Monday, July 23, 2012
Carnage
What kind of world do we live in, when people go out for dinner and a movie and end up losing their lives?
A birthday celebration, and candles blown out far too soon...
Dad wanting to spend a special evening with his teens...
Men who had served their country faithfully only to be cut down in their prime...
A young man not yet out of school...
A loving mother...
A sassy, independent young woman...
A sweet, fun-loving little girl...
Heroes going to see Superheroes...
All out for an innocent night of fun.
A moment of confusion -- is that part of the film? --
Turning into a trap of terror.
An explosion...smoke...
Assault rifle cutting off the screams one by one.
Then we are left with unanswered questions.
How do you find meaning in a meaningless slaughter?
There is no answer here.
We watch people kill each other on the silver screen for entertainment,
Then we are horrified when it occurs in real life.
How has it happened that some people's souls have been massacred? What
Twisted thing
Grew inside them to fill their need?
And why?
The age old-question with no explanation...
Evil lives
While good people die.
Our only recourse is to live our own lives in ways that matter
Knowing that at any moment
It could happen again.
The curtain falls,
The lights go out,
And we are left in the darkness
To cry.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
A Love Letter to My Body
Dear Body,
I hate to say it out loud -- but for most of my life, I haven't liked you. Oh, there was a time, back when I was a little child, that I thought you were the greatest. I can remember, dimly, when you ran like the wind, and you were pretty, and strong, and I felt free. But then I got a little older, and people began calling you names:
Toothpick
Skinny
Too tall
Anorexic
Sickly looking
Bony
Flat-chested
Scrawny
Knock-kneed
Ugly
Never will find a husband
And I believed them.
I'm sorry. I should have closed my ears to all the hurts and insults. But I was just a child, and I thought they knew what they were talking about. After all, they were the adults. They were gods.
I grew up believing this as Truth. Then I met a man who loved me. We married, and we had four children, but you had six miscarriages too. I hated you for those deep and basic betrayals. It is so simple for so many women -- you couldn't carry a child for me?? What was wrong with you?
I aged. My youth passed, and you started to wrinkle, get flabby, and sag. For heavens' sake, could you not hold out a little longer? I'd never been beautiful, so didn't you owe me? You'd think you at least could have waited a little longer before you started giving out on me.
I got sick. The doctors couldn't find out what was wrong. I was practically bedridden for a year. I thought you were dying. Then one day, I could feel you getting a little stronger. Each day you got a little better.
Not long after that, our daughter told me about a running program she was doing. You'd never exercised before in your life; I don't know why she thought we'd like it. But on New Year's Day 2011, at the age of 52, I decided you could do it.
You surprised me. In fact, you amazed me. You did everything I asked you to do. Oh, you complained about it. You wanted to give up. I put you through a lot, and you groaned, hurt, were weak, and sweated a lot. But...you did it.
And you got better at it. With every punishment I meted out, you got stronger. I began to treat you better. I fed you healthier meals, and gave you more water, and stopped eating things that were bad for you. I began to give you more exercise. I began to push you to your limits.
You blossomed. Now to my admiration, you are strong and healthy. You have taken me places I never thought you could. You have done things I never believed you would. And --
I see you for who you are.
Really see you.
And here are the names I call you now:
Strong.
Dedicated.
Determined.
Able.
Beautiful.
Warrior.
And now I love you with the love you have always deserved.
Thank you for sticking it out and believing in me, even when I didn't believe in you. You taught me well.
With all my love~
Us
(This was written as participation in the syncroblog SheLoves: A Love Letter To My Body.)
I hate to say it out loud -- but for most of my life, I haven't liked you. Oh, there was a time, back when I was a little child, that I thought you were the greatest. I can remember, dimly, when you ran like the wind, and you were pretty, and strong, and I felt free. But then I got a little older, and people began calling you names:
Toothpick
Skinny
Too tall
Anorexic
Sickly looking
Bony
Flat-chested
Scrawny
Knock-kneed
Ugly
Never will find a husband
And I believed them.
I'm sorry. I should have closed my ears to all the hurts and insults. But I was just a child, and I thought they knew what they were talking about. After all, they were the adults. They were gods.
I grew up believing this as Truth. Then I met a man who loved me. We married, and we had four children, but you had six miscarriages too. I hated you for those deep and basic betrayals. It is so simple for so many women -- you couldn't carry a child for me?? What was wrong with you?
I aged. My youth passed, and you started to wrinkle, get flabby, and sag. For heavens' sake, could you not hold out a little longer? I'd never been beautiful, so didn't you owe me? You'd think you at least could have waited a little longer before you started giving out on me.
I got sick. The doctors couldn't find out what was wrong. I was practically bedridden for a year. I thought you were dying. Then one day, I could feel you getting a little stronger. Each day you got a little better.
Not long after that, our daughter told me about a running program she was doing. You'd never exercised before in your life; I don't know why she thought we'd like it. But on New Year's Day 2011, at the age of 52, I decided you could do it.
You surprised me. In fact, you amazed me. You did everything I asked you to do. Oh, you complained about it. You wanted to give up. I put you through a lot, and you groaned, hurt, were weak, and sweated a lot. But...you did it.
And you got better at it. With every punishment I meted out, you got stronger. I began to treat you better. I fed you healthier meals, and gave you more water, and stopped eating things that were bad for you. I began to give you more exercise. I began to push you to your limits.
You blossomed. Now to my admiration, you are strong and healthy. You have taken me places I never thought you could. You have done things I never believed you would. And --
I see you for who you are.
Really see you.
And here are the names I call you now:
Strong.
Dedicated.
Determined.
Able.
Beautiful.
Warrior.
And now I love you with the love you have always deserved.
Thank you for sticking it out and believing in me, even when I didn't believe in you. You taught me well.
With all my love~
Us
(This was written as participation in the syncroblog SheLoves: A Love Letter To My Body.)
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