When we meet
We shall touch the stars
The little children will laugh at us
And to each we shall teach love
And we’ll float on the soft summer breeze
I’ll carve our initials in the clouds
And in a fleeting moment
That which not tangible shall succumb
And our love will become inimitable
We’ll explore the silver sum
And search for the silver man
And will mix the colors on the palette
And paint the world
Then we’ll say our good-byes
And no regrets will there be
Only happy memories we share
And our initials in the clouds
Mom and Dad, there are so many things I never thought to ask I was busy then trying to answer who am I Not wondering about the past
Now I find myself in my twilight years Wishing once again you were still here Just to come back to the feeling of home That I’ve missed now for so many years
Time and space seem meaningless in moments So clear to me now upon reflection It’s not just your wisdom I yearn for again It’s your hugs and kisses I shared so many times with you
Dad, I would ask if you were still here with me What got you through each day while away In World War II, never having met your newborn boy yet And how badly you missed mom, the love of your life
And how you managed to glide through life No matter what came along the way With an easy grace and a smile on your face Handshakes and hugs that lit the way
And Mom, I would ask of you How you got through each day With dad so far and in harm’s way While raising your baby boy alone
These and so many things I never thought to ask I was busy then creating a life Not wondering about the past
Both of you set the stage For me to be the star in a life filled with love For this my gratitude is limitless Forever will you be in my heart
I understand that the two you Were the building blocks that formed Just who I am, the man I’ve become It won’t be long now before we meet again
Look around you. Take a hard look at the things you have surrounded yourself with. How much of it do you actually need? How many are simply tools for your own self-gratification? At what expense to others (not just humans) did it cost? Did you really need that leather coat, alligator shoes, ivory jewelry, or a million tech gadgets that humans are producing for slave labor incomes?
Lately, I have been reflecting on this and how my life has changed as I grow older and hopefully wiser. “Things” seem unimportant these days. They are empty vessels humans gather trying to fill a void in a life otherwise unfilled by what truly matters. They are not evil any more than they are necessary. But they often create an illusion of happiness.
Fortunately for me, I have been surrounded by love my entire life. From the minute of my birth to this very moment I am writing this post. This led to another self-awakening moment. Why me? Why doesn’t everyone know love like this?
Does it matter if you are born into wealth or poverty? I think not. Those born into wealth have definitive benefits, but none of them guarantee a life filled with love. Those born into poverty often have daily struggles that make life more difficult, but this does not preclude a life filled with love. Just what are the existential factors that allow a person to experience love as I have?
Well, I am just guessing here, but you can probably fill Albert Hall with the books written on this very thing. And I suspect most of them expound on their educated knowledge of such matters, but ultimately leave the reader feeling empty.
Here is the thing. Most humans spend a lifetime chasing love. As if it were just another “thing” one can purchase and put in a sock drawer. Too many think they found love as soon they have “purchased” it. They feel they have met certain conditions so now it’s okay to be in love.
Love is boundless, it can’t be constrained by any conditions
. By desiring love you are placing a condition on it. Love is not a thing to be possessed. It is not an emotion to be felt. Emotions place conditions on love as well. If this is what you believe is love you have not experienced love.
Love surrounds us. It is in every thought we have, every emotion we feel, every molecule we breathe. You can’t touch it, see it, hear it with the measly human tools we have at hand.
Love is easy. Yes, when we finally get around to making “the choice”, we become an open vessel that love pours through. When all conditions, prejudices, assumptions, and beliefs are dropped love can do its magic. There is no effort necessary to love or be loved other than simply allowing love to use you as an empty vessel. Like liquid through a sieve love must flow or it simply can’t be experienced.
So, I guess my advice is simple for those desperate to have love in their lives. Stop searching for it, it already surrounds you. Open yourself to it. I simply got out of the way and let love use me.
Every day I take my sorry soul Filled with silly hope down to the wishing well Each coin I toss is just a dream of mine That I’ll hold your hand one more time
All through the years, the ups and downs You’ve held my hand – you walked beside me Through all the laughter and the tears You’ve held my heart – you walked beside me
I look around me now and see this empty place Oh how I miss, how I miss your face This place was filled with your smiles and grace Oh, how I miss, how I miss your face
My steps may falter and my gait my slow But nothing will deter me from the wishing well In the hopes that my dreams come true In my wishes that I’ll once more hold you
The paths we’ve explored were treacherous at times And through each one, you walked beside me You gave me the strength to believe in myself And it was easy because you walked beside me
