Archive | January 2020

Hidden

Jan16

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A layer of soft fresh snow covers the ground

The white snowflakes settle on tree branches and shrubs

The scene is dreamy and serene

But what is under the snow?

What has been covered up?

There are other things in life that have a pretty, shiny surfaces

But underneath them there are things that are not beautiful

Wealth and power and fame seem very desirable

But what is below the surface if we look carefully?

What is the cost of these coveted things?

Similarly people’s demure faces and carefully crafted words

With smiles that are not genuine

Can hide a dark reality they don’t want us to see

Their misdeeds are theirs to deal with

But let’s not be fooled by what they profess to be the truth
January 16th, 2020

Grief

Jan13

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Lives lost

Games played

Risks taken

Show of force

Missiles fired

Human error

Devastation

 

Lives lost

Youthful lives taken away

Children’s lives stolen

Families mourn

 

A single red shoe

A reminder of the passengers onthe plane

The cockpit riddled with shrapnel pieces

Evidence of the missile fired

 

Countrymen on both sides of the Atlantic weep

They light candles

And talk about their friends and family

People who had plans for their lives

 

There is also anger

Anger at incompetence 

A few decisions

Having taken these innocent lives

 

Anger that we still use war

To problem solve

We play with people’s lives

As if they are dispensable 

 

Lives lost

Grief abounds

I don’t think time will heal these wounds

 

September 13th, 2020

Angel of hope

Jan11

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Hope is an angel bathed in light

That comes to my dream at night

Hope is a single dandelion 

That has withstood the ravages of winter

Hope is in people coming together 

To mourn what has been lost 

Hope is in the light of the candles burning

Remembering those who are gone 

Hope is in the solidarity we feel

With each other no matter where we come from

Hope is in truth overcoming falsehood

In justice being served in due time

Hope is sometimes hard to find

It may be as rare as the dandelion on the path

But it’s there

Sometimes we need to search for it harder and longer

But it’s there

Hope never dies

 

January 11th, 2020

Our part

Jan10

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Sometimes a handful of people make decisions
That affect millions of people

Wise decisions can be made

Dangerous decisions can be made

 

Those decisions will be made

One way or another

And we don’t have much influence on them

 

All we can do is to do our share

To bring a little kindness into the world

To show compassion to one another

And to see all of us as members of one family

 

January 2019

Deep roots

Jan5

The problems in our world have deep but simple roots

The problems, the wars, the conflicts, and the injustices

Are outward signs of a malady that we are afflicted with

And that malady is no other than the lack of recognition

Of the oneness of humanity

Not realizing that we are brothers and sisters all

That no one is better than anyone else, or more worthy

That there is no reason to see anyone as an enemy

That our prosperity is dependent on the prosperity of other nations

That co-operation is better than confrontation

Humanity is very fragmented now

Each part is looking out for its own interests

The fire of trials will eventually meld these factions together

 

January 5th, 2020

Interdependence

Jan3

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Dangerous times

Critical times 

Yet snow lays so peacefully 

On the tree branches and the hills here

 

Fire burning in other lands

People fleeing from danger

Yet the trees stand so majestically 

In the landscape in front of me

 

Dishonesty and greed abound

Yet darkness starts to recede here

And daylight is on its way

 

Contrast 

Yet interdependence 

Our world is a global village now

Each part hurting affects the others

Have we learned this lesson yet?

 

January 3rd, 2020