The vision quest
I’ve only read about them
Going into the wilderness alone
Communing with nature
Listening to the voice of the ancestors
Contemplating one’s place in life
The vision quest
A right of passage
The gate to maturity and responsibility
Seeking one’s animal guide
The vision quest
Reaching out to the Great Spirit
Asking questions
Listening attentively for answers
The vision quest
January 29th, 2021
Silence
That’s all I hear
As he sits next to me
We are driving
The destination, unknown
I look at him
He’s pensive
Looking straight ahead
Sometimes he looks out the window
Still deep in thought
What does he see out there?
What is he thinking?
Is he upset?
Have I don’t something wrong?
Why so silent?
I ask him a question to start a dialogue
He says he doesn’t feel like talking
He prefers to be silent
But his silence sounds like a scream to me
January 29th, 2021
How are you?
Are you feeling OK?
I’m not expecting to hear that you are fine
That you’re managing well
It’s OK if today you don’t feel well
How often do we ask how are you
Expecting the same answer?
What should we do if the answer is not OK?
How can I help you we may say
Would you like to grab a coffee and talk?
I won’t give you advice
I won’t tell you to be thankful for all you have
I’ll simply listen and let you empty your cup
This is not always easy for me
The need to give advice is always there
But advice is not needed in these instances
Just acknowledging the hurt will do
Just letting someone know you care
And that they are not alone in their pain
I know this because I’ve been there
I’ve been the person who was not OK
And when my friends simply listened to me
They lifted my spirit and helped me persevere
Some problems can’t be fixed right away
The road to healing may be long
And what’s most important is to know
You have friends that you can count on
January 26th, 2021
One needs to listen to one’s heart
One needs to honour one’s spirit
There are many roads one can take in life
The choice is ours
There are many shoulds and musts
There are many social dictates
If we all went the same way
No new way would be found
Have faith in your choices
Do what your hearts tells you to do
Of the many roads you can take
Choose the one that delights your heart
There will be foggy patches
There will be unpaved areas
There will be many an oasis
There will be delightful parts
Don’t judge the path other people take
Don’t worry about being judged
We each have different destinies
And we are the architects of our own lives
January 25th, 2021
Where should I go for inspiration but to the Beloved?
Where should I turn my face to but to the beauty of the beloved?
Nowhere else is worthy is attention
Nowhere else will delight my heart
When there is a most perfect garden with dizzyingly fragrant flowers
A feast for the eyes and a balm for the soul
Why should I roam in the desert one minute longer?
The map has been drawn
The way has been shown
All that is left is to walk on the path
That leads me to the Beloved
Is there a right answer?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no
There are many roads that lead to Rome
Should I be worried about taking the wrong path?
I used to
But now I know any road I take
I’ll manage to make it work
Or else I’ll chose another path
Are there precise answers?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no
What works for you won’t work for me
What’s perfect for you won’t suit me
Are there answers to all questions?
I don’t think so
Somethings will remain a mystery
I’ve come to terms with not knowing
I can live my life despite it
We need to manage our expectations
We need to come to terms with ambiguity
Some questions have many answers
Some questions have no answers
But questions will always be with us
And the need to know and understand
January 22nd, 2021
Journal, journal in my lap
Tell me what this day will be like
Tell me what steps we’ll take toward peace and unity
A new chapter is ending and a new one beginning
There is more love and kindness in the air
A return to decency and trustworthiness
There is a sense of duty and a desire to serve
There is honesty and how vital that is
We all can breathe a sigh of relief
The breath we held for years can be exhaled
Today is a better day
My heart is gladdened
Let’s turn the page
January 20th, 2021
My reading chair
In my reading corner
In my bedroom
Next to the window
Where the sun pours in, in the mornings
My reading chair
A simple Ikea chair
With a footstool
Usually covered with books
Where I do a lot of reading and writing
My reading chair
My oasis
My place of calm
Where I inhale the fragrance
Of other people’s thoughts and feelings
My reading chair
For the last twenty years
And for years to come
Hopefully
January 9th, 2021
I just realized I’ve been posting poems on this blog for ten years. How the time flies. I’m grateful to have discovered the gift of writing at this point in my life. It centres me, it nourishes me, it helps me process my thoughts and feelings, and I hope my writings bring joy to those who read them. It is important for all of us to identify what we are passionate about and peruse that and if that passion is in a creative field, even better. The arts are expressions of our souls and as such they will touch the souls of others. I wish you a wonderful year and I hope you will pursue your passion as well.
January 1st, 2021
Here are my wishes for the new year
I wish for peace in the hearts
I wish for love among men
I wish for justice, so rare these days
I wish for laughter to bring you joy
I wish for understanding that we are one
I wish by Saadi’s wish we would abide
I wish for being kind to nature
I wish for brotherhood among men
I wish we’ll think of others more than ourselves
I wish we take the necessary steps
To build communities that thrive
I wish we each do our share to change the world
And above all, I wish you contentment!
December 31st, 2020
lida's musings 