“Freedom is not being afraid of anything that’s to come”*
And where does this freedom come from?
Perhaps it comes from battles lost and won
From knowing that any trial can be overcome
That what needs to change is us
Not the situation confronting us!
Each situation has something to teach
Each trial comes with some gifts
Darkness will lead to light
There are lessons in each fall!
Lida Berghuis
October 12th, 2014
*Herbie Hancock
Turning fifty has turned out well
Who says 50 can’t be fun!
Turning fifty has all kinds of advantages
To prove my point, here are some…
First, life is less hectic
The kids are now older and can do so much more for themselves
They can even lend a hand here and there and make my load lighter
They do their own laundry, their own homework
They can drive themselves places and…
They can even feed themselves if need be!
Second, life is more stable
And my chosen career is enjoying a good flow
Uncertainties have changed to certainty in some areas of life
Third, now that I’m somewhat sure of myself and the decisions I make
I don’t need everyone’s approval all the time
And with that comes peace of mind!
Fourth, I’ve learned to set some limits
As to what I can and cannot do!
Saying no to some projects is becoming easier!
Fifth, I’ve learned not to compare myself with others
Their limits, their level of energy, their priorities are theirs
And I have my own!
Sixth, My fifty years of life have given me some understanding
In some areas of life
And I feel happy to share some of that with others sometimes
Seventh, I’ve realised the value of art, creativity, and writing in my life
I know now why I need to write, why I want to write, why I have to write!
I think seven reasons are enough
Although I think there are more reasons
Why I like being fifty!
The more years we live
The more accumulation of experience and knowledge we can have
If this translates into wisdom and compassion and deeper faith
How can that ever be bad?
Turning fifty has been wonderful
I feel comfortable in my own skin
Life has not been easy always
But then challenges are necessary in life
I’ve been fortunate in so many ways
I am thankful for the good and the hard times
In hind sight, the hard times have taught me more
Getting up after falling down has made me stronger
I still feel quite fragile sometimes
But being sensitive is alright!
I accept who I am
How far I’ve come
And I look to the future
With an open heart and an open mind!
Lida Berghuis
September 22nd, 2014
Order to chaos
Chaos to order
That seems to be the cycle of life!
After chaos, order comes into being
But order can only last so long
Before it’s time to grow again
And chaos arrives to destroy the order that exists
To prepare the way for a new order, and calm!
When one is in one’s comfort zone
Life seems more pleasant of course!
But comfort never leads to growth!
Growth comes from the disorder of struggles
And challenges that may seem insurmountable at times!
Chaos and disorder, not comfortable
Not what we love
But oh, the results can be wonderful
If one persists long enough
And learns the lessons they teach us
The building needs to be destroyed
Before a new one can be built
An old idea must die
Old habits must be let go of
Old patterns replace new ones
Often, it’s after the dust has settled
New lessons learned
New thinking adopted
New habits formed
That one realises what the chaos was for!
What was thought of as misfortune
Can be seen as grace
What was painful
Can give rise to joy!
Illness can lead to clarity
Blocks in the road can lead us to another path
One’s best laid plans can come to naught
What emerges instead though
Can be a marvelous surprise!
Lida Berghuis
September 4th, 2014
The hurts of the past do come back
The uncertainty of the future always exists
These are the things I need to make peace with
How to grow in strength and love
That what hurt me before and can hurt me now
Wanes in strength and loses its grip on my psyche
I am not bullet proof and will never be
But the armour of love and compassion and reliance on God
Can protect me from the bullets of life!
I may get injured but I will heal
Sometimes I’m taken by surprise, but the secret is
To remain calm and not feel the need to defend or justify!
To have compassion for the one who unknowingly, sometimes
Is throwing the darts
The intention is mostly love
But sometimes the words just come out wrong
So, with peaceful acquiescence I face a new day
Fill my heart with love and care
Let go of the negative things
Celebrate the positive
And realise that no on can hurt me
If my heart is full of love!
Lida Berghuis
July 16th, 2014
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
Tact? What is that?
Is it a powder
Liquid or gas?
Is it something we eat?
Is it a tool?
I must say
I’m confused!
I guess it’s something
Totally new
That I’ve never heard of
Nor know how to use
And how do you find this thing?
Do you buy it?
Is it expensive?
Do you grow it?
Is it big?
Where can I get it?
You must tell me!
Is it a treasure
That must be found
Do I have to travel
To find the mine?
I know people tell me
I don’t have tact
But then they don’t tell me
how I can get some
I’m tired of the search
I want it now!
Lida Berghuis
October 10th, 2003
Lida Berghuis
October 10th, 2003
Sacrifice hurts!
That’s normal…
But sacrifice is not a net loss!
We may give up things that are dear to us
We do suffer as a result
But then come the rewards
We live in a culture that tries to avoid pain
Tries to avoid giving up things we hold dear
We live in a culture that puts the individual first
Others, come later!
In this culture
Sacrifice may not make sense…
Why should I give up something that’s dear to me
For someone else’s benefit?
Why should I put others before me?
Why should I sacrifice my comfort and ease?
The irony is, that sacrifice
This giving up
This turning away from the self
This focus on others
Is exactly what we need
To grow
To blossom
To bloom!
Sacrifice does involve hardship and pain
Otherwise it would not be called sacrifice
But this hardship will result in amazing things
Given some time
When we give up our will
Our way
Our desires
Our comfort
Something amazing happens in time
It does take time…
There is no fast way through the plane of sacrifice!
But on the other side
Is a fragrant garden
With streams and rivers
Thirst quenching and refreshing and sublime!
Yes, sacrifice involves pain
But these are growing pains
Letting go of the ego
And the insistent self
Can only bring us joy and happiness!
Lida Berghuis
January 3rd, 2014
The word mistake has negative connotations
I like to think of mistakes as choices we make
Choices that have their consequences
But can lead to better understanding
We make choices based on the knowledge we have at the time
Based on our understanding at that point in our lives
And since our understanding is always limited
And can grow all of our lives
We are bound to make choices that don’t give the desired result
We call them mistakes
But without them
We can’t expand our knowledge
And learn more about ourselves
And the world we live
And when it comes to making a choice
we sometimes hesitate
We agonize
We procrastinate
Because we are afraid to make a mistake
I have done that!
I’ve stood at the fork in the road
Stared far too long
Agonized far too much
Afraid of choosing the wrong path
But now I know
That the only thing I can do
At the fork in the road
Is pick a path based on what I know
At that point
I’ve learned that what we call
The wrong path
Is just a path
A path that will lead to
Better understanding
I’ve learned that after what we call mistakes
Life goes on
If we fall, we will get up
We are resilient!
And to expect the desired outcome
Every time we make a choice is absurd
I’ve learned that what we call mistakes
Are a necessary part of growth!
Lida berghuis
December 2nd, 2103
Poetry heals
How, you say?
The same way music uplifts you!
The same way a piece of art intrigues you!
The same way a song speaks to you!
The same way a story moves you!
Poetry
Is communion with the Divine
Poetry is sacred
That’s what I’ve been taught
Rumi, Hafiz, Tahirih
Nourish my soul with magical words
Words like diamonds
Priceless and pure
Words like rain
Wash my pain away
And when I hear a poem I need to hear
It shakes me to my foundation
Truth is revealed
Growth occurs
Someone has touched my soul!
Poetry
The instrument of the Divine
Complex issues
Are laid out
Poetry heals
Poetry guides
Poetry uplifts
Poetry defines
Lida Berghuis
April 26th, 2010
Inspired by Saved by a poem
Courage to change
Courage to grow
Courage to see things
From another view point
Courage to learn
Courage to explore
Courage to go where
One has not gone before
Courage to dream
Courage to work toward that dream
Courage to persevere
Endlessly
Courage to get up
When we fall
Courage to learn
And move on
Courage to face our fears
And overcome
Courage to accept that yet again
We may fall
Courage to love
And be loved
Courage to be able to
Stand ones ground
Courage to be different
Stand out
Courage to say
What others might not
Courage to be in the
Vanguard of change
Courage is needed
If we want change
Lida Berghuis
April 16th
Montreal Shrine
lida's musings 