Archive | December 2010

God loves me a lot!

Dec31

I’ve come to the conclusion that
God loves me a lot!
He is sending me trial after trial!
No, I’m not being sarcastic
I mean it!
I think God loves me a lot!

The carpet cleaner
Beats the carpet
To take away the dust
The cook keeps the soup
On fire
Until everything is cooked and soft*

The beating and the fire
Are out of love
Hard to bear
But great the result*

I think God loves me a lot
Because not only have I
Experienced sorrow and pain
I have also known exhilarating joy!

Many blessings have come my way
Freedom to write and express myself
Freedom to believe my beliefs
Freedom to be me

I’ve also known the joy of
Friendship and love
And that by itself is worth so much!

Joy and sorrow
Two sides of a coin
One without the other impossible

Lida Berghuis
December 25th, 2010

*inspired by Rumi’s poetry

Beauty

Dec28

Please don’t tell me about the
Evolutionary roots of appreciating beauty
Don’t try to dissect it for me
I’m sure there are good scientific reasons
Why we are drawn to beauty
But I don’t want to know those, not me!

I want it to be a feeling
A feeling of bliss that overcomes me
When I look at beautiful art
A warm feeling and a smile
When I listen to someone playing guitar

Please, let’s not analyze beauty
Let’s not make it part of the
Evolutionary theory of life

I’d like our love of beauty
To be mysterious, yet obvious
And not by diagrams defined

Appreciating beauty may have
Something to do with our survival
As a species
But I’d like to think of it
As essential to the life of our spirit
That’s how I see it

Lida Berghuis
December 28th, 2010

A response to Denis Dutton’s
A Darwinian theory of beauty

I have to leave!

Dec24

 

Smash!
There goes my favorite vase!

Splash…
All the water spills out!

Splatter…
The flowers fall on the ground!

Scream!
Oh no!
That was my favorite vase!

Tears…
I’’m sorry I didn’’t mean to
I was just playing a pirate game

Anger!
I’ve told you many times
Not to play with the broom inside!

Sobs…
You have pushed me too far
I think I want to run out of the house!

Astonishmet!
Who should be angry right now?
The one whose vase is broken
Or the one who has done the crime!?

Mommy I told you, I didn’’t mean to
Mommy, I need to go
First though I’’ll pack my teddy bear
And some spare clothes
A flash light, some books and toys
And then I’’ll  leave
And stay outside
Maybe until it’s dark at night

And where do you plan to go
All by yourself?
Can you tell me that
Before you start on you adventure?

I’’ll be just down the road
In the second court
And when it gets dark
I’’ll come back home!
You just pushed me too far
This time
I have to leave
I must go right now!

Well, Tasha dear
I’’m sorry too
I did not mean to hurt you
What if we try a compromise?
Let us try this idea for size
What if you go out in the front of the house?
Stay out for a while and come back inside.

All right
I think I can do that
As long as you promise
Not to hurt me like that!

Lida Berghuis
March 28th, 2004
Tasha was 8 years old at this time.

The colours of my life

Dec23

Blue jello!
Blue roses
Blue sky
Blue is the colour of my life…

I turn my face
Heavenwards
I pray for the rain of healing to fall
I pray for brighter colours is my life

And my prayer is heard
Joy returns
Red and orange and yellow return
The flowers are enchanting
They perfume the air

Blue is part of life’s colour palate
Without it
Red and white don’t stand out
Blue is not how I want to feel
All the time
But sadness is part of life
It’s something I can’t run from

So, welcome sadness
Welcome joy
You are my friends
Forever more!

Lida Berghuis
March 23rd, 2006

We survive…

Dec19

It’s as if from a nightmare
I have woken up
It’s as if yesterday
Did not exist
It’s as if I am
Someone else
Or back to the person
I used to be

Colours are brighter
Today
Life has meaning
Again
It’s as if the fog has lifted once more
And it’s spring in my heart again

How does one change
So dramatically?
Where do the ups and downs of life
Come from?
Why can I smile today
Whereas before
Frowns carved lines on my forehead
And brow

Why does music entrance me once more?
Why does writing bring me joy?
Why does the world seem full of possibilities?
Why do ideas come to me?

Winter in my heart
Makes me appreciate spring
Winter in my soul
Brought me to the brink
But we endure
We do survive
Even though it seems
Impossible at times

Lida Brghuis
May 6th, 2007

Changing moods

Dec18

When everything takes so much effort
To make a phone call
Or go out the door
When I’’m not sure what to look forward to
Or  how to enjoy the things that I do

When I can’’t laugh at the funny things
In life
When I look in the mirror
And see a frown

When creativity says goodbye
When anxiety is all around
When I forget how it feels to be relaxed
When enthusiasm is a thing of the past

This is when I know
That darkness has come
There is a shadow
Over my life

And no matter how hard I try
And no matter what I do
I can’’t step out of the shadow

Once in a while I see a glimpse of light
But it does not last for long
Darkness is what dominates
The sun seems so long gone

I tell myself things must get better
But even hope is hard to come by
My patience is tested one more time
When will the darkness be finally gone?

I pray and entreat the heavens above
I pray for the rain of healing to fall
I must be patient I tell myself
But for how long? For how long?

And after it seems like I can’’tvtake it any more
And after having said prayers for what seems like a million times
Something begins to change in me
And I wonder if the feeling is real

The world is suddenly brighter
I can see why others laugh and play
I can hear myself laugh again
And feel the pleasure and joy again

Life seems meaningful once more
There are projects to do
Things to plan,
And places to go

A sense of calm comes over me
Anxiety begins to leave
Challenges don’’t seem insurmountable
And as suddenly as the darkness came
It begins to fade awayIMG_7283

Lida Berghuis
November 19th, 2005

My place of calm

Dec17

Where do you go when you want to get away from it all?
Where do you go when you need a break?
Where do you go when you feel rushed?

Or feel out of sorts somehow?

My refuge is my writing spot
Which happens to be in a coffee shop
I sit in the window, take my time
Read, contemplate and write

Here, no one wants anything from me
Here, I’’m not responsible for anything
I don’’t see the dishes that need to be done
Or the bills and forms that must be filled out

This is my oasis, my place of calm
My pen gives me wings to fly
With it I can go anywhere
Stay close or go far away

With it I can dream or problem solve
I can try to figure things out
With it, I can colour my world
With vibrant colours, orange and gold

Thankful for this short respite
I’’m then ready to go on
My responsibilities are waiting for me
But so is my oasis

Lida Berghuis
December 9th, 2010

Tub-tub

Dec16

Tub-tub, Nicki says
I give him a kiss
Tub-tub, I say
Nicki reciprocates
Don’t know how this started
But it’s our code now
For wanting a kiss and some love!

Codes like this
Develop at times
Between a parent and a child
Like a unique handshake
Or an inside joke
They bind our hearts together
Bring delight

My dad used to
Hold my hands in his hands
And tell me what
Beautiful long fingers I had
It was his way of saying
I love you
My mom shows her love
Through food
Preparing most delicious meals
With me in mind

So many ways of showing love
Showing what’s in our hearts
Each one unique and wonderful
All that matters
Is that we communicate our love

Lida Berghuis
December 13th, 2010

Note to self!

Dec2

Cautiously optimistic
Sunny with a chance of showers
Is the weather forecast
Enjoy the sun
But bring an umbrella along

Run but pace yourself
Rest is also needed
Or your will be overwhelmed

Smile but don’t be over confident
You never know
What’s around the bend

Set goals, but know your limits
If pushed too hard
You are setting yourself
For a fall

The middle path is the best
And most important
Plan ahead

Watch out for the pothole
You drove over last time
Reflect before you decide
The stakes are high

Your friends will stand by you
In times of need
Nurture your friendships
They are life savers indeed!

Sunny with a chance of showers,
Fog, or hailstorms
Such is life
The forecast can change at any time

Lida Berghuis
November 29th, 2010