Tag Archive | Life

Mistakes?

Nov17

Life is full of ups and downs
The road is never smooth
Detours lurk here and there
Unpaved roads everywhere

I used to think that for some
The road was smooth most of the time
That is was my road that was so hard

I used to think if someone seemed happy on the outside
They were happy all the time

I used to think that my suffering was unique to me
My struggles only mine
I used to wonder why me
Why now…

Now I know all the obstacles were blessings in disguise
Now I know that there is no such thing as a smooth road in life

I used to think there is only one way to do things right
I used to feel paralyzed at a fork in life
What if I made a mistake?
What if I chose the wrong way?

Now I know all I needed to do was to make a start
There are many roads that lead to the same place
And sometimes we need to go the wrong way to find the right one!

I used to think
What if I make a mistake?
What a giant waste of time
But now I know that mistakes are essential parts of life

I used to think I knew what’s best for me
That I was usually right
But I now know that I’m here to learn with an open mind

Lida Berghuis
November 14th, 2013

On getting older…

Nov14

Perhaps getting older is about letting go
Letting go of the struggle to be right
The struggle to fix everything
The struggle to answer all the questions
One comes upon

Perhaps getting older
Is about seeing the beauty in life
and paying less attention to pain and heartache

Perhaps getting older is like mellowing…
The sharp edges of our personality having been smoothed
By the torrents of life

Perhaps getting older is gaining perspective
Wanting to give back
To give a hand to the next generation
Easing their anxiety
Answering some of their questions
Or helping them be patient enough to find the answers
On their own

Perhaps getting older
Is being a balm to others’ cuts and bruises
Being a shoulder to lean on
Being that warm voice that comforts the one
Who thinks all is lost

And if getting older is all this and more
I’m happy to be getting older too!

Lida Berghuis
November 5th, 2013

Fire of trials…

Oct25

Can’t feel pain unless we step into the fire
Can’t burn the impurities off our soul
Can’t experience pain just looking at fire
Can’t understand pain intellectually, no!

Once heat has seared our skin
Once our soul has felt the heat of trials
We are transported somewhere else
A place that is hard to describe

But those who have been there can tell you
It is worth the pain, abundant the rewards

Lida Berghuis
October 25th, 2013

Exhaling…

Oct23

I inhale as I experience life
I exhale when I write

I inhale when I read
When I listen to other people
I exhale when I write

Writing, something my well-being depends on
Not writing, something I can’t think of

I inhale sadness, joyfulness, confusion, frustration
I exhale when I write

I inhale as I learn the lessons of life
I exhale when I write

Lida Berghuis
Oct. 16th, 2013

The other D-word!*

Oct6

Death may not be an uplifting topic to some
But I think it does actually uplift us
Up out of this physical plane
Which despite our attachment to it
Does cause us much sorrow and pain
Up out of this world
Where we struggle to choose good over evil
And upon our death
Our spirit is released from its physical limitations
And like a bird flies out of its golden cage

Death is a continuation of this life
I prefer the concept of life after life
But perhaps our spirit will be in a more developed state

The dream world is a sign of the existence
of realms beyond this realm
Where we can communicate with those who
Have arrived there first

Perhaps we fear death
Because we fear annihilation
But what if death is the release of our spirit
From its material form
And its continued existence in a higher state!

Lida Berghuis
October 6th, 2013

*The first one being Depression
which I wrote a poem about earlier!

Tapestry of friendship

Aug14

Weaving bonds of friendship
Working on a beautiful tapestry
The tapestry that costs nothing to make
But is more valuable than many other things

It’s a life-long project
Sometimes I spend more time on it
It cheers my heart and uplifts my soul
I so love my tapestry
Different patterns for different periods of my life
Some of the colors are so rich
Occasionally I use threads of gold and silver
You can imagine how beautiful that can be

When I travel to the unseen world
It’s one of the few things I will take with me!

Lida berghuis
August 14th
Yokeh’s garden

Love’s confusing joy*

Jul10

Confusing, because
It is unexpected
unexplainable
Often times unreasonable
And impractical

Joyous, because
It makes you smile
It cheers your heart
It gives meaning to life

Confusing, because
It often does not make sense
It’s complicated
It involves trials

Joyous, because
It brightens your day
Makes you feel wanted
Gives you wings to fly

Confusing joy
Is what love brings
And what welcome confusion
It is!

Lida Berghuis
July 8th, 2013

*quote from Rumi

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