I wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas!  Find the joy in your hearts, and love always in your worlds and be like children in your joy for Christmas!

Republished with updates from December 2015…

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning quiet and slow

The clock ticks softly on the mantel

Santa’s work in stockings hang just below

In this hour of quiet solitude of thought

About meanings of His promised peace

So more important than gifts we bought

In a world of turmoil, strife and pain

He was born to bring us joy and peace

It’s time we seek His miracle once again

Be like children in heart, faith and yearn

He taught with a smile not so long ago

See in children’s smiles today and let us learn

I hope to be like a child and see

A world with faith in message of peace

And know how beautiful this world can be

Tears for Aleppo

War is a shame

We so easily claim

But it is our shame that we must own

Is our human-less soul hard as stone?

We watch a disaster unfold from afar

Following our knowing, self-righteous shining star

We complain of crimes, of sins unimagined

But we knew, empty threats, empty promises damaged

Abandoned our brothers, sisters, children too

To another monster of power in the East, and you know who

We claim to be weary, even claim to have won

We saved ourselves, and precious red-line drawn

But now what of the millions on the road?

What of horrors that are still to be told?

What of the children that cry though the night?

What would our shame and tears make right?

Can we look away, distracted by our stars?

Can we enjoy our world and ignore the scars?

Look straight at the world as it really is

Look at the children as they die for soul-less ideals

And if you can easily claim

War is just an ugly shame?

Then too find a moment to shed a tear

For all those still living in absolute fear!

If a man does not master his circumstances, then he is bound to be mastered by them…

Dancing with Circumstance

Our minds see us not as we are

But as we wish, and often from afar

So too, we view our circumstance

As if just a partner in delicate dance

But no partner to be controlled

She dances to music, unheard, untold

She occupies the spaces she desires

It is we who respond, as she inspires

We may want desperately to succeed

But rarely, so rarely she lets us lead

To music we find our way across floor

To see if and where we may find a door

But alas we are not going anywhere

So master the moves… as we must dance with her

Building of Logic

So clear the words but not the thought

Clear the emotion unexpected nor sought

Feeling, tasting, the scent of logic sweet

In minds and words, we may then meet

Challenge truths without selfish emotion

No salve, no need for soothing lotion

Question the stairs, the rooms, the doors

Building of logic, hidden truth in stores

But at times others cannot follow

Proceeding without, I did when I was callow

Now it seems those truths hidden deep

Are fine and fair to know, but not keep

They remain as they are

To me close and never far

But for those truths hard to take

We play with words for elusions sake

Hi, I’m updating this post, because no one seemed to get that the perspective this is written from is as a ghost.  Yes, odd for sure, but it was a dream I had.  I was a ghost, and surprised to be one by the way, and found myself looking on to conversations in search of sincerity… Hope you like the poem…

Sincerely, Mike

Sincerely 

Mysterious at first as I try

To reach across and ask

Frighten then calm, I realize

Move seamless among them all

Listen carelessly, but searching

Then onward beyond the wall

Searching as Diogenes did

For something, someone sincere

Where true intentions never hid

When I find a virtuous track

I listen to see if its circumstance or time

Causes of one or many topple the stack

I give a nudge, carefully if I might

Encouraging the sincerest road

I know they feel, if only slight

I listen and get the occasioned lie

For if it helps others, of course

If sincerity in such intent does not die

What matters it really seems

Is sincerely to know one’s self

Not believing those fanciful dreams

Finding purpose in life in-between

Pushing toward small victorious joy

Sincerity intent often going unseen

This is a week for giving thanks!
So many people see the bad things in life, the struggles and the risks. They always feel like life is not fair to them, or somehow, someway they see only the risks and worries that darken their days.

Some see an election that didn’t go their way and they are inconsolable, instead of realizing that they live in a country that gives them an opportunity to have their voice heard, their vote to count, and to realize that transition of those who “serve” us in government is peaceful.  Furthermore, we have an opportunity to listen to our fellow citizens and understand what and why they see such a need for change.  We are thankful for opportunity to listen.

We may complain about cost of government (taxes), but we should be thankful that we live in the greatest nation of all time, and that naturally comes with a cost.

We may complain about an education system that leaves some under prepared for our work environment, but we should be thankful for the variety and wealth of education available to us if we seek it out.

We may complain that wages are low, but we should be thankful for low unemployment, and wages that still are so much better than almost anywhere in the world.

We may complain about the decline of a middle-class, and we should be concerned for the implications of this social-economic situation, but really think about how nearly everyone can afford quality entertainment systems and instant access to information and communications.  Technology is something to really be thankful for as well as our relative wealth and ubiquity of information and life enjoyment entertainment.

We may complain about decline of social mores, we may complain about the ugly discourse in so many parts of our world, but I think rather we should be thankful that charity spending is up, that people volunteer their time, that so many are really trying to make our world a better place.

Yes we should be thankful this week.  Let’s see the good and wonderful things in our world today and be thankful for the people in our lives that make us better, that help us grow and share our love.  There is plenty of time to see the troubles of our world and to use those times to do something positive about it.  If we didn’t see the problems, then we would never change, and for that too we are thankful!

I’m reading a book now that I’m only 40% thru so it is too early for a book review, only a musing on how this book feels to me.  The book is “A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel” by Amor Towles.

This book is like a favorite desert, I want to have small bites and savor its taste.  Some books I read, I can’t put down because I want to see what happens next and I read fast to get to the next action or event, they are like a main course!  And some I read fast just because I’ve committed to it, and I want to find out how it ends, even though I more often than not have anticipated the ending, these are like fast food dining.

In this case there are so many ideas and fine imagery and careful, thoughtful prose, I have slowed down to savor every taste, to get its texture, it’s scent, and all of its flavor.  It may take me a couple of months to read this book, and that would just fine with me.  Some may not like this desert, some may want just the main course, and care not for desert… but I think that if you find the right flavors, there is nothing better than the journey a book can take you on… best expressed in a poem I like by Emily Dickinson…

A Book – by Emily Dickinson

There is no frigate like a book

To take us lands away,

Nor any coursers like a page

Of prancing poetry.

This traverse may the poorest take

Without oppress of toll;

How frugal is the chariot

That bears a human soul! 

I’ve heard from friends and family that remain distressed about where this country is going and are fearful and disgusted by the results of an election that calls into question how 60 million people could vote for someone that has insulted minorities, the disabled, veterans and has no experience in government, and seemingly no interest in learning…. well… I’m trying to suggest we must give him the benefit of the doubt and allow him to figure out how to establish policy and actually govern.  Its hard to imagine he can, but we must root for him to succeed, it is our countries fate at stake.  When and if he doesn’t and he acts outside of the law and the office, then we impeach…. But until, the office of the president must get our support.  Democracy must be respected, even if we don’t respect some of the people and in this case the person of Donald Trump.  This is what distinguishes us from third world countries where a coup would be the solution.  No we must wait 4 yrs for the process to take its course, unless he departs the pattern sooner thru his own mis-deeds.

If we live by our principles and we support inclusion of all people, and we believe in democracy, and we believe in helping those that have been left behind in the economic recovery for they are too drove this vote for change, then we must be bigger than the few bigots and fascist that so too supported Donald.  For many had legitimate reasons to drive for change.  Its too bad it wasn’t it better candidate, but we must get past this.

We can and should support causes with our time, money and talent that live up to our American ideals, while we pray for the future of our country, and we hold the President, as well as the Congress to hold to American values and principles.

Well the shocking has happened.   We have much to learn about ourselves.  We now must come together in support of the institution of President, and give our President-Elect the space and benefit of doubt to establish his administration and transition from Donald Trump the candidate to Donald Trump the President.  As I’ve said before, I hope… no I expect that he will build a team of smart people and he will find enough humility in himself and respect for the office to actually listen to advice.  He of course realizes that half the country did not vote for him. To be President of all of us, he must reach across the divide to find ways to include all Americans in our future.  To fail in this would mean a failure in delivering on his promise to Make America Great Again.  Give him the benefit of doubt.  Know that he will be held to high expectations in this job by the press, congress and all of us.  He must operate legally and with dignity or risk being fired as prior Presidents Nixon and Clinton experienced through the impeachment process.

However he behaved before, whatever he said before, none of that matters now. What matters now is what he does going forward.   We pray and hope that he rises to the many challenges and becomes a great leader for change and the future of our country.