Learning from the Past

I write quite a bit and it is always interesting to go back and read things I have written in the past. Sometimes as life comes at me quotes from my own poems come to mind and I find strength in them. That wasn't the case tonight, because the strength I found didn't come from anything popping into my head, but instead came as I was just sifting through old computer files and found these two pieces. The first is from last May (2009 that is) and the second is from June of the same year. I kind of laugh realizing how true it is that I have a "chronic" condition, because similar thoughts have been floating through my head recently, but without the same positive and enlightened spin I put on them a year ago. And my stubborn escapist attitude of summer, where I literally and figuratively bury myself in books and movies, isn't the best strategy to finding what I found in silence before either.

I encourage you to write about anything and everything, happy and sad and confused, so that you can look back to see how far you've come, where you are going, and remind yourself of all the beautiful things you are.

"Blurb on Time"

Despite my chronic impatience and confusion in relation to the future, I think it is beautiful that each moment holds something we couldn't predict. Life is great, because we have the power to not only attempt to change a set destiny, but to really create one for ourselves. Every single life and every natural occurrence out of our hands interplay, creating a here and now that transitions smoothly from an ever distant future to the yesterdays we reminisce. Life would cease to be interesting and optimistic if things were otherwise, because knowledge would push faith and hope aside. If we were to defy that knowledge of how every second played out, and still hope, it would be just like our human natures to be stubborn to think things could be otherwise. Therefore the fact that we don't know our futures provides us with the blessings of hope and humility, agency provides a way for us to put our hope to work, and that God's hands reach down and orchestrate life provides us with help if we accept it. We are not left in a battle between our own strength and a fear of time, but with a hand to hold can be happy with the unknown eternities.

"Silent Reminder"

Right now
music makes me melancholy,
but silence helps me see
and hear the peace around.
Helps me feel the light within my life,
remember who I am
and what I want to be.
Reminds me that the love God has
is like the air we breathe,
something we don't always take notice of,
but still a necessity.
The arms He holds out for us
are always open, always waiting.
Like a stubborn child
we have to surrender our pride -
give in, ask for a hug and help.
Listen.