Christmas is this thing
It's an enigma
There are many converging factors
That make this time of year equally hopeful
But equally stressful and plastic
Giving unrealistic ideas
That  can drive some people to poverty and insanity
Within a mere week
Sometimes within a day
I think the thing that makes this particular holiday special
Is the offering of hope and good will that it is supposed to stand for
Yet it's also the time of year when we are told that we must spend our money
Buy that big screen t.v.
Buy your hope
Go broke trying to buy our penance
Spending money to wash away the guilt
To feel like we have actually given something
To somehow feel like we can make up
For all the other times we didn't give
Or make up for the distance we have with our families
And somehow make up for all the times we weren't there.
And we somehow feel entitled to receive these gifts
And some people will actually feel mad
Even angry if no one gives them a gift on Christmas
Whether they have been naughty or nice
And then there are the people who are left out in the cold
Who have no family
No loved ones
No gifts
No hope
Who feel even more estranged
And lost
And forgotten during this time
But even with that said
There is still a kernel of goodness and wisdom
To spreading good will to all men
And trying to spread hope and faith
For your fellow man
And trying to give just because we can
Instead of trying to receive something in return
I think that we need to imbue these qualities all year
Instead of trying to simply focus on them
When the holiday times comes
Giving to people just because you can
And sharing that empathy and good will
And showing people that you care
Just because you can
I think that if we were all to take these lessons to heart
We would all be a little better off

Lights out
Good night
The sun has set
The night time hour
Has descended upon us
The night has come
The lights are gone
Lost in the night
When the lights first go out
It can be hard to see
Sometimes we can stumble along
Not knowing where we need to go
Tripping over and stumbling
Over any obstacle in our way
After a while
Our night vision kicks in
And we start to see farther
The night starts getting brighter
The obstacles in our way
Become more clear
We get to the point
Where we can navigate
Through the night
With relative ease
Life is a lot like
Switching the lights off
When things are the brightest
Some time we can stumble along
Not really knowing
Which way we should be going
Tripping over every obstacle
That trips us up
Or that falls in our way
But its once we have been in the dark
For a little bit of time
When we start to become
More adept at navigating the night
Learning to trust our night vision
Trusting our instincts instead of our eyes
Learning to trust the inner primal knowing
That guides you through those dark ravines
That guides you through those dark points
Learn to trust that night vision
That inner knowing
The inner faith
That will lead you through
The darkest night
When the light go out

Wading through
The daily grind
Can be tiresome
We want to float
Floating above the world
High in the sky
Away from the troubles
Above ourselves
Its so easy
To get stuck wading
Through the muck
Getting caught up
In the world
And our troubles
And ourselves

There is an order to everything
An underlying factor
That rules everything
We need to get back in order
So that we can start living together
Living in order with the Earth
Instead of trying to subjugate and tame it
Learning from the ancient wisdoms
And taking care of our mother
And taking care of ourselves
Paying attention to the natural order
Instead of forcing our artificial way of life
Unto each other and this planet
Our mother wants to be free
Free to breathe
To live in balance
Everything has a balance
Everything has a natural order
We have to be willing to live alongside
Our brothers and sisters
Living in order with each other
Living in order with ourselves
Accepting ourselves
Accepting our natural order in the world

Silence
Can speak
Volumes
We have
To break
The silence
When it comes
To some things
There are some
Things
In this world
We can't
Be silent about
We have to
Speak out
Speak out
For the people
Who don't
Have a voice
Break the silence
For the ones
Who aren't able
To articulate
Their needs
Or articulate
Their pain
The people
In the dark
Who are searching
Searching to find
Themselves
In a world
That seems
So cold
Lonely
Barren
Devoid
Of life
Love
Hope
Living
In darkness
We must speak
Break the silence
For we can't stay
Silent
Any longer
We have to speak
We can't just stay still
Any longer
The world
Needs people
Who are willing
To speak
Break the silence

Lapsing into myself
I find
Inner demons
And the calm

It seems like life is interesting
You want to do your best
You want to know that you are making some sort of difference
That your life has some purpose
It can be hard sometimes
When it seems like one thing happens after another
It can get easy to get stuck in a rut
And to think that we can never do better
Than the position that we are in right now
It is very easy to let the world
Especially ourselves
Convince us that our lives are just one big mistake
Whether it be financial, physical, emotional
Whatever seems to be standing in our way
Its very easy to take that in
And to start believing that where you are
Is just where you are supposed to be
That there isn't really anything you can do
You just have to keep going along
Not really feeling
Just allowing life to bowl over us
To feel like things are just becoming more overwhelming
Going through life feeling like you are going from one crisis to the next
Never truly being able to move forward
Getting stuck in the mud
And not being able to come up for air
But I feel even though it seems like a lot of people are going through their trials
That as long as you are moving forward
Working to become a better person
Trying to make a difference
Healing the things that you need to in your life
Making the changes that you need to make
To get to that better point in yourself
Even though things might seem hard
As long as you are trying to get to a better place
You are actively trying to help and heal yourself
As long as you are trying to help other people in the process
You are doing ok
You can move forward with pride
Knowing that you are moving
And coming more into the light

Our souls reach out
We all want to live
We all want to grow
Even when things seem the darkest
Our souls and hearts reach for life
But we must be able to accept death
Learning to live without fear of living
And learning to enrich death
As you continue to die
Little by little
Changing yourself
Dying over and over
As your soul continues
To thrive.

Therefore he sent his angels to converse with them who caused men to behold of his glory. We must be willing to give up our old selves and old ways in order to truly progress. If we continue to let our past ways rule us we can never move forward completely with God. If we truly forsake our past selves we will be born again and made new unto the likeness of God as we move forward with kindness to everyone around us. Seeing God in every single one of Gods creations as we move forward with a new type of love and faith.

After everything
You have been through
After all the struggles
After all the strife
After all the pain
You can look back
With absolute clarity
My life has purpose
I know who I am
After all the things
I have been through
I know I am exactly
Where I need to be
With this new focus
I can move forward
With new resolve
I know who I am
I am at peace with life
Peace with the storms
Peace with the past
Knowing it has led me
To exactly where I am now

What is true
What is wrong
What is right
Can be so hard
To distinguish
These days
What I do know
Is that all people
No matter how
Lost they are
No matter how
Far they have
Fallen
Every one
Is connected
We are all
Connected
To each other
We are all
Connected
To the Earth
Regardless
Of what
People
Might
Say
We are
All beautiful
In our own
Ways
We all
Have that
Beautiful
Spark in us
We just have
To accept
And find it
Even if the
World doesn't
See it all the time
Every one has
That light inside
We all have that
Healing light
Inside of us
We just have
To be willing
To understand
Every body is
Loved in their
Own way
Even when
You feel the
Most alone
There is always
Love and light
And healing
Just bubbling
Below the surface
You just have to
Be willing to look
No matter what
People might say
Our nature isn't evil
We aren't somehow
Tainted from birth
Doomed to live
In sin from the
Beginning only
To be saved
Only after
We accept God
We are born pure
Our true nature
Is of God
Our true nature
Tells us we are
Whole
We are
Beautiful
We have
A purpose
Our hearts
Know from
The beginning
We just have
To remember
We are stronger
More powerful
More whole and beautiful
Than we could ever
Hope or dream for
We just have to see it
What is true
Can be hard
To find when you
Live in a world
Full of illusions
And lies but
Even among
The lies and the
Illusions there is
Truth and beauty
To be found
Every where you
Look if you know
Where to find it
We all are connected
To all the truth
All the knowledge
All the strength
All the healing
That we could
Ever need here
On Earth if we
Know how to
Find it
The truth is in
Our hearts
Its sitting there
We just have to
Look and our
Hearts will
Lead the way
Teaching us
What is right
What is wrong
What is true

People are like stories or books. We all have our own histories and lessons that we take with us as we continue to live and build our stories as we go along in life. We carry our stories  with us as we move along in life we return to those old stories that have made us here today as we continue to write our own stories along the way. We tend to think we are the authors of own stories and in some ways we do but ultimately God is the author and creator of our lives and of everything and when we begin to see it for ourselves we start to see the author's and creator's hands not only in our own life but others as well.

The Flow of life
Is written in our

Souls as we allow
Ourselves to give
In to the flow of

Life as our hearts
Expand ever outward
Flowing in love and
In that healing

Glow and presence
That comes from
Listening to the

Flow as you
Get closer

To life

Love is forever
Love is the key
Love is the thing
That holds the
Universe together
And sets us free
Love is what binds
Us together and
Allows our hearts
To soar and dance
Our hearts long for
Love we all want
To be loved in our
Own way we have
To accept the love
That is in our own
Hearts to let go of
The fear and hate
And depression
That can easily
Come from the
Attacks of the
Mind that we
Have to endure
Life has a way
Teaching us in
Different ways
We all have our
Own journeys
And trials to take
But its that love
That ever lasting
Love that is in
Your heart all
Along that will
Get you through
And help you
To truly love
Yourself so that
You can love
Others as well

Family can be tricky
It can be hard
To really separate yourself
Getting stuck in the drama
Getting stuck
Acting out old hurts
Bringing up stuff from the past
Sometimes the more you love someone
The easier it is to get hurt
Hurting in return
Family should come together
We are born of the same blood
We need to be one
United through the storm
If we are going to make it at all

Read out loud or in my head
My thoughts are always moving
Colliding and coalescing into ordered chaos
Random thoughts and ideas
Brought together in weird designs
That stir some thought or emotion
Words that are fleeting
Thoughts that are constantly winding
Never ceasing flow of thought
That seems to permeate my existence
Thoughts that come together
And flow
Shape,
And form in front of my eyes
As I put pen to paper
And as I type word to screen
The thoughts manifest
Colliding into the physical
I write and hands respond to my thoughts
Its almost effortless
Just letting my thoughts fly
Connecting them together in random strands
That seem to mean something
But maybe they don't

I want you know
We all fall down
It just depends
If you get yourself
Back up again
You can soar
Soaring above it all
Becoming free of the world
Freeing yourself
From everything that holds you down

We must be willing
To go inside of our
Minds and go inside

Our hearts if we truly
Want to be free from
The world and its

Constant chatter
And turmoil
We must be

Willing to be
Honest with
Ourselves

And truly seeing
What is inside of
Us to truly set

Ourselves free
Setting free the
Insanity that

Seems to plague
So many people
Today in this world

We are falling
Ever deeper into
The chasm of

Destruction that
We seem to be
Dangling over

We need to go
Inside and truly
Seek the truth

And seek the
Truth and the
Light that is

Already there
In our hearts
And in our

Minds if we
Know how
To look inside

People's lives mean something
We all have our voice
We all have something to say
We all have a spirit
That tells us who we really are
No person's life
Is any better
Or somehow more important
Than the life of someone else
We all have our own unique voice
Our own unique ways of viewing things
We all share this planet together
Every life deserves a chance
No matter how lost
No matter how separated
People might be from reality
How far away people can be away from the truth
Everyone deserves their say
No one should ever be killed
Or forfeit
Just for the sake of another
We must all be able to come together
We must be willing to appreciate
The wonderful uniqueness
That comes together in a wonderful unity as well
Even as we have our own ideas
Our own thoughts
Our own way
We breathe with one breathe
And we beat with one heart
That beats to many smaller drums
Even as varied and as different as we all are
We are all still one
Joined in humanity

My world
Is your world
My heart
Is in your heart
My soul
Is in your hands
My eyes see you
My mind
Knows you
You help me
See the truth
You guide my life
I know you are there
Thank you
For being there
You are the spirit
That guides me
The mother that holds me
In her loving embrace
And lays the world
Beneath
And the father that guides me
Lovingly
Moving me along
As I continue to grow

A little tired
A little worn
A little trial
A little worry
A little peace
A little joy
A little happiness
A little bit of sunshine
Can go along way
When you are feeling
A little tired

There are people
That are broken
So many people
That are hurting
Today in their
Hearts and souls

We are all broken
In our ways as we
Try to heal ourselves
As we move along
In life and death

Healing ourselves
As we mend our
Hearts and soul
One scar at a time

Fixing what used
To be jagged and
Worn and creating

Something new
Until we are

Whole again.

Every minute
Every second
Every hour
Life begins
Starting the seed to new life
Life is everywhere
Spreading out
Indestructible
Just as their is destruction
Death
Disease
There is always life waiting to spring
Life's spark
God's glow
Giving life giving breathe to everything
Life has seasons
Nothing lasts forever
Everything is changing
Just as one thing ends
Another begins
Just as one thing perishes
Life still moves on

I think we need to become more awake
We need to become more aware
Of what is going on around us
If we continue to stick our heads in the sand
Not actively seeking the truth for ourselves
Just accepting certain things without really
Thinking about the ramifications
We will continue to make the same mistakes
To go down the same path
To keep ourselves from moving forward
We need to change
Because the way we are doing things just isn't working
Until we realize that
We are going to continue down the same path
That got us all here in the first place
We need to start accepting radical new ways of business
To really start moving in the right direction
Or else we are ultimately dooming ourselves
And dooming this planet along with us
Our mother can only put up with so much
We need to start taking better care of ourselves
Becoming more aware and awake
We all need each other
We can't do this alone
We need to come together
To really get us through
To become more awake
To what we need to do

Wading in the water
We all want to be cleaned
Our hearts want to be whole
Wade in the water for a little while
And let it wash you clean
Wade in the water for a little while
And let all the pain
The stress
The things
In your past
You would rather forget

There is a wall inside of all of us
That keeps us safe
There is a wall that separates us all
From each other and the truth
We believe that we are all separate
That we have to hide ourselves
That there are certain things that we
Just shouldn't let other people know
That there are some thoughts
Some ideas
That we would rather keep secret
From everyone else
We can spend our whole lives lying
Putting up this wall between you
And putting it between everyone else
And never really letting anyone in
And always keeping everyone out
But sometimes you have to be willing to tear down your wall
And let people in
And stop hiding from yourself
And stop hiding from other people
And if you start to open up your heart
Even if you might feel damaged
Or even feel like people might not like what you have to say
I think you will be surprised
That if you share your heart with someone else
And you share your heart with other people as well
You will find that you are much more connected
Then you ever thought possible

Love is like a blanket
Its wraps us
Protects us
Shields us
It warms us
It permeates us
Shelters us from the cold
The cold of the world
Protecting us from our hurt
Protecting us from the pain
Wrapping us in its warm
And healing glow
Giving us strength
To face the cold
To face another day

Searching for myself
Searching for my way
Searching for what use to be so plain
Trying to find myself
Out there in the world
Trying to remake myself
I am trying
I am searching for the person I want to be
I am searching for my dreams
In this endless landscape
Searching for my purpose
Searching for what I feel
Searching for what I know to be true
I am searching
And I know that I will be searching
For the rest of my life
Are you searching too?
Trying to find yourself among the muck
Among the calm that comes from the chaos of daily life
Are you searching for what really matter?
For what you truly believe in
What are your hopes and dreams?
Maybe we can help and search with each other

Yesterday can seem so far away sometime
Sometimes it can feel that yesterday is all we have
We can become so trapped in yesterday
Remembering pasts and replaying the same drama again and again
Never quite being able to let go of what happened
Constantly holding on to everything that has ever happened
Being stuck in the past with no future
And with no present
Constantly stuck
Frozen in time
Unable to move forward
We can continue to hurt ourselves
Locked in memories
That just don't seem to fade
We must be willing to live in the present
Allowing ourselves to move past our past
So that we can live in the present
And start moving toward the future

There is a war of the heart
There is a war of the mind
Be ready my friends
The war is already here
You have to be strong
To make it in this world
We are constantly assaulted
Bombarded by the war
That goes on day by day
We must shield our hearts
So that we can still love
We must shield our minds
So they don't get taken over
By negative thoughts
And negative deeds
Acting out hatred toward others
Falling into the rat race
Getting stuck in the grind
We must protect ourselves
At all cost
If we don't
We will get lost
Lost in a world
That teaches us we are separate
We are not whole
We have to play the game
To keep ourselves alive
That tells us we have
to give up ourselves
To ultimately win

Hush child
Quiet your eyes
Salvation is at hand
Even though your
Burdens might seem
Heavy know that the
Light is at the end of
The tunnel and the dark
Days are soon at an end
Trust in the light and in hope
If you have faith through
The storm you will start to
See the hidden beauty
And messages that are
Waiting if you know
Where to look
Salvation is at hand
Every soul long to be
Healed and cherished
We all want to know
That things will be ok
And at the end of the day
We will be loved and
Counted for in this world
We all want to know our
Voices count in the crowd
And we all want to feel
Like our life has a purpose
And a plan but its through
The trials when it can seem
Like our trials and burdens
Can never end and darkness
Can consume our souls and
Cloud everything we see
But its during those times
When we must seek that
Inner salvation and strength
To keep ourselves from
Sinking in the muck of
The day so we can stand
Straight and strong and rise
With each new day with a new
Sense of hope and strength
Emerging with each new day

Whatever is holy
Whatever is light
Whatever is love
Whatever is peace
Whatever is calm
Whatever is hope
Whatever is mercy
Whatever is kind
Whatever brings that smile
Warms your heart
Warms your soul
Fills you up
Through the storm
Whatever encourages
Whatever it is that speaks to you
That heals
That helps you heal others
Is of God
Trust that God wants your happiness
He wants your joy
God is good
He loves all of his children

The most quintessential thing in life
Is to live
We put up so many block
So many barriers
That keep us from
Truly living
We need to be able
To understand
Life is a precious gift
We shouldn't take our lives for granted
We should be living our lives
without fear
Without barriers
Learning to live and to learn
Along the way

Taking a break from my mind
A break from this world
A break from myself
A break from this mess

Whatever
Is burdening
Your heart
Let it go
Whatever
Is causing
You pain
Let it go
You don't have
To hold on
You can be free
If you set your mind to be
Let it go
Life is much easier
If you let it go

You have got to believe
You have to have faith
Things are going to
Get better
You have to have faith
That the world
Will get a little brighter
You have to believe
That the world
Isn't as cruel
Isn't as harsh
As people might seem
You have to have faith
To make it through
The night
Making it through
The other side
Making it through
The storm
Making it through
Another day
We have to believe
We have to have faith
The world can get hard
If we have faith
If we believe can make it
We can do mighty things

Sometimes I think
We need to scream out loud
Raise our voices
And yell out loud
Yelling for the people
Who can not speak for themselves
Screaming
Releasing the pain
That life can sometimes bring
Allowing yourself to release
Because there are things in this world
We should all be screaming about
And making noise
Let it out

They attack our minds
Tell us things that aren't true
They shackle our minds with their half truths
Hiding their lies
Making us feel like we are less powerful
And less whole
Than we really are
They exist in our miseries
In our discontent
Off of our confusion
Taking us away from the one central truth
We are all one
Bound by love
The more we understand this truth
The more their lies will be unravelled
And the truth will be revealed

Sometimes
Its those little
Whole in the wall places
That can really take you
By surprise
Sometimes
Its life's little surprises
That can take us back
And give us a new perspective
Sometimes
Walking down that door
Or taking that extra street
Can lead you right where you need to go
Sometimes
Reading that right book
Or talking to that right person
At the right time
Can really make your day
And put things into perspective

There are
A lot of people
Who are seeing
The light
Even as crazy
As the world may seem
People are waking up
The world is waking up
To a new truth
A new way of knowing
A new way of understanding
Connecting with God and spirit
Connecting with our mother
And all of her children
Connecting with each other
And understanding
We are all one and the same
Learning to love each other
Responding with love
And compassion
The world is waking up
She is like a mighty dragon
Waking from her slumber
When she finally awakens
Will you be ready?

There is singing in my heart
Singing in my mind
A voice
A song
That helps me through the day
Keeps me dancing
Keeps me whole
Keeps me moving
To make it through another day

We run ourselves frantic sometimes
Running around in circles
Not really knowing
Which way we should be going
Just slow down
Take a deep breath
And know that everything
Will be alright
If we just take the time to slow down a bit

Mothers Day
Is a day
To celebrate our mothers
No matter what type
Of relationship we have
We must always remember
They carried us
Inside of them
No matter what else
Might have happened along the way
Our mothers are our mothers
Nothing can change that
And even if it might feel
Like your mother might not care sometimes
A mother's love
Can transform anyone's heart
Even if they might
Have a different way of showing it
We all came from mothers
We can never get around that
So we must do what we can
To celebrate them
Because without mothers
No matter what happens after
Not one of us would be here today

A train of thought
Is a powerful thing
Used correctly

Why do we hurt
Why is there so much pain
Why does it seem
Like some people
Just never catch a break
It can feel
Like some people are stuck
Repeating the same cycle
Getting stuck in the same cycles
The cycles of hatred
The cycle of pain
The cycle of violence
Feeling regret
Over the things we have done
We all have to deal with some pain in our lives
It is part of living
We all have our own trials
We just have to learn
To grow
To change
To make ourselves a little better
Than we were the day before
Breaking the cycles
Getting to better places in our lives
Where we can step away from the hurt
Even all the regret and the pain
And start stepping toward peace

People die every second
A life blinking out
In the blink of an eye
Life's antithesis
Death rears its ugly head
But we never truly die
Our bodies become recycled
Being consumed by the earth
Ashes to Ashes
Dust to Dust
Our bodies will always return to its source
But our spirits never die
They simply transform
Returning to the source
Where our spirits can be free
Where we become one with the universe
Where we become one with God
Repeating the great cycle
Only to fall again.

Let the love flow
Feel the spirit inside
Feel it wash over you
Feel it
Pouring from every ounce
Feel that light
The ever present light
Flowing and healing
Feel the warmth
The beauty
The ever present
Amazing
Glory
Peace
May the spirit flow into you
May it heal you
May you see the beauty
That flows in you
And in everyone around you
Let the spirit flows out
Until light and peace
Is all you will see
And maybe you can share
A little peace
And light with me

I enjoy flowers
They are really amazing
When you truly think about them
They are constantly reaching for the light
Always growing and thriving  
Wherever they are planted
They grow from seeds
And some grow from bulbs
All the information
They ever need to grow
Is stored in their birth
When those magical seeds are formed
Like little heart beats
Each one an individual new life
Just waiting for the chance to grow

Even as crazy as the world is
It seems like there is peace to be found
It is the crazy dynamic
That plays over and over
Just as there seems to be
More violence
People almost seem
To be losing their minds
You hear on the news
How more people are
Committing murders
How it seems like more
People are abusing children
How all of these drugs that we have created
To heal people
Are causing more damage
Than the symptom they
Were intended to cure
We hear all the time
More and more people
Are losing their jobs
There is civil unrest
How the homeless
Population is rising
And more families
Are being tossed by the wayside
But even with that said
There is still hope
There is still laughter
Life goes on
We can still find peace
Even in this crazy world
We can still find moments of happiness
That is the great thing about being human
We can live
We can love
We can laugh
Even during these crazy times

People are interesting
We hurt
There are times
When it feels like
We can't breathe
When life can swallow us whole
When the world can come crashing in
Darkness can consume us
To the point where we it can become all we know
Even as much as we hurt
We have faith
There is that little light inside of us
That can lead us through
If we have faith
And start to accept life how it is
And start to accept our place in it
Moving forward with grace and love
Stepping out of the storm
Into the light
Accepting ourselves
Accepting the healing
Accepting the love
That is growing inside