Tag Archive | wisdom

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

If that’s OK…

Aug30

When I arrive in the spirit world
I’d like to hang out with Rumi
Said a friend of mine…
Pick his brain for a while
Bask in his wisdom
Ask a few question and
Just hang out!

When I arrive in the spirit world
I’d like to hang out with Khanum, said I
Thank her for her guidance when I needed it most
Show her my gratitude for being frank with me
And telling me things I sometimes did not want to hear
Or was not aware of

Thank her for her visits to my dreams
When the days were dark
Thank her for opening my heart to poetry
Thank her for showing me the value of art and creativity
Thank her for being there when things did not make sense
When I needed hope, and encouragement
When I needed to know someone was looking out for me

Each dream of her was like a beacon of light
Each one a jewel in the night
Her warm embrace
Her beautiful eyes
Her words of wisdom
These are the things that sustained me
I can never thank her enough

So, dear Khanum
I’d like to hang out with you for a little while
If that’s OK
when I come to the spirit world!

Lida Berghuis
August 28th, 2014

*Khanum refers to Ruhhiyih Khanum or Mary Maxwell

The wise guest arrives

Aug24

There is a time when we are ready to ‘hear’ something
Before that, what we are told goes in one ear and out the other

The home has to be prepared and cleaned
Before the guest with the message arrives

Cleaning takes time
Creating order and beauty in the house takes effort and thought

But when the home has been made ready
It attracts the wise guest in no time

Lida Berghuis
August 22nd, 2014

Road trip

Aug16

The journey of life is not a smooth road trip
Detours seem to sneak up on us everywhere
Bumps appear all along the way
Sometimes all our energy goes into climbing a hill
That does not seem to end
Sometimes we find ourselves careening down a hill
At breakneck speed

Perhaps one of the hardest things in life
Is to find balance
To know when to slow down
When to keep going despite bad weather
And how long to drive before coming to a stop

Finding balance requires getting to know oneself
One’s limits
One’s strengths
One’s gifts

It requires audacity to be different
To stand out
It requires the courage of one’s convictions
When others think we are wrong
It requires wisdom that comes
From facing the challenges of life

Finding balance is a life-long quest
And like many other things in life
It’s about the journey and not the destination

Lida Berghuis
August 11th, 2014
Green Acre

Wisdom

Jul19

It is said that with wisdom comes the ability
To solve difficult problems

Solving difficult problems requires courage
Courage to stand up for what is right

Solving problems requires love
Love that gives one the courage to go on

Solving problems requires patience
Patience under all circumstances

Solving problems requires strength
Strength to endure difficult times

Solving difficult problems leads to unity
Unity, the ultimate reward!

Lida Berghuis
July 17th, 2014

Fleeting!

Jun30

The heat and humidity of summer is here
And air-conditioning provides a much needed respite
No, I’m not complaining about the heat or the sun
I love both in measured amounts

But as most things in this world
There is no middle ground
The weather is either bone chilling cold and depressingly grey
Or humid and scorchingly hot

Sometimes I wonder why we don’t have more places in the world
With moderate climes
But I think that’s asking for too much

In this material world
Where comfort can be short lived
Riches can disappear over night
Freedom can be snuffed out with a stroke of a pen
And justice easily buried under the ground

In this world,
Freedom, justice, and equality is much more desirable
Than a moderate clime

In our world ease does not last too long
Tears replace laughter after a while
Disappointment is around the corner and
Our plans fall apart all the time

Where is one to find inner peace
How are we to reconcile all this?

It helps if our focus is not on ourselves
It helps if we are other oriented
It helps if we take the long view
It helps if we set ourselves lofty goals
It helps if we learn to be content
It helps if we see the wisdom in suffering and pain

It helps if we see this world
For the fleeting moment that it is
And on the other side of it, eternity!

So, welcome summer heat
I’ll make the most of you
Because fall is around the corner
And winter will be here soon!

Lida Berghuis
June 30th, 2014

Gifts I like…

Dec25

img_4219

What is the best gift of all
I wonder to myself

A listening ear?
A kind heart?
A cheerful countenance?
These are some!

What would I want from a friend?
To let me be who I am
Don’t mind my silliness and my laughing out loud!

What is the best gift I can give?
My undivided attention
My understanding
My affection and love!

Material things are OK
But the best gifts are those
That don’t need to be wrapped
Ones that are made with
Thoughtful hands and hearts

And sometimes the best gifts come in words
Words of encouragement
Words of wisdom
Words of comfort

Sometimes it’s a phone call
From a friend
Who remembers you when
You feel alone
Or the friend that always
Has time for you!

The gifts I like don’t cost a thing
They just require love and understanding
And since they don’t take up any space
These are the gifts that I’ll carry with me
For all time and everywhere!

Lida Berghuis
December 25th, 2013

“Our spacious non-linear nature”

Apr11

“When the mind is quiet
We experience our spacious non-linear nature”
And access a sacred place

A place where the heart reigns
Where love is what counts
Where reason takes a back seat
Where what’s essential comes to the fore

A place where where we connect
To something greater than us
Assume a humble posture
And open ourselves to possibility
And greater wisdom

In a world where we need to know
To be in control
It’s a place where
We relinquish control
Ride the waves
And end up in places
We could not imagine

It’s a place that poetry can take us
It’s the place that poetry comes from!

Lida Berghuis
April 10th, 2013

*Kim Rosen

Sadness is the paint!*

Mar27

The trials and sufferings of life are the medium
The canvas, what we must find to reveal the beauty
That can come from the trials of life

The paint is not enough
Sadness does not translate by itself
Into a work of art
The canvas, what we much search for
There is work to be done
Habits to let go of
New understanding to emerge
Virtues to be developed
Wisdom to be gained

Then we will realize
The gifts sadness has brought
The paint it has provided us with
And we can use this gift
To make a beautiful piece of art!

The trials, the paint
Our understanding, the canvas
The work of art a testimony to our growth!

Lida Berghuis
March 27th, 2013

*Mark Nepo, The book of awakening

I have been there

Jun17

I have been there
Where you are
It’s probably hard to believe
But I have

I bet you thought
You were the only one
Who had discovered
This desolate place
This arid ground

I have been there
Not long ago
And when I was there
I was like you
I thought I was
The only one
To have found my way
To this strange
And frightful place

I have been there
Where you are
I understand the loneliness
The hopelessness
The powerlessness
The pain
And the sorrow
Of this almost inhabitable ground

Yet I persisted
Even when I thought
I couldn’t any more
Somehow I convinced myself
To carry on
Because the alternative
Was even worse

And I’m here
To sing my song
To let you know
That you will survive
You will finally find your way out
Of this land
This quagmire
This deep valley of misery
This arena of trials

I have been there
Where you are
And I hope
I can convince you
To persevere
To tolerate the pain
Of being lost

Because one day
The light will shine
And whether it’s through
The help of a friend
Or a loved one
Whether by new insight
Whether by the healing medicine
Offered you
Or steps you take
To find your way out
You will leave this dejected place
And you will bring with you
Some wisdom
An unexpected gift of insight

And you will learn
Not to hate that place
Because struggling and pain
Are part of life
And our teachers
Should we choose
To ponder the mysteries of life