I loved her because?

Perhaps like me, you have an ex?
And maybe even like me, you wonder how and why you ever married(or dated)
that particular person, but then again, maybe you don't.

Me, I loved her for many reasons, but today,
I was reminded of the most compelling.

Words.

Words was something we shared.
Three sons and lots of spanish champagne as well,
but mostly, she inspired me creatively with her words.

Not all of which she appreciated at the time.

Nonetheless;

I was struggling with a riff, and she provided this retort:
Perhaps she says, your not so deep, as the world is so shallow(?)!

And in all honesty, I agreed!

As for myself, I realized she was right.
Not about my depth so much,
but damn, there are some shallow folks amongst us.

Me, I love her still.
For words will always hold us together,
but in all honesty, I'll never love another without them.

For words are what we speak into each other,
when all else has failed to heal the rift that exist
between those in whom we comprehend
and the shallow few that take
up the rest of our day.

Thanks ex.

Hope your day ended as good as mine.....


Foot Note:

Maybe it's true, nobody loves the ones they leave behind.

But me, I don't feel that way.

Sure, there are a few I hated in the end, but in all honesty, love is not a choice, so much as a conviction. And me, once I accept that as the reality within myself, the love never goes away, or completely dissapears.

And odd how many private notes I received from people who couldn't relate.

And yet, to some, love is a feeling.
Which it's not, but that's not the point.

I loved Jan 1st. then Marcia.
Pamelynne I married!

True love never goes away.
And if you ever felt it, you knew that already....

Time((outside the gypsy flies away)?);

Time, not unlike love,
is an abstraction that only the person(s) experiencing either
can know for sure what it means,
or how it relates to the reality all around them.

Questions then,
not unlike the answers that surround them,
are subject to our interpretation and/or perspective,
which makes it harder still to distinguish darkness,
from a mere shadow!

As for myself, time therefore is irrelevant.

For in living pass the past,
I have used it all, already.

Best just to breath
and continue on the sojourn
into (the)tomorrow my friend(s)…

Me, I've always liked the concept of What If

What if:

"If love came to you,
Light and silent,
like a butterfly,
would you even notice?
Or would you continue searching for something better?"

What if;

"If love came to you in a friendly, constant way
Like a flower or plant you grow and cultivate yourself,
would you see it for all that it could become?
Or would you walk on past
still searching for the bells and whistles?"

What if;

"If love came to you fast and explosive,
Like the fireworks on 4th of July...
would you walk away
wanting to light yet anothers spark?
or could you work at keeping the spark alive
when the flame begins to smolder?"

"What if;

Love came with me, strong and true,
wanting to be with you
but knowing
right now we can not?

Would you wait for me?
Or would you turn to another closer by location,
though our global connection still remains?"

As for myself,
whereas life is a giant what if,
me, I'm constantly waiting.

And in that, I think the best is yet to come.....

You know how I love you(?);

And you're not sure why?

Well, on this day, perhaps you should consider why
others are unable to love you in the way(s) that I do,
and in that, you'll understand why.

For me, love is the reality of anothers being.
Not how they look,
nor how the feel,
or even, how they feel next to me.

Love, not unlike a mother,
is an entity, that fulfills a promise that in actuality,
we have no control over, for it was prgrammed from that start!

You know how I love you?

How my love radiants all around and within you?

This kind of love I give because it is not mine to hold on to!

You, you I love you because in doing so,
I complete the promise that came with your birth.

Not that I was you father
though I am.

Not that I'm your mother,
though, I often am that too.

You,
you know how I love you?

You,
you I love w/out reservation.

Which is the promise of birth,
even if your mother didn't get the memo.....

Oddly enough,

No matter how many times we think about it, the truth remains that what we really want, is another who cares enough about us to listen. A one who delights in our company, enjoys our subtleties, and embraces the outline of our convictions.

Should that not be what you think, I understand.

But I thought it was worth sharing....

It has been confirmed, today(everyday) He is risin!

Me, I am blessed by the day, and the worship and teachings at church as well, so my heart, my heart is filled with Joy right now. And you, how are you today?

Often of course, I wonder about you, and wish that you would write more, and yet, I know you're busy, so I smile anyway.

Be good as you go today, and remember, the next man, even if he isn't me, he should be as good to you, as I (am)would have been, so please, choose wisely, and react, accordingly....

And Yes, April arrived a few days ago,

And as I started work in the gardens, began to clean up the train track lay out, and plotted a strategy for the coming season, me, me I looked back over the past winter and all that wasn't completed from my last year here in the valley, and yet, I found reason(s) to smile:

As the sun returns, and the grasses begin to burn,
me, me I'll still have you.

And though you've married another and you both have a new baby to enjoy me, me I still have your friendship!

And though the economy is forcing you to flower into the pixie you should have always been, still, when you went home, thousands of miles away, I knew how much you missed me, and me, me, I still have you near.

And of course, no matter the number of pretty boys calling, or those who chase you around the car show circuit, in the end, as the day concludes, you're always alone(save for the children), and in that way, I still have you too!

Many a friend, from Spokane to Paris Hobbs, to Alberta, and beyond, keep me connected, keep my words infected with love and joy and bliss and truth, that as I looked out over the gardens I'll plant this year, I knew one thing was surely to come to pass during the season that sun returns to the valley, me, me I'll be on the road a lot this year, and as I stop to rest, I truly hope you'll be there when I call to say that me, me, I'm right outside, come, let's play while the sun shines brightly, upon us both.

And who knows, maybe this is the year that changes it all?
Me, me I can only hope and wait with glee.....

H20

Contained within you is strength enough to fight for victory,
yet gentle nonetheless, to wipe the tears from a child's cheek.

Enduring enough to withstand any crisis, and yet,
caring still to mend the broken hearted amongst us.

Faithful enough to stay,
when everything(one) else has
left, or been lost.

And in that, true friendships are realized!

I believe it was James Brown who said;

This is a man's world,
this is a man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing,
nothing without a woman or a girl

You see, man made the cars to take us over the road
Man made the trains to carry heavy loads
Man made electric light to take us out of the dark
Man made the boat for the water,
like Noah made the ark

This is a man's,
a man's, a man's world

But it wouldn't be nothing,
nothing without a woman or a girl

Man thinks about a little baby girls and a baby boys
Man makes then happy 'cause man makes them toys
And after man has made everything,
everything he can
You know that man makes money
to buy from other man

This is a man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing,
nothing without a woman or a girl

He's lost in the world of man
He's lost in bitterness

Friendships(and why I deleted you) require;

Comfort ability.

Hard to say, but I've had all the sweet talking, make up wearing (in excess), too tight high heel stepping woman for a life time. Does this make me shallow?

No, for I am just lazy enough, to not want anything too overtly complicated, when real joy is simple enough. Me, I’d welcome friends who can actually think calmly, speak softly, ask real questions, follow complete directions, walk over a mile, and then, not pass out when I dance with their younger sister.

A one that’s a human being 1st. who happens to be a themselves always. Someone that knows that sarcasm is not witticism! Can I say someone who is deep thinker and alluring? Someone who is passive and giving?

Someone who has faults?
And strengths too?

Me, I would be pleased with someone who realizes that no two men are alike, and that therefore some males are actually just that, not men!

Aside from that, in reading what I usually write, there should be no question(s) as to why superficial nonsense, and outright B/s in not fundamental to continued friendship.

In the between though, please, be blessed as you go....

In the days of lost jobs and less money;

Some people, in all honesty, are wonderful partners when everything is going well, but, when things get turned inside out, these very same people turn into quite the selfish beings, when things take a turn for the worse.

You, you may be enjoying your partner while he or she is happy in the moment, but be honest, don’t you truly just want to get away from, and/or even yell not so passionately this time, at your partner when he or she is giving you a hard time?

And yes, I am leading this into what is sometimes accepted as: the “fair weather” friend. Which, oddly enough, is not what a partner is supposed to be for you, and yes, if I hear one more insipid reference to the “friends w/benefits” scenario, trust me, I will not be happy!

Get a grip!

It's a fact that sometimes your partner will take an emotional dump, that is, he or she will be unhappy about something, and to you, it doesn't look like it will be over in just a few minutes!

You, you may want to improve or fix this situation for them, and that can, sometimes work.However, another approach is to allow the moment to pass, without your participation. Sure, you should support them, remembering what you love about them, and stay centered and content within that love you have for them, and, know that they will bounce back.

In fact, you holding a centered space can help them bounce back!

In contrast, going “down with them”, getting unhappy too, buying into their sad story or getting angry, may of course just make things worse. I mean, the whole point is that They want you to go “down” with them, hoping of course that you’re not aware of the following little known fact: Sometimes people want to take an emotional dump!

And sometimes, they will want company.

And oddly enough, if you’re willing to enjoy your partner, and be with him or her when a “down cycle” hits; that is, to go down with him or her, it can be a very intimate thing. Obviously, you wouldn't want to do this all the time.

Yet, sometimes, it's a gift to your partner to allow them to have their pity parties, but NOT to go down with them. Sometimes it's best to stay “UP”, and hold the space for when they are ready to feel better. But for a change, you might try rejecting this downward plunge into an emotional abyss with them, consciously knowing, that when they are looking to go down or have a bad time, your most important role, is to maintain your own sanity, for in that way, your maintaining yourself.

Love is not how badly I can be treated,
Nor is it how low I’ll go to keep you!

Love is about comfort and stability.

Love is about caring and commitment.
Love, therefore is also about reality!

And in being real, love is not about allowing another to wreck your joy.

You, you be blessed, and be(come) a blessing to others.

Never forgetting that in this life,
Joy is not a given;

Nor should it be something easily consumed by another!

Today

Two hearts that share emotions are indeed two souls so close, they touch.
Two spirits so joined from within, one to the other
that each soars upon the energy, released from just the other.

Today

Reflecting on a connection that's grown,
two hearts, now, learning to beat as one.

The sweetest memories of times together,
leading into moments, never to be undone.

Reflections of our early days,
not unlike children that grew too fast.

Reflections of our endless potential,
for a Valentine's Day Love,
that would actually last.

Tomorrow

Living without fear,
tomorrow; living without the regret of tears.

Tomorrow; learning just to live
For within this, friendships become love
As in this, lovers will forever remain friends…

Break up, break downs(edited):

In the beginning(s), God had created man, who the subsequently finding himself alone, realized that he should have a companion. Seeing this, God was kind enough to craft from the man, Woman. Another who from within the man, could stand with him and complete his life from the opposite, and/or at least internal point of view.

Marriage thus was consummated!

Oddly enough though, marriage, just like the seasons, has changed recently from what a man needed, and is often no longer a real union of the souls, as it is a contractual agreement between the partners. Question then, do not geese have a life long partner?

Why then should a Woman not have the same?

Is she not as capable, as steadfast, as a bird?
Are not men able to put aside their worldly ambitions and seek to hold dear the ambitions spoken and honorably contained in their vows and thus should be commitments towards their wives? If then, "to have and to hold" is not a slogan, then, it must be an attainable goal. For to come full circle in my own thought(s), the goal should be consummated with another, not just someone outside myself.

The goal of marriage was supposed to be; the relinquishing of your will, to the power and strength of another, and so to achieve this goal, consideration must be given to the one with whom you seek to wed; Is he a believer in the premise of marriage, or just a one wanting to hold you within the framework of a relational contract. As for the woman, does she posses the desire to see you through the ages, or only a one seeking that which is good and safe in the now?

Marriage, oddly enough is about forever.
Forever my man.
Forever your woman.
Forever!

Anything less than that is not a genuine marriage at all.
Anything less than that is actually just another relational construct for the here and now, not tomorrow and always. Which could be good too, but not for the reason you were crafted from within me though!

Valentines day(and life after the bloom);

Relationships work beautifully when the man focuses much of his attention on the woman’s growth and development. In this way, the woman is lit up and happy with his kindness and direction, and this ease of happiness flows through to his life as well.

As I'm sure you well know:
"If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"

Therefore, it's in both of your interests for him to learn how to pay attention, and understand your needs and wants. In fact he wants to know this (!), even if instinctively, he’s afraid to admit it. However, it's highly likely that your partner has not been trained in how to pay proper attention to his woman. The result is that way too often, both of you focus on the global relationship, which just leaves the woman frustrated and wanting more.

More of what? Attention and direction from her man!

Yes - attention. As a woman, you should have it, you deserve it, and you'll both have way much more pleasure, as he learns how to provide it.

In fact - he wants you to be happy! He just doesn't always know how to best accomplish this. OR - he hasn't yet discovered how to win from giving you this attention.Honestly, in our shallow, conditioned world, much of a woman’sattractiveness or value in society comes from two sources: 1) her youthful beauty, and 2) her ability to bear children.

Unfortunately, both diminish with age, with the result that a woman might be considered less 'marketable' as she gets older. (By contrast, a man gets more marketable as he gets older. As he not only accumulates wealth, power and experience; distinguished when the grey start to appear at his temples)

The stigma that exists for women who are unattached before their youth and fertility start to diminish can cause them to be devalued by society. With this information, we can understand why a woman may feel pressure to attract and 'keep' the man in the relationship using whatever resources she has, including having sex with her partner out of a sense of obligation, instead of respect and reverance.

But in reality, the best way to prosper in a relationship with a man, is to educate yourself and him about what you already know as a woman, and about the things that you need to learn in order to be a better woman, not just for him, but for your children, your family, and yourself!

In this, well-meaning men (masters of the world contained within the relationship) can compensate for, or reverse this by paying more positive and effective attention to the women in their lives. An exercise you can do to help facilitate this is to schedule one hour with your partner (or a close female friend if you are currently single) within the next three days. Mention the issues discussed above, as it is youunderstand them, and then, ask her what it's like to grow up being a woman. LISTEN ;-)

Learn how best to discuss your own feelings and desires with your man, so that he can learn how you came to be, and who you’re willing to become within the context of your relationship together.

For practice is how we learn best, and to be affective teachers of those we love, we’re going to have to understand how best to translate our needs into words that can be readily understood and put into practice, in our lives, in our loves, in all of our relationships.

Valentines Day approaches. Please don't let it go down to cheap candy and plastic sentiments. Reach deep, willing yourself to learn how to love, and to surrender yourself to that love in a way that nourishes and sustains your growth as we both continue to age, gracefully!

Love, sometimes;

Is nothing more than air,
and yet, unlike breathing
love is a choice that we have to make.

Air, not unlike love keeps us vibrant and alive,
but love, just like air is near to us, and yet we are
very often, unwilling to accept that it exist!

How, I wonder can this be?

Air, being the surface that my planes fly across,
the invisible force that keeps my kites aloft,
is as real as anything else that I can't see!

And therefore love, love being the current that flows within me,
the unyielding force that keeps my heart intact and my joy exalted,
is just as great a reality as air, even though unlike air, me, I have to be love, in order to see love and accept it.

And in that, fear has no room to hide from it
for like the air, when we believe,
love is actually everywhere!

For all the men I knew in the year passing;

Anyone ever tell you why women are so complicated?

In the New Year, let this guide how you interact with your own woman, and any we may share as friends. Women, woman are generally credited with a much higher E.Q. (emotional intelligence) than us. And they also tend to have a greater awareness of other people, and emotions. In this way, women also tend to have greater access to their own wider range of emotions.

Whereas we will often complain about women thinking illogically (because 'logically' and 'rationally' is the only valid way to think- or so we often assume!) and going through mood swings, what we need to recognize is that we’d never want to be in a world populated only by men, because (oddly enough) we have emotions as well, and we usually only express them completely, in the company of Woman!

Women also give us greater access to this wider range of our own feeling, and it's through their expressed joy(s) and exultations, that we're pulled to even greater heights as human beings, just as it’s through their sorrow and tears, that we explore our saddest depths.

This, if we’re really honest about it, is what we like about them.

Anyhoo, this is why, in the New Year, I’m asking you(men) to put more attention and effort on what your lover wants; more attention on making her happy, as well as deeply contented with your presence in her life. A Woman’s life is enhanced and magnified through the experience of their partner, and though we rarely talk about this, when your relationship with this woman is over, the lack of an enhanced and magnified experience, is what makes it so hard for you, to replace her with a better woman.

For the last Jack(!), just like your self, has left his ex empty as well!

See how this can snowball?

It's been said:

"The life of a man on his own, is predictable and black and white.
The life of a man with a woman is Technicolor and covered in glory."

But this is what I say:

In the New Year, be a man worthy of being connected to.
For the next woman you choose to try this with, may have had experienced less, than she deserved before you!


And me, I’m getting tired of righting all these wrongs…..

Sunday, finds me on the road again;

Different valley,
same white lines,
and yet;
something’s different.

Having the time,
having the option
to exploit the permission,
this road seems clearer.

You know,
where I come from
the Holidays
conclude
after the 1st.

For you then,
be at peace
with yourself;
while you decide if I should!

In the between,
the road to there seems long,
but I've noticed in my travels
time never takes as long
as it should.

Might be the vistas
could even be the rhythm of the road.

Nonetheless,
if we don't travel past ourselves
then how does the journey end?

For me then,
I find peace within.

Even after I've decided
not knowing,
is the worst
trip of all!

Remembering the day;

For Love, love can not be held in a box,
nor wrapped in foil and topped with a bow.

But love,
love can come with a smile,
and in the spirit of the season,
I'm sure you are now!

Love, like a real friend
Never forgets…

The Power of a Man;

"A man has the power to love a woman in a way that she has never been loved before, and yet, hurt her with the same intensity!

A man has the power to treat a woman like his queen, then turn around and make her wish she was never born.

A man has the power to make a woman cry with happiness and joy, then turn around, and make her cry, with hurt and anger.

A man has the power to let a woman feel free and wanted, and then, with just a word, feel disgusted and unworthy.

An unreal man has the power to look a woman in her face, and tell her how much he loves her, but turn around, and sleep with her best friend.

A man has the power to make you fall in love with him within days, and then hate him within minutes!

A man has the power to change a woman from having no goals, to living out the goals he has established within her. A man has the power.

Within this power,
life was thus created!

And destroyed!

For power requires your cooperation and love,
in order to stay within the limits of reason.

And very few men have had that......

My Hands;

Open the curtains of your being and
Clothe you into a further nudity.

My hands
uncover the dimensions of your body
And restore its regal purpose.

My hands
invent another body for your understanding
For in knowing me, your body becomes new.


Which in all honestly,
is just another way of saying
breath and be whole!

"I was wondering;

have you realized that life will allow you to discover its one true purpose, if you take just a minute of your time, to find contained within another, all the things, you've yet become?"


I was wondering too over the weekend, what is it that makes an absolutely incredible sexual partner, from another men's perspective? Listening, as I often do, it seems her willingness to experiment, and to do some of the things he wants is a huge plus. But we also know that an attractive face and figure doesn't hurt either, though, most men aren't really that choosey.

However, I believe that the thing that makes a woman the most rewarding, and fulfilling as a sexual partner for a man, is her ability to experience pleasure! If a woman can orgasm consistently (and ideally somewhat vocally), I feel a deep sense of satisfaction in having been able to please her. I'll go even further and say that given a choice between my own orgasm with a woman who is not enjoying the sex, and not coming with a woman who has multiple orgasms and is eternally pleased, nine times out of ten I would choose the latter!

To me, this sexual example illustrates a fundamental principle of successful relationships, which is that: men are most happy when pleasing their woman, more so when the woman is responding in a way that enhances that mans understanding of her pleasure.

Of course, if I told you the dream argument and make up that prompted me to write this, you be wondering why I like yellow and black, or for the matter; no wonder you'd say, after I mentioned the midnight snack of left over Chinese food which preceded the events in the dream, but that's always another reason to write!

Anyhoo, it's impossible to feel pleasure, to experience real bliss, when the person your with isn't as happy as you are. So if your immediate relationships are not working as well as you like; check the temperature!

Another's fear(s), contained in being pleased, and your own disappointments surrounding your misunderstanding of them, might be the reason.

Me, I Love 'cause I need love in order to grow and flourish.

You, if you're living without love, have you ever considered the cost?

Just wondering……

Because of Love;

I'd lock out my page.

Because of love, I've changed how I am in public.
Because of love, I'd delete anyone you asked me to.
Because of love, I can wait until the time comes.
Because of love, I could actually feel lighter, and more free.

Yes, love is tangible.
And yes, love is tactile.
Love proves it self in action and in deeds.

But sometimes,
all love is is a word.

Sometimes, it's just a post card, or a poem.

Sometimes, love is a simple hi, but I can't talk right now!

Me, I know what love is.
And sometimes, love is just three words that create a smile
within the heart of the person we love.

Call me weak, but I like love,
and anyway it chooses to reveal itself,
is more than alright with me!

Me, I just had to get that off my mind......

May I call you SunShine?

Some day’s sunshine,
I don’t actually write all the words I’ve considered.

And not just because there aren’t things, places, and/or people I’d like to write about, but oddly enough, my inability to get all these new words streaming towards the paper, originates not from being able to generate the necessary focus, but because, I can see far too clearly!

Wanting to write, desiring to express myself, is only part of my process around turning abstractions into words. More often, I am just breathing and that act of catching one new breath becomes a word that supports a sentence, which then becomes a meditation en route to a story.

Sometimes, people within my sensory areas can create a ripple that I can use as a story propellant, though mostly, it is through their subsurface pain and the things that I can discern that they are hiding from, that makes the window into a story open wide for me.

Even in the vacuum of a total stranger, a story is often revealed to me by often just the placement of their hands on a table, or a story is hidden under the flickering of their eyes. Sometimes, it’s even contained within the voice, in which they address a small child, that their story is told.

Wanting to follow and explore these stories are a great value to me, even though, they often cost me more than the completed narrative is worth. For the pain I must wade through, to get at the chance to see the boundaries of this new and exciting story, is neither as easily forgotten as I would like, nor as easily rendered into more than just an abstraction of the present moment, revealed in that instant.

Nonetheless, theses stories, these connected words from within others is something that I’ve never been able to turn away from. This, I eerily discovered when I grew old enough to seek more than a gentle touch from the others around me. Seems, each person that I more than casually touched, revealed something about themselves, whenever we connected long enough for me to see whatever was hidden in their smile.

Of course, some of those early stories were the best, if not but for the intense rush of revelation that washed over me in that instant we touched. Others, where so diabolically beautiful, it made me weep immediately with the knowledge, whereas some, some were just the vaporous and fantastical endeavors of the deceiver among us.

But each, each in their own way, were as sweet as the rains that used to fall out behind the homes in which I to lived when everything was new to me, back when none of this made sense to me!

But now I see clearly, that which I was just feeling then.

Words, words and the images that live within us all are the unrealized ideals that I am so unafraid of now. For now, I’ve grown in my acceptance of the unspoken fears and whispers of others. Now, I seem so ready to just move in the silent waves from within another, so as to be completely washed by the radiant embers of that life I can see, without really looking and discern without ever clearly hearing, and in that sunshine, is my peace, and daily thanksgiving. In that is the essence of why I came to be.

And though I’ve yet to learn the fate of this blessing, my embrace upon it has grown with the knowledge that it’s mine alone to share with you!

This morning

I found myself considering all those that I had really wanted to know better, and your smile revealed itself in my minds eyes.

Not knowing how your life has been over these few season of distance between us, I just wanted to show that I do indeed think about you often.

Dreaming

My love

would you kiss me again tonight
so soft
so gentle
arousing my deepest feelings
please, make it so sensual and alive.

My love

can you feel my kiss without your heart
so warm your lips felt as they parted
no words can be now spoken,
And yet, the meaning is true enough.

My love

that kiss will last forever within us
for it’s only for me and you to feel
that kiss from the your deepest heart
Burns still,
deeply inside my own.

Dreaming 2

Candles burning
sheets turned down
anticipation abounds.

In the Vancouver of my mind,
I can see candles burning
sheets yet to be turned down
and me waiting for your call.

Time passes slowly between us now I know
sometimes, quiet as a mouse
stars somewhere are falling down
and yet for me,
the earth is standing still.

Waiting
ethereally waiting
for another moment in your embrace.

In the distance, my phone rings.
in the new place where we’ll meet;
come get me now you whisper,
for I am you have arrived to become one again.

Passionate thoughts explode within me now
even thought the excitement is not yet in the air,
though soon you will be here,
and in that my heart grows.

Candles burning low
Sheets thrown down
Passions soon to be consumed
As a love grows
From it’s embrace!

Dreaming 3

Passions revealed from within,
desires not yet sedated,
never once before believed,
such pleasures I’ve awaited.

Romance claimed lost,
desires now girded,
no more ecstatic long nights,
and not, just fulfilling a need.

But with lingering glances,
on satiny smooth broen skin,
through the night we languish,
in the erotica of lovemaking.

A candle lit dinner,
alone to test our will,
champagne on ice (?),
inhibitions to chill.

A fire in the hearth,
our only light,
yet we hold back the urges,
as passion fills the long dark night.

Caressing the hair below your neck,
a massage designed to please,
your breathing grows softer,
a sensual tease.

Lips finally meet,
so tender and hoping,
tongues intertwine,
searching but still not groping.

Finger tips race,
from your neck down your spine, a
wakening nerves the pleasure,
my tongue surrenders to your sweet divine.

Cloths whispered as they fell to the floor,
bringing pleasure in the skin they show,
no rush no hurry, we have all night,
so let’s continue to take it slow.

A trail of kisses,
the soft back of knees bent,
body’s aching and yearning,
eager to please and reinvent.

By the light of the fire,
two body’s join in an ancient rite,
as soft moans of pleasure,
become the sounds of our good night.

Just after another midnight

For me, to have to consider another's intention(s)
Only leads me to believe that perhaps I needn't have paid attention.
A song I wrote many years ago contained the line:

"Sometimes, I know that she like me other times, I don't think so.
Sometimes, I feel like she needs me other times, I just don't know!"

Maybe for some,
The lack of knowledge,
Or even the suspense
of not knowing the truth

Is something that's pleasurable?

For me though,
Pleasure comes in understanding.
Pleasure comes in knowledge
Not in confusion, or abstraction.

Monday (somewhere in the world right now);
For some, starts the week anew.

And yet for me,
Sunday always draws me to the edge of this new week.

And on this coming Sunday, I will be refreshed in the knowledge that
In order for anything to work, as in, in order for a sports team, In order for a family,
in order for a relationship to work, There has to be a reciprocal understanding.

No, I didn't say equal partnership.
I said reciprocal understanding.

I do some.
You do some.

Just as a chef cooks the food.
And yet, without the pantry chefs prep,
Dinner will not be served.

Or like last night @ the club;
The bartender pours,
The waitress serves
The Dj spins
The party gets to pop pin!

Life thus, requires an ebb and flow as well.

Half way!
Or even part way sometimes!

But all the way myself?
Not if you want it all yourself.

In giving, in reaching beyond, and in not just only receiving,
then a true reciprocal understanding unfolds betweens
not just us two, and in that, a better life unfolds, grows,
and blends beautifully into a lasting bliss!

And in that, my weekend just got better.

I’ll share, because we all need to write someone;

In the between, true enough though, I was definitely coming that way, and then, I hesitated for no reason other than, well, I hesitated, and now I'll just have to wait until January to head back East.

And you, will you ever grace me with some of your undivided attention? Yes, I know the answer to that, but I wanted to be petulant. Anyhoo, the west is refreshing as always. Me and the queen mother are still enjoying each others company, she is persuaded by my cooking and affectionate ability to keep her on task, me, because down deep, think she's really nice.

Work is a problem, but I've been thinking of developing my coaching business again, so I am unfazed by the economy of the short side. Plus, I think there will be great opportunities to sell and/or provide services now that almost everybody is outsourcing labor to lower cost.

The weather is always great.
Some cold nights, a few rainy days, but nothing like the hawk!

Thanksgiving this year though will be festive. I have a good friend here (a Mexican brother, his Philippine wife, their son and I are close) who we will be sharing the festive table with. His mother in law moved here in September, and his mom and dad live near by, so we'll all hook up out in Eagle Point for a blend of traditional, Asian and soul food. It will be nice!

Well, I could say more, but, I better hold my tongue.
Always good to see your (personal) words in my inbox though. And of course, when you're not editing yourself, it's always a pleasure to read your deeper thoughts on-line. As always, be good in the between my friend(s), and remember; real love, like a really good life, is usually not reflected in what we think it should act, look, or even be like, and that's the reason why it's so good to have in the end!

Stillness yes, will put a floor underneath you, but real expression will set you free!

Most assuredly,

Edward Jr.

"Truly, I just like people to be themselves, and therefore,
open to the honesty that is contained, within us both!"

Finishing Our Work: Martin L. Friedman

"And so it came to pass that on Nov. 4, 2008, shortly after 11 p.m. Eastern time, the American Civil War ended, as a black man — Barack Hussein Obama — won enough electoral votes to become president of the United States.

A civil war that, in many ways, began at Bull Run, Virginia, on July 21, 1861, ended 147 years later via a ballot box in the very same state. For nothing more symbolically illustrated the final chapter of America's Civil War than the fact that the Commonwealth of Virginia — the state that once exalted slavery and whose secession from the Union in 1861 gave the Confederacy both strategic weight and its commanding general — voted Democratic, thus assuring that Barack Obama would become the 44th president of the United States.

This moment was necessary, for despite a century of civil rights legislation, judicial interventions and social activism — despite Brown v. Board of Education, Martin Luther King's I-have-a-dream crusade and the 1964 Civil Rights Act — the Civil War could never truly be said to have ended until America's white majority actually elected an African-American as president.

That is what happened Tuesday night and that is why we awake this morning to a different country. The struggle for equal rights is far from over, but we start afresh now from a whole new baseline. Let every child and every citizen and every new immigrant know that from this day forward everything really is possible in America.

How did Obama pull it off? To be sure, it probably took a once-in-a-century economic crisis to get enough white people to vote for a black man. And to be sure, Obama's better organization, calm manner, mellifluous speaking style and unthreatening message of "change" all served him well.

But there also may have been something of a "Buffett effect" that countered the supposed "Bradley effect" — white voters telling pollsters they'd vote for Obama but then voting for the white guy. The Buffett effect was just the opposite. It was white conservatives telling the guys in the men's grill at the country club that they were voting for John McCain, but then quietly going into the booth and voting for Obama, even though they knew it would mean higher taxes.

Why? Some did it because they sensed how inspired and hopeful their kids were about an Obama presidency, and they not only didn't want to dash those hopes, they secretly wanted to share them. Others intuitively embraced Warren Buffett's view that if you are rich and successful today, it is first and foremost because you were lucky enough to be born in America at this time — and never forget that. So, we need to get back to fixing our country — we need a president who can unify us for nation-building at home.

And somewhere they also knew that after the abysmal performance of the Bush team, there had to be consequences for the Republican Party. Electing McCain now would have, in some way, meant rewarding incompetence. It would have made a mockery of accountability in government and unleashed a wave of cynicism in America that would have been deeply corrosive.

Obama will always be our first black president. But can he be one of our few great presidents? He is going to have his chance because our greatest presidents are those who assumed the office at some of our darkest hours and at the bottom of some of our deepest holes.

"Taking office at a time of crisis doesn't guarantee greatness, but it can be an occasion for it," argued the Harvard University political philosopher Michael Sandel. "That was certainly the case with Lincoln, F.D.R. and Truman." Part of F.D.R.'s greatness, though, "was that he gradually wove a new governing political philosophy — the New Deal — out of the rubble and political disarray of the economic depression he inherited." Obama will need to do the same, but these things take time.

"F.D.R. did not run on the New Deal in 1932," said Sandel. "He ran on balancing the budget. Like Obama, he did not take office with a clearly articulated governing philosophy. He arrived with a confident, activist spirit and experimented. Not until 1936 did we have a presidential campaign about the New Deal. 

What Obama's equivalent will be, even he doesn't know. It will emerge as he grapples with the economy, energy and America's role in the world. These challenges are so great that he will only succeed if he is able to articulate a new politics of the common good."Bush & Co. did not believe that government could be an instrument of the common good. 

They neutered their cabinet secretaries and appointed hacks to big jobs. For them, pursuit of the common good was all about pursuit of individual self-interest. Voters rebelled against that. But there was also a rebellion against a traditional Democratic version of the common good — that it is simply the sum of all interest groups clamoring for their share. 

"In this election, the American public rejected these narrow notions of the common good," argued Sandel. "Most people now accept that unfettered markets don't serve the public good. Markets generate abundance, but they can also breed excessive insecurity and risk. Even before the financial meltdown, we've seen a massive shift of risk from corporations to the individual. 

Obama will have to reinvent government as an instrument of the common good — to regulate markets, to protect citizens against the risks of unemployment and ill health, to invest in energy independence.

"But a new politics of the common good can't be only about government and markets. "It must also be about a new patriotism — about what it means to be a citizen," said Sandel. "This is the deepest chord Obama's campaign evoked. The biggest applause line in his stump speech was the one that said every American will have a chance to go to college provided he or she performs a period of national service — in the military, in the Peace Corps or in the community. 

Obama's campaign tapped a dormant civic idealism, a hunger among Americans to serve a cause greater than themselves, a yearning to be citizens again."None of this will be easy. But my gut tells me that of all the changes that will be ushered in by an Obama presidency, breaking with our racial past may turn out to be the least of them. 

There is just so much work to be done. 

The Civil War is over.

Let reconstruction begin."


Amen.....

Right before your eyes:

In the reality of this moment, I guess I'm a little speechless.
what with the emotions, and the tactile feeling of change,
even I have to step back a few feet and take it all in.

So now what?

Is the era of unnecessary hatred and the
corresponding fear finally behind us?
Or is the ground beneath us going to start shaking
with the inevitable consequences of denial?

Me, I was weeping.

Then I was overjoyed beyond tears.

And really, this has nothing to do with the obvious,
and more to do with the ways, as of yet unimagined,
the world just changed.

Worshiping at the alter of Ken and Barbie,
living the unreal life of Hedge Funds and Golf Ranges,
what are the architects of our previous discomfort going to do now
that their world has been breached by the common American?

Yes, I lived in some of those red states too, and no,
I'm not all that concerned about what those people are up to,
for in the absence of an obvious leader, the herded masses
always sit quietly, waiting for someone to stir up their fears and anxieties,
and this time, at this moment, no one is prepared to go down that road.

Which brings me back to the present.

Change baby, real, concrete, undeniable change has happened.

Therefore I implore you, think stronger, speak bolder,
have the heart to say what you truly feel,
for this moment came for us all,
and if you can't embrace it,
time and timing has dictated in the past,
that without full acceptance of an opportunity,
that chance, that once in a life time surrender
will be snatched back before you(and I) know it.

Me, I have a lot to think about now.

Many things that I have neglected have to now be reconciled,
so that I can change too!

You, you had better wash in the euphoria of the here
and dam better right now,
and come correct.

For time is the weapon of change,
and wasting time is the opening that ensnares.

Some days

(some weeks even), I just write more than others.

On this day then, here's what I'm thinking:

Patience, though an alleged virtue, is not something that I ascribe to during my walk in this life. Not just because, we leave this place without enough notice or fore warning, but because I can recognize the reality of the moment(s). Not always by using words, and not even by listening to the words of others. Mostly, I believe that life is dedicated to the living.

Actually, contained in the word life, is the inherent knowledge that life is about living, that being alive to my senses, alive to the wind, to the stars, to the movement of rain against my skin, and the songs the trees sing.

Not to say that if you’re afraid of life, afraid of living that we don’t have enough in common to continue. Nor even to say that within the trepidation that some seem to hide behind, there isn’t a desire to breathe deeply, just that for me, I’ve known the loss. I’ve seen the wasted, and that just doesn’t seem to me, to be the reason why I’m still here!

Plus, whereas this could be the last words I wrote, or even that this could be the last breath I draw, why shouldn’t I see the beauty of the now, why shouldn’t I embrace this opportunity and exhale?

One this day then, here’s what I’m thinking;

Should it please you to live underneath the fear contained in the not knowing, or even if you’re under the impression that not wanting to know the truth that can exist between us, is the better conclusion, that’s okay with me. Not as okay as knowing you after I hit the send key, or even as okay as seeing you from across the room and basking in the radiant knowledge that we’re still more than just friends, but then again, not all friends are friendly, just like, not all humans are willing to be humane.

Me, I’m unafraid.

Sure, I fear death and the Lords wrath.

But, in the between of here and there, me, I have to live.
I have to embrace this life.
I have to embrace the wonder of being alive.

Anything less than that, seems to be disrespectful of the blessing!

And on this day, it just had to be said……

Wednesday finds me thinking out loud:

It is widely understood, but rarely admitted, that a 
woman exerts a powerful influence over her man's 
life, and his overall pursuit of happiness therein.

So, it's really no surprise that when she is lit up and shining, as her man, you usually have a great day,
and the world seems that much brighter, and everything is  
as it should be, plus, life is good.

However, on the flip side, you also know, that when 
she's in a bad mood, you're whole world is open to trouble! 

Whether it is conscious or unconscious, a woman has an 
extraordinary ability to influence her man's happiness. 
In fact, so strong is this influence, so powerful is 
her ability to expand his happiness or to squeeze the joy out of him, that we can make this bold statement: 
a woman can also put a ceiling on a man's happiness. 

So how can we as men take advantage of this information?

One powerful strategy is to put so much attention on 
her happiness, that the woman reaches a point of abundant
surplus in her life. In this way, she'll feel so naturally happy and contented with the world, and the attention she is receiving from it, that this abundance will spill over to her man and othe ther people around her. 

(Note to the ladies: in order to reach that point 
of surplus you must be open to receiving it. To provide
a visual example: you can't pour water into a closed 
container. So practice being open to receive all the 
pleasure a man has and is willing to give towards you.)

And remember my brothers, this isn't the gospel.
It's simply one other way to be a better man, and 
not just for your woman, but for all the other men
she may encounter after you!

You may now go back to being unaware..............

All too often;

I hear from people who are afraid to speak.

I know, sounds like a contradiction, and yet, there
are so many amongst us, which just refuse to see past
the obvious limitations of their thoughts, and reach further!

Now, I'm not complaining, because if it wasn't for the closed mind,
it would be difficult for me to make a living, but really, is that all there is to it?

Truly, it is so dark now, that even I look forward to a greater darkness to come,
if not but to only run up my billable hours? 

Enough!

For me, stepping past the upcoming election and the harsh reality of
so many hurting Americans (yes, I have foreign friends too), me,
I just want to work towards something better.

Maybe I'll rent out the guest house.

Or for sure, I'll have a singles thanksgiving party this year,
just so the lonely can at least not be so on that one day.

But more than that, I just want to move past the detritus that is this life
we are too often forced to live in, because of the arrogance and ignorance
of those who claimed to no longer need our participation, and yet,
still spend so much of their free time, trying to make our lives 
as miserable as theirs!

Today, I just couldn’t spend another moment caught up in it.

Maybe I’ll just go bowling for lunch?

1 Corinthians 13

Love

1: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2: If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries
and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.

3: If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,
but have not love, I gain nothing.

4: Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5: It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
and it keeps no record of wrongs.

6: Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7: It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

8: Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease;
where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge,
it will pass away.

9: For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

10: but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

11: When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child,
I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

12: Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13: And now these three remain:
Faith, Hope and Love.

But the greatest of these, is Love.


Amen..........

October begins

And in so many ways,
the anxiety persists.

Why is this?

Sure, not wanting to see past the obvious is easier for some,
and yet, real time is something that most people only seem to devote
to things, that waste it anyway, as for me, I have a better idea:

Why don’t we love without fear.
Connect without deceit.
Embrace without artifice?

For without pure knowledge,
there will never be connection(s),
and without connecting,
me, I'm not really interested!

So with that said,
I’ll sleep better knowing the truth.

The world isn’t going to end soon,
food and shelter is only a phone call away,
And no matter what the talking heads proclaim;

If and when Jesus returns,
I’ll still be me.

And in that,
You can find peace too!

Do You know me?

Are you breathin'
When I'm in the air
Do you feel me
When you comb your hair

Can you feel the rain
Hit the side as you walk around you
Like an angel's heart
I'll fly high as a hidden cloud

And you know me...
Yes you know me...

Do I scare you
When I come too close
Does the room you're in
come to a sudden cloud

I can hear you cry
Like a kid with an injured knee
I can see you pray for me
Before you lay to sleep

Do you know me
You should know me

How can you feel alone at night
Even when I'm by your side
Can you hear me laugh in the wind
Does it ease your mind
If you never see me again
I will always be your friend
Like an angel's heart
I'll blend within the wind

Do you see me

Yeah, you should see me
I can fly, I can fly
How high? As high as the wind can fly

Yeah you should know me
Oh! Yeah I'm your ghost
I'm watching over you
Oh! I'm your ghost

If you never let me know
How will I know
How can I be your guide
Are you fearing death or life
Can you make up your mind

Do you know me?

Words have meaning(s):

Contain:

—Synonyms 1. Contain, accommodate, hold, express the idea that something is so designed that something else can exist or be placed within it. Contain refers to what is actually within a given container. Hold emphasizes the idea of keeping within bounds; it refers also to the greatest amount that can be kept within a given space. Accommodate means to contain comfortably.
3. Embody, embrace.

Restrain:

—Synonyms 1. bridle, suppress, constrain.
2. restrict, circumscribe, confine, hinder, hamper.

Calm:

—Synonyms 1. quiet, motionless. 3. placid, peaceful, serene, self-possessed. Calm, collected, composed, cool imply the absence of agitation. Calm implies an unruffled state, esp. under disturbing conditions: calm in a crisis. Collected implies complete inner command of oneself, usually as the result of an effort: He remained collected in spite of the excitement. One who is composed has or has gained dignified self-possession: pale but composed. Cool implies clarity of judgment along with apparent absence of strong feeling or excitement, esp. in circumstances of danger or strain: so cool that he seemed calm. 7. still, quiet, tranquilize; allay, assuage, mollify, soothe, soften.

Enable:

—Synonyms 1. furnish, supply, render, bear. 3. abandon, abdicate, waive, forgo. Yield, submit, surrender mean to give way or give up to someone or something. To yield is to concede under some degree of pressure, but not necessarily to surrender totally: to yield ground to an enemy. To submit is to give up more completely to authority, superior force, etc., and to cease opposition, although usually with reluctance: to submit to control. To surrender is to give up complete possession of, relinquish, and cease claim to: to surrender a fortress, one's freedom, rights. 6. render. 10. give in, comply, accept.

Release:

—Synonyms 1. loose, deliver. Release, free, liberate, emancipate may all mean to set at liberty, let loose, or let go. Release and free, when applied to persons, suggest a helpful action. Both may be used (not always interchangeably) of delivering a person from confinement or obligation: to free or release prisoners. Free (less often, release) is also used for delivering a person from pain, sorrow, etc.: to free from fear as well.


And me, I like words!

Dix Hills NY

Friendship is a promise
spoken only by the heart,

it isn't given by any pledge,
it isn't written on just any paper,

but friendship
is a promise that is renewed
every time two friends meet
and smile and enjoy
the good times
that come from simply
being together.

It's a promise
to share
both glad
and sad times.

A promise to think
of each other fondly
whether near or far apart.

Friendship
is promise spoken only by heart…

A promise
that you and I will always share!

(Truly) All depends on the Breath:

"Without it,
we are nothing.

Worship it as your soul–
for surely it is that.

All breath
depends upon the wind–
that connecting us to all else

The wind,
God’s breath,
nourishes us
lifts us up,
allows us to be.

Therefore,

Give thanks
for breath
and the wind.

They are
our best friends.

Though invisible,
together
they are our
foundation.

May you breathe
and dance
in the wind,
forever......."

The hours point to a conclusion:

New York,
The east coast for that matter,
Has been a very restive moment for me.

True enough,
Though I live in the comfort
Of many hills,

Oddly enough
Within the caverns of the
Metropolitan eastern corridor,

I am strangely
And calmly
At home!


In leaving then
In returning thus,

I guess the thing(s)
That’s on my mind the most
Is what I’ve missed,

Those I was unable to connect with
And the feeling that
Even in departing(again),
My heart will once again

Remain behind....

Reality, is often too compicated

Oddly enough, I discovered something I knew existed,
and yet, even in seeking out the discovery,
I'm still searching for the right words to describe it.

Me, I know you.
Not because of the obvious,
for that which is known
in all honesty, is quite obscured.

For me, looking at you,
I see some of myself,
and yet, honesty tells me
what we have in common,
is not that common after all.

Words then, are going to sound different
for under it all, is not the foundation
you've come to believe existed.

Me, I'm part,
but not quite contained
within the parcel.
You, you are also unique.

Should I bridge this?
Do I even have a choice?

In my mind,
the answer is simple.

And yet,
how will you react?

Though the answer is obvious,
the leap is great!

Care to believe?

For aside from the truth,
how else can the pain reside?

Tears are wasted.
Wine goes untasted,
and still, you're alone.

Alone, seeking the truth in others
who fail to connect,
alone in the truth of the others
who refuse to accept.

Still,
your tears remind me of hope.

Why is that?

Sunday morning in the city

And there are so many sights
and sounds to remind me that I'm home.

Gypsy cabs honking on the boulevard,
Korean cooks, and Haitian seamstresses,
each hustling to earn enough to send home to their families,
far from the crush of our immediate here and now home.

NY (Brooklyn to be precise),
not the home of my youth,
or even the home where I left my children to grow up within,
but home nevertheless!

Here, in the cradle of my immediate family,
still I long to see my sons and hear their laughter,
answer their questions and wipe away their tears.

But, as is often the case,
nothing lately is ever certain about
our being able to connect this time,
and in that, there is a deepr sadness that's harder to handle than
when I'm 3,000 miles away from this home.

@ this home, a neighbor
plays a piano somewhere done the block.
@ this home, Manuel stops in to show some
of his latest work, and we reminisce together
about all the moments missed since last
we were together here,
in this other place we've learned to call home.

Home, it's nice to be here,
nicer still to be closer to those
I've been so far away from in my absence,
and yet, this home, is so much less
than what I always dream it to be,
when I'm imagining it from the
distance of my other home,
in the valley where I dream about my home!

You know how

Late at night,
you can hear my voice
in your thoughts?

I wonder about that too.

Wonder about the connection
that remains unbroken,
even though the time
and the timing
of it all doesn't always
quite feel right.

And yet,
this night,
I could sense your hearing
and in that, my voice
grew stronger.

This
I liked
as well!

Thank you......

I almost forgot(Saving Grace by Seal);

"So strange
It's funny how
We came to meet

Those eyes uncanny
Were my invitation

I couldn't wait
To hold you like a baby

Is this what it feels like
You are here now
Oh but I
Can't seem to find our state of grace
Who knows tomorrow may never come
One touch, one look that is all it takes
These things forever change us

This is the sound of a feeling
that's caught in my head
Makes me think about something you said
To take away my fears

Oh but I
This is the sound of a woken man

Why don't you tell me its you babe
I found you
You babe

Oh but I
Can't seem to find that state of grace
Who knows tomorrow may never come
One touch, one look that is all it takes
These things forever change us

Look at the past
No savoir faire
No that's not us

Oh but I
I can't seem to find my state of grace
Who knows tomorrow may never come
One touch, one look that is all it takes
These things forever change us

These things forever change us"

Just as does the natural world,

The lives of each one of us also have seasons.

Learning to embrace these seasonal changes and to perceive and enjoy
the unique and beautiful characteristics of each of the seasons your in,
is the essence of living life to the fullest.

To seek and then achieve this perspective,
enables one to absorb the present with delight,
look forward with eager anticipation upon our tomorrows,
and thus, be able look backward with simple satisfaction, and no regrets.

Thus, as you move through the remainder of this present season,
consider these thoughts;

Reflect
on your need
to control others in your life.

Work with yourself
on gradually letting go of this need
so that you can learn to live within yourself.

After all,
control is just
an illusion after all.

Trust yourself first
and then, you will
be able to trust
others as well.

Support and nurture your mind and body
with a healthy diet and reasonable amounts of exercise.

Actively encourage
the growth of your
intuitive self,
for this is who you really are.

Listen,
and then do.

For in this way,
I can hear you as well.

from George H.W. Bush

"If all you do ever is
all you've ever done,

Then all you'll ever get
is all you ever got!"

Which I think reveals the man that his is,
and was always to become!

I sang (my own song)on my way to work:

The beauty of life,
is that for those who are living,
it was a free gift.

To enhance this gift,
we must reach beyond the dream
and build upon the moments of now
a foundation to carry us, forever!

The beauty of life then,
for those who are alive in it,
is that it can become
all that we're willing
to achieve, within it!

In the between;

Love, and longing
as you grow....

The weekend begins:

In believing
In understanding
in participation even

Life can happen!

In believing that which is not real though,
Confusion and disappointment can reveal
The true intention of our beliefs

And in that, there can be peace!

For in believing that which we can recognize
Always, we are able to see the truth before us

And in that,
I can find peace too.

I'll be home this weekend;

Even in the distance that seperates us still, often I wonder why.

Not that I lack an understanding,
for you know how my mind works.

More than that though,
I think that time and timing has placed a wedge between what I know is real,
and what I believe you've yet to reveal.

And yet, no matter!

For If it feels better this way to you,
then maybe I missed more than I thought.

Forever revealing,

I only ask because it truly makes a difference:

"The problem with communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished."
George Bernard Shaw

Last night, I was thinking;

Even though it's the unique capability of language(s) that allows us as human beings to alter the course of our lives, expand our boundaries and enhance our relationship(s), for some reason, everything we do, that is truly done, is not often contained "in connected conversation".

Why then, with this powerful tool available, do our lives so often embody such unnecessary conflict, and needless misunderstandings? Sure, the potential for conflict is inherent in every conversation and relationship we participate in, and even loosely, in the use of language itself. And yet, we're still often limited in reaching our full conversational potential by how (or not) effectively we manage life's inevitable conflicts.

Wouldn't just be easier to do as we're asked, willingly and with the real desire to please,

without any struggle, when we know that's the best solution?

Sure, to have misunderstanding is human, but to see what's needed in order to grow, and still not do it, well that helps no one. For me then, it's time to learn to use the power of language to get the most out of our unique potential. Whether it's to bring resolution to a specific conflict we've encountered, or to develop enhanced skills for managing conversations more constructively, my goal this week, is to see how I can more effectively pursue conversations, that lead to peace.

Joy then and the thrill of caring for and about another should instinctively be conflict free.

For without that hallmark within my life, I'm truly unsure how I'd be able to continue moving forward, with or without another in my life!

Share Compassion.

Rejoice in Peace.

Replenish and Enhance.

Love while enabling Love.

Me, I'm traveling this week.

Think kindly of me as I go along the way……....

An American diatribe:

Looking off in the distance, I still believe I can see the hazy outline of the American experience as it meanders of in yet another new direction

For some, like those who seem to talk the most, the American experience must be some kind of structured environment where rules and order are the foundation upon which dreams and aspirations are built. By using the setting of a suburban high school to exemplify their positions, some are presupposing that their experiences as students within the walls of privilege, is somehow reflective of the more common, or normal American high school environment.

Though when looked upon at face value, the positions taken do hold some truths about what the average child attending any large high school in America today is seeing and experiencing the true essence of what it's like to be an American.

For nowhere are the class boundaries and economic differences more prevalent and acute, than between the walls on an average American high school campus!

School bought, or bag lunch?Government voucher or correct change?
At almost any juncture, who you are, how you got here,
and where you come from,
is readily on display in High school.

Not unlike the lots at any job site, or the office park where others work; what you drive, and if you drive at all, is the bench mark you are judged by. New car, or older, foreign or domestic, the American way of determining your status within the group, is often your vehicle of choice.

As is the de rigueur, everywhere in everything American, some will always fit readily into groups of one stripe or another, but being the land of many faces and backgrounds, often between the boundaries of what is acceptable behavior and community involvement, lie an awkward or shy, non athletic or tone deaf individual who finds no place in which to develop his or her standing.

No way to measure up to the standards set by our overall societal norms and silent agreements, due to language, cultural and physical limitations.

Just like in high school, America in general has many places to belong, but far too many rules
that limit who can be (come) a member!

So then, when looked at globally, the American experience is no more or less than what you take and make from it. Is it not the American experience to live below the poverty level, or to be chronically underemployed? Or is the American experience to serve in the armed forced and become an amputee for your country?

For while some are living upon the hills above town in mini mansions, still others live within the valleys below in single wide trailers. Who then has the firmer claim to living the American experience? Or is that just the point; to be an American allows you the freedom to do and to be anything that you are able, and as long as you can afford it.

For America is, and will always be, the place where no matter what or who you've become, you are always going to be, just a one, of the vast many, with an opinion.

Thursday;

And the sun shines bright across the foothills.

Oddly enough, I was thinking about you.
Thinking about your children,
your family,
and then I wondered,
who are you thinking about?

Have you called those far away?
Have you reconnected with those
whose distance is emotional, and not physical?

I know, but as I said, I was thinking.

Thursday, and the weekend is due for some.
For others, the week has just begun, and yet,
neither changes the season.

In love,
as in life,
sometimes,
we have to reach past our own borders.

Reach past the pain and
dissapointment(s)that we harbor,
and reach into a new perspective.

Me, on this Thursday,
I'm thinking of you.

And you, who are you thinking about!

Free your heart,
and be blessed.....

Last night, while the stars were dancing in the sky

The moon and I were talking about you.

Not that he told what he saw, for he can see us always,
but, he was kind enough to tell me how he wiped the hair from your brow,
and how you purred in that way that you do, when you can fell love is near you.

The moon and I, we talk alot.

Mostly we talk about him,
but every so often,
we'll talk about the ones that we know together.

Those that we each can see need a hug,
and we pray about the sun.

Odd that,
but the moon and the sun don't always get along.

But last night,
we mostly just talked about you!

What if you changed your thinking:

Have you ever been excited about something new you've learned or a new and exciting direction you wanted to move in your life into, but for some reason, that seems to be happening less and less as you get older? Well then, you just may be getting slightly jaded.

For most of us, as we get older, it gets tougher to find new things to get excited about, primarily because we've had our hopes and dreams dashed to pieces so many times in the past. Unfortunately, we then fall into the trap of shutting ourselves off to new things simply because this perceived never ending hope dashing, is just too painful.

Oddly enough, I'm hearing a version of this now
as we get ever closer to electing a new National Leader:

"We've heard it all before."
"All of these politicians are just lying crooks

who won't really end up doing anything."

Of course, if you buy in to the "Law of Attraction", then you'll agree that we
create a self fulfilling prophecy with all of these comments, thoughts
and feelings do have a way of ending up getting us the leadership we deserve!

How sad.

So, what is the secret to staying positive, upbeat, approachable, mentally and
emotionally fresh throughout life?

Here are a few ideas:

Always be about learning something new.

Understand that your interpretation of a situation is based on your
Perceptions, therefore, always question your perceptions!
Why do I believe the way I do and where did these perceptions come from?

Learn to never criticize anything unless you completely understand what is going on and have developed an alternate solution. Do you have some thoughts about the price of gas and what to do about it? Are they based on economic reality? Is there something you can do personally and locally to make a difference with your ideas?

Approach every situation you find yourself in with the attitude that
there is something you can learn, and/or there is someone you can help with your knowledge. Always, and but that, I mean always, expect the best and most complete graciousness from where you are and who you're with right now.

Make a daily list of everything you are grateful for.

In this way, the positive your thinking about,
can affect the thoughts that you’ll be having as the day progresses.

Life, like the thoughts of those around us,
can be influenced by the positive energy, within us!

So, be Positive.

What face do you present to the world?

How do others know you?

Do they see the same person you know yourself to be?
Do they see your fears, your hopes and dreams, your successes, your pain, all you’ve learned, all you haven’t?

Or do they see a mask that you’ve put in front of your face to hide that which is deep inside you, so that you can “be” somebody else instead?

These are some of the pressing questions that confront us as we seek to live more authentically. Considering them takes time. Going more deeply, how do you see yourself? Are you aware of the difference between the real person you are on the inside and the person you show to the world?

Do you know you wear this mask?
Do you even know who the “real you” is?

Heavy questions. If you haven’t turned aside by now with the discomfort it may evoke in you, congratulations.
Discomfort is one of the strings that holds the mask on.
What to do now? Two steps can move you toward a more genuine life:


Understand. It usually helps to have a mental picture of what’s going on inside you. From that, you can develop a first-hand experiential picture (see below). Think of two circles, one inside the other. The small circle in the center is the genuine, free, honest, heart-centered you. The much larger, outer circle is made up of all your life lessons, fears, pain, discomfort, opinions and judgments -- about yourself and about life. Because the inner circle (you) is hidden inside the outer one, the “face you present to the world” is made up of stuff that isn’t even you. It’s your mask. It’s how others see you. It may even be the person you think is the real you. On to part 2.

Inquire. The way to set the real you free is to dismantle the mask, the “false face” you are presenting to the world. The way you do that is to start to get to know yourself very well, possibly for the first time. It doesn’t matter so much right now how the mask got there, but it came from all the “lessons” you were taught about how life is, and from the fears you took on as a result of those lessons. Your mask protects you from your fears (but denies you authentic living). Perhaps on your own, and more likely with outside help (a coach, maybe) you can learn to observe your own thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and body responses -- all clues to pieces of your mask. Here is where the value of experiential lessons comes in: when you can see and feel your own reality in new ways (despite the admitted discomfort it causes), you’ll easily be able to take action in new ways, ways that help you let go of the parts of you that just “aren’t you,” exposing that genuine self to the world.

It turns out that, even if you are unconscious of wearing a mask, it still drains a huge amount of your energy. Not being your genuine self drains you in the way of frustration, resentment and dissatisfaction with life.

Once you let go of the mask, truly accept the real you underneath, and allow yourself to live from the depth of your own heart and truth, life gets easier and easier. Instead of fighting with life, you merge with its natural rhythm and flow.


A River Runs Through It [Life lessons offered by rivers]

A river seems to have many faces. It may be a raging torrent in the springtime. It may overflow its banks after a heavy rain. It may be an early-summer mirror, lazily reflecting deep-blue sky and puffy clouds. It may dry up with the summer’s heat, exposing its bed to the world. Yet no matter what face it presents, a river isn’t covering up for something, hiding from part of itself. In every day of its life, a river is just working (genuinely) with “what is.” Perhaps it is this authenticity in rivers that evokes such peace in us, and offers us that connection in life that we long for so deeply inside. Perhaps the river is there to help us believe in that same power in ourselves.