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Saturday, September 9, 2017

Going with the Flow

Electric passions ruffle still waters
of a soul troubled into stagnation 
welcoming the freshening current
flowing with depth and strength 
bringing fresh perspectives against
a menacing canopy of tears and fears.

“There is scarcely any passion without struggle.”
~ Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays

Friday, September 8, 2017

Arc of Time




P
anoramic beliefs are too grand
too grand for us ordinary folks
 ~ who work each day,
~ pay our bills

a long line of ancestral geniuses  
believed in the arts and sciences of the universe
~ Galileo who named our sun a star
~ ancients who dared say the earth was round

and in this age of modernity
when belief in arts and sciences wavers
~ those who believed in digital magic
~ created the world wide web to connect us all

In this mundane and ordinary world
we have our own grand perspectives
~ we each cherish our own beliefs
~ create our own worlds of life and living.

“Man is what he believes.”
~ Anton Chekhov

Flowers, Bricks and Mortar




Scintillating conversation is full of ideas ~ 
Ideas toss perspective around like a frisbee
flying back and forth until 
wobbling to the ground
or finally heard clearly and filed away.

Scintillating conversation is full of ideas ~
Ideas threads perspective through society
twisting and turning with
opinions, hopes and dreams
balanced by the weight of sparkling reality.



“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.”
~ Tom Schulman, Dead Poets Society

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

A Kitchen Debate

A Kitchen Debate

“Respect for others opinions!! Respect for others opinions! You must be kidding. Did you not see the posturing, hear the rudeness and felt the ignorance that emanated from that speaker? It was absolutely revolting.” Harold was quivering with rage. His face was almost purple he was so mad. He had been stomping around the house for days since the last political debate. Milly, his wife of 39 years had dared to utter that maybe he could respect another’s opinion. 

“Oh, Harold, I didn’t mean we should agree with the man. I was just as revolted as you were. I’m certainly not going to get so mad I almost have a stroke. That certainly wouldn’t help any situation. Am I worried? I definitely am. But I can’t help but think of what my father would tell me long before you and I met. It was usually after some argument I had at school, sometimes after a debate. I would be so mad and just want to go to town on someone. Do you remember Billy White with his arrogant, entitled ways? Or another was Greta Compton who just thought her way was the only way to do anything. Anyway, dad would tell me…I fought in the war that let people have the right to their opinions. ‘But, Milly’….he would say…..‘Milly you don’t have to agree or even like anyone, and really you shouldn’t respect unsavoury behaviour and mean attitudes. Keep it all in perspective, honey.’ 

Harold was silent for a few minutes then said “Well, I’m still mad and I still just want to throttle the guy. I don’t even know why I kept listening. I’ll never respect that man’s opinions. I hate it, but I do respect his right to have those horrible, mean, and just plain rude opinions.”

“That’s good, dear. I really don’t like it when you get so upset. The steaks on the barbeque are ready, so get your plate and fill it up. There’s creamed corn and potato salad on the kitchen table. The patio table is all set and the wind has gone down. The sun is just lovely and warm with just a bit of breeze.”

“Barking at people earns their respect about as
 effectively as staring in the sun improves your vision.”
~ Richelle E. Goodrich, Slaying Dragons

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Without Judgment

Estimating the value of both sides
without judgment while
maintaining personal beliefs
is an incredible challenge!

Suspending personal belief 
to hear, and at least attempt,
to understand the other side of the coin, 
when diametrically opposed positions 
on controversial issues crash and clash

Suspending defensive ‘I’m rightism’
to hear past the personal passion 
of the flippin’ other side of the coin for
new information, different information or 
~ is it just opinion?

Estimating the value of both sides
gaining perspective
without judgment while
maintaining personal beliefs
requires humility 
~ and sometimes a very deep breath.

“Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.”
~ Desmond Tutu
[Address at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houston,
Johannesburg, South Africa, 23 November 2004]

Monday, September 4, 2017

White Noise

Perfection is seldom found in debate ~
the debates that go on in one’s head
looking for all sides and eventualities, timing, what ifs, ands and maybe's.
Organizing all arguments ~
thousands of thoughts flitting about within synapses and grey matter seems an impossible task 
when each share the same voice
whispering, chattering and buzzing
until perspective is a ghost 
patiently waiting to materialize
never really lost 
in the white noise of ifs, ands, and maybe’s.

“The soul becomes dyed with the colour of it’s thoughts.”
~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Sunday, September 3, 2017

A New Perspective

Perfection is seldom found in debate
Estimating the value of both sides
Respect for other opinions
Scintillating conversation is full of ideas
Panoramic beliefs are too grand
Electric passions ruffle still waters
Context is everything
Taking sides from a distance
Intuition interferes with the facts
Vision marries intuition and facts
Essential goodness finds the right truth

“Most misunderstanding in the world could be avoided if people 
would simply take the time to ask, “What else could this mean?”
~ Shannon L. Alder