Oh those morning hours,
Those dark hours
Before the sun starts shining;
Oh those lonely hours!
The world looks gray and
You feel as though you’re dying.

It’s 3 AM, a dreamless hour,
You sit and wonder why
When only dreams are left
In your whole world
They too should be denied.

Oh those morning hours,
Those dark hours
Before the sun starts shining;
Oh those lonely hours!
The world looks gray and
You feel as though you’re dying.

The coffee’s cold, your mind is numb.
You think you can’t endure
The emptiness
Of another day
When nothingness is assured.

Oh those morning hours,
Those dark hours
Before the sun starts shining;
Oh those lonely hours!
The world looks gray and
You feel as though you’re dying . . .

[Poem written 11/21/1978 by SEV]

Despair. The anti-joy, the lure of darkness when sorrow and pain demand too much of you.  Despair. Relinquishing the light your being craves. Despair.  Unconsciously ignoring the brightness of your soul. Despair: its power over you lies in your control.

I suggest to you that joy is indelibly written into the essence of humanity. Joy is not an elusive state of mind, nor is it mere emotion.  I believe joy is actually the state of inner peace.  It is the serenity derived from recognizing the soul and the self are one, belonging in turn to something greater than both.  Joy is the realization that you were born with everything you need to create a life worthy of your efforts.  Joy need not be sought, nor is it a goal which you must achieve.  Joy simply awaits your acceptance.

“Dark nights of the soul” are temporary. The sun always rises. Joy is within you, ready to be claimed.

When the world seems to frown our way; when divisiveness surrounds our lives; when chaos appears to be our norm . . .   then it’s time to take a deep breath and remember who we are.  So I offer a reminder to my readers- and to myself- of our cherished inner being.  I offer this reminder of why I started writing these essays: to exemplify our humanity as ONE people and to urge  everyone to understand themselves so they can accept themselves and others, knowing we all share the same soul-beauty and life challenges.

 

Soul’s Breath

Beneath the veils of public faces,
Under the layers of cloth and flesh,
Between the beats of pulsing hearts
Breathe the souls of all mankind.

Though infinite and eternal,
Creator and all created,
Soul’s Breath is no more than the wind
Blowing softly across the earth.

But embodied within our hearts,
Soul’s Breath becomes a whisper:
Given voice to honor our nature,
Precious voice to cherish life.

Let’s speak of love, of joy and wonder,
The abundance of a single breath-
Which is shared by all humanity,
Intermingling Soul’s Breath with each other.

 

Indeed.  Let us speak!

In a world whose history seems to have been defined by the fears, power struggles and intolerances among its human inhabitants, it’s time we created a new kind of history.  We must speak with each other to do so, and we must speak from a different perspective. That perspective can be created by each person choosing to: honor all the things we humans have in common; acknowledge our differences without judgement; celebrate the uniqueness of each individual.

While most of us have heard such admonishments before, I think we forget- or possibly we don’t realize- that such actions do not happen naturally.  They are actions we choose- or not.  They are choices we make with each interaction, either consciously or unconsciously.  I suggest we bring such choices into our consciousness and decide to relate to others from this perspective, so we may help create better relationships among those who share our planet. Let us speak to both cherish our lives and create a life worthy of the perfection within us all.

Humankind has evolved as a thinking, feeling, intelligent species.  We all have a worldview, a belief system, a way of defining our lives within both our immediate and expanded societies.  This view, for the majority of people, includes belief in a Higher Power, a God, existence beyond earthly life, and/or a soul.  Widely varied as these beliefs may be, having such a set of beliefs is a part of human nature.  Therefore, when I refer to honoring all we have in common, I will call this the practice of honoring each other’s souls.

It all begins with speaking, though it can’t go far without listening- paying attention, truly hearing and internalizing thoughtfully what others have to say.  Sharing thoughts and life stories has helped create the bonds we have formed since before written human history.  By expanding our sharing outside our usual communities, we can increase human bonding.  With each such interaction, we get a glimpse of the souls within all participants.

Choosing to honor each other’s souls, deciding to interact with each other from a new perspective and interacting with those outside our usual comfort zone will positively impact all our lives.

Have faith!  Very soon we could become a Human Community which creates a history reflecting the beauty and wonder of our humanity!

 

 

Today Joseph, my oldest grandson, graduated from high school! I was so proud to watch as this accomplished young man accepted his diploma and celebrated his achievements, joyfully looking forward to the future he will create.   Joseph’s family and friends celebrated this milestone in his life at his side, with pride and hope for his continued happiness.

Joseph’s happiness will enhance our own; that’s the way it is when we love deeply.  Our hopes and dreams are all  bound together- inevitably, intricately, eternally.  We share the responsibility with exuberance and gratitude, knowing our bonds create life’s meaning and worth.  Together, we will realize our most cherished destiny!

CONGRATULATIONS JOSEPH!

May your:
Aspirations= Passions= Determination

So your:
Life= Contentment= JOY!