Category: My Life

It’s Not What You Think

Posted on by Joe Merkle

It’s what you feel

I have been dwelling on this dilemma — what function of the human psyche is responsible for healing from the loss of a loved one? Is it the brain? Can we convince ourselves mentally that we are “just over it”? Can a licensed therapist suggest a magic bullet that tears a hole through your grief and miraculously cures your depression? Or do our broken hearts need emotional surgery to make us whole again?

Let’s take a gander at the mental aspect of this. The brain is a real trickster. It can convince us of many things. Some that simply don’t exist. We easily fall into its traps of “what ifs”, “why didn’t I’s”, “how could this have happened,” “why did it have to happen”, “why did he/she have to die/leave me.” If you are reading this, I’m guessing you’ve experienced one or more of these.

Do you believe you can think your way to the proverbial ‘I’m over it’? Can it be that simple? Medicate yourself until you become a walking zombie. And then, miraculously, you wake up one morning and declare yourself cured, and just like that, everything is back to normal? Perhaps one percent of the population can be this lucky. Perhaps, but I doubt it. 

THE HEART KNOWS WHAT THE HEART KNOWS

Let’s look at this from the heart. The heart center functions as the gateway for soul (the real us). We, soul, are love. Extrapolating on this, we are eternal. So is love. I know if you have lost a loved one, you have experienced this to some degree in some way. You haven’t stopped loving them, and they haven’t stopped loving you. You will begin to recognize the signs they share with you, the more you allow this to become a fixture of your state of consciousness. They will exhibit outward signs in the physical realm. And visit with you on the inner planes through the dream state. I am certain many of you reading this have had these experiences. 

Much of this, for those fresh in their grief, may think I’m crazy. That’s okay. At one time, I would have too. All I ask is that you print this out and keep it by your bed. Read it upon waking. Read before you sleep. Believe it will happen. 

IT WILL

Every moment is a lifetime. It’s all a matter of perspective. Fill your life with love.

Life Is Love, Love Is Life

Posted on by Joe Merkle

Photo by Khadeeja Yasser on Unsplash

During a contemplation last week, I realized how fortunate I’ve been to have been surrounded by love my entire life. I took that for granted for most of my life, not realizing how special it was. During this contemplation, I had several revelations I would like to share.

When I met my wife, Nancy, for the first time, I fell instantly in love. At that moment, I realized that I had never been in love before. Real love transcends time, space, and logic. It simply is.

I felt complete. Little did I know at the time that love is never complete. It is constantly expanding. My first realization of this was when our first child was born. When you hold that special soul in your arms, you feel as if your heart could burst. That love continued to expand through the years as we experienced this with two more children. 

My point is this. Love is a never-ending journey. Whether we are here in the physical or elsewhere, even if we wanted to, we cannot escape it because everything in existence is sourced from God’s love.

Grief is a love trainer. It’s akin to starting a workout program where your trainer tells you to forget what you think you know and do this instead. Little by little, through the aches and pains, you start to become a new you. You become stronger, more flexible, and can take on new projects you’ve put off for too long. Your world becomes more effortless. You have more energy and a better outlook on life. Your light begins to shine again. 

Grief is your spiritual trainer. Not one you chose, but one nonetheless. And like a fitness trainer, it breaks you down before it can build you up. And grief is a trainer you can’t fire. You’re stuck with the task master. You can try to fight it or run from it. None of this will work. If you want to gain all the gifts grief has in store for you, simply immerse yourself in it. Go with the flow. Allow it to ravage you. This is the greatest of grief’s gifts. 

It cleanses the soul in preparation for the new life you are about to be born into. A life filled with new adventures and endless possibilities. A life that has been handed to you with blessings from God. The only question that remains is, what will you do with it? It’s entirely in your hands. Make it a miraculous one.

It Had To Be You

Posted on by Joe Merkle

My shining light

When the setting sun slithers silently
When darkness dooms my daylight
And shadows slither into my soul
A satanic stain swallowing my sanity

I howl to the heavens
Imploring, inpouring spiritual salvation
Helplessly hoping for her healing heart
And her tender, tantalizing touch

It had to be you, my shining light
Lighting my way home to daylight
Surround me, secure me, my sexy paramour
Vanquish my villains with vigor

Then we’ll dance the dance that darlings do
Sharing secrets sacrosanct to just a few
To those who trapped a note or two
And share the sacred song of HU

Out Like A Light

Posted on by Joe Merkle

Making love in our dreams

Laughing, exhausted, and gasping for air, we both collapsed on the couch. Playing all our old albums we danced the night away. Memories came flooding back. Our teen years and college days when we clubbed the nights away. The moment we met. When we said, “I do”. The births of our children. All the unforgettable memories that forty-six years in a loving relationship bring. 

We must have said “Do you remember” a hundred times. And off we would go to another treasured moment that lay lost in our minds. Until the music played. 

She lay in my arms. Just like the first time, I’m still kidnapped by her charms. One of those unforgettable moments you wish will never end. I look into her eyes and say, “Damn I’m sore.” She laughs. She has the most contagious laugh. Eventually, our bodies remember to breathe. We manage to somehow make it to bed. Out like a light within minutes. Making love in our dreams. Reliving all our childhood schemes.

.

Each Beat Of Your Heart

Posted on by Joe Merkle

Is my life’s elixir

Each beat of your heart
is my life’s elixir
and your kisses impart
an unintended strip search

Your laugh lights the way
then you dance the pony
a reinvented sexual foreplay
so innocent and carefree

You’re a treasure with no measure
my pièce de résistance
an irresistible treasure
you are my soul assistant

The man I am did not exist
you rescued me from certain doom
with just a hug and then a kiss
you stripped away my grieving costume

I wonder at the innocence you display
how wonderful it must feel to know
that life is just child’s play
while you emanate a golden glow

Let it go, Joe, you encourage me to see
that life is love and nothing more
that there are no guarantees
then you whisper come to me, my matador

I fall deeper into your eyes
swimming in those blue lagoons
all my demons exorcised
each day becomes a new honeymoon

We sail in the cosmic seas
as we escape our earthly bonds
no longer concerned with analyses
masters of our magical wands

Grief Is Life’s Spiritual Band-aid

Posted on by Joe Merkle

Why do we grieve? Why would a loving God have us suffer so? What is the lesson we are to learn from grief? I know that everyone who has experienced grief has asked these questions. I will try to provide possible solutions to them.

We grieve because we have loved deeply. God understands we are eternal souls. God is not making the choice that we suffer from grief. We do that. We choose how much and how long we will suffer from the influence of grief. The most important lesson we should learn from grief is to be grateful for the great love we shared and the great love we still share. Love is eternal. We are eternal. Never stop sharing love, no matter what the cost.

Grief is a small price to pay for having loved. If you were given the choice never to have loved to avoid suffering from grief, would you? Of course, you wouldn’t. As potent as grief is, it is insignificant to the love you shared. Here’s the thing. You still and always will share the love. That never dies. Love is eternal. Grief is a temporary blip on the radar that fades away like a bad dream.

I was fortunate to have been born into and raised in a loving family. I have seen love up close since I was a child. I fell instantly in love the first time I met my future bride. The woman who made me whole. It caught me by complete surprise. That’s the thing about love. Great surprises await you when your heart is open. Though your heart may be breaking, it still has an endless capacity to love. Exercise that love muscle. Share with others the great love that still resides within you. It will make miracles happen. Love does that. The only restrictions on love are the ones we create.

Be open. Share love. Enjoy life. Life is eagerly waiting for your return.

© 2024 Joe Merkle

A Weird Space Thing

Posted on by Joe Merkle

Happened to me tomorrow

Image by Freepik.com

We’ve all been there—moments in your life that defy definition. This is one of those moments in my life, and I will attempt to tell this story. Many of you will think it is a tall tale. That’s okay—I’ll let you determine if it is. I firmly believe tall tales are sometimes more real than our supposed reality.

APRIL 8TH, 2024: The total eclipse of the sun…or was it?

I arrived at my girlfriend’s home in Northwest Arkansas on April 7th. We were both excited about viewing the total eclipse for the first time. The sky would be clear for this event. Armed with cheap “special” sunglasses, we ventured out to the front lawn to witness this cosmic event.

She lives in a neighborhood of heavily forested properties. I expect a bear or wolf to attack me every time I visit. I’m only half kidding about that. One never knows what strange creatures are hiding out in these woods. Hmm…I think a new book could be in my future.

The moment the sun disappeared and the day became night, I was out of body, timeless, soaring towards this heavenly display. I was no longer interested in this strange marriage of the sun and moon. Instead, my attention was drawn to Mother Earth. I felt the power of love like never before. In honesty, it was overwhelming.

Then, realizing the gift I was receiving stunned me and shook me to the core. This planet I was observing wasn’t just a big rock with all types of living beings on it. Earth was love. Everything that exists throughout the universes and inner planes is love. All of life is love and was created because God is love. We are love—not these human frames we toy around with in many incarnations until we realize what we are—soul, a co-worker with God.

The subsequent realization blew my mind. God learns from us. He needs us to trip, fall, love, hate, live, and die. Why? Because he learns and grows through our experiences the same way we do—like any good parent who discovers the greater meaning of love through raising children. And like any good parent, God is always there to help.

This gift, granted to me, answered many questions that hounded me for decades. Why is there so much suffering on Earth? Why would a loving God create such an environment?

Because we, as souls, never feel pain, suffering, or loss. We are eternal and have Godlike qualities. But just like a human infant who has no idea it is human, a new soul has no idea it is a child of God. Hence, we need to learn to be love in the harshest of environments. It is a crucial factor required to experience the immensity of love.

Since that day, I’ve contemplated this often. My life has changed in ways I never would have expected. I attract more love by simply being a vehicle for divine love. Like attracts like. I see every obstacle in my life now as an opportunity for spiritual growth, to trust in the process, and, to put it simply, to be more aware. My gratitude for this gift is boundless.

© Joe Merkle 2024 All rights reserved.

Riding The Waves Of Grief

Posted on by Joe Merkle

The celestial surfboard that is love

Image by https://www.freepik.com/author/wirestock

Grieving is Soul at play, or more specifically, soul surfing. As Soul, we ride the waves of grief among its crests and valleys. We immerse ourselves in the thrill of it and rejoice in the immensity of love crashing in upon us. As well as the overwhelming emotional pain that consumes us. We are tossed like ragdolls from our celestial surfboards, gasping for air as we try to survive the pounding surf. All the while learning to let go of fear.

Eventually, we become surfing champions, able to ride the waves to shore. We grow stronger having gained the knowledge and understanding of what love is. It becomes apparent to us we need to pass that love unto others. We all become grief counselors.

Grief is another powerful step for us as souls in becoming spiritual masters. Grief helps us learn the immense power and depth of divine love. It is incumbent upon us to share this knowledge. It is the reason why we exist.

My Alabaster Arabesque

Posted on by Joe Merkle

Of Womanhood

Image by https://www.freepik.com/author/digitalartworkdownload

Her alabaster skin is a whiter shade than pale
She shuns the sunlight for safety’s sake
It matters not to those who witness her beauty
For it outshines the sun, she’s a cute patootie

She wields her womanly wiles
Her most potent weapon is her seductive smile
The corners pointing upward toward mesmerizing eyes
Which is impossible for her to disguise

As she walks away her gait is suggestive
While sashaying toward me it morphs provocative
Ironically she appears unaware of this display
Of this unintended foreplay

And her laughter is impossibly contagious
Unintentionally flirtatious 
As she dances into my welcoming arms
I’m smitten, a captive prisoner of her charms

©2024 Joe Merkle All rights reserved.