Thoughts: A Poem for Now

The thoughts overwhelm me, I have to speak out.
The pundits, they make me want to scream, cry, and shout.
I watched a great movie this weekend I did.
Fred Claus, no award winner, but it touched this old kid.
I cried when I watched as in typical fashion
All the people ran ’round with Christmas passion.
They focused on who’s naughty, who’s nice
Who deserves to get presents, who should be left out on the ice.
Of all those involved, of all those who led,
Not one saw the truth except for Santa’s brother Fred.
Fred saw they’re just kids caught in bad situations
Acting out as they will in all their frustrations.
There are no bad kids. They are wonderful all.
They need understanding and guidance not to fall
Into patterns destructive and hurtful and mean.
They need someone to listen, distill and to glean
The troubles they harbor, and what are their needs?
Help to see how they can change their bad deeds.
I guess Friday’s shooter didn’t see them this way.
I can’t even imagine what he’d have to say
Had he not been a coward and taken his own life
After taking so many and causing such strife.
Was he himself hurt or was he just mad?
Was he lashing out trying to make people sad?
The questions are many; the answers are sparse.
The media, as usual, turns it all into farce.
Life isn’t fair; it seems death isn’t either.
We’re here; then we’re gone. We can’t get a breather.
But while we’re still here, remember this please:
God’s loving kindness and care can help bring us some ease.

Greatest Hits

Sometimes, when I'm trying to recall something I'll go back through my archives here and see if I can find reference to it.  Many times I will actually remember writing something about it.  Sometimes I'm not sure but go back looking just in case.

What I find most fascinating are all the other things I find as I amble down the garden path of my deep dark thoughts.  I find that I've changed a lot.  I find that I haven't changed at all.  I find that I've forgotten certain incidents so completely that it is as if they never happened, and I must be reading from someone else's life.  Yet usually if I try hard enough, I can finally recall enough to know that it did indeed really happen.

If you have your own blog, or journal, I would encourage you to go back and read your own words every now and then.  Look at your history and think about it and learn from it.  It is fascinating.

Here are some old favorites of mine that I've reread lately:

One of my forays into poetry  Ever a fan of haiku, I turned it into verse after verse on a newsworthy topic.

This one made me laugh  I read it because I was fascinated with what would make me title a post Hoopla at the Hoohah.  It did not disappoint and brought back memories of the entire ordeal.  It does contain a warning that there is TMI shared, and there certainly is so don't go there if that will bother you.

This was a good one  This was a post where I outlined the soundtrack of my life.  I didn't check the links within it to make sure they are still good.  All I had to do was read the names of the songs to bring them up into my head for one earworm after another.

This one was written in 2009 yet it rings so very true of my most recent hook up with J it could be a current post.

I had absolutely, positively forgotten all about this one.  It was only after rereading it in its entirety that I had some vague recollection of the incident.

This one is profound  I don't mean profound in the sense that it is so grand it deserves accolades or anything.  I mean profound in that it really speaks to who I am and what I do and why and how I feel about it all.

Okay, that's enough for now.  Later taters.

If It's True That... Then Why...?

If it's true that time heals all wounds then why do I keep going around pulling the scabs off?

If it's true that the right one will find you when you aren't looking then why hasn't the right one found me in the last couple of years when I wasn't looking at all?

If it's true that autumn is your favorite time of year then why are you so grumpy about having to go out and rake leaves?

If it's true that the Illini are #13 in the nation then why did they almost lose to Western Carolina last night?

If it's true that students get into university based on high intelligence then why do they do stupid things like walk in front of your car in the dark wearing dark clothing?

If it's true that people should treat others the way they would want to be treat then why do they lie to, cheat on and steal from each other?

If it's true that I am totally wasting my time asking silly questions on my blog then why am I still here?

That's it.  I'm outta here...

Gun Control

There is one overwhelming reason why I don't own a gun:

If I owned a gun, I would be on the FBI most wanted list.  There would be far too many dead men littering the Midwest.  Every one of 'em who's broken my heart at one time or another would be gone, shot right through the heart.  Seems fitting.

And you know what?

I still wouldn't feel any better...

If you're looking for a Christmas present to give me, guns and ammo are probably not good suggestions.