portal 5 - REMEMBERING

the little animal

find that little animal within you
that thrives
on any sort of drama
and take it out to lunch

then, when you sit together
listen respectfully
to all it has to say

you don’t have to do anything
you don’t have to agree
or argue, just listen

and when all the talking
and good listening is done
invite everyone to play

playing
for the sake of playing
for the love of being alive

little grudges

 

on a fine day,
while i was unaware,
it arrived, a little grudge

and it just would not let go
of it’s peevishness


now, like all “little grudges”
this one was not choosy

any topic, anytime, anywhere
would do for it to flare
in discontent

directing ire at loved ones
or world events alike


so what to do with such a “little grudge”
as a traveling companion through life?

best to get to know it well
watching it in the bright light of awareness
as it moves and what it causes inside the body,
the emotions and the world of thought

respecting it,
yet not letting it assume the driver’s seat

 

puppy mind

 

each day
insights and joys
reveal themselves
in quiet, curious moments

i marvel while watching a puppy
how swiftly his attention flits
from here, to there, to everywhere

how much it resembles our mind
the wandering thoughts, in constant motion
chasing flotsam and jetsam

we have much in common, puppy and mind
both thrive with loving, dedicated attention

how sweet it is to learn
when forgiveness comes with our next breath
and praise is generously given

oh, may we be kind
to puppies and our puppy minds

 

i ask myself...

 

“ … for the love and beauty of the game”

on this brand new day
i ask myself to remember

to go slow
oh, even slower

to pause
often

and listen to life
with my whole body

to respond from
my true values

and observe the birth and death
of my thoughts - closely

i ask myself to remember
to know the internal landscape
as well as i know my own home

and care for them both
with tenderness

to laugh and play
with self-abandonment

for the love and beauty
of the Game

 

seven little words

 

“enter here”

a wise man used to tell me:
“alter your stride and meet a stranger”

at first i though:
what an odd statement
and soon forgot

but he kept repeating
these seven little words:
“alter your stride and meet a stranger”

taking the quote quite literally
i played
with “the ministry of silly walks”

and to my surprise,
in sidestepping the known

a gate opened
and dawn arrived

would i have believed,
upon first hearing these seven little words
that they were the keys to my freedom?

 

you and i

 

at low tide a young girl collects sea creatures on Zanzibar

we have so much in common
you and i

no matter when we were born
where we were born

we live under the same radiant sun
the shapeshifting moon

you and i supported by sacred earth
equally cleansed and refreshed by cool water

while air fills our lungs
no matter what color our feet are

how wonderful that earth,
air, water and fire are colorblind!

the very young still seem to know this
the old, having one foot in the grave
often remember it too…

that there is so much common ground
as we travel on this graced path

called: a human life
connected to the infinite 

 

stay tuned

with weekly free musings

Donate

thank you for supporting kind lens projects in the world!