Tag Archive | poem

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

Laughter and tears

Apr3

The one who laughs a hearty laugh
Has probably cried many times

True joy doesn’t exist
In one who has not suffered at all

Joy springs from understanding
From having endured difficult times

Let your laughter ring out
During times of joy and wonder
Let your tears fall when broken hearted

Laughter the sun
Tears the rain
Both are needed
In our life on earth!

Lida Berghuis
April 3rd, 2013

Deep love

Mar3

The pain of separation
One I’ve felt before
It tears at one’s heart
But one feels alive

The pain can be pushed away
or buried away
But gone will be the feeling
Of being alive

This pain is not to be avoided, but endured
This pain is the proof of a deep love

Lida Berghuis
March 1st, 2013

Duduk

Dec17

imageThe melancholy music of the duduk
Reminds me of the crying of the Persian violin
The music I heard in Iran as a child
It reminds me of the lament of the violin
As it sang its melancholy song

The cry of the violin
Would tug at my heartstrings
And overwhelmed by emotion
I did not know if I should stay or run

Now, the sound of duduk takes me there
There is a deep melancholy
It can only express
As if it’s crying for all the injustice
In the world
All the crimes committed in the name
Of nation and tribe

The music takes a happier turn
I can let go of the sadness
Glad that melancholy and joy
Reside side by side

Sadness gives way to joy
And joy to sadness in time
This is the reality of this world
From which there is no escape
No matter how hard we try

The secret is to learn to
Sit with the sadness
Accept pain as part of life
Without sadness , there is no joy
Without night, no daylight

Lida Berghuis
December 16th, 2012

Good byes

Nov13

Good byes are only for those who love with their eyes
Those who love with heart and soul, never say good bye*

Heart and soul can bridge the distance
A mile, a hundred miles, a thousand miles

Heart and soul communicate
Without words, see without eyes

Heart and soul keep memories alive for a long time
Heart and soul traverse the distance in the blink of an eye

In this nether world, we also love with our eyes
But these eyes for eternity will not be around
Heart and soul, however, won’t abandon us

Lida Berghuis
November 14th, 2012

*Rumi

The screen rules

May9

We stare into our screens at the coffee shops
Text while we walk
Check our e-mail at the stop light
Talk to seemingly no one as we walk
Our phones don’t leave our sides
God forbid if we lose them
Or leave them behind

We are reachable all the time
E-mails don’t know day or night

E-mail overload
Facebook addiction
Twitteritis
These are the diseases
of this century!

People walk on the street
With headphones on
No eye contact
No need for one
If they decide to be very kind
They leave one earphone in
One earphone out

Texting in the classroom is normal
But the ringtone is turned off

These days one screen is not enough
The TV is on, the laptop open
And the phone nearby
Is it possible to focus on three things?
Add doing homework
That’s what I see in my house!

Is it possible to find someone
Without a screen nearby?
Probably not!
But what’s a good age to start?

My 12 year old wants a phone
What he really wants is a toy!
He’s waiting till I update my IPad
He’s next in line
And he knows that

Computer screens have
Grown in size
But small ones can also be found

The next IPhone is around the corner
What else can they really add on?
Our screens become outdated so fast
Soon it’s onto the next new fad!

But for all the complaining I just did
I’m thankful for my IPhone and IPad
They keep me in touch with my friends
And So does Skype
Can’t believe it’s still free of charge!

Lida Berghuis
April 30th, 2012

Winter blues

Mar24

Winter blues
I know you well
You’’ve visited me
Year after year!
Your mystery I had to unravel
Your nature uncover
Your puzzle solve
It was not easy
It was an uphill climb!

You arrived without notice
Stayed far too long
Didn’’t want to leave
When the time had come

In hindsight I can see though
You’’ve made me who I am
The lessons you taught me
Were unexpected, unplanned

I tried to run away
Fight you, ignore you
But in the end
I needed to know myself better
To know you

Running and hiding
Anger and resentment
Gave no result
Acceptance, knowledge
Willingness to grow
Willingness to try
What brought healing about!

Lida Berghuis
March 24th, 2012