Words, wonderful
Words, powerful
Words, intimate
Words, full of meaning

Need to choose my words carefully
It’s so easy to hurt someone unintentionally

Words, beautiful
Words, uplifting
Words, how we communicate
Our thoughts and feelings

Words, passionate
Words, poetic
Words, sweet as milk and honey

Words, tender
Words, loving
These are the kind of words
I like to use and hear

Words that sparkle like gold
Words that bring joy
Words that encourage and praise
Words, a mighty instrument

December 7th, 2015

To fight a valiant fight
And not be caught up with the result
To realise that our worth is not in being the best
But in trying the hardest

Our friends and family love us for who we are,
What our values are
And the effort we make
Not because of what we achieve

So, if one day we are not first or the best
Or unable to reach the top
We will still be loved

And if there are those who will only
Love and respect us when we are at the top
That’s not the kind of love that means a lot

So, let’s try our best
Work from the fullness of our heart
With noble intentions
And not get hung up on the result
November 20th, 2015

Breaking the silence

When we experience hardship and trauma
Experience what has stigma associated with it
Do we need to talk about it or not?

Sometimes we share these difficult experiences
With close family and friends
And that can be enough for us

But for the stigma to dissipate
We need to speak up
Silence perpetuates silence
And the stigma strengthens

What is hidden can be scary
What comes to light is usually not!

Often we think we are the only ones
No one is talking about it
That must be why

But as people break the collective silence
The stigma weakens
And eventually it dissipates

November 23rd, 2015

Don’t ask me how deep his pockets are
Ask me how soft his shoulders are when
I lay my head on them

Don’t ask me what he does for a living
Ask me how he lives day to day

Don’t ask me what he drives
Ask me what drives him, what his passions are
And if there is enough room for me
In the story of his life

Don’t ask me what he looks like
Ask me whether he makes me feel
Like the most beautiful woman in town

Don’t ask me about the gifts he gives
Ask me if these gifts include compassion,
Empathy, respect and love

Don’t ask me where we will live
Because a lovely houses can feel like a prison
If it’s not filled with warmth, joy and delight

Don’t ask me where he’ll take me
On vacation each time
Ask me where he transports me
With his kind words and loving eyes

All the things I’m looking for
Don’t cost a thing
What brings me joy is
Being listened to and understood
What I enjoy
Are witty comments that make me laugh
What I need is
Kindness, generosity of spirit and
The gift of time spent with the one I love

Lida Berghuis
November 26th, 2015

How have I learned the most valuable lessons in life?
Is it when someone told me how to live or
Is it when they set an example?

Is it when someone admonished me
Or when impressed by how they behaved
I tried to live better
Give more generously
And be a better me…

Do my children learn from what I tell them
Or how I behave?
What worth will my words have
If I contradict them?

Do I do better when I’m encouraged or scolded?
How wonderful it is when someone sees the good in me
It gives me reason to try even harder

When scolded
My spirit shrivels and shrinks
I’m not sure how much good the scolding did

My hope is always to be positive
I know I will falter and fall
But I’ll try to praise and show my friends
That I see the beauty in their actions

For someone else’s life I’m not responsible
Each of us has one life to focus on

If I look at someone else’s life
I’ll try to see only the good
After all, I hope others will do that for me

December 4th, 2015