“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Animotion - Obsession (by AnimotionVEVO)

“Don’t be ashamed to weep; ‘tis right to grieve. Tears are only water, and flowers, trees, and fruit cannot grow without water. But there must be sunlight also. A wounded heart will heal in time, and when it does, the memory and love of our lost ones is sealed inside to comfort us.” 

~ Brian Jacques

Hundreds of versions of myself, spread out over many times and places — All very similar

Saying and doing the same things, though in slightly different situations — Repetition, echo

Some variations have their own personality, and provide guidance to me when I am silent

Even if I do not actually follow their advice, they tell me what I should and should not do

One with special experience in particular romance tells me not to try again with Helen

Though there is chemistry, to be with her again would be very difficult, without much reward

I find Sophia sitting with her childhood self, and close by is my own inner child — Playing

He teaches me how to be happy, for I have forgotten more than I can remember

I teach him how to fly, or at least how to fall gracefully — His future will require rising above

I ask Sophia if she hears the echoes of her other selves, but she does not

Her childhood self curses a lot — An interesting pair we make, though contentious

She comes close, but then leaves to be with Helen, and once again I am alone with myself

One of Helen’s female lovers comes to say that I am still wanted by both Helen and Sophia

But I do not want to go through the pain of seeing either of them with someone else

So I write a poem and draw a picture and leave them in a package for Sophia to find

Strangers try to keep me with them, which is flattering though I want to be with another

My soul keeps getting caught in circles — And my feet get stuck so I cannot leave

Until I have listened to the music all the way through — All the way around to the end

The circle of life continues to turn, the records that make me happy also bring me sadness

But I am learning, and it is possible to go back to the beginning again, if only in memory

And there is always the possibility of finding true love, beyond compassion and empathy

When I talk to Sophia, I tell her I love her and miss her — Yet I am afraid to go to her

Sometimes I disregard my own advice and try to find Helen, despite the pain and heartbreak

I know that I am meant to be with one and not the other, but I am weak and uncertain also

And I know that Sophia may not feel the same way about me that I feel about her

A different kind of love, unpossessive and free from jealousy, at least most of the time

Yet I still cannot help but hope that one day we’ll be together, when I am a better person

I know there will be heartbreak and loss and pain, but also some occasional contentment

Even if I never see Sophia again, she will continue to be in my thoughts and dreams

No one is beyond redemption — Nothing in this world is wasted

Everything we do has purpose whether we know it or not

The world is always beginning and continuing to be born again

Constantly evolving towards new kinds of transformations

We are all connected in our becoming, part of the universal mind

All is one, yet different — Everything is everything else, but distinct

Becoming amidst being, creativity acting on receptivity, unity in duality

The potential for transcendence and wisdom is inside each of us

Through the mirror of our minds we can understand the language of love

Oceans of life giving energy there for the taking and giving away — Here

Swimming, flying, walking — Life continues ever onwards in its quest for perfection

Searching always for balance, joy, happiness — Reasons for living beyond just surviving

Everything good and bad is part of life’s plan, a way for the cosmos to become better

Through resolution of conflict, the good becomes more perfect and the bad fades away

Forgive yourself for past mistakes and bad judgments you have made

Look to the future — Positivity is essential for the continuation of life

Without hope, how can any human being continue to live and learn?

Even if only a faint glimmer of light, almost completely hidden under

A veil of regrets, despair, sorrow — But it can be lifted, if only

For a little while, and life continues ever onwards — We are all stars

Players in our own games of love and life — Games that are not games

And the game of life that we all play together, whether we like it or not

Finding joy and happiness wherever and whenever we can, with who we can

Serving others in order to find what we are looking for — The meaning of life

Some kind of god or deity of the earth and sky and the universe of stars

Traveling and making new homes on faraway planets, in our dreams

One day we will look back on this time and see our old home earth

Still there, still here, for us, all of us no matter how low or high we may seem

No matter our mistakes and our triumphs — We will be glad to have known

This the first of many worlds, home planet for humanity, mother of us all

The Sleeper Awakens

Some are frightened by the shadow inside them

Others learn to accept and cultivate their dark half

Even the least attractive part of our minds have value

The sleeper must awaken — both the good and evil

By transcending our shadow we become whole —

At home with ourselves, without fear or apprehension

In this new world, it snows at the beginning of the spring equinox

Then I pause and reflect on my past and desires for the future

For all who seek truth to find balance between dark and light

Trusting love — Both angels and demons sleep within the deep

Places of our souls — our minds give rise to them when we need them

Even when we don’t want anyone, especially then, they appear

Friends who help us back on the right track, or to keep going

On the right one — Beyond limited definitions of family, they are

Closer than blood, a way of understanding your place in the universe

A reminder that you are beautiful and unique and not ever alone

Earth Family

The ones you think about, the ones you love most, for better or worse

They can be the source of your inspiration or a cause for despair

My friends are closer to me than biology — Blood and bone are secondary

We would be nothing without our parents and grandparents — And yet

It is warm in the sunlight and cool in the shade — You can choose

Your family if you are willing to look beyond the chains of your past

I may not be able to forget you, but the least I can do is try to forgive

Myself — We have all made some positive impact in someone’s life

The Water Of Life

Worshipping the earth, the smell of humus, rain

Finding love and peace in the stillness of morning

Gardens of mind and body give hope to sick friends

They heal by making their surroundings a beautiful place

Through perception and understanding, and the right force

To make the world fit your will, your will the universe

To search for someone who dreams the same visions as you

Or at least similar enough so that you have some understanding

It helps me accept that people I love are not doing well

A way to make some kind of a connection with the universe

And perhaps my work will bring some joy to the people I care about

And what I learn I can teach others, and help my friends live better

When the rain comes, it washes my soul and gives life to the soil

The seeds I plant grow into beautiful creatures and friends

The whole world is a garden, and yet each place is different

Each smaller garden within the whole has its own unique beauty

Consciousness pervades nature, and the universe is self-aware

The garden of your mind goes on forever, just like the cosmos

We each have the opportunity to share our vision and dream together

The trick is finding the right person to love more than others

Blessings of nature and the divine indwelling mind of the universe

The force of attraction and the coming together of disparate parts

There are ways we can be better stewards of the earth, water, and sky

Though things are getting better, there is much left to be done

The Mind Of Nature

Global warming is real — fact not fiction, yet strange
The beautiful storms of change, intense and wild
Floods and wildfires threatening the vulnerable
Those in the desert are even more thirsty for water

The butterfly says to let the outside in and the inside out
Let the wind blow through your heart and breathe deep
The presence of the sun shows through closed eyelids
Progressive cultural evolution for humanity is necessary

The moon and stars and visible planets are a beautiful example
How to organize chaos — Hope in the midst of violent conflict
Mind and consciousness shared by all beings in the universe
Perception that helps create reality — Each influencing the other

I tend my garden and find comfort in the smell of rich earth and leaves
A microcosm of my hope for humanity’s efforts to change the environment
Each part and individual working for the benefit of the whole ecosystem
The diversity of nature allowing for greater health and balance overall

Consciousness rises from nature — Its history remains tied to the earth
The combination of the water of life and the fertile soil creates beauty
Lessons for humanity about the patterns of interdependence in the universe
The spiral and the circle of creation, preservation, change, desire, becoming

Everything is transforming into something else, yet essence remains the same
The wind spreads seeds within the garden and also to other faraway places
The world is a garden too, and the wind shares without distinction for nationality
The rain allows for new life to begin, and consciousness to flower inside the mind

Like plants and animals, people are constantly making love and fighting each other
But with hope, conflict will be more about words and ideas instead of physical violence
The cities of light and darkness, the forests and oceans, the blood and passion flow
But we should let each other live, for we are all unique though essentially the same

Looking out the eastern and western windows in morning and night — Duality of time
Accepting the space around us — Working to change the future but accepting the past
The crossroads allows for us to change our lives and choose which way we want to go
And it is never too late to change our minds and follow a different path, another destination

I pass by a beautiful woman on a forest trail — She is bending down to smell the wildflowers
For years I will think of her and wish I had stopped to say hello and see what she sees
She smiles at me and her eyes are full of light but also very dark — Duality of being alive
A fire rises in my heart and I cannot help but smile in return — We will always be connected

In the same bed, I put my arm around her and breathe in the natural fragrance of her beauty
I cannot go to sleep no matter how hard I try, and time seems to stand still, but I am happy
To be close to her, to feel her presence blurring the boundaries between our bodies and minds
She turns over and our foreheads touch for a long time, and our breath becomes entwined

You are a manifestation of the divinity present and indwelling in the self-aware universe
You are a star given human form — Light in the darkness — Mirror of cosmic consciousness

There are so many people I deeply care for, it’s hard to count
And yet I cannot help but feel more love for some than others
The ones I dream - when the rain comes and the earth drinks its fill

I think of her often in good times and bad times — It helps
Knowing she is alive and vital in my world at this moment in time
Even though we cannot be together, even though she may not want to be

At this particular point in space and time, I still love her
The memory and idea of her inspires me to be a better person
To make better art, or at least know when my art is not good

When I do not create for the benefit of other people — Humanity
Benefits when I am enlightened in my pursuit of self-interests
When I give as much as I take, and take only what I need to survive

We are all part of the cause for social justice and equality for all
Even my friends who are selfish and who do not like the idea of change
We all play our part in the great unfolding drama of the universe

And she is the one who inspires me to have faith and hope for the future
What may be and what will be, a better world that is busy being born
Always unfolding and changing in the pattern of chaos and intention

Her very existence is a work of art of the highest order of beauty
Purity of soul and body and spirit always changing, becoming, living
The fire of her mind penetrates and burns my masks to ashes — Holy

Desire to know her better and to learn her thoughts and perspective
On every matter of thing in the world, and in her mind, and everywhere
A foundation for my own understanding of the universe and life

Love lives on, no matter how much time passes, no matter how many mistakes
Bad judgments you make — There is always hope of a new brighter day
The sun rises and the past fades a little more into obscurity — Healing

Your body, mind, and spirit — And while she sleeps her true form shows
The light in her eyes spreads out to the rest of her face — Peace
And happiness I am happy to see, perhaps in some small part because of me

In the night I held her in my arms, and it was something like heaven
A secret that we never talked about afterwards, yet thought about
I held her hand and felt a deep sense of belonging, of coming home

My quest to find the center of myself would not be possible without her
I owe my strength and determination to her influence and presence in my life
Full of music and magic, peace and understanding — Bliss, love, and freedom