Flanked by railroads
And fastened in barbed wire
A corner of nature
Tries its resilience
And holds out against
Development.
Too small for buildings
Or status,
The grass grows while bees buzz and
Frogs sing
In blissful ignorance that
This spot has
Escaped progress.
Water and mud
Seep through the edges
But the scene remains undisturbed and
Forgotten
***
© HMH, 2014
Let us not forget that spring is coming.
In these difficult times, it seems more important to keep a positive outlook. Hence, a small reminder that, although nature is up in arms against humanity at present, flowers will still grow and delight our souls.
The picture today is a miniature, but I hope it says it all.
***
© HMH, 1987, 2020
Misery or joy?
Figuring out what’s the matter with life takes too long and it doesn’t help get you anywhere. It’s better to concentrate on important issues. Everybody has their own dreams and goals. To me it’s writing my books, singing my songs, teaching, and everything that brings a smile to my lips. Yes, there are enough reasons to be content, sometimes even happy. After all, life is a gift to celebrate.
When the food is good and well prepared, there’s reason to rejoice. When new flowers break the ground, often in the most unexpected places, our bad mood can change for something better. When the sun shines, we get a different outlook. When it’s warm and almost feels like spring, we get courage to do what we must. Then the sun gets past the clouds, and life becomes valuable.
Sure, there are enough reasons to be sad or afraid. Still, if we succumb to that, what is there to live for? That’s it. Life is too important for squandering on worry and desolation.
Grieving is another issue. There’s no way around that, but we only grieve if we’ve lost something that meant a lot. After all, we don’t mourn for small annoyances.
In other words, there’s much in life that is worthwhile. There’s much to be grateful for, and much to applaud. Never forget that.
Is it time for celebrating life? It might well be. So many people only see the negative side to everything and lead miserable lives. What a waste.
If you make every flower you see count, if you celebrate the little joys, don’t wonder if the great joys come to stay. It’s up to you. Do you want to be miserable or do you want to see every day as a blessing? The choice is always there. It’s too easy to sink into misery. It can be tempting when the unpaid bills grow over your head, or when everyday difficulties confront you at every corner. That’s when you must stop and ask yourself what you want from life – and what you’re prepared to invest. Do you want happiness, or will you indulge in self-created misery?
The choice is ours every day of our lives.
© HMH, 2020