Tag Archive | wisdom

Looking for calm

Apr5

09E8D9DC-9884-406D-AC93-82ED1EF161DB

Back and forth
Back and forth
From icon to icon
On my cell phone:
WhatsApp
Instagram
E-mail
News
Facebook
I read
I listen
I contemplate
And repeat…

Too much news?
Too much information?
Too much screen time?
Perhaps

So I put my phone away
Open my notebook
And start to write

Suddenly time slows down
I relax
I don’t have to process so much information
I don’t have to listen to sad news
I can be in my place of calm

The coffee shops are closed
So, the comfortable chair in our bedroom, by the window
Is where I’m writing today
It’s cloudy and
We’re longing for the return of the sun

We’re all doing our best to cope
To stay connected to friends
To avoid getting cabin fever
To do things in new and different ways

Thankful that writing centres me
Thankful that I’m in touch with my friends
Hoping we’ll emerge stronger and wiser
When we’ve made it through these challenging times

April 2nd, 2020

Serenity

Apr5

What brings us joy and serenity
Is a sense of purpose and meaning
Waves of happiness and sadness come and go
But underneath, the ocean is calm

Pleasure is like bursts of bright light
Serenity a soft light that always shines

Our response is what gives a situation meaning
A positive response to a harsh situation
Comes from wisdom
April 4th, 2016

Over fifty

Jan31

Being over fifty can be so cool
First of all, you’ve passed forty and
The world did not fall apart

Then, your children are older
And you have more time

You don’t have the anxiety of trying to figure out your life
You have accumulated some wisdom

Now that I’m over fifty I know
It’s OK to laugh out loud in a crowd
I know what I like and what I don’t like

I don’t worry as much about what other people think
I feel free to write my heart out

I’ve lived, fallen, got up and smiled
I have things to write about

I’ve discovered my passion and finally know
What I want to be when I grow up

I’ve made it through the sleepless nights
When my children were young
Now, I can go to bed before they do
And that’s alright

A wrinkle here, a wrinkle there
But who cares
Why should we be afraid of wrinkles and age spots
I think we should wear them like badges of honor and
Be proud of them like battle scars

So, all is well, all is right
I’m over fifty and even now
The world has not fallen apart
If anything I know better who I am
And what my strengths are
January 31st, 2016

Peace of mind

Sep4

If we see someone smiling
It doesn’t mean they have no challenges in life
We have gained wisdom if we can smile
Despite the difficulties of life

I used to wonder how is it possible to be happy
Despite the troubles of life
Then I read: ” Peace of mind is the result of
Not paying attention to challenges that are not
worth thinking about”

So, the problem need not go away
My attitude has to change
The importance I give it has to change
My focus should be on positive things
That way, my problems don’t have power over me

I can complain or I can be content
I can look at the glass as half full or half empty
I can put my focus on things that are going well or not
I can be thankful for the blessings I have or not
I can be optimistic that problems can be resolved or not
I can resign myself to situations I can’t change or not
I can try to learn from the difficult experiences of life or not
And finally, I can create my own peace of mind or not!

Lida Berghuis
September 4th, 2015

Building roads on clouds

Sep1

Generally I like the blue sky
With lots of sun to warm my body and soul
But clouds do come and rain is necessary
To sustain life
Rain also brings the rainbow out

What if instead of sadness at the sight of clouds
I build roads on them and use those roads to
Get to most interesting places

They say if life gives you lemon, make lemonade
So, if life brings gray rainclouds I’ll build roads on them
Roads built from lessons learned
And wisdom gathered so far

And when the sky rains tears of sorrow
I’ll climb the raindrops until I reach the top
Of the clouds and take a look around
Beyond the clouds, there is only sun
The hard work is the climb

But life has provided me with some training
In climbing and building roads so far…
Instead if allowing clouds to bring me down
I’ll climb the rain, and look beyond the clouds
Then build roads and carry on…

Lida Berghuis
September 1st, 2015

Clouds

Aug31

My sunny day became cloudy when I heard the news
How a few words can change one’s day

Some things seem unjust in this world
And yet, they have a wisdom they say

Doesn’t mean sadness cannot visit once in a while
No amount of faith can stop that
We are human after all

But faith does help us move on
And not get stuck in the valley of sadness for long

Sadness is part of life as clouds belong to the sky
But we can be assured that
Eventually, the sun will come out

Lida Berghuis
August 31st, 2015

Miss Maya

Jun17

Miss Maya, I heard your voice today
Reciting your poems elegantly

Miss Maya, you have left us now
You’re in a peaceful place

Miss Maya, Let us know how things are
What really matters in this world of ours
Is wealth and success what brings us tranquility
Or is it a gentle and pure heart?

Is status and prestige what stands us in good stead
Or it is service to our fellow man?

Are the trials of life without purpose
Or are they an essential part of life?

Miss Maya, now you know the workings
Of this world better than us
Give us your wisdom
Send us your blessings
Cheer our heart

June 17th, 2015

Separation cooks…

Nov13

“Separation cooks”
And this is the cooking that transforms raw ingredients
Into a delicious stew
Fire and heat bind the pieces together
To create a beautiful whole

Heat is not comfortable
It is not desirable
But it’s necessary to achieve the goal

One has to burn in the fire of trials to attain wisdom

And separation is a trial
It’s not comfortable
It’s not desirable
The fire of separation burns the heart
And consumes the soul
But what is the result?
Wisdom, forbearance, steadfastness, patience
And a more mature love!

Lida Berghuis
November 13th, 2014

*Rumi

The journey

Oct28

The road of life is not a smooth ascent
Straight up the mountain
Sometimes we travel to the right or to the left
But let’s not forget that we are still moving forward
And gaining wisdom along the way

When making decisions on this journey
Perhaps it’s not a matter of making the correct choice
It’s a matter of choosing to the best of our ability
And moving forward
The results will guide our future steps

There is always time to get to where we want to get
Our life is not a race where detours
Can cost us ultimate victory
Life is a meandering road
With surprises, dead ends and detours
All of which are part of the process of moving forward

And perhaps the emphasis should be
On moving forward
Because at any destination we reach
Another journey begins

Perhaps the reason why we are on this road
Is not to reach certain destinations
As fast as possible
But to learn our lessons along the way
And to help others on their way

And when the destination is not the most
Important thing on our mind
We may feel less stressed
Less rushed
Less judged
And more joyful
on our way!

Lida Berghuis
October 28th, 2014

Fabulous 50!

Sep28

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