Tag Archive | genuine

What I write

May4

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What you see is what you get

What I write is genuine

There is no pretence

There was a time I could not express myself

My thoughts and feelings remained hidden in my heart

Maybe I was afraid to share them

Maybe I didn’t know how

I remember those days clearly

And the helplessness I felt

As if something was stopping me from speaking

And I would wonder why

Well those days are gone

I can be myself now

Especially when I write

What you read is who I am

Plain and simple

I write from my heart

May 4th, 2023 Continue reading →

Shedding the layers

Oct14

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They are slowly shedding the layers

They put on during the spring and summer months

Some have their colorful garb on 

But some branches are naked

Vulnerable

Unable to hide

Unable to pretend

They feel a little shy

On plain view for all to see

And yet, after a while

They start to enjoy their newfound freedom

Freedom from layers of pretense 

They feel lighter, more genuine

Vulnerability and freedom to be oneself

Go hand in hand

 

October 14th, 2019

What if…

Jun22

What would have life been like
If I didn’t have my ups and downs
What would have life been like
If I did not cross the valley of darkness so many times?

What would have life been like
If my mind would not suddenly abandon me
My emotions keep me hostage
My creativity desert me?

What would have life been like
If the sun never set
If my energy was not depleted
And my arms and legs didn’t feel heavy like led?

What would have life been like
If competence did not suddenly depart
My laughter stayed
My smile was genuine all the time?

Why do I think of ‘what ifs’
There is no way back
What has been, has been
Can’t change the past!

Instead I should be thankful
For all that has gone well
For all the times the sun has shone bright
All the wonderful people in my life
All the places I have been
All the things I’ve done!

No one’s life is perfect
Or without trials
I know that of course
But I forget sometimes

I need to move on and be thankful
Luckily pain gradually subsides
And when it’s with us
It can be a teacher, a guide

Perhaps sadness doesn’t come my way by chance
Perhaps it’s designed to be part of my life
Perhaps suffering has its reasons
And I would not grow without these trials

Lida Berghuis
June 11th, 2014

Genuine

Jan2

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A friend of mine once said:

You laugh like you have no care in the world!
You laugh like you have banished your problems!

Some of us smile
Some of us chuckle
But when you laugh, it’s from the depth of your heart
It’s unrestrained

I do laugh from the depth of my heart
Not because I have no cares or I’ve had none
I laugh this way because I have overcome
Overcome sadness and loneliness
Overcome pain and sorrow
Overcome anxiety and depression

I laugh out loud
Because I have cried
I laugh out loud
And this laughter is genuine
It’s not to show off
Not to stand out
Not to sadden others
Who may feel down

I hope my laughter brings others joy
I hope my laughter is contagious!

Lida Berghuis
December 31st, 2013

Dropping the pretense of perfection!

Mar28

We are raised to be independent
To accomplish things on our own
To stand on our own two feet
And that’s fine
But sometimes in the process
We forget that we still need
The love and support of friends

We forget that we need to be held
To be caressed
We need a shoulder to lean on
We need trusted friends we can confide in
We need to ask for help from time to time
That others aren’t so busy with their own lives
That they don’t have time for us!
That we are not a burden
When we reach out for a helping hand!

We forget how interdependent we are
We forget the value of true friendship
Sharing our thoughts and concerns with friends
Letting them hold us up for a while
Till we are strong again!

There is no shame in sadness
It’s not possible to be ‘up’ all the time
We don’t have to pretend to smile
If we are crying inside!

These are the things I had to learn
I had to learn not to be afraid to share my vulnerabilities
That moments of crisis come upon us all
And it’s during these moments
That our friends can be life boats
Rescuing us from turbulent sea of life

And I’ve learned that when I share
The stories of my trials
Others trust me enough to share theirs
And it’s this sharing that strengthens
The bonds of friendship

I’ve learned that to build genuine friendships
I need to be more genuine myself
To let the pretense of perfection drop
To share my sadness as well as my happiness
To reach out in times of trouble
To trust!

Lida Berghuis
March 28th, 2013