chase your dreams,
inspire, and encourage.
Lift others up,
and give them your best.

Fill up your heart,
and it will fuel your spirit.
Live in joy,
And share your gift.

Time is precious,
and priceless, and finite.
Grab hold-
this life goes quick!