Photo: Grandmother’s Rose, taken by JP, Seattle, June 2009
“We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.”
“We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.”
~ Stephen Covey
US author, speaker, consultant (1935- )
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.”
~ William James
US psychologist, philosopher and author (1842-1910)
“When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too.”
~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
US aviator and author (1906-2001)
This journey that we are on, the journey from cradle to grave, is an opportunity to learn and contribute; and, we are given a powerful tool in this journey – the brain.
The brain allows the spirit to control the body and articulate cognition and perception. It also contains the capacity to translate love into an experience by forming attachments and connections to individuals, humanity and God.
The brain connects body to soul. And as William James so aptly noted, we have the power to alter our lives, our journey, by using the powerful tool of the brain.
Tonight’s poem is dedicated to being human.
Her face softened in her sixtieth and seventieth
Years into the memory I now hold
She had relinquished the hardness of earlier days
Cast-off rusted pipe dreams
Buried transgressions committed and received
She choose happiness in her sixtieth and seventieth
Years she knew her heart’s desire
And wore her winter white plumage with pride
Peace wrapped in understanding
She was no longer a stranger to herself
Her daughter didn’t choose so well
When she reached her sixtieth decade
The cancer of ignorance and want grew deep
And mindfulness was left to rot in
Catacombs of a lost soul
What could the mother do
If she were still here?
For more thought’s on Human, visit this week’s Sunday Scribblings.
For more thought’s on The Stranger, visit the week’s One Single Impression.
US author, speaker, consultant (1935- )
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.”
~ William James
US psychologist, philosopher and author (1842-1910)
“When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too.”
~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
US aviator and author (1906-2001)
This journey that we are on, the journey from cradle to grave, is an opportunity to learn and contribute; and, we are given a powerful tool in this journey – the brain.
The brain allows the spirit to control the body and articulate cognition and perception. It also contains the capacity to translate love into an experience by forming attachments and connections to individuals, humanity and God.
The brain connects body to soul. And as William James so aptly noted, we have the power to alter our lives, our journey, by using the powerful tool of the brain.
Tonight’s poem is dedicated to being human.
Her face softened in her sixtieth and seventieth
Years into the memory I now hold
She had relinquished the hardness of earlier days
Cast-off rusted pipe dreams
Buried transgressions committed and received
She choose happiness in her sixtieth and seventieth
Years she knew her heart’s desire
And wore her winter white plumage with pride
Peace wrapped in understanding
She was no longer a stranger to herself
Her daughter didn’t choose so well
When she reached her sixtieth decade
The cancer of ignorance and want grew deep
And mindfulness was left to rot in
Catacombs of a lost soul
What could the mother do
If she were still here?
For more thought’s on Human, visit this week’s Sunday Scribblings.
For more thought’s on The Stranger, visit the week’s One Single Impression.
19 comments:
Grandmother, mother, daughter...These roles. The benefit of distance. The challenge of ignorance, the grief caused by rusted pipe dreams. This was vivid and poignant. Thanks.
'she was no longer a stranger to herself'
That alone is a key to being humane to others
You always manage to not only capture the essence of a prompt but to also awaken something deep within your reader.
xox
I especially like the rhythm of this poem. And that first quote you have--one of my favorites!
Lovely post! Loved reading those quotes and then your poetry.. Despite the challenges, it sure does celebrate being human!
Beautifully done. I suppose if we aren't a stranger to who we were before, we haven't really advanced.
What a lovely poem...as you expressed so well, we all have a choice whether to be happy. I have discovered that at times my brain has been my enemy...it thinks and worries too much, and stifles my spirit! But I'm working on it... :~)
"The cancer of ignorance and want grew deep. . ." I can feel the malevolent rot corroding the soul of the daughter.
Not only an interesting accounting of a "human," but very interesting decisions as to your line breaks. "Rusted pipe dreams," is a great turn of the phrase.
Beautifully written! I loved "rusted pipe dreams". Great phrase. I love this notion of attitude, and knowing one's self. Nice poem.
Thank you for sharing these quotes. This is a lovely poem, showing the difference a choice or point of view can make in a life.
" The challenge of ignorance, the grief caused by rusted pipe dreams "
thoughtful and sensitive ..
many thanks ..
You've selected several of my favorite quotes...and woven this poem around a story I've been watching develop recently but I'm unable to offer help. Beautifully written!
I love everything in this post. Love.
"The cancer of ignorance and want grew deep
And mindfulness was left to rot in
Catacombs of a lost soul"--
Powerful words.
Wise one. You take after your grandma, I think.
:)
"Peace wrapped in understanding" Oh that I could grow old that gracefully!
I am going to bookmark this.
My husband is reading a new book about William James right now, so have been hearing from him what an interesting man James was.
The lady sounds delightful, and her choices are ones I want to choose in my next decades.
"She choose happiness in her sixtieth and seventieth
Years she knew her heart’s desire
And wore her winter white plumage with pride
Peace wrapped in understanding
She was no longer a stranger to herself"
It is a conscious choice. One I have been grappling with in my 5th decade. I discussed it with my 13 year old daughter tonight. This is what she said:
"If I had to choose between justice and being happy, I would choose being happy. Because all the time you spend on getting justice you could have spent being happy."
And finally this:
"Getting justice can't heal all the hurt you feel. Because what they took you won't really get back"
I sit hear with your beautiful poem and my daughter's words, and what my heart has been silently whispering, wondering which way I will go.
Thank you for this.
Terrible cancer, that.
If ya anything like me..ya do get sick of being brilliant!
Such a good study of familial relationships. Excellent poem! xoxox
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