Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Ideals VS Interests

ALOHA!


click on the photos

He goes off to work.
A space is created.
Or revealed.
It is full of writhing
competing
concerns.
"Hey! Me over here!"
each one (of perhaps dozens)
yells all at once. . .

There will always be tasks, till the end of life.
I think that's what "Rest in Peace" means.
The "To Do" list is integral to our incarnate existence
and it's unending upkeep here.

. . . Yes certain worlds are always ending.
And certain people are attached passionately
to those ending worlds.

'Fin de siècle'

is not just a word to mispronounce


and the river of the Nile
is no longer a River of Denial

as millions awake
from a thirty year dream.


If young, you burn for possibilities;
if older you cheer them on
while thinking of stability and milk on the shelves.


Perhaps the best secret tonic
to perform the true alchemy
of changing ennui, fear & despair
into gold
is gratitude.

One begins mechanistically
(as one does to cultivate any new habit)
scratching the scalp trying to come up with
reasons to be grateful
but the cacophony is used to having it's sway
and we think always to be trapped
at their party.

But slowly gratitude ascends

 and broadens

like the sun.
(Touching everything)

It becomes a habit
and takes on a life of it's own.

Not a noisy life,
but punctuated with
quiet shouts of sudden joy.


Gratitude.

Not just because it is "a good thing to do"
or good and right & joyful,
or (forbid!) the sniveling of a slave
hoping to avoid more pain.


As gratitude takes on that life of it's own.
You will be out of step with others,
even thought 'simple.'

Your stomach will still churn from time to time.
Isn't that great!
For the dead need nothing no more.

But you and I need groceries.
Tomorrow I'll post about
bananas.

Thanks for visiting today!
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