Dance!

Jun28

When it pours
Dance in the rain!
You can complain
But dance instead!

When life gets busy
Take one step at a time
You can get overwhelmed
But count your steps instead!

When confusion reigns
Just relax!
You don’t need to know
All the answers right now!

One step at a time
Dance the dance of life
Sometimes slowly
Sometimes quickly
Sometimes with grace
Sometimes awkwardly

Dance in joy
Dance in sorrow
Dance your worries away
The secret is to hear
The music when others may not!

Lida berghuis
June 28th, 2013

It was what it was!

Jun24

It is what it is
It was what it was
Accept what is
If you can’t make it ‘was’

Accepting is not giving in
Is not giving up
Accepting is not fighting
When fighting does not give results

It is what it is
It was what it was
The past can’t be rewritten
And it need not!

Good experiences
Sad experiences
Make us who we are
Happiness, sadness
Part of life

It is what it is
It was what it was
It’s all good
And as it should be
March on!

Lida Berghuis
June 24th, 2013

Rumi’s wisdom

Jun17

We are the cup that floats on water
Water outside
Water inside

Gradually we drink our fill
The cup fills up

At that moment
The cup sinks and
The water inside
Joins the water outside

Is this annihilation
Or returning home
Is this he end
Or the beginning of freedom?

Lida Berghuis
Oct. 20th, 2011

Beautifully flawed!

Jun9

Why do I refuse to bandage an ankle that hurts?
Why do I refuse to acknowledge that it needs rest?
Why do I wish for the pain to go away on its own
Why don’t I listen to the signals my body sends?

Why do I forget so easily to rest?
Why do I forget that healing takes time?
Why haven’t I conquered the impatience in me?
But then again, why not?

We are all beautifully flawed!
We are slow to change
Slow to learn
And get set in our ways
I definitely do!
That doesn’t mean I’m not going to improve my ways
It means I’ll be gentle with myself when I make mistakes

The human condition requires that we err
Requires that we accept that we err
So, I acknowledge my mistakes
Don’t dwell on them too long
File them in my memory bank
And hope that I will remember next time

But somehow I have a feeling I may forget…
Learning is slow, it takes time!

Lida Berghuis
June 2nd, 2013

Flawed

Jun2

We hesitate to show our flaws
We hesitate to ask for help
We want to appear strong!
But is that real?

We can’t be strong all the time
We can’t do everything on our own
What we think will make us look weak
Is what makes us seem normal

Normal is being weak sometimes
Normal is falling down
Normal is needing support
Normal is having flaws

Showing vulnerability
Requires trust
One must feel loved
And know that that love
Does not depend on
Appearing perfect or strong

Showing that we are fragile
That we break down at times
Builds bonds
Bonds of friendship and love
It allows others into our lives

Everyone has scars
And imperfections
It’s our choice to show them
Or not
But these imperfections make
Us look real
Put others at ease
And gives them a chance to be strong

This is how we can build authentic friendships
Ones that will stand the test of time!

Lida Berghuis
March 14th 2013

Coffee grounds 2

May28

Coffee grounds

Read me my fortune
Read my coffee grounds
It’s like looking for shapes in the clouds
There are dark splatters and light ones
There is bubbly foam
Dots and lines

Symbols hiding secrets
Splatters creating interesting designs
And all that in a coffee cup
Sitting in front of me
Begging for attention
From your eyes

No, I don’t think all that you will say
Will come true but
Read me my fortune
Just the same
Just for fun!

Tell me of the adventures I’ll have
The travels to come
Tell me where I’ll go first
And who will come

Tell me that I will manage
Navigating the trials of life
Tell me sunny days will always follow
Rainy ones

Tell me the joys of life
Will wash away the sorrows that come
Tell me things that I know
But like to hear one more time!

I know what I do
The path I take
Counts for a lot
I’m not a mere observer
In my own life

Nevertheless
Read me my fortune
Read my coffee cup
It’s right here and so are you and I

Lida Berghuis
May 28th, 2013

Castaway

May24

 

beach

“The castaway’s worst mistake is to hope too much and do too little”*

Feeling depressed is similar to
being stranded on a boat in an ocean
with no land in sight

Every day is the same
The challenges are the same
The fears are the same
The limitations are the same
The questions are the same
Why am I here?
What happened?
How am I supposed to survive this?
Who is going to rescue me?
How long will this agony continue?
When will this nightmare end?

Floating on an ocean of negative thoughts
Dark clouds of hopelessness surround you
Sometimes it pours misery
Sometimes the heat of trials is unbearable
Sometimes you feel numb to all feeling
And all the while you wonder how to go on

The loneliness is intense
No one to console you
No guarantee that the rescuer
Will arrive in time
Or that you will find your way
Out of this maze
Sometime

The mistake is to rely on hope only
To choose patience over action
To count the days
Till someone comes

The mistake is to think
That the only thing that brings you joy
Is the sight of land

Salvation lies in realizing that
Some of the answers lie within you
Your actions will determine your fate
Praying is appropriate
But so is taking a stand!

Salvation is in problem solving
When no solution seems to come to mind
Salvation is in not giving up
No matter how many times
What you thought may work proves wrong
Salvation is in taking small steps each day
Steps to help you stay afloat a little longer

It’s no picnic
No walk in the park
But giving up is not an option
Persistence and action is the answer
To finding a way out!

Lida Berghuis
May 24th, 2013

*Life of Pi

Youth

May20

Youth is feeling free to do what you want
Even if others say it’s impossible
Youth is leading with your heart
More than your mind

Youth is enthusiasm,
Appreciation of life
Youth is realizing that the best is yet to come

Youth is allowing yourself to be silly
And not caring about what others think
Youth is looking for answers
Trying to figure things out

Youth is optimism and
Believing you can make a difference
Youth is about not focusing on
The outer trappings of life

All of these qualities can grow with time
So, youth is not an age, it’s a state of mind!

Lida Berghuis
May 13th, 2013

Marathon

May16

We are stronger than we think we are
That thing which seems impossible can happen
The pain that seems unbearable
Can be tolerated
That sorrow that seems is here to stay
Will eventually leave
That problem which has been trying you
For so long
Will eventually be solved

All it takes is patience
All you have to do is not give up

When the goal is lofty
The path is often rocky
It’s better to expect set backs
At the start

Life is a marathon not a sprint
Said someone
We have to build up our stamina

Each defeat can teach us something
Each mistake can be a stepping stone

It takes a strong will
Not to give up at the first sign of trouble
It takes strength to leave what’s in the past
There and move on

LIfe has a way of teaching us these lessons, I’m afraid
It’s up to us
To learn from them nor not!

Lida Berghuis
May 16th, 2013

Not today!

May12

I care about the news of the world
But not today!
I pay attention to my to do list
But not today!
I have my daily routine
But not today!

Sometimes I need a day
Like today
When I can leave my cares behind
Think of other things
Or nothing at all!

My duties and responsibilities will be there
Tomorrow and every other day

So, today I choose to forget them
Set them aside
Take a break from them
Banish them from my mind!

Because without days like today
I will bend and sometimes break!
We all have different limits of endurance
The load you can easily carry can break my back
I now know that I can’t and should not compete
With those who can carry heavier loads
Or have unrealistic expectations of my own

I hope I’ve learned how to take care of myself
I hope I’ve figured out what rejuvenates me

And so today…
I write myself into my peaceful place
The place of serenity and calm
The place of tenderness and love
The home of joy and peace of mind!

Lida Berghuis
May 11th, 2013