Life Flows On Within You & Without You: April 2009

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Awakening From Life's Dream

Eyes wide open, we walk in a slumber,
Dreaming of dreams of the life we think we should live,
As we smile and remind ourselves to keep on living.

We walk the planned path of life that is laid out before us,
As we infectiously perpetuate the cycle of our demise,
Never allowing ourselves to wake up from this dream.

We look for outside sources to make us who we are,
As we build and acquire a life based on lies,
That can only grow as big as our wallets allow.

We think happiness can be found in the biggest “thing,”
Be it property or possession, as we abandon rationality,
Losing sight of self-thought for self-worth through materialism.

Television shows us this life, music brings it to our ears,
And our books and magazines let us read about it,
As we fall victim to the beliefs that this is life at its greatest.

Would you not agree that one dreams until he wakes?
Knowing that dreams can be a thing of beauty and awe,
We must also accept that they can be hellish nightmares.

When we allow ourselves to be told what is of beauty and awe,
Anything short of that becomes a nightmare,
And we will live in this nightmare until we awake from the dream!

When was the last time you were happy just to be alive?
When was the last time you went out of your way to help someone?
When was the last time you opened your eyes to the truth?

We find ourselves so caught up in the pursuit for happiness,
We forget to stop and ask ourselves whether we’re happy now,
As we continue in a waking dream-state of false hope.

All I ask it that you stop for a moment and ask yourself,
“Is this all a dream? And if so, how do I awake from my slumber
So that I may finally live for myself and not what I am told to live for?”

Monday, April 6, 2009

Grand Afternoons In The Park

With only a few weekends left, I wanted to let everyone know about "Grand Afternoons In The Park" going on at Perkins Rowe. It's every Sunday through May from 12:30 to 3:30 and there's live music, entertainment, and also a lot of talented artists, including my friends Sallie and Halley, working on live paintings. There's also a lot of work on display from these artists.

So if you have some free time, or happen to be eating or shopping at Perkins Rowe, come check us out!

Conversations With My Soul

And I asked myself why I have yet to discover my treasure,
For I have looked high and low, searching endlessly,
For the joy, the love, the answers, and the comfort of knowing.
Surely God’s secrets are hidden somewhere, I reminded myself,
Unto which my soul cried out, “You have not searched your heart
And in fact, it is where the happiness of the world resides.
In love, you see, you will peace and peace of mind.”

In disbelief, I thought how could this be? For I only know happiness
From outside impulses of both my desires and my addictions.
My smile, though genuine, only reflects the love I wish to share,
For though I may find despair to cloud my thoughts,
I wish to shine bright for others so they can break free from darkness.
My actions unto others are fueled by my desires,
And my actions unto myself are fueled by my addictions.

“Then your treasure shall never be found,
For it’s contents sink deeper and deeper as you stray from self.
How can one seek to find that which he is running away from?
How can one find happiness when he surrounds himself elsewhere?
How can one know true, blissful joy, if he does not accept it?
These treasures are within you, just as I am within you,
And until the two become one, you will not see the true light.”

In anger, my thoughts began to run wild as I found myself
Battling with what I knew of this life, and what my soul knew of its life.
How do I accept the life I want while leaving the life I’ve created?
To which my soul replied, “Fear not the loss of this life,
For are you not living in despair because of it?
Free yourself from your thoughts, your fears, your worries.
You are bound by ego, and ego alone. Do you not hear my cries?”

“Indeed, I have heard your cries, for they awoke me from my slumber.
I have seen the path to glory, yet have strayed.
I have seen the roads to confusion and despair, yet have followed.
I have seen many routes and many roads in my time,
And though my heart knew of the one true calling,
I have abandoned the cries of my soul for the cries of this world.
Now, I only hear the cries of my physical self, begging to be rescued.”

“Then rescued you shall be,” my soul comforted me.
“He who finds light in the void shall be humbled, knowing love
For life is love for all, and love for all starts with love for self.”
As despair melted away and the dark clouds of my thoughts dissipated,
A moment of clarity swept my entire being, and I felt alive.
For the purpose of my pain was to prepare me for the pleasures of my life.
I am finally ready to walk in the light of love.