I do not want to be a fishing float
adrift on the waters of existence,
allowing myself to accept stagnation,
bobbing ever buoyant to
the ebb and flow of the mundane.
Reel me in and cast me again into living waters.
Wash away doubts and anxiety —
the fears that snag my line, my vexation.
Give me peaceful rest in fresh water
that is replenished by Your rain.

My parents left our homeland for me
More than five thousand, five hundred miles
To travel to a land ripe with opportunity

But at times the ripest fruit tended to spoil
However, they always counted God's blessings and moved on
My parents have endlessly toiled

With their younger son on the way
And four years of American experience
They strived at greater lengths each and every day

It is difficult to set aside one's own will
To tend to a family
To pay an immigration agency's bills

Yet they have done it, tried and true
Citizenship, I pray
Is coming soon

One day, I will properly honor them
Meanwhile,
This country will learn to accept others, but only with Him as its precious gem

One day out of over three hundred sixty-five...
It is that way because on one day we leap
Over any inhibition that we had in mind,
Like the emotions suppressed and thoughts redacted.
We say and do things that make us think after,
“Wow, is that how I really acted?"
Do the words, “I love you," lose meaning
If they were never said explicitly before?
No, but once you do say the phrase,
Mean it, because love is a more
Than a two way street.
It should not be physical action
That makes a someone like a slab of meat
To be sought after, then devoured.
Think about it, as you share your heart with someone;
Think about it, this very hour.
Love is in the air they say,
But please do not let it be
For only one day.

I wish I had melatonin to match my melanin.
Dark waves of sleep for a weary body.
It would wash over me in a calming tide.
Cleanse my body and reset my mind.

But where is that tide of rest?
Did it ebb away when I thought it would flow?
It will come soon enough, but I must be patient.
I must not try.
If I do, I will certainly fail and drown in a cognizant current.

Sleep will probably be the only story of effortless success I get tell to my children.
“Kids... I slept once. Like a baby. It was the summer of '16 and it was utterly forgettable", I'll say.

But that story must be for some other day.

Mom and Pops, thank you for coming together
Mom, especially for pushing through, you weathered
The trimesters, pain, and uncertainty
Pops did not pass out, he tried earnestly

Here I am today to thank You for grace
Your example is to what I strive for and chase
While I attempt to follow heavenly steps, not quite perfectly
I will continue cherish the life given to me, eternally

My friend thinks they only need someone to keep them warm during the winter.
If that were true, then I ask simply, “Why do we shiver?"

In the cold, our bodies warm themselves; the muscles jive and twitch.
I assure you, it's not because we have a scratchable relationship itch.

Love is not and can not be a last resort, a temporary relief, an emotion that lasts only but a season.
It thaws the permafrost of life, it's beyond physical warmth, and that's not something you can reason.

I once wondered if I would ever have a Bryson Tiller moment...
That “I'm back and I'm better" vibe.
In hindsight, I think, “Wait, I've woken up every morning, right?
Shouldn't I start by thanking God that I'm even alive?"

“Tomorrow never comes", some say.
“Live everyday like it's your last."
Well I agree that we live in today,
But I will not let my future regret its past.

Take every mistake, every moment you wish that was not,
And look at it in a different light.
If you had not walked down that path
You could have suffered a more dangerous plight.

At times its the decisions we don't make that matter most,
For they shape what could have been.
What's more important is whether what was not
Would have been a blessing or a sin.

Lighthouse keeper by the shore, watching life pass he did the most
Eyeing ships, so bright and lively, that would sail near his post
'Til one fateful night one ship seemed to be set ablaze
Gravitating toward the sight that was a rarity in all his days
One door he swung open, leaving his beacon, bolting downstairs
Of peril and risk, he cared not; to him they seemed like minor fares
Fiery reflections undulated from afar as the keeper dashed to shore
Yanking his rowboat into the water, he paddled toward the source
Opening his eyes truly, he awoke to hands without a single oar
Under a guise he would man his post distractedly in the night
Realizing that the ship was a dream, he turned around to a fright
Precariously placed lanterns had fallen, shattering as he slept
And flames began to claim his home and post, as if collecting a debt
Sleep walking had moved him to the shore, by grace he was alive
The lighthouse keeper would rebuild, but this time he would thrive

I once learned that on a dark night, you can see one burning candle about 30 miles away, provided you have a flat land and a clear horizon.

Imagine that perfect circumstance.

In contrast to that hypothetical flat land, a life can be a rugged terrain.
Every choice is made and every inaction is an action with a weathering outcome, shaping our characteristic formations.
Splintering fault lines begin to appear as our decisional plates shift under the surface of our appearance to others.
There are unending waterfalls of thoughts and emotions; they can refresh you or they can drown you.
Unexpected cliffs hang over the crags of uncertainty, regret, anxiety and suffering.

Darkness falls suddenly over the land of life, but life does not offer a clear view to a candle in the distance.

Despite all this, light in life is closer than you think.

Light is seen through the people all around you.
The honest smile of another face, hope shared through dreams and aspirations — those are flames that shine brighter than any candle. The best part is that those are just minute examples of all the bright experiences we are blessed to have.

We should realize that while the horizon that is the future will often be unclear, the Light in each and every one of us is never extinguished. It grows as we cherish one another, share love and fellowship, and care about the needs of others above our own.

This little light of mine... It's yours too.
The simple question only you can answer now is this:
How bright will it burn?

I arrived too late to love,
Yet got there just in time to see it pass me by.
“Bye." I can never say it.
I never let go. I don't know if I ever will.
Will power. I need more before lethargy sets and turns me upside down.
Down. An All Time Low. A record on the lowest point, but I know it gets better.
Better off getting it out than it rattling in my brain this late.
Late...
I arrived at the conclusion that it will never be too late to love.

Bumping Marvin Gaye at the light
Mind like an engine constantly on the run
Confused stares through an open window
“What age is this ***** headed young man from?"

In my own skin
A peace, a presence resides within
One of hope for the future
Not only mine
But for for those that I love
A total, all encompassing
Warmth
Undescribable really
But one can try

At times it seems like I feel too much
Think, love, and care
Further than any other would dare
But thank you Lord
I would not be who I am if I did not

No one ever has it all together
But some feel the need more than others
Count me as the sum of all my pains and failures
That would be a mistake
Through God, I'm picking up broken pieces
Throwing them away
And starting over

Social media is not a necessity.
Many times it is more of a distraction.
For me, one could say,
It became a fatal attraction.

It has some beneficial uses,
But, like guns and drugs,
There are usually outweighing abuses.

A twelve step rehab plan for an addiction?
I'd rather have a plan that's permanent and nonfiction.

The first step to recovery will be just that—
A first step.

So on that basis,
It is essential to take
A haitus.

One part of me tries to help people that are stressed and struggling.

The other tries to keep my own burdens in check because it would only add to the load others already bare.

Each of us should take time to realize there is always someone else holding up a greater burden.

The weight of their world.

Someone who looks into the eyes of despair, but does not blink.

Take time to find that person.

Save them.

Despite their intentions,
People rarely notice when I'm on the line
Seen in their mentions,
Giving so much of myself and time

If you can, take a moment to really look at the stars tonight.
Get lost in the beauty of it all.
Each twinkling lights bursting through an expansive darkness,
Every constellation in your mind's eye,
Was put there for you to gaze in awe and wonder.
If you can, inhale that moment
Before it takes your breath away.

You walk in beauty
As if the word were a field
A place where the rays of light
Touch your delicate nose and yield

The skipping of rhythm in my chest
As one hand grasps my own
The Lord knows best
I should never let go

Holding on tighter to close both hands
Intertwining
The time that passes in a glance
Is a moment held shining

In memory I try to remember the outline
Of the face I hold dear
The One that helps me to never to forget it
Is the only one that brings us near

Thankful for full smiles and bright eyes
That allow thoughts to be seen
Because it allows me to drop my disguise
And let you see my own beautiful dream

...filled the void of lost connections tonight by getting trapped in a digital web.
...never felt so isolated. Tom Hanks and Wilson spot me as the tides flow and ebb.
...thought, “It will be okay someday," but I feel the midnight more than anything.

...ended my wallowing now, for I know the hope that morning will bring.

No, I could never forget
Remembering more than anyone usually would
Rather not come to you ripped, torn
As if I were the past of the stern man who played K
I'd be the anchor to a sailing ship
You're so much better without this weight.
Watching now like a telescope
It hurts my eyes, the view from afar
Time will pass
In turn, lives changes for the better
Remember me
Something will not be the same

My parents
Left a home for me
With another on the way
They toiled for us
It's hard to set aside your skills
To feed a family
I intend to do what they could not
And maybe someday
This country will accept us

Good morning to my love, so beautiful
a blessing to all you meet
Every chance you get to be musical
is a moment I find to be sweet

Good morning to my love, so caring
you think about everything most don't
The Lord lifts the weight you are bearing
and I'll support you when your legs won't

Good morning to my love, I love you
and cherish every moment we're sharing
Yes, I'm thankful for all we'll go through
and may God bless our wonderful pairing