Distraction

When the world is such a beautiful place, 

Why are you staring into your phone?

Above it all

If the hurly burly world feels a bit overwhelming, Sometimes it’s good to get above the fray;

 To get both a different perspective 

And a respite from the madness…

Resilience

As the building blocks of our society 

Seem to be tumbling, 

Let us take heart from nature’s triumphs 

And trust that goodness may continue 

To rise up from the rocky soil 

Of our mistakes and failures.

Family challenges

In this post-holiday time I’m thinking of families: 

Folks grouped together with broad commonalities 

But subtle differences,

And how easy it is to celebrate the first 

Yet struggle with the second: 

The choices, the personalities, the styles and beliefs 

That make sense to one but not to another; 

The ways we revert to old patterns 

And listen without hearing, 

And how we manage to co-exist over time…

Gratitude

A gray day on an island, and a pond, 

With water lilies, and a boat — 

Peace, and a brief abatement 

From the worries of the world: 

Another reason to give thanks.

Gratitude demands response

There’s so much to be grateful for: 

Why, even the trees are gifted 

With glorious fall dresses 

And draped with liquid pearls. 

How can we not empathize 

With all who suffer 

 Heartbreak, loss, and loneliness, 

Famine, fear, disease, and pain? 

How can we not share with those 

Less fortunate than ourselves?

Learning from plants’ diversity

I wonder if those who oppose diversity 

Have boring gardens? 

Plants come in so many amazing varieties, 

And each seems so quite unafraid 

 To flaunt its individuality; 

Why wouldn’t we include 

 As many different kinds as we could find 

To coexist and fit in with each other?