Tag Archive | patience

Not just sadness

Jul26

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It’s suffering, not just sadness

It’s like a suffocating weight on your chest

That you can’t lift no matter how hard you try

Others think it’s possible and that you’re not trying hard enough

There is no way you can explain to them how it feels

And that you’re trying your hardest

 

It’s suffering not just sadness

Sadness passes

Depression does not

It’s a guest that arrives

And refuses to leave

 

It’s suffering, not just sadness

The kind of suffering that makes you wonder

What it the point of being alive

It pushes you to the edge of the cliff

And you have to prevent the fall

 

It’s suffering, just not sadness

It’s hopelessness

You know this is not how you’re supposed to feel

It’s not normal

 

It’s suffering not just sadness

It’s not temporary

It lingers day after day

Tries your patience

Tests your beliefs

 

It’s suffering not just sadness

It’s a warm and humid room

With a small window

That you can’t open because it has rusted

 

The suffering ends eventually

Sadness leaves

Joy returns

And when it does 

You’ve learned not to take anything for granted in life 

 

July 26th, 2020

Formative days

Apr14

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These are days of isolation

Of social distancing

Of hunkering down 

 

These are the days of slowing down

Driving less

Travelling much less

Returning home

 

These are unusual times

The world is going through a crisis

And geography and borders matter not

 

These are days of compassion for others and ourselves

Of the selflessness of those who venture out for us

The nurses the doctors and other essential workers

Who must continue to be out and about

 

These are the days of realizing 

The level of our interdependence 

These are the days of coming together

To look for solutions 

 

These are the days of empathy

Of patience

Of evaluation

 

These days are formative days

The effect of which will last a long time

 

April 14th, 2020

Interesting times

Mar27

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These are interesting times

We have virtual coffee dates

Zoom get togethers

And communicate with others

From the comfort of our homes

 

These are interesting times

Empty streets

Stores that had to close

Even hairdressers!

I’d say this is an essential service

Especially for the ladies

 

These are interesting times

Health care workers

Are putting themselves in danger

To save others’ lives

 

These are interesting times

Families can spend more time together

And we are forced to slow down

 

These are interesting times

Resilience is needed

Hope is essential

Patience is necessary

And creativity is helpful

 

These are interesting times

Kind words and deeds go a long way

Prayer and meditation provide a balm

Nature is still our playground

 

These are interesting times

We can see that the world has become

A global village

Cooperation is needed

And we each need to do our part

 

March 26th, 2020

Challenging times

Oct28

A59D3B17-348C-4307-853A-08DED68C3F97.jpegThe sky is crying
The world is wet with tears
These are challenging times
People are more aware of their rights and are asking for them
They demand equality
They demand transparency
They are tired of being treated unfairly
They don’t want to remain quiet any longer
They are in the streets
They are letting the powers to be know that they have run out of patience

In a world where the top one percent have privileges that the majority of people don’t have
In a world where the focus is on greed and amassing wealth and increasing one’s power
In a world that we don’t respect the environment and don’t plan for future generations
Patience will run out
Protests will occur
People will march to have their demands heard
The world is on the precipice of big changes

October 28th, 2019

Changes

Aug21

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Thankful to be feeling well again

Thankful to start teaching again

Everything has a season

And the season of sadness is over

 

It took a while

It was extremely hard sometimes 

I would lose hope

I’d get frustrated a lot 

I was unhappy to be in darkness again

I was tired of hanging in there

 

Summer came and summer left

My mood finally began to change

As suddenly as darkness came 

One day it began to leave again

 

Still haven’t left it behind

Still processing this time

But I’m working my way back to me

To the confident, optimistic me

 

It will take a while

That’s normal

I’ll keep writing till all the sadness is gone 

 

August 21st, 2018

Storm

Jun12

IMG_4311Healing the wounds of the past
And making sense of trying episodes in my life
Needs reflection
I need to sort out my feelings
I need to express them

Sometimes I grapple with the same thoughts over and over
Sometimes I repeat the scenes in my head

But eventually I get to a place of calm
Where I can let go of the negative feelings
Understand that this episode
Was a chance for me to test my metal
To learn new things
To better understand reality

Yes, it was frustrating
Yes, it reeked havoc in my life and
My patience was tested again
But I weathered the storm
And emerged from the other side
With new insights

 

June 12, 2017

It is what it is

Jul14

It is what it is
Stop fighting with yourself
Accept the moment, as is

You feel change is happening slowly
That might be
But worrying about it
Won’t speed things up
If anything
It will create roadblocks

Sometimes it’s two steps forward
One step back
Others have gone through this
Take a deep breath
And get back on track!

It is what it is
It’s not bad
Even when it’s hard
It may lead you
To something new and grand

When it’s difficult
Persevere
Perseverance separates the weak
From the strong

It is what it is
This phrase frees you from worry
From disappointment
From questioning and doubt

Lida Berghuis
January 31st, 2011

The long view

Apr2

One must learn to live with uncertainty
Some problems take months or years to resolve
If one is not comfortable with uncertainty
Those months and years will seem so long

One must find peace in a chaotic world
One must find some joy in sorrow
Life is full of ups and downs
Joy and sorrow come and go

Patience, perseverance, reliance on God
These are good provisions for our journey
And it’s good to remember that
When one problem is solved
There sits in wait, another one…

 

April 1st, 2016

Nobility

Mar21

How can one endure pain and not complain?
How can one be treated unfairly and not show anger?
How can one be mistreated and maintain a positive attitude?

The answer alludes me
But I know it is possible
Because I have known such people
I’ve observed them
I’ve read about them
And wondered where their strength comes from
Why their hope does not fade?
Why in their lives, sorrow does not reign?

Someone said that no one can take away
One’s freedom of how one responds to difficult situations
It is the response that defines us, shapes us

It’s in realising that we have a choice in how we look at the situation
How we interpret it
How we react to it

To maintain hope
To have patience that is born of wisdom and faith
To be resigned to what can’t be changed
These are born of the nobility of man
That allows him to respond so heroically to injustice
March 21st, 2016

Mothering

Mar11

A mother’s work is not glamorous
No need to dress up for work
No chit chat at the water cooler
No breakfast meetings or lunches out

A mother’s work is repetitive
What was washed before needs to be washed again
The same advice needs to be repeated
The same routine, each day

One never really gets a promotion
Even though the challenges always change
One is not materially compensated
Even though one works day after day

Sick days don’t exist
Holidays are more busy sometimes
The same errands and
The same activities day in day out
Can test one’s patience after a while

The work of the mother as educator
Is invaluable of course
Nurturing, loving, encouraging, consoling and more
But often that’s taken for granted
That’s after all what mothers should do

The creativity that goes into problem solving
On this job, is overlooked
Mothers are doing what mothers must do

A mother’s contribution to society
Is often not appreciated
Especially if she doesn’t work outside the home

But let’s consider what the world would be like
If mothers did not do what mothers do…
March 10th, 2016