Whatever she was to you, it was all too brief
anyway, touch-ins on social media, much love
and all that piffle amounted to nothing more
than impulse when you felt generous enough
to trumpet your own exuberance;
Love is round and full, not merely a word
or sentiment to be eschewed when distracted
by bright and shiny things, or when
another rejects you at your most vulnerable;
humans are self-absorbed and often
unintentionally fickle;
Love restores, is richly profound, a luscious
blossom and ever on the lips, though
if deprived of nourishment, withers away
to become a husk of its former blush and bloom;
Take the high road, not only enchanting
with words, mean what is said, take action
in a world short on follow-through;
persist with pledges made not only
at your convenience; dare to be tender,
if only to bask in the promise of probity,
feel the glow, the dazzle of divinity coursing
through the veins, looping back into your
own shining spirit and out to a planet
sorely in need of the heart’s affirmations.
You tell ’em Bela! *nods* Well said. We are so much more than bright and shiny from a distance.
– Esme nodding upon the Cloud
Truly stated. We are infinitely knowable, but one must take the time. And I do mean infinitely, because as we connect, we continue discovering much about another, but also about ourselves! And that can go on for a lifetime, I swear. And in the process, we don’t take ourselves so seriously, we let our guard down and have ourselves a good, deep belly laugh over the whole thing! Nothing like it! <3
<3 X <3 – esme x
❤
KEEPING IN TOUCH
“HI! Love you. Kiss kiss.
Must dash.” And scrolls down to the
Next ten second bite.
Precisely! Well, perhaps it’s better than being mean. I want to give it that much. But when it’s chronic, the frays begin to show. Until one is wearing a beggar’s coat, themselves bereft of the very feelings they most want and need. Thanks for the input 😉
And further, if one ‘does not know how to love,’ for heaven’s sake, one can Learn. But it requires a bit of vulnerability, and we live in such very hard (as in crusted over) times. Bombarded from every corner, afraid to be alone, afraid of getting hurt and then we wonder. So yes, I can have empathy for such people, but also they need to understand a bit of sacrifice of ego’s self-protection on their part is needed in order to let others in. And then be prepared for disappointment. And then open again. And again. Now THAT is spiritual practice. Truly. <3
I can only agree with you, Bela.
Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
I blame modern technology, the media’s push for rushing at every task, every pleasure, and… knowing how to love. It scares me that many in our younger generations aren’t learning the “how”. I wish they could all read your poem, Bela.
Thanks, Betty. I see plenty of this behavior in our own generation, though. I think those who possessed the proclivity for ‘shut down’ can use social media as a substitute for face to face and heart to heart. I notice it a Lot in ‘found’ classmates, for example. But in general, lots of damage out there, unfortunately – and I’ve had my share to plow through. It’s a tricky world, in any case, to navigate without capitulating to sorrow, somatic illness and/or sarcasm. I do feel for people, as I say. But can’t we simply try another way? I mean, many of those I know are closer to the end of life … what ‘deathbed’ regrets could be averted if they would only attend to what is in the here and now? Aloha, dear Betty <3
You’re right – I too see it in our own generation. And we’re setting bad examples for our grandkids. There’s a lack of eye contact, a disconnect – which is a symptom of not being in that here and now.
Yesterday I was out among others feeling oddly isolated when a young woman walked by (a stranger) and she actually looked me in the eye and smiled. That’s so rare nowadays that it surprised me. It gives me hope!
Yes, happens occasionally to me as well. Though it’s usually me doing that to others! 🙂 Aloha, Betty.
Same here. Sometimes people respond in kind, other times they just look blank or confused. Ha! It doesn’t stop me though. 😀
What a close. Loved it.
dare to be tender,
if only to bask in the promise of probity,
feel the glow, the dazzle of divinity coursing
through the veins, looping back into your
own shining spirit and out to a planet
sorely in need of the heart’s affirmations.
Glad you enjoyed it, David. And it’s true! ;D xo
…. And that’s why there is no love button on social media. (At least, that’s what Im telling mysef right now) I feel the glow. Thank you for this.
I love you my fellow human 💕
Awww, mahalo, Val! Now can’t you feel the love returning to you, multiplied? I can see it in your face that you know the truth in this 😉 Sending you love and aloha <3
💕Aloha 💕
I so agree with the sentence that love is round and full. There is nothing like feeling amazing and feeling amazing because of self-love and love from others around you. Not all the time love is all rosy as you alluded to. People come and go in our lives…but I always like to remember the happier thoughts with them 😊 Aren’t we all shining spirits in our own ways 😊 Interesting to hear you write dare to be tender. Be tender, be vulnerable, feel and done what you’ve never done before 😊
Mabel, as always I’m grateful for your feedback. I agree people come and go in and from our lives, but that does not mean that love dies – with forgiveness and understanding, love, even from a distance, can go on and on. Love is the nature of what some call god, it’s the divine spark in all of us. At least that’s how I see it. I didn’t mean that love is ‘rosy all the time’ – that implies, I think, that ‘things are just peachy all the time,’ which of course they are not. Yet love itself is more than a series of events or occurrences – much more. Love is large and round, forgiving, full, generous, open-hearted. Yet without being accepted and passed on, it withers and dies. So in that way, it loses its blush. But this is not at all restricting love to lovers. It’s love shared between friends, with oneself, even with strangers.
I love the term namaste, as I understand it, “The god in me recognizes the god in you.” If this is not love, I don’t know what is. We are all in this together. To withhold our hearts is to live with eyes half-shut, and in the end, I think, we may well discover our selfish interpretations of love a pittance compared to the open-hearted generosity of the cosmos. But that’s for another discussion 😉
Sending you bright blessings and love – of course! 💓
‘ love, even from a distance, can go on and on. ‘ This is such a powerful, powerful line that you said. Love knows no boundaries and you can’t help what you feel – with anyone, everyone <3
🤗
“mean what is said, take action in a world short on follow-through; persist with pledges made not only at your convenience” — That’s such a precious trait in someone, if they can be found. Some of the best advice anyone could ever follow through on. Well said, dear Bela. H <3
I know it’s ambitious. But hey, it IS possible. I’m like this myself, which is why I find it odd that others don’t seem to be – quite. We used to sing this song in Girl Scouts, ‘When ere you make a promise; consider well its importance; and when made, engrave it upon your heart.’ Made quite an impression on me back then, in that 50+ years later, I can sing it, word for word 😉
Winging you love on this bright day! <3
Love could be selfless…once upon a time. Love could be sacrifice, it could be eternal, I have written about unknown love too but part-time love? Isn’t it the same as hypocritical love or love that is selfish? Why blame the technology or the fast-paced life for our own lack of sincere love? Love is just love or it is fake, feelingless!
Agreed, Balroop. The ‘part-time love’ was written tongue in cheek. As if. As you say 😉 Aloha <3
“bright and shiny things” – how fleeting they are, how far removed from the language of the soul, how we’d still be attracted to them because there’s no soul-permanence in our perspective or interpretation.
“a luscious blossom and ever on the lips” and “withers away to become a husk of its former blush and bloom” – how true that if deprived of nourishment the former quote can’t sync with the latter. Our eyes are on a perpetual spirit-led search only to be disparaged by the superficial layers conditioned in-between. These layers seeking temporariness are nourishment-deficient?
“looping back into your own shining spirit and out to a planet sorely in need of the heart’s affirmations” – I love how you do ‘looping back into’ and ‘out to a planet,’ demonstrating the efficacy of selflessness in our very egotistical world — how this beautifully captures the saying that what you give out comes back. Bury the self-serving vanity, ladies and gentlemen.
You are a magician with words and they aptly support your style and narration: the perfect mix if you will.
Loved it, B. Aloha 🙂
Aww, you do me great honor, Mahesh. Thank you for your kind words. And these: “Our eyes are on a perpetual spirit-led search only to be disparaged by the superficial layers conditioned in-between.” So true! And well penned. I’m like the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, “If I only had (more left) brain …” – HA!! I so appreciate this trait you possess in crystalizing my poetic ramble. Hariod Brawn has a similar ability, much admired. Though I wouldn’t trade being me, nor would I wish for you to be other than you. So many ways to kneel and kiss the ground, no? (Gotta love Rumi.)
Aloha, Mahesh. Thanks so much for adding your reflections to this post’s thread 🙇🏻♀️❤️
“So many ways to kneel and kiss the ground” – lovely 🙂 Thanks for the quote, and your kind words. Humbled.
Your poems are magical, Bela – and they MUST be widely read. I’m proud of your creative genius. xo
Many thanks, Mahesh. 😌
So much depth within the words of your muse today Bela.. And I can quite relate to your meaning.. Love is the messy bits, the being there in the thick of hard times.. illness, lows, And not a few words here or there behind a screen..
The Full time love takes effort, empathy, compromise, and respect..
Sending Hugs your way xxx <3 Well written
NOT just a few words, no. I mean, sometimes it’s all we’ve got (like those in my wp community, though I’d surely hang with you physically if I could!). But often we’ve met face to face and the other person then keeps the ‘friendship’ going by asking for advice, favors, support. When it gets lopsided like that, I just create distance. As they say on these islands, “Enough, a’ready!” Aloha <3
Oh so with you on that one Bela.. 🙂 I remember when my work colleagues found out I was a shusssh medium… lol… They would all want to be my friend, and thought I was a fortune teller.. Lol..
If a message was to come they needed I would be sure to share it.. But I soon set up rules where work was concerned.. Work was work….
If you are not careful you can get drained by the ‘vampires’ sucking at you, LOL..
Sending LOVE and Peace my friend <3
Exactly. Learned the same lesson. People will be people. 😜😘
🙂 always..