Living Life Poetically: 2020
2020 has definitely been a challenging year for many of us. Through it, we may have felt pain, sadness, loss, and loneliness in a way we’ve never felt before. But coming to this moment with the year at a close means we somehow managed to push through it all. We may have discovered new ways to cope; and we may have realized we’re stronger than we expected–especially with the support of each other. Perhaps we take less for granted. Perhaps we discovered an appreciation for the little things. The poem, “2020”, is a reflection on a year that has been horrendous. But with time, we may find the silver lining…
Living Life Poetically: Time and Essence
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Time is of the essence.” The saying is actually legal jargon, originating from contract law. A Time is of the essence clause would appear in an agreement between two parties when something needs to be done in a timely matter and any delay could have negative consequences. Well, this saying was the inspiration for the poem, “Time and Essence.” In life, we’re sometimes faced with “Time is of the essence” situations. Things that demand our immediate attention and time–like emergencies or tight deadlines. But if it’s important and not life-threatening, yes, time may be of the essence. However, if it causes us to not make…
“The holiest of holidays are those kept by ourselves in silence and apart; the anniversaries of the heart.”
This quote by the poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is actually the first three lines of his poem ‘Holiday.’ To read the full poem, click here. The quote, and poem, is about memories. It’s about the memories we have not just about things and places, but also people after they’re gone. Each time we remember these things, it’s like having anniversaries of the heart. But holidays and anniversaries are usually happy occasions; and some memories aren’t. However, those quiet moments we recall the good things, can somehow bring us joy and brighten our day even after they’re gone.
Living Life Poetically: Sadness Gone
The poem, “Sadness Gone,” has a unique form. Each stanza has three lines that follow the pattern of five, seven, five. Meaning, the first and third lines have five syllables while the middle line has seven. This form is considered a haiku, which is a form of traditional Japanese poetry. Typically, these poems are only three lines long and seldom rhyme. However, in “Sadness Gone,” I took a few liberties. It is a haiku poem with three stanzas and some rhythmic rhyme. The poem examines what we can learn or gain each time we realize sadness is gone. Sadness Gone Sadness gone will show, It all passes in the end…The…
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“There is no such thing as a ‘self-made’ man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.”
“Direction is so much more important than speed. Many are going nowhere fast.”
Break Time: Why Regular Work Breaks Are a Must
Living Life Poetically: If Only
This poem is fairly short compared to the others. And the introduction to it will be short as well. “If Only” explores a simple question. What if we could turn back the clock after a tragedy? There’s always that one thing that changes everything. So what if we could just go back and change that one thing? If Only If only we could turn back time. Then you wouldn’t have left. And no one would’ve wept. If only we could shift nature’s paradigm. If only we could turn back time. Then you would still be here. And everyone would let you know how much they care. If only things could…
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What It Means to Live Life Positively During a Global Pandemic
“Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all. When there’s a big disappointment, we don’t know if that’s the end of the story. It may just be the beginning of a great adventure.”
Living Life Poetically: “Pain Brush on a New Page”
Living Life Poetically: The Son Will Shine
In case you’re wondering, that is not a typo. The poem, “The Son Will Shine,” is my attempt to play on the words “sun” and “son”. I can go into more detail on this; however, I don’t want to give away too much of what this poem is about. So here ends my introduction. The Son Will Shine Casting pale, the light of the moon. Without fail, the sun rose again soon. With hammer and nail. The prophets described the gloom. But without fail, the son rose again soon. Shining bright, in flesh the Word. With power and might, the sun shines onward. With quill and scroll. The apostles described…
Living Life Poetically: The Unexplained
In life, there are a lot of questions. Often, there are more questions than answers. That’s completely normal. There are questions with answers you can lookup. Then, there are scientific questions you can look up but with limited or no answer. Meanwhile, there are questions you have to ask others. For example, the secret ingredient in a family recipe or where you left your keys. But there’s another category of questions we’re missing in this list. These are questions we consciously or subconsciously ask ourselves. They sometimes start out with words like: “Will I ever…? What if I never…? Or, will this ever…?” These questions represent our doubts. Life can…
Living Life Poetically: The Hope Factor
The poem, The Hope Factor, is about how our future can seem so bleak without some element of hope. But sometimes hope isn’t a conscious thought. Sometimes we take it for granted–not realizing it’s there within us. It’s only when it’s gone or lacking that we appreciate it, and we want it restored. It feels like there’s a fundamental piece missing in our soul. If you find yourself looking forward to your future, or you’re able to envision good things to come in your life, it means you have hope at some level big or small. It is the key factor that keeps us moving forward. The Hope Factor It’s…
Living Life Poetically: Moments in Time
Whether you took Philosophy in college or not, you’ve probably heard the much-debated question: If a tree falls in the forest and no one’s there to hear it, does it make a sound? Well, here’s another philosophical question for you to ponder: Is there such a thing as time without change? Lately, I’ve been working on another writing project outside of this blog. And in the process, I literally had to stop in the middle of the page to consider the relationship between time and change. Examples of change are as simple as when we physically move from point A to point B, the position of the sun in the…
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“Understand: you are one of a kind. Your character traits are a kind of chemical mix that will never be repeated in history. There are ideas unique to you, a specific rhythm and perspective that are your strengths, not your weaknesses. You must not be afraid of your uniqueness.”
“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”
I Hope You Don’t Mind
Living Life Poetically: Hope’s Promise
The feeling of hope has literally been around longer than we can possibly imagine. As humans, whenever our situation or condition has been less than ideal, hope has carried us through; enabling us to not only envision a better tomorrow but also strive toward it. Now, imagine if hope had a voice. What would it tell us? Rephrasing that question, what has it already told us? The poem, “Hope’s Promise,” is about that. Hope’s Promise Hope once gave a promise, And its promise remains. “The past and present, I cannot reclaim…” “But the future I can see, and I see your dreams a guarantee. Just have me,” Hope said, “and…
