A Place for You

Hope

Time

Legacy

Peace

Perspective

Seasons

Butterfly

Black and White

Words

Thank you

Stars

Grief

Grief is the darkness

that leads us to light

Grief is the wrong

that makes things right

Grief is a thief

That gives more than it takes

Grief is a healer,

Make no mistake

Without my grief

Who would I be?

Not me

Not me

Grief is the burden

We don't want to carry

Grief is an emotion

We'd all love to bury

Grief leaves a mark

On the human soul

No one escapes

The force of its pull

Grief is the part of life

We don't want to feel

But it belongs to the unchanging

Cosmic wheel

Grief is the gate

We must pass through

To find joy beyond sorrow

And happiness true

In the depths of my grief

Seeds are sown that can grow

Into tall trees of understanding

With strong roots below

Grief is a teacher

And I am the student

To run from this lesson

Would be most imprudent

Grief is a fire

Always burning inside

On the road to heaven

Grief is the guide

Grief is the low

Of the tide's ebb and flow

Grief is the long night waiting

For the sun to show

Grief is desire

That can't be fulfilled

It touches us all

The weak and strong-willed

Grief is the master

That sculpts the spirit

Grief's not a monster

There's no need to fear it

For hidden inside

the tears we hide

Is a portal to wonder

Where peace can abide

Once you've endured

your deepest sorrow

You can live for the hope

Of a better tomorrow

Delirious Happiness

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be
or not to be, that is the question
everything
is coming up roses
from the south
winds are blowing
in the wind
is common 'round these parts
and pieces
of the life I once knew
shoes need to be broken in
the jungle
cat
nip
and tuck
everlasting
gobstoppers are sweet
tea
and crumpets
are best with clotted cream
cycle
repair
my broken glasses
filled with soda
springs
hold up the trampoline
injury
protection
from infection
can be serious if you start to get delirious
happiness may ensue

Battle Plan

You need to have a battle plan

the wedding

bells are ringing

in my ears

were made for listening

is a rare and precious skill

and talent aren't enough

already

gone

with the wind

in the willows

by the river

walk

softly

speak

my name

game

theory

and practice

makes better

choices

make the man

is nothing without woman

power

station

management

must approve each decision

precision reduces friction

brakes

wear out quickly

run to the doctor

doctor, please please help me

myself and I

believe in doing good

grief

is rarely brief

case

in point

the way

down upon the Swanee River

Dance

fights are cool

as a cucumber

salad

Abuse

Toxic.

Broken.

Destructive.

Yet you keep going back.

It's possible to be addicted

to something that isn't a substance.

People, habits, thinking patterns.

You call it loyalty,

but really it's dysfunction.

Knowing you need to leave

but not knowing how.

Walking away when you should be running.

Losing yourself,

Losing your mind,

Losing all concept of free will.

Forgetting

the life you used to know.

Believing

you deserve nothing better.

Shattered sense of self,

submitting to keep the peace,

saying someday he'll change

maybe this is the last time he'll hit me

He's a good man

Just carrying a heavy load

He used to be kind

He'll be kind again.

Lies.

Venom.

Self-deception.

There is nothing that justifies abuse,

and the pattern begun won't end.

Leave.

Now.

Call whatever friends you have left

And get as far away from him as you can.

There is fear in leaving

But the greater danger is staying.

Remember the joy you used to feel?

You are not undeserving

in spite of what he says,

in spite of how he treats you.

You've done things you regret

We all have

But you don't deserve this hell.

And no one can free you

Until you decide to free yourself

Escaping both the situation

And the prison of the mind

You helped him build

Piece by miserable piece.

You were made for more than this.

You are loved more deeply than you know.

A new world awaits.

Step into the light.

Collected Wisdom

Here is some of the wisdom I've collected during my nearly 38 years on this planet:

When the size of our faith exceeds the size of our problems, happiness is the inevitable consequence.

Kindness is the oil that keeps the delicate machinery of human society from seizing up.

Every human life is inherently valuable, and everyone’s story deserves to be told.

I can’t make a difference for everyone, but I can make a difference for someone, and I can do it today.

Change for the better is not only possible, it’s happening right now. Someone somewhere just got an idea that will make the world a better place, and they’re about take their first courageous steps.

No darkness is so complete that a single ray of sunshine cannot dispel it.

Respect is the beginning of understanding, understanding the beginning of love.

Judgment is the disease and compassion is the cure.

There is beauty and inspiration everywhere, for those who choose to see it.

Life is sacred.

It is possible to find joy in the midst of suffering.

Outer peace begins with inner peace.

Service is a two-way street. We must be willing to both accept and offer it freely.

Empathy heals wounds.

Human connection saves lives.

Human love can transform the world.

Words are powerful. Use them to help, not hurt.

The words “if only” are two of the most painful words in the English language.

There is no cause, belief, organization, or idea so important that it can justify the intentional malicious treatment of innocent people.

It is possible to find inner peace in the midst of outer chaos.

In the long run, we always reap what we sow.

It is far better to be good than to look good.

Much of the dissatisfaction we experience in life is the result of misalignment between values and actions.

People can change, and they do it all the time. Real, lasting change is difficult, but it’s worth the effort.

Everything we need to be happy is already inside us.

We cannot completely suppress or be utterly ruled by our emotions. There must be a balance between instinct and reason.

Forgiveness is essential to happiness.

Few gifts are more precious than the gift of a loyal friend.

Fear, worry and anxiety destroy peace. Courage and faith restore it.

Intense grief is usually temporary, but it always leaves scars. We are never the same at the end of that journey as we are at the start.

The better we become at dealing with the inevitable uncertainty and discomfort in life, the happier we will be.

Expectations are a source of pain in life, especially expectations of entitlement. Meeting life on its own terms instead of wishing it could be different diminishes the need for destructive escapes.

No one sees the world as it actually it is. All we experience and all we think and feel is filtered through our perceptions.

God is real. Every time someone loves and serves another person, God is there. He is there in our joy and He is there in our pain. Trust Him.

Cinderella

There's no place like home

is where the heart is

this love

is a many splendored thing

one and thing two

by two, me and you

are the air that I breathe

into a paper bag

ladies in the park

close to the curb

the habit of rage

against the machine

politics are detrimental to patriotism

is always welcome

to the jungle

gyms are endless fun

times were had by all

at once we heard a scream

into your pillow

fight

for your right to bear arms

race

to the finish

what you start

your engines

need oil

lamps light up the night

terror at midnight

is when Cinderella has to leave the ball

and chain

letter

Simple gifts

Sometimes I look at my reflection in the mirror,

mirror on the wall, life can be unfair to all

for one and one for all, that's the way we'll make it through

the night, through the storms

are brewing in the distance

is relative, relatives are distant

bells ringing quietly in the dark

clothing is my preferred fashion

models are trendsetters

should be wise with the power they wield

a sword in defense of the truth

will set you free

as a bird

on a wire

some money to the bank

on it

hurts when you talk that way

to go

away, rain

in Spain falls on the plain

and simple

gifts

Cosmic Dance

Chains bind us in cosmic dances

through circumstances

can be improved by learning to let life lead

the way through the interplay between choices and chances

are we dream of a life

is better when our want is no slave to our need

to defeat the habit of second guessing

is detrimental to the blessing of forgetting

our expectations of explanations that are clear

to the top of the mountains that we'll climb

up when we're freed from prisons of the mind

over matter is the way to win the fight

to defeat darkness with light

up the path we must follow

our hearts as they beat in time

to stop looking for the reason

for rhythm is rhyme

A Single Ray of Sunlight

Walking in darkness,

sometimes we forget

that light exists.


We fixate on what hurts us

deriving identity

from our pain.


We look away

from the hands

that could rescue us.


Aching

Longing

Filled with regret

Alone

Lost


Our vision blurred

our perspective limited

our views tainted


Conflict.

Contention.

Crisis.

Our constant companions.


Forgetting how to feel,

how to love.

Forgetting who we are,

letting shame define us.


Fire

Anger

Hatred

Self-loathing

Threaten to consume us

Unquenchable

Unfixable

Unrelenting


Everything we believe about ourselves

and the world

and the people around us

is a lie,

Warped by our own twisted thoughts


This is OUR world

But it is not THE world


Change is possible.

For you, for me, for all who see

through darkened eyes.


It comes in small moments of clarity,

like a single ray of sunlight

slicing through the clouds


The road to peace

can be a long one,

but the journey begins

with hope.

Spread Your Wings

You.
Shine.
Bright.

You light up
the night.

More loved than you know,
you positively glow.
So alive.

So alive.

This world needs your soul
like a rock needs a roll
You're the stars
in my sky
and my sweet butterfly
You can be

anything.
Now go fly,
spread your wings.

Change the World

I'm small,
but significant.
I'm young,
but I won't stay like this
forever.

I have a lot to offer
and a lot to learn.
I'm getting stronger
every moment.

There may be days
when I'll feel anxious
and depressed.
There may be nights
when I'll feel lonely
and cold.

But there will be good days, too.
Joy to relieve the anguish.

Every new experience
helps me grow.
Every fall makes me
more resilient and aware.

Someday, you'll see,
I'll be the person
I was meant to be.

Someday, you'll see,
I'm gonna change the world.

My First Friend

You raised me,
fed me,
played with me,
and rocked me to sleep at night

You did the dirty work
no one else wanted to do.
You were my first friend,
the first to love me

When I got sick,
you nursed me back to health.
When I pushed you away,
you were there for me anyway

You bathed me,
scolded me,
guided me,
praised me

You saw things in me
no one else could see.
Your faith in me
gave me faith in myself

There is no substitute
for a mother's love.
I am me
because you're you

No Greater Miracle

You are the embodiment
of all that is
beautiful. Your existence, your humanity,
your heartbeat. There can be
no greater miracle.

Where will you go? What will you
be? An endless sea
of opportunity. This
is your
time. Your moment.

Your falls, your scrapes, your
scars. Your
worries, your burdens,
your cares. Don't let them
break
                    you. Let them
makeyou.

Don't be afraid of
joy. Don't waste your
energy trying
to fit in.

Stand                      out.

You have
gifts. Strengths.
                power
Use them. To
reshape your
wOrlD.

Love.
  Live.
 Breathe. Dream
wide awake.
    Surrender
and fight when
the time
is right.

This is your
    life

A Man Like You

I hope you'll remember,

as you're raising me,

how it felt when you were a child,

and how you liked to be treated.

Bursting with energy,

always wanting to play.

Rules like chains,

wanting to be thrown off.

I know I can be loud.

Maybe you once were, too.

But I'm doing the best I can,

making it up as I go.

I suspect you're doing the same.

I'm curious and careless,

still unsure who I am.

I need your example,

your patience and love.

It's so easy to disrespect me.

People do it all the time.

Just remember when you talk to me,

there's a human soul inside.

I'm just a boy,

but someday

I'm going to be

a man like you.

Safe and Warm

I've never had a son before,
so I hope you'll understand
if I make mistakes from time to time
while learning to be your dad.

I promise to do the best I can
to keep you safe and warm,
to protect you always from pain and harm
and shelter you from the storm.

I'll teach you by example
to treat a woman like a queen.
I'll show you what to do
when the other kids are mean.

I'll never leave you behind,
not while this heart beats in my chest.
You can count on me to be here,
and to give you my very best.

We may not always think alike,
but when we disagree,
I'll try to understand your views
and see the way you see.

I'll guide you when you're young,
I'll help you learn and grow.
And when you've become a man,
I'll lovingly let you go.

I'll set you free to live your life,
but this shouldn't make you sad.
You'll always be my little boy,
and I'll be your dear old dad.

Who We Are

Every soul
brought into this world
has a right to be here.

Every life
is precious
beyond comprehension.

Every person
who has ever lived
matters.

Though we make mistakes,
though some decisions cause pain,
the things we do cannot change
who we are, what we're worth.

There is no substitute
for human love,
no greater need
than belonging.

Everyone deserves a chance
to breathe
to smile
to love.

Especially you.

Tiny Seeds

A seed begins life
beneath the soil,
comfortably protected
from the elements.

Then come the challenges
of growth --
wind, hail, feet,
axes and shovels and fire.

There is no progress without risk,
no triumph without travail.
The tallest trees begin as tiny seeds --
unrealized potential.

Within each of us
lie seeds of greatness and,
more importantly,
goodness.

We can choose to remain
cocooned in safe slumber,
never daring to try,
never seeing the sun.

Or we can rise,
risk,
reach,
possess the sky.

It is our commission
to break the surface of the soil
and learn what it means
to live.

The Future Is Bright

We all have days
when the darkness descends,
when it feels like the fog
will never lift.

When the problems of yesterday
feel like shackles
anchoring us to the ground,
when the problems of today
weigh on us so heavily
we can't find the strength to rise,
and when the problems of tomorrow
paralyze us with fear.

To those who bear
the weight of the world
on their tiny shoulders,
take heart.
There are stars in every sky.

The future is bright.
The problems of yesterday are past,
the problems of today can be overcome,
and tomorrow will take care of itself.

Your pain is real,
your struggle intense.
But hope is just as real,
joy just as intense.

Peace awaits you,
if you choose to seek it,
once your season of grief
has ended.

A Gentle Touch

A gentle touch
in the right moment
with the right person
can ease worries,
calm fears,
communicate empathy,
and heal hearts

There is power in human touch,
human connection,
human love

Kiss, snuggle and hug.
These wordless expressions
of commitment and caring
are essential to a joyful life

I'll Take Care of You

I'll take care of you
through the ups and the downs,
the good and the bad.
You can count on me.

I'll take care of you
when you're sick,
when you're well,
when you need a friend.

I'll take care of you
because I care,
because you matter,
because I love you.

I'll take care of you
in winter, summer,
spring and fall,
day after day and year after year.

I'll take care of you
no matter what you go through,
no matter how long,
no matter how hard.

I'll take care of you.

From beginning to end
I'll take care of you.

But who will take care of me?

Calloused Hands

Quiet kindness,
simple strength,
integrity and love:
these are the things that matter.

Give me a pair
of calloused hands
worn out
in service to others.

Give me a pair
of gentle hands
sanctified
by acts of devotion.

The things that I do
with these hands of mine
are the one true mark
of what's inside.

Picture Perfect

I used to dream
of a picture perfect life.
Perfect house, perfect kids,
perfect job.

Then I realized that perfection
is unattainable,
and I made the catastrophic mistake
of trying to look perfect instead.

The mental strain
of pretending to be someone I wasn't
took its toll,
and separated me from joy.

No one has
a picture perfect life,
although it may seem that way
from the outside.

Life can be wonderful,
beautiful and good,
but never perfect,
and that's okay.

So I tore up the picture
of the life I thought I'd have
and found joy
in the one I've been given.

Alive

Your success in life is not measured
by your accomplishments.

Your worth is not measured
by what others think of you.

Your intelligence, your income, your body, your age --
these things don't define you.

Only you can do that.

It doesn't matter
how many times you've fallen short,
how many scars you've accumulated,
how much you have yet to learn.

What matters is that you're alive,
that you're striving with the rest of us,
playing wrong notes with panache.

I pray that on those days
when you feel empty and alone,
you will lift your eyes to the sky
and keep your hope alive.

Write Your Story

Write your story
on the canvas of your heart
in living color.

Live your story,
love your story,
give it all you've got.

Learn to dance
through shadow and light.
Make your peace with darkness.

Move with grace
through sorrow and joy.
Don't let your pain be wasted.

Work like it matters,
play like it doesn't,
and never be ashamed of who you are.

Rise When You Fall

Now that you're grown up,
are your dreams still alive?
Are you confident and hopeful,
do you have the same drive?

Life can steal your joy,
but you can steal it back.
Your dreams will guide you
when you get off track.

Those things you longed to be,
you can be them still.
There's always a way
when you can find the will.

Remember those dreams
you had when you were small.
And remember to rise
every time you fall.

When You Were Small

Remember those dreams
you had when you were small,
when you could be anything,
anything at all?

Remember how it felt
to believe in yourself,
to feel confidence, courage,
and nothing else?

The influence of fear
and those negative voices
had no impact at all
on your everyday choices.

You were free to dream,
free to live,
free to love,
free to give.

No goal was too big,
no mountain too steep,
no distance too great,
no ocean too deep.

Remember those dreams,
and who you wanted to be.
Remember them
so you can inspire me.

Spark

Who is this stranger, veiled in shadow?

Surely she is not like me.

She looks different, acts different, talks different, walks different.

We could not be less alike.

But there is a hint of something,

a spark of recognition.

I have never seen her before,

and yet ... something in her eyes calls to me.

Could it be that she knows laughter,

that she knows pain?

Does she know how it feels to long for love?

Does she smile, does she cry,

does she have sleepless nights?

Perhaps we both know

the joy of victory

and the sting of defeat.

Different cultures, different Gods,

different worlds, different lives,

but the same humanity,

the same craving for understanding.

Who is this stranger, veiled in shadow?

In every way that truly matters,

she is just like me.

Light in the Dark

This is for the days when you feel empty inside,
for the moments when you want to run and hide.

This is for the heartaches, the heartbreaks and pain,
through the dark and the cold, through the fog and the rain.

This is for the dreams that never came true,
for the times when no one knows how it feels to be you.

Through the storm, through the night,
through the struggle, through the fight,
you are seen, you are known,
in the dark there is light.

Beneath the Surface

Sometimes life can feel
like an endless grind.
Learning, working, striving,
facing the storm with gritted teeth.

Life can be a lonely walk,
an arduous pilgrimage.
But there is joy to be found
beneath the surface.

There you can discover
what's truly important,
what's truly lasting
and what truly gives life.

You are here
to share your true light,
to see your true beauty,
and to be your true self.

The quest for meaning
is a journey without end,
and it is in the searching
that meaning is made.

A Life Well-lived

To make a positive difference for others,
to be a good friend,
to live with integrity
and simplicity

To find a balance between
work and play,
effort and rest,
recreation and discipline

To move in rhythm the way nature moves in rhythm:
day and night
low tide and high tide
winter and summer

To rise after every fall

To live with passion,
to cultivate rich and rewarding relationships,
to make a contribution,
to feel valuable and valued

To leave a legacy,
to love and be loved,
and to develop
imperturbable inner peace

These are the ingredients
of a life well-lived

The Courage to Create

You were born to create
beauty, art, memories, love, smiles
You were born to use your gifts,
to live without masks,
to be authentically you

You were born to work
with your hands
to speak with your lips
to express what's inside
and leave your mark on the world

You were born to live
To share your light
to be
to breathe
to become

You were born to feel
to embrace
to endure
to overcome

You were born to be you
and no one can do it better

Paths of Joy

When writing a poem,
the hardest part is the start
This can also be true
of the process of change

Once we've begun,
all we need to do is continue
But it's the beginning
that determines the ending,
or rather the way we begin
that determines the outcome

A half-hearted effort will never yield
the desired results,
Neither will attempts to fit in
and meet the expectations of others

Some paths we've chosen,
and others were chosen for us
But make no mistake,
our fate is in our own hands

We can choose paths of joy,
paths of pain,
or paths of pleasure

Pleasure is external and fleeting
Joy is something we carry inside
And pain will lead us to joy,
if we heed its message

Sometimes we may find ourselves
Trapped by darkness, pain and fear
We may want to escape,
to be anyone or anywhere else
But lack the courage and knowledge
To walk into the unknown

Take that first step
Take it now
Don't look back
Take heart
And know that rewards will come
to those who are willing
to begin

The Worth of a Soul

When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

Light? Darkness?

Scars? Flaws?

Mirrors don't lie, but minds do

Look again

There's only a person staring back at you

A person with a past,

a future,

and a present

Those secrets you keep inside,

and the pain you've caused others,

are burned like a brand into your self-image;

it is time for release

You are more than the secrets you keep,

more than the shadows you harbor

You are more than you know