Yes, I never liked that old fool

There is a murky mist of dark changes in my azure skies, something or someone is coming my way. Yes, change is creeping over the horizon, once again.

The Angel and the Butterfly

As I listened to a conversation between two forty something ladies in line at Wal-Mart, more like ease dropped. I smiled as the two spoke of change. There were all the old clichés, and many, many  “You got that right”. The reason for my grin is simple. Most folks, I included, dread changes. We all tend to anticipate the change based on what we know and believe today. The truth is that we are being very short sighted, yet again. When change comes a knocking upon the front door of our lives he always brings a friend. His friends name is time. Time always tags along with his buddy Mr. Change. As time passes our way, things, many things change in our world. We become wiser than before and we have screwed a thing or two up (That’s called experience). So, what we knew when we anticipated the change is old hat, for we are more experienced when change does finally arrive. 

The funny thing about us humans is that we tend to be quite neurotic about changes. We view them as something bad, unwelcome and of course difficult. We never see that when change arrives so does the passing of time. And in time . . . . We change our viewpoints, outlooks and others will notice our changes and step in to help. It almost never turns out to be as bad as we thought.

“As I ponder all this madness, something catches my eye. I look out my window and notice a freshly covered earthen mound at the woods edge. A grave. At the southern end of the mound is a wooden cross. I strain to read whose name has been etched upon the Christian marker. Just as I suspected. “Caution” has been laid to rest. Good, now I have place to dance. I never liked that old fool anyway. “ 

Yes, I never liked that old fool, one bit. I do like his older brother, change. Without change, we would have not a single butterfly in our beautiful azure skies. I, for one, love changes and skies adorned with the wonderous colors of butterflies.

Change your point of view and you change your world. 

Yes, my friend it is that simple.

Excerpt from Universe of Two, Book Three
Cupid and Psyche as Children painted by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

So, Good night my friend. Pleasant dreams.

The day is beginning anew, the darkness of the eve has been vanquished to the other side of the world.

Funny, I see the sun shinning through my window but, I know in her world it is evening once again. My friend lives on the other side of this planet. Maybe I live on the other side of her planet, I don't know. Sometimes distance is of no matter when you pause your little world to think of a friend, far far away.

My friend is a kin of mine, a poet. She gives of her heart and soul all that is there, the pain, the joys and those echoing questions of why we are here. I read her thoughts recorded in verse and prose, they reflect a memory of my younger days. She is like me, a soul lost in the world of souls who would take from you rather than give to you. She is stronger than they are. For she can see into the future. She dreams the most wonderous dreams. I see the dreams of a dreamer within her lines and recall the parralelled ideals I held in my younger days. I have to laugh, at times, because I know she is speaking the truth. The truth of her beliefs of how the world could be, should be in her mind. She brings tears to mine eyes, at times, as she recalls the emotions of being forgotten by a lover or worse, a friend. She doesn't know how much she means to my world. For you see she is a dreamer. What would our world be without dreamers? What would life be without the hope of a better tomorrow? Without the dream of what could be and what really should be.

Yes, my friend is the seed of a world I may never see. I can only dream of what her world will hold and what part she will take in it's construction. For we all matter and we all shape our tomorrows, one dream at a time.

So, Good night my friend. Pleasant dreams.

And do share your dreams with all the world. We can't change our existing world without the dreams of a dreamer. For you see, my friend, every change begins with a simple thought found in a simple dream.

Every change begins with a simple thought, a dream.

An act of Tenderness in a time of sorrow

Touch is the key

The human touch is a miracle in itself. The contact of bodily parts between humans is like lighting a fuse of emotions. Think for a moment of the most memorable touch in your life. Mine is the unexpected laying of a hand on my shoulder at a funeral for a dear friend. At that moment, I felt a emotional uprising within my soul and a release of pent up sorrow from my heart. I knew right then and there that I was not alone in my grief nor in my tears. I turned to my comforter and struggled with the words "Thank you". They spoke to me at the moment I needed them most, never saying a word. If you want someones undivided attention, simply touch them and wait for two heartbeats.

Touch is the key. Our senses excite, our minds drop all thoughts and focus upon the touch. Few everyday events rival the human touch. Even the word is used to describe more than sensory effect. You touch someone with kindness, touch their heart and yes, even touch them to very core of their being. Sometimes we are touched by what we see, not feel. An act of kindness, affection and the sight of a newborn child.

Our lives would be empty if not for our friends who touch our hearts. Reach out and touch someone, they will appreciate that.

As Jim Morrison would say . . . . "Come on, Come on and touch me Babe!" 

A Frog in the well . . . .

. . . He knows not of the great sea

The Japanese have a saying, 

"A frog in the well knows not of the great sea" . 

There are many frogs in the well, I see them in all aspects of my life.These folks know not of the great sea of knowledge but, they are content to evaluate events in their life, and in yours and mine, based solely on their past personal experiences and their personal beliefs. I know you have met many poor little frogs in your life. These frogs are happy to believe in what they know and see. Never imagining that the world holds a treasure chest of thoughts and ideas unknown in their world. If one could scale the well walls and venture to the great unknown sea, their world would become new and wonderful, once again. But, frogs never attempt to climb the walls. They are happy in their well and life is manageable and serene. Seems to me that their world is complete, compact and do-able. Why would they ever want to step into the sea, knowing not how deep the water is. The sea is in constant change, from calm cooling and soothing to violent and vengeful. Isn't knowledge the same? What we don't know is calm. When we discover a new idea, thought or a what if question, we can then apply that knowledge to all aspects of our personal lives. Like the raging ocean, we wash away the old once held truths and begin to see the world in a new and exciting light. For you see my friend, the well walls are only in our mind.

Here! Let me throw you a rope. I will hold this end and you pull yourself out of the well.

There, that wasn't so hard.

The view outside our little "living in the well world" is quite exquisite!

Don't you agree?