I recall my first day in a big city, and state
in my country what made that day phenomenal
was the incident that took place. As fate

will have it I had the window sit and saw the whole
painful and hilarious thing that took place that day.
Exhausted by a long journey from a little

town in the north which is very far away
from the shoreline, I sat in a coach watching flyovers
and awe by them and the number of people that stay

in the a big city. It look like it was swamp by ants
moving in and out of their home. There was hardly
any space that was not occupied by feets or cars.

Just as I was busy trying to look at the lovely
buildings and sights in the city a beautiful car
drove beside us with a youth who is hardly

out of his teen, his carefree nature and demeanour,
I notice for it remind me of myself in my youth,
as his car in the other lane came a bit closer

to us in a traffic jam smoke began to rise underneath
the bonnet of his car like the exhaust of a train that
use coal. I panic, and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth

I wanted to tap the glass of my window and shout yet
I just sat there watching with my heart in my
throat; while the youth rushed out and open his bonnet

he quickly began to blow away the smoke by
using his hands and mouth, the more he blew
the more the bonnet glows red, instantly he realize

he was fanning the flames; as the smoke became few
I could see a fire was beginning to rage near the battery
sit. The young man leap into a flurry of action and flew

into a shallow ditch near by, recklessly and gather a very
small handful of loose sand and weeds, and dump
it beside the battery where the fire rage with more fury

as he turn to dive into the ditch for more sand to drop
into the bonnet he suddenly stoped realizing how futile
it was. The next moment he went for his belt and zip,

but stop again when he realize that was a futile
exercise too for no **** will put out that inferno and
without a fire extinguisher he was doom, miserable,

and helpless.He then shouted "help!" turning his head
form side to side and looking at passing motorist with his
hands held up in the air like he was pleading with God.

At the time he was diving into the ditch for weeds
and sand I saw the passenger door of the truck
ahead of us open and another youth maybe in his

twenties; with chest like a barrel Calmly walk
Over to the burning car and use a fire extinguisher
to douse the fire, and quickly rushed back to their truck;

for vehicles in the traffic began moving a bit faster;
since the the traffic jam had ease up. All this event
lasted for no more than 60 minute. As our driver

move on I felt and knew the youth with the burnt
car has learn about the importance of fire extinguisher
in a car the most painful way. as for me I felt relief, yet
I pray never to find myself in that young mans shoe.

Our children see others lie with impunity
Simply blow out the light, darkness perverts civility


© 2020 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.

1. Sometimes your heart rate rivals that of a racehorse— remember that you’re not in a race. Breathe slower; think slower. The world moves fast enough.
2. You were not born to carry the world on your shoulders.
3. Everything happens for a reason— there is a divine plan in place. If you look closely, you can see the borders of the puzzle. You can see each piece settling into its place. Know that you are also settling into your place, even if the whole picture hasn’t yet been revealed.
4. Others’ perception of you has very little to actually do with you. It is not your job to be palatable, to be dainty, to be condensable into something bite-size and picturesque. If they cannot fathom your magnitude, it is not for them to fathom.
5. Distance really does make the heart grow fonder.
6. “Do small things with great love.”
7. Words lacking purpose seldom make their way into our collective consciousness; cliches are cliches for a reason. Listen to them.
8. Every word in a sentence has a purpose. Every sentence in a phrase has a purpose. Everything has a purpose. Pay attention to it all.
9. “There is no fear in love.”
10. Infinities are made up of individual moments. Moments are made up of individual infinities. Cherish it all, the big and the small.
11. Don’t let fear destroy relationships. Speak with intention. It shows that you listen. It shows that you care.
12. Be the shoulder your thirteen-year-old self needed to cry on. She is gone, but there are so many just like her. Care for them, as you would yourself. Care more.
13. Good company makes bad food taste a little better. Good people make the life you live a little sweeter.
14. Sometimes you need to look people in the eyes and tell them you love them. It matters more than you know.
15. Others will not always afford you the same compassion you afford them. You are not responsible for how others treat you. You are responsible for how you treat them.
16. Everyone deserves kindness.
17. Anger can be productive, but don’t sit in it too long. Take a small weekend trip into the fury, but once the time is up, give it a kiss on the cheek and a quick wave and make your exit. You do not want to live in the rage; pay a visit and learn a thing or two, then pack your bags and say goodbye. You have better places to be.
18. Vulnerability is power.
19. Every moment is infinitely important. Don’t wake up one day and wonder if your best days are behind you; they are always ahead. Time waits for no one, and you shouldn’t want it to.

remember the mountains you've climbed,
the valleys, the deserts, the cold nights,
everything you've been through to reach here.
bring the lessons, the people you love,
anything you need for the journey ahead,
and greet the new year at the summit.

Child,
You needed to learn
Your actions have consequences
But you should never
Ever
Have had to learn
That losing the love
Losing the acceptance
Of the people you admire and respect
Would be one of them

My mind is in a million different places
My emotions are struggling to feel it’s highs and lows
But one things for sure
I’m more at peace than I’ve been in awhile
The thoughts and emotions that flow through me are needed in order for me to fully connect with myself
And I have you to thank for that
You’re my lesson
No hate, no anger just blessed for what the future has instore for me
Because now I know my worth and now I decide to put myself first not last

Call upon the empty tomb.
Ask for death by name.
Poison, cyanide, hanging by harsh coiled rope.

The generosity of life itself may now escape you,
This I can promise is true, however should you beg to carry on
I warn you.

Death, for all its rewards, will give nothing.
You may reap the joys of your losses,
Loss of pain, of hurt, of stress, of ridicule.

But there will be a great loss
Of soft touches, of warm regards, of praise, of breath.
Surely cruel words are bruising and brute force is will breaking,
But there are summer rainstorms that long to wash away your tears.