Day: April 15, 2019

The Pasture

I’m going out to clean the pasture spring;

I’ll only stop to rake the leaves away

(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):

I shan’t be gone long. — You come too.

I’m going out to fetch the little calf

That’s standing by the mother. It’s so young,

It totters when she licks it with her tongue.

I shan’t be gone long. — You come too.

Devotional #1

I love looking at sunrises and sunsets, and taking photos of them. I also love the moon, and taking it’s photographic images. The moon in the sky is such a beautiful thing when it is full and large and hanging low in the sky.

We have to remember one thing though, and that is: were it not for the light of the Sun, we would never see that beautiful moon. Were it not for the light from the sun, everything here on that beautiful blue marble we call Earth would shrivel up and die, it would freeze over and be gone in such a short time, that it would hardly give we humans time to think about it.

Somewhere, somehow a long time ago the creation of our Universe was put in motion. The Universe, in my own personal opinion was “created”

I cannot imagine how, or why. I am unworthy to even guess about the motives, if there even was a motive. It is difficult for me to even understand the little things, such as how the invisible wind is moving the trees in my back yard to and fro at this very moment.

All I know is that it does.

I do believe the Universe was created, and that the force which created it was good. The Universe was created in order to show the light, just like that good light from our Sun. It was created to overcome the darkness.

I am going to try and remember that today as I go about my daily life. We are creatures of the light, and as such we are here in order to fight the darkness….both physically, such as when we turn on the lights in our room, and spiritually….such as when we bring love to others.

No matter what philosophy of life you follow, you have to remember that any philosophy which is “good” involves the light, and as we all surely know the light always opposes the darkness.

Devotional #2

Whoever said words which motivated you. Words which made you love. Words which filled you with hope and gave you joy.

Whoever showed you compassion, or taught you compassion. Whoever let you know that to give is better than to receive, and a kind word is better than a hateful act.

Whoever told you that the light drives out the darkness and to treat each person as you would want to be treated. Whoever gave you cold water to drink and a warm hug to pass on.

Whoever showed you how to thread a needle, or to catch a fish to feed a hungry man. Whoever gave you a dime for a cup of coffee when you were broke, or helped you catch up on your job when you were behind.

Whoever did these things showed you the path to follow in order to live a decent life….they showed you respect and provided you an example. It doesn’t matter who they were, or when they lived. Historical or contemporary. They are our heroes and our role models.

Why would we now want to turn away from their teachings and embrace the darkness. Think about it before you go in that direction. It’s easy to be led astray, but harder to find your way back.

Reject hatred and bigotry. Make sure everyone you know, knows you reject it. Don’t accept it no matter what the source. There is a lot of it coming from places and people who are supposed to be teaching us to love one another. There is a lot of it coming from those who would be our country’s leaders. Many know not the meaning of serving.

Let your philosophy of good, and your built in values of conscience which let you recognize right from wrong be your guide. Let these things get us through this year and through our lives. Let us perform the fundamental changes which will bring about a new world filled with people who want to live in peace.

I thought today about some of the things I believe, and about some of the things I have believed but have forsaken.

I thought about the idealism of youth and how easily it is lost in the shuffle of the “mission creep” of aging. (Oh how I love the invention of that phrase!) I thought about how aging itself affects the human psyche.. particularly my own.

My memory is becoming weird. On some things I’m razor sharp, on others I’m blunt as a brick. My mind is like a block of unsliced Swiss cheese, sitting where a good aged gouda should reside. Very holey at times, and unexpectedly dense.

So, my thinking process takes unusual paths. But it still functions.

I find I believe that happiness requires a personal commitment and cannot be handed to us by other individuals, or groups of people pushing any certain philosophy. I have waited practically all my life to have the secret of true happiness revealed to me, when all this time I have had it packed away inside.

I have been an irritant and a pest many times. I have alienated some, and confused many others. In my understanding about what passes for conformity I have become a non conformist. I’m sure I often baffle those closest to me with my actions. For that I am so sorry.

Tomorrow is a new day and I’m certain I will not be perfect. I will try harder to be happy though. Even though I hold very little in worldly goods or riches. Even though I fight daily battles with my body, and as I have stated, with my mind. Even though I realize I have fewer and fewer dawns coming. Even with the world in turmoil. Even with all these things…I am happy with the people with whom I share this journey, and these daily challenges. By having the people I am richer than a king, and by having the daily challenges I know I’m still alive and still necessary.

May the creator of all things be with you.