Monkey Voices

Say, do you hear voices in your mind?
I do.

There’s a constant conversation, planning, judging, reprising the day.
Funny how often they find fault.

You could have, should have might have . . well you know.
Then, there’s . . . why not, couldn’t hurt and might as well.

If you classify, you can make three categories
Things you fear, things you want and how to get ahead.

So the buzz goes, a tug of war between the voices.
Who’s in charge?

Probably no one as, each gets its turn on top,
Before being shoveled under.

At least that’s how mine go.
Then, I had a thought, a simple thought.

Why not elect a leader?
Someone whose in charge, you know fair and square.

Who will it be?
The one who chases the buck, a new deal, more hours?
The lover and family man and ? Provider.
The wild risk taker, double or nothing?

My suggestion, appoint the one who has the self confidence.
Elect him emperor, dictator!

And soon, iron rule is imposed, my way or the highway.
The Monkey voices scatter.

So, short, elect a ruler, a fair and just ruler
Allow each to have its turn but, the final decision is his (or her’s.)

After all it’s not so bad to have an orderly kingdom.
Even if, it’s only in your own mind.

Gratitude and Thankfulness

Gratitude and Thankfulness are sisters

They care for their younger sibling Happiness

Happiness is a child of infinite beauty who is forever young.

She lives with suffering around her but, loves her sisters.

For Happiness is not the child of abundance
She does not live in luxury, she has no suitors.

She lives alone with her sisters and for her that is enough.
All the rest is reason to celebrate life.

Sometimes, she is in terminal condition
Struggling to catch her last breath, but still hopeful

Memories of better days
Wishes for others, secure in the love of her family.

Sometimes she has been abused, tortured mentally and physically.
Yet the little bright light glows, today is a beautiful day.

Wake up today, live with Happiness and her sisters.

Good will not triumph over evil, they co-exist in this imperfect world.

Find the child in you and exalt in her innocence

Look around and see the wonder, in the midst of the dark.

We are travelers between the two eternities

Each day alive is a blessing, each breath is life.

See the glory of this Earth.

For if you know Gratitude and Thankfulness

They will introduce you to their sister Happiness.

Dissatisfaction and Resentment

Dissatisfaction and Resentment are the children of fear.

Guilt and shame are first cousins.

To be dissatisfied is to wish to avoid the conditions of your life.
What is here and now is somehow . . . not just good enough.

Resentment is often jealousy in its lesser form.
To resent the conditions of others is to place more emphasis on your personal inadequacies.

Can others not do enough for you?
Are you being held back, stripped of your potential, enslaved?

All these have the same root. Fear!
Of the unknown, of prior failures, of places less secure.

What stops you from acting to improve your condition?
Can you face today, another possible slap in the face?

Fear is a sickness, it robs you of your will to live your life.
And, all the worry, upset and unnamed hesitancy are the symptoms.

Make no mistake, bad and worse things happen.
Tomorrow may be the day of your death, loss, shame, another failure.

Turn and face your fears, they are different from mine and yours alone.
Smile and tell them they have no power over you.

For death awaits each and every one of us.

And, it first finds those cowered against their own fears.

The future belongs to those willing to live it!

Shake off, stand up and take the next step of your life.

For if you hide too long, your fears will find you and haunt you.

When, all the while, you could be living happy in the sunshine.

　

　

　

A Time of Turmoil?

Are our struggles today unique in the history of the World?
Do we suffer more from injustice, greed, avarice and evil than ever before?
Is the outlook for the future bleak and dismal?

The answer is, in a word: NO!
We live today in a world blessed with utilities and conveniences previously unknown to man.
We have banished darkness and its fears with light.
We have mobility unheard of in history.

Our struggles are unique.
While we do not have to face the lions in the Coliseum,
We face the loss of pride, face and security if our money dries up.
We face the risk of being another cipher with no credit struggling for the next handout.

Are our fears real?
Are the solutions hard?
Does the disparity of wealth threaten our institutions?

The answer is, in a word: YES!
Do not lose sight of the fact that money is a zero sum game.
For each debt there is a creditor who loses if the debt remains unpaid.

There are solutions to our problems.
And YES, the institutions of man are flawed, injustice abounds.
And, at the same time great compassion and charity exists.

The answer my friend is not to rail at the darkness.
Do not pray for deliverance without taking steps to recover.
Accept responsibility for your actions and curse your bad luck.
Shake it off and go forth to the next new day.

We will not succeed if we cannibalize our institutions.
A magic wand will not do away with human greed.
Upsetting the food basket may make for a good meal today, but the future is lost.

Quiet your fears
Move forward with confidence knowing the wheel will turn.
We have made great strides as a species by our ability to cooperate.

Is it fair?
Is justice a reality or, just a ideal?
Will your cries, your anger, your desire to lash out, cure your troubles?

The answer is, in a word: NO!
The burden of personal responsibility rests on each of us.
And it bears heavier on some than others.

If you have, share.
If you have not, ask for help.
When you receive help, work to repay to those who helped or pass it on to others who need help.

Such is the way it has always been
And so it is today.