A BOOK

A book is just a book unless it’s opened…

’til then we know not on what adventure it will take us.

Will it make us laugh…

or cry…

or shudder with emotion?

Will it reach deep into our souls…

Will it awake us?

There is one truth about a book that I can offer,

one certainty…

one fact to be proposed:

a book has no capability to stir our imagination…

no power to inspire…

when it is closed.

A mind is just a mind unless it’s opened…

‘till then we know not on what adventure it will take us.

Will it show us how to love

to hope…

to dream?

Will it reach into our heart and soul,

and make them gleam.

There is one truth about a mind that I can offer,

one certainty…one fact to be proposed… 

a mind has no capability for compassion

no power to inspire…

when it is closed.

Giving

If you give love…you’ll receive it…

the same with kindness, compassion and time.

The more you give, the more you receive…

It’s a simple paradigm.

And if you give hate…you’ll receive it…

for this is also true,

as everything you give away…

will be returned to you.

Which makes me wonder….

if the key to knowing how to live

is not only in the giving…

but knowing what to give.

Shakespeare In The Park

When one doth perchance to partake of Shakespeare in the park

verily he feels himself a rogue…alone…amiss

For ‘tho he hath found himself truly nourish’d by the play…

He is loathe to discover his calamity…

to speak like this.

He mayeth stop at yonder McDonalds on his journey home…

his desire: to order a quaff to quench his thirst

and fie, fie drive away with nothing but his scorn

when the stewed prune behind the counter thinks him accursed.

He, may, perchance, bite his thumb at thee

or call thee a most notable coward…a lowly philistine

He may say, “away you dried neat’s tongue…you three-inch fool”

Forsooth…without knowing what the words he spoke doth mean.

Pray, pardon he, if consum’d he be

to playeth his sweet Alexa ’til the break of dawn,

crying out in discordant harmony…

if music be the food of love

play on…

forsooth play on.

And when he finally retires for the e’en…

ready to woo so into his bed he leaps…

he behold’st the object of his affection,

his fair maiden…

the one he woos…

hath fallen fast asleep!

Fear not, when thy spy yonder person under such a spell!

Strain not the quality of thy mercy..but hark!

Alas, do not think him vile or mad…again fear not…

he is but a knave…

who forgot to leave his Shakespeare in the park.

You Never Know

She would always give a kiss hello…

and then a hug goodbye.

One day, when I was older,
I stopped…to ask her why.

“Because,” she said, “I never know 

if this moment will be my last.

If today I get to keep on living…

or will I slip into the past.”

“So every moment I am alive,

I try to laugh

to love

to cry…

and why I’ll always kiss hello

and hug to say goodbye.”

She has been gone for many years now

but I like to think she’s smiling from her place up in the sky…

every time she sees me kiss hello…

every time she sees me hug goodbye.

Happiness

One man searched for happiness

He traveled far and wide

He wanted to experience happiness

at least once...before he died.

He visited many cities,

he hiked the mountains,

he walked the beach.

Yet the happiness he so desperately sought

seemed to hover out of reach.

He never found his happiness.

Many who seek it...never can.

And after years of searching for it...

he died

an unhappy man.

Another man never searched for happiness

yet he found it every day

in the myriad of things and people

he met along his way.

“How is it you’ve never searched for happiness” he was asked,

“but with happiness you’ve been blessed?”

“Why would I search for something....” he smiled.

“That all this time…I have possessed?”

A SENIOR MOMENT

I am not a fashionista…

which perhaps you might have guessed.

But my clothes are usually neat and clean…

and I try to look my best.

The other day, however, I learned a little of what fashion’s all about

when my wife and I stopped at the bank and she whispered…

“Jim…your shirts on inside out.”

I quickly assessed the situation…and darned if she wasn’t right.

I looked for sympathy from the teller…but she was chuckling at the sight.

In a failed attempt to rescue my pride…I seized my only chance.

“Oh, it’s not inside out.” I said, “it’s how they’re wearing shirts in France.”

“Ho, ho…thees will be the style zoon.” I said in my best French pantomime.

“Inside out! ooh la la and sacre bleu…I’m just ahead of my time.”

I think I had the men convinced

but the women were looking at me strange…

then the teller leaned over and whispered,

“We have a bathroom where you can change.”

So I smiled, stood up proud and tall…and without making a sound

Walked into the bathroom…and turned my shirt around.

Perhaps one day the fashion world…will understand what I’m about…

until then I will acquiesce…and wear shirts right side out. 

Humanity

If you want others to be happy- practice compassion

If YOU want to be happy- practice compassion.

The Dalai Lama

What is it that makes us human?

I imagine most people would agree…

an essential human attribute…

is our humanity.

Compassion, generosity, benevolence…

acting honorably…

kindness, a tender heart…and love…

these are the definitions of humanity.

It is precisely our kindness and generosity

that allows humanity to thrive…

Without them…without love…without compassion…

humanity cannot survive.

Until we embody this definition

humans we will not be.

For humans cannot be humans...

without humanity.

Without My Glasses

I like to walk without my glasses

for then my world’s a hazy blur.

Nothing I see is crystal clear

it’s all a bit obscure.

The longer I walk

the more all objects and colors interplay.

It’s as if I’m walking through a world

that was painted by Monet.

When I see people on my walk

whether or not I know their name

I cannot tell their color, their sex or their religion

for they all look the same.

Which means just like in a library

when I’m searching for a book

I have to withhold my judgement

Until I have a closer look.

Which also means and I know in the world we live in now

this sounds bizarre

but I can’t judge people by what they look like

I have to judge them by who they are. 

So I wonder…

Would our world be a happier, more peaceful place

if we somehow found a way

for all our eyes to see the world

like a painting my Monet?

Every Morning

Every morning,, when I wake up, 

I stop and take a while,

to remember what makes me happy,

the things that make me smile…

A baby’s laughter, 

flowers blooming,

chocolate… 

holding hands.

Sunsets

friends

family…

a walk along the sand.

The aroma of cookies baking,

the smell of peanut butter in a jar…

My favorite book,

or music,

or movie…

gazing at the stars.

It takes me but a moment

and I’m sure there are things I’ve missed…

but it makes me eager to begin the new day

and start adding to my list.

FEAR

Fear is a strange anomaly...

for it’s certain we’ll never prevail

If we refuse to take a chance 

for fear that we might fail.

It’s true when we come upon a river bank

It would be safer if we stay...

for jumping in will get us wet

and we’ll face hazards along the way.

And there’s a chance if we jump in

we’ll fail miserably...

Ahhhhh....

But there’s an equal chance, that same river,

will lead us to the sea.

When you’re afraid of the unknown

here’s where to begin:

Stand on the edge...

take a deep breath

and tell yourself,

“Look Out! I’m divin’ in.”

A Smile And Two Drumsticks

One day a lonely drummer sat up

as in his mind a crazy notion swirled...

“What if, with a smile and these two drumsticks...” he thought,

“I could change the world?”

So he sat upon a street corner

and began to drum a beat.

And, before long, people stopped and smiled...

then began to move their feet.

Suddenly a woman with a guitar

stepped out of the throng,

smiled at the drummer

and began to play along.

Then a woman started singing

in a voice both sweet and strong

and the people who were dancing

began to sing along.

As the music emanated in all directions

people came from everywhere.

They smiled, they sang, they danced, they cheered

they raised their hands up in the air.

And when the song was over

some people shook hands...others kissed...and some embraced.

Everyone left with a spring in their step

and a smile upon their face.

And the drummer..

he also smiled...

after seeing so many people enthralled.

And he was left to wonder if his crazy notion...

was so crazy after all.

When Did You Know It Was Love?

“Grandad, when did you know you loved grandma?”

I asked when I was just a lad.

“And grandma, if I may be so bold,

when did you know you loved grandad?

“When did I know I loved your grandad?” Grandma mused...

“It’s not as complicated as it seems.”

It’s when I realized the life I was living

was better than my dreams.”

“It was somewhat the same for me”, Grandad said

as on his face a huge smile unfurled,

“It was when I realized I’d rather do nothing with your grandma

than something with anyone else in the world.”

They were lucky to have found each other

and lucky for the love they had...

May we all be as lucky to find a love...

Like Grandma and Grandad.

How Far Will It Go?

From my lowly spot upon the earth

I’d like to make a choice

to spread more love throughout the world

Then I think...

I’m just one voice.

But an oak tree starts out as an acorn

before it’s fully grown.

A journey starts with one step,

a pyramid... 

with one stone.

Then I stop and think, perhaps,

I have a misguided attitude

for my voice, if joined by others...

becomes a multitude.

So today I say, I LOVE YOU!

I want the world to know

and I wonder...

if my voice is joined by others

how far will that love go?

In The Name Of God

It’s wonderful when we love in the name of a God...

but I’m loathe to contemplate...

What in the name of God are we doing...when in a God’s name...

we hate?

I’m saddened there is hate in the world...

but shouldn’t we have the gall...

To take responsibility for our hate...

and not blame a God at all?

What Humans Can Do

Humans are incredible...look at all we have achieved

In the evolution of our planet...it’s hard to be believed.

We watched the birds as they flapped their wings and soared across the sky

Then we created airplanes and taught ourselves to fly.

We watched the fish in our ocean and lakes, as across the surface they would skim

Then we jumped into the water and we taught ourselves to swim.

We watched them plunge to ocean depths from which we couldn’t survive

so we built submarines and scuba gear and we taught ourselves to dive.

We wondered about the heavens as we gazed up at the stars

so we built spaceships and satellites then sent them off to the Jupiter and Mars. 

We’ve created electricity and fire.

We learned how to read and write.

We have indoor plumbing.

Why...we’ve even created light!

We’ve created television, beer, computers and even fried Twinkies too.

It seems if humans put their minds to it...there’s nothing we can’t do...

So I wonder if it isn’t time...to take all our expertise

Put all our minds together...

and try creating Peace?

What Ifs

When we are young we don’t think in ‘what ifs’

We have no perception of danger.

We can be seen climbing to the top of a tree,

jumping down and occasionally talking to strangers.

As we get older we start to think in ‘what ifs’

What if I fall, what if what people tell me is true...

And many times the ‘what ifs’ stop us 

from doing the very things we once loved to do.

I’ve come up with a ‘what if’ solution for me...

Every time I’m about to say, “I won’t”

because I’ve asked myself, “What if I fall?”

I quickly ask...

“What if I don’t?”

A Perfect Day

From the first day of our marriage

she would somehow find a way

to kiss me as she said goodnight

and thank me for a perfect day.

She said what makes a day a perfect day

is easy to decide...

it’s the love she feels within her heart

when I am by her side.

And it didn’t take me long to understand

and somehow find a way

to return her kiss goodnight

and thank her for a perfect day.

Now we’ve grown old together...

Sure, we’ve had our troubles and strife...

but when you string so many perfect days together

you end up with a perfect life...

Yes, the perfect life is out there

you just have to find a way

to realize a perfect life

begins with a perfect day.