May 2016 – Page 2 – Inspiration for the Mind, Body & Soul

The Joy of Life

Improvement

Poem by Edgar Albert Guest

The joy of life is living it, or so it seems to me;
In finding shackles on your wrists, then struggling till you’re free;
In seeing wrongs and righting them, in dreaming splendid dreams,
Then toiling till the vision is as real as moving streams.
The happiest mortal on the earth is he who ends his day
By leaving better than he found to bloom along the way.
Were all things perfect here there would be naught for man to do;
If what is old were good enough we’d never need the new.
The only happy time of rest is that which follows strife
And sees some contribution made unto the joy of life.
And he who has oppression felt and conquered it is he
Who really knows the happiness and peace of being free.
The miseries of earth are here and with them all must cope.
Who seeks for joy, through hedges thick of care and pain must grope.
Through disappointment man must go to value pleasure’s thrill;
To really know the joy of health a man must first be ill.
The wrongs are here for man to right, and happiness is had
By striving to supplant with good the evil and the bad.
The joy of life is living it and doing things of worth,
In making bright and fruitful all the barren spots of earth.
In facing odds and mastering them and rising from defeat,
And making true what once was false, and what was bitter, sweet.
For only he knows perfect joy whose little bit of soil
Is richer ground than what it was when he began to toil.

What is a good life? What is the measure of a life well lived? These are questions that we all ask as we navigate our way through life. And for me, I like to reframe the question to the following: “When my time is up and I pass on from this life, what do I want to be remembered for and what kind of person do I want to be remembered as? And the answer is simple; I want to be remembered for having left this world a better place than when I came into it. I want to leave a positive footprint. I also want to be remembered as a person who shared love in a world full of hate. This is my legacy in the making. . .what will yours be?

Life

Poem by Tom Le Guilcher

Life is like the waves it has its ups and downs
Life is like a roller coaster it has its twists and turns
Life is like a sport it just depends on what we play
Life is like a game of poker it just depends on what we are dealt

Life can be given life can be taken
Life can be a curse life can be a blessing
Life can be a pain life can be in sain

Life has its ways life has its days
Life has its love life has its hate
Life has its gentler touch but it has its harder punch

Life brings you to your knees when you feel in need
Life brings you a lot of things  but in the end it depends on what we do

Life isn’t perfect. Life has its highs and incredible lows. So, the true measure of your happiness and what you get out of your life depends on how you choose to approach it. You can choose to have a doom and gloom attitude and walk around with a chip on your shoulder because life has dealt you a bad hand. Or, you can choose to approach life with a can do attitude and search for the silver lining in every situation. Remember, life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

Moving Forward

Changing Everything

Jane Hirshfield

I was walking again
in the woods,
a yellow light
was sifting all I saw.

Willfully,
with a cold heart,
I took a stick,
lifted it to the opposite side
of the path.

There, I said to myself,
that’s done now.
Brushing one hand against the other,
to clean them
of the tiny fragments of bark.

Throughout life, you will find yourself looking over your shoulder at the path you’ve already traveled. But, what good does this really do? You’re not going that way. So, make the decision to look back one final time and say that’s done now. Then turn around and face forward in the direction you have yet to go in. Choose instead to look forward onto the uncharted waters you have yet to explore. . .because it is what lies ahead of you that truly matters.

Smile

A smile

By Anonymous

Smiling is infectious,
You catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner,
And someone saw my grin,
When he smiled I realized,
I’d passed it on to him.

I thought about that smile,
Then realized its worth,
A single smile, just like mine,
Could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin,
Don’t leave it undetected.
Let’s start an epidemic quick,
And get the world infected.

One smile, one laugh can brighten another person’s day. Being genuinely positive and exuding confidence is contagious. We’ve all been around a stranger in an elevator when we’re grumpy, tired or just had a bad day and you initially think, “Really, someone else just had to get on . . .great.” And, then that person turns to you, smiles and says “Have a great day,” and gets off. You then find yourself echoing the same sentiment with a genuine smile on your face. It’s amazing how such a simple and seemingly small gesture can brighten your mood. So, instead of walking around with that frown on your face, try something crazy and smile. If you try this, you’ll soon notice two things – (1) that eventually that forced smile soon becomes a real smile and (2) you’ll notice that others around you will start echoing your smile. So, let your smile radiate across the room and the world will be a little brighter for it.

Heartprints

By Anonymous

Whatever our hands touch –
We leave fingerprints!
On walls, on furniture
On doorknobs, dishes, books.
There’s no escape.
As we touch we leave our identity.

Wherever I go today
Help me leave heartprints!
Heartprints of compassion
Of understanding and love.

Heartprints of kindness
And genuine concern.
May my heart touch a lonely neighbor
Or a runaway daughter
Or an anxious mother
Or perhaps an aged grandfather.

Send me out today
To leave heartprints.
And if someone should say,
“I felt your touch,”
May they also sense the love
that is deep within my heart.

As I’ve said time and time again, life isn’t about what you get, rather it’s about what you give. And, what gives true meaning to a life is to give and spread as much love in this world as you can. Every time you encounter a new person – whether it be the person standing in front of you at Starbucks or sitting next to you on an airplane – it is an opportunity to leave a heartprint. Strive to create within yourself, the type of person that when you leave the room, others are better off for having been around you. When you create a life full of love, you attract blessings and positive energy.

The Journey

By Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice–
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do–
determined to save
the only life you could save.

This is a beautiful poem about forging your own path and finding your own voice. Because often in life, we let other people’s voices overshadow our own. It seems that there is always someone – whether it be family, friends, coworkers, stranger in line at Starbucks, etc. – who has an opinion on how you should live your life. In the broad sense, there is nothing wrong with someone giving advice or their opinion on a matter (as long as it isn’t unsolicited. . .ahem. . .), but at the end of the day, it’s Your Life. And, the most important voice is your own. So, don’t let the world silence you. Learn to be a lion and don’t be afraid to Roar!

Be Grateful for Each Day

Each day be thankful for all you have and appreciate the opportunity to live this day.

~ Kate Summers

I believe it is important to take a moment every day and think about at least three things you are grateful for. It can be as simple as saying –

I’m grateful for waking up with my health.
I’m grateful for the loving friends and family that provide their unwavering support without asking for anything in return.
I’m grateful for having reliable transportation to get me to and from work.

The whole point of this exercise is to remind yourself that it is a blessing to wake up each morning and live another day. Nothing in this life is promised. . .tomorrow is not a given. So, even though life isn’t perfect, you have a lot to be appreciative of and you should always strive to focus on the good that surrounds you rather than the bad. Whether you experience the true measure of life depends upon the lens you are viewing it from. The choice is, and always has been, yours. . .

A Mother’s Day Poem

I felt it was time to publish one of my own original works and what better occasion than Mother’s Day. I dedicate this poem to my mom.

A Mother’s Day Poem

By LeKeisha Suggs

A mother is always there to wipe away the tears
When things get rough, she is there to tell you it will be alright
She is there to cheer you on as you face your fears
And when you feel like quitting, she will tell you to never give up the fight

A mother is always there to share in every triumph and every fail
When you stumble, she is there to lend a steady hand
She is there to support you when you are ready to set sail
And when things don’t work, she’s there to say, “Okay, what’s the plan”?

A mother is there to teach you how to first crawl and then walk
When you are unsure, she is there to point you toward the right door
She is there to guide you along life’s winding paths and be your steady rock
And when you are ready to fly, she says “Stand on my shoulders, so you can soar”

Dear Mom,

I would not be half the woman I am today if it weren’t for your unconditional love, support and strength over the years. You are my biggest cheerleader, my toughest critic and my best friend. You always tell it to me straight. Your belief and confidence that I am worth something and am capable of achieving any and all of my dreams provides me fuel to keep the fires blazing when the nights are long and cold. As I get older, my appreciation for all that you do and all that you are deepens.

I love you more than words can express. I feel blessed and proud to call you Mom.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!!!

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking

By Emily Dickinson

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

I believe firmly that life isn’t about what you get, rather life is about what you give. As you go through life, don’t forget to be compassionate and generous. If you can brighten and help better another person’s life, then do it. Your life will have so much more meaning and fulfillment when you share love and kindness with others.

Count Your Blessings

~ Author Unknown

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;
Love your neighbor as much as yourself.

This poem is a great reminder to focus on seeing the glass as being half full instead of half empty. It is so easy to focus on the negative and all the bad things that happen every single day. But, it takes a courageous soul to instead see the good in every situation you encounter in life. Always remember that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.