POEMS: IRRITATION

                                                               IRRITATION

                                                                 

                                           You sense something annoying,

                             breaking into your comfort zone:

                             a yapping dog, a yelling baby,

                             food too bitter, salty, or spicy,

                             a stench, a stink, a garbage can,

                             bright headlights, print too smal,

                             too hot, too cold, or itchy,

                             a bed too hard or lumpy.

                              But worse are irritating people:

                              a speech too long and boring,

                              bragging then insulting,

                              prejudice, violence and hate,

                              modesty and manners lacking,

                              closed minds, no compromise

                       argument and strife unending

                              We yearn for peace and rest.

                              Consider you may be irritating:

                              talking more than listening,

                              believing your opinions are correct,

                              other opinions are suspect,

                              feelings easily hurt,

                              forgiveness slowly coming,

                              surrounded with possessions,

                              money wasted, crowded spaces.

                             

                              Irritation causes can be lessened,

                              sometimes even controlled.

                              Reduce your sensitivity.

                              Stay away from sources.

                              Irritation caused by us:

                              calm down, not so bold.

                              Soothe the irritated,

                             all ages, young and old.                                             

                              

                             Sharon Brown Kottlowski                                                                                               

                              

                              

                              

                          

 

                              

                              

                               

                              

                               

                                         

                              

                              

                            

                                                           

                           
                                             

POEMS: ATTENTION

                                                            ATTENTION

                         

                         Attention: Listen to your inner voice.

                         Hear what you need for yourself.

                         Plan your life, your choice.

                         Make it work and rejoice.

                         Attention: Listen to the needs of others.

                         Hear what you can do to help.

                         Plan your lives together.

                         Erase all cloudy weather.

                         

                         Attention: Listen to the voices around you.

                         Hear agreement and dissension.

                         Compromise and persuasion

                         Change or keep your view.

                         Sharon Brown Kottlowski

                              

                              

                              

POEMS: CELEBRATE DIFFERENCES

                                         

                                             

                        Celebrate Differences                                  

                                  Male/Female, Dark/Light

                                  Young/Mature, Dull/Bright

                                  Open/Closed, Warm/Cold

                                  Loud/Quiet, Shy/Bold

                                  Right/Left, Red/Blue

                                  Them/Us, Me/You

                                  Cause/Effect, Nature/Nurture

                                  Then/Now, Past/Future

                                  Celebrate differences.

                              

                           

   

POEMS:VIOLENCE

                                                               VIOLENCE

                             

                              War, historical and present 

                              Weapons, easy to get

                              Video games, movies, the news

                              Contact sports, players and fans

                              

                               Opinions with bad sources

                               Not listening to others        

                               Closed minds, too confident

                               Add emotion and hate

                               

                               Violence in speech and writing

                                Physical fighting and worse

                                Harming others demeans ourselves.

                                Our community and country suffers.  

POEMS: VISION

                                                                                       

 

                                                                              

                                
                                  Vision

                           The eyes see the natural world,

                            Plus words upon a page.

                            Bright light, large print are aides

                            Necessary as we age.

                            

                            The ears hear the natural world,

                            Plus words from many sources

                            Experience and knowledge are aides

                            More wisdom as we age.

                              

                            Our vision of the world

                             Of earth and all its creatures

                             Arrive through our senses

                              More truth as we age.

                                          

                               How to judge what we see

                               

                               How to believe what we hear

                                   

                               From past, present, and future

   

                               More wisdom is required.

                                                              

                              

                              

              

                              

                              

                              

                              

                              

                               

                                                                                       

                              

 

POEMS: Origins and Conclusions

                           ORGINS

All cultures have their origin stories

How the universe and humans came to be

Accept our families theories

Or form our own philosophy

 Greek, Roman, Hebrew, Christian

Try to explain the unknown

Used sun, moon, and constellations

Stories of many gods or just one

Events first told orally

Then written and translated

Supernatural stories

Some texts often debated

Supernatural powers in control

Form our world and destinies

Prayer and thanks to save our souls

Or belief in physics and chemistry

         

            CONCLUSIONS

All cultures have conclusion stories

What happens after death

Afterlife with no stress or worries

Or just a peaceful last breath

Earth's conclusion; heaven's begun

No pain or suffering involved

Eternity with departed loved ones

All problems have been solved

But nature reveals the cycle of life

Birth, completed purpose, death

No more questions or strife

This conclusion is the last breath

Natural or Supernatural

Two opposing thoughts

Factual or spiritual

Conclusions to think about

 

POEMS:COUPLES

                                                                                 

TEACH

 

LEARN

 

 

You decide if you are too young or too old to be something or do something.  Others in your world may have opinions or even form laws regarding what you want to be or do.  Perhaps they think they have your best interests at heart or are protecting you from something.  Down through history, women, especially, have been barred from many activities and still are not encouraged to make some decisions.  Men also have been told they are too young or too old to participate.  We all need to keep freedom alive.                                       

                                                                     

BE YOURSELF

          

                   You are unique.  You may resemble family members

                    since you share some of your DNA.  You may think

                    and speak like those around you.  You may have

                    similar opinions and beliefs you grew up with.  As

                    an adult, you can be yourself.  Be aware of peer

                    pressure and other influences.  Develop your talents 

                    and design your own life.  Honor  your past but plan

                    for the future.  Love yourself, evolve, and be proud

                    of who you are.           

FREE YOURSELF

 Whatever is holding you back or tying you down, whatever obligations you have made or lifestyle you have been living, consider change and set yourself free.  Dream about what is best for you, what will allow you to develop and evolve.  Be your own best friend and advocate.  Soar! 

At the same time, you can help others, but don't impede your own life.  The more you become, the more you can give.   

HOPE FOR THE BEST

 When life is not what you had wished for, when today, tomorrow, and the years ahead may contain unwanted situations, focus on the positive. The future may not be as bad as you think.  As many say, "It is what it is."  Adjust to what you can't control and don't despair.  Hope for the best.  

FLEXIBILITY

The ability to modify, change, or compromise shows flexibility in thinking.  Open your mind and stretch out to experience a variety of opinions.  Decisions made in the past may need some fresh air.  Be flexible.                                                                                                                                               

 

BELIEVERS AND NON-BELIVERS

Many beliefs exist around the world.  Even though there are similarities, each religion thinks it has the truth; however, some people believe in no religion at all.  What you believe often depends on your family, your ethnic makeup, and your birthplace.

Each person has the right to become a believer or a non-believer.  A non-believer usually believes in natural laws, not the supernatural.

   
 

TOUCH

One person to another, skin to skin.  A mother and her baby, a father and his child,  two friends, two relatives, two strangers, two on a date, two lovers, a husband and a wife.  We all need to touch and be touched. A high five, a fist bump, shake hands, an arm around a shoulder, a pat on the back, walk arm in arm, hold hands, dance, hug, kiss, cuddle, embrace, make love.      

                                                                                                                                                                              

 

 

TALK TIME

 What you choose to talk about shows what your mind thinks about.  Consider what you talk about: information about yourself, obtaining information about others, your opinions and beliefs, the situations in your family, local and world events, your past, present, and future.  The list is endless.

Consider what you talk about and why plus what portion of your time is spent on certain topics.  Much talk is about the present and planning for the immediate future.  Think about how often you refer to the past, comparing it to the present.  In a conversation, try to learn about the other person as much as you talk about yourself.  

Talk and listen.  Learn how to help yourself and others through good conversation.       

ENDINGS and BEGINNINGS

 Funerals and weddings, farewells and beginnings, are also times of families together and celebration. As we meet to honor the departed, grandchildren say goodby to grandparents.  Sons and daughters say goodby to parents.  Wives and husbands say goodby to spouses.  While funerals are sad, good memories of a life well-lived are shared.

As couples join together, weddings are happy with families looking forward to years of  creating memories in the future. Two families join together and create mothers- and fathers-in-law, brothers- and sisters-in-law.   Both families look forward to the possibility of the addition of children in the future.

Endings and beginnings create the cycle of life.  

SEEK HELP

 From asking for help to complete a goal to seeking help when we need it most, we have to realize when we can't do it alone.  A family member, a  friend, or a professional may be necessary.  Of course, we want to feel that we are strong, independent, and capable of solving our own problems, but we all need help sometime.  If we continue to struggle on our own, the situation may get worse.  Another person's perspective can make a big difference.

We may tell ourselves: I should be able to do this by myself.  I'm embarrassed to reveal my problem.  I don't want to burden anyone.  Procrastination may make things worse.

Part of love is helping each other, to give and take.  If we ignore our problems or just try to endure the consequences, we are missing the chance to share our lives with others and deepen our relationships. 

ENABLING

From helping someone toward positive behaviors to enabling someone to continue negative behaviors, we have to consider how much responsibility we have towards others.  When a loved one shows signs of needing help, we may be able to influence and guide them toward a better life.  Of course, every adult has the freedom to live their own lives, but if poor choices are having negative consequences, we may need to offer assistance.  If our assistance is refused, we may have to resort to the tough love approach.  If we don't try to help, we will be enabling them to continue their pattern of behavior.

Various messages we give ourselves may delay our decision to help: It's none of my business, They may consider it interference,  Our relationship will suffer.  When we listen to these excuses, time may make the behavior even worse.  

Part of love is wanting a good life for others.  When we see a problem and ignore it, we are missing a chance to show our love.