Being a Janitor

Being a Janitor

I am the janitor of my life.
It came to me while
I was drinking a hot cup of soup
and my glasses fogged.
I was the one who caused my glasses to fog
and I am the one who had to give them time to defog
and to clean up after myself.
I have learned that sometimes I need to take them off
and just do one thing at a time.
Sometimes I create messes
when I do not need to.
I am the janitor,
the one who keeps my life in good condition and well maintained.
I am the one who has to vacuum and sweep up the debris,
mop up my life and keep it sanitized,
remove the trash,
recycle that which can still be used,
and keep the windows in my life
clean and clear,
just like my glasses
which steam up when I am drinking my soup.

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The Unimportant

The Unimportant

When I think about all the things I have to do,
some seem more important than others,
and in all honesty some just seem unimportant.
You know these things you just want to get through
so you can get to the important things
and the things you really want to do.
You want to get through the things which are of no value,
seem unimportant and thus mean nothing.
But this morning something made me stop
and look at the unimportant.
I began to realize that even the unimportant is important.
If nothing else, it helps me appreciate the things I consider
important
because without them the value of the important
would not be as visible, if at all.
The unimportant is not unimportant,
it is just less important at this point in time.
What if I saw the value in the unimportant,
what might I see.
Yesterday I was unimportant to someone,
but to others I am very important.
Just because others I do not see the importance
does not mean others do not and vice versa.
perhaps we can help each other see the gift and blessings in all of life
that which we think of as important and that which we call unimportant.
 

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Pollution

Pollution

Why is it that we regulate that which physically pollutes
the environment, but not that which pollutes the energy.
How many times have I thought something
which pollutes my thoughts and the words I speak.
I cannot think something I do not believe,
so what in my belief system is polluted.
What in my belief system needs to be outlawed,
to prevent me from thinking it,
which in turn would prevent me from speaking it.
I am mindful that our physical climate cannot be restored overnight.
We are working, well some of us,
to reduce carbon omissions,
and other things polluting the environment.
What if those of us concerned with the environment,
began by reducing the toxins from our belief systems?
What if we began by removing those beliefs which lead us
to value one group of people over another
or one quality over another?
What if we replaced fear with love?
What if we challenged ourselves to not speak
unless what we had to say was truthful, necessary and kind?
What if we worked on radiating love, light and positive energy into the world,
instead of hate, fear, and negativity?
What if we each tried to reduce the emotional, mental and physical pollutants in this world?
Let’s begin to not only save the planet and the animals,
but each other.

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Traveling in Place

Traveling in Place

The other day I rolled on to my porch
and sat there in 60 degree weather
soaking up the winter sun,
the breeze,
the remains of our garden,
and watching people walk and play.
Today, just one day later
and I rolled down my ramp
as quickly as I could
to get through the snow
and out of the 20 degree cold.
It reminded me of living in Texas
and how we would say, if you don’t like the weather,
wait a minute and it will change.
I don’t have to leave or get on a jet plane
to watch the season transform my landscape
and make me feel as if I am entering a new space.
I get to travel in place,
seeing the colors,
the textures,
the aromas,
and so much more change before my eyes.
Today I relish where I am,
tomorrow who knows what landscape will be before me

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In the Moment

In the Moment

Have you ever thought about what you do
during those what seems like
wasted moments.
That time when you are standing,
or in my case sitting, in line
or waiting in traffic,
or listening to the phone ring,
or sorting through junk mail,
or waiting in line at the store
and thinking you could be doing
better things with your life.
What if I took that time and did something radical
like prayed.
What if everytime I was doing nothing,
I did something and gave thanks,
took a moment to pray,
or meditate,
or listen to the symphony of the Universe
What if I enriched that time,
and made something out of nothing,
and treated each moment
as the gift and miracle that it is.

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Not About Me

Not About Me

There are those moments in life,
I won’t deny it,
that an affirmation,
a compliment
makes me feel good for a moment,
but in all honesty
I realize that what you are saying about me
is not about me,
but you.
Whether it is a compliment
or a criticism,
it is about you.
It is only true for me,
if and when I believe it is true
and my truth about me is ever changing
as I grow and evolve.
There are things I believe about myself now
I did not a year ago.
I had friends who used to tell me I am beautiful
and I would not believe them.
today, I don’t need anyone to tell me how beautiful I am
because I know my beauty radiates
from me and through me.
I am what I believe about me.
i appreciate what you have to say,
but what I appreciate most is how you see me
whether it is how I see me or not.

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Beauty

Beauty

Growing up, my mother would take me window shopping.
Rarely did we go into the store.
We would stop and look.
My mother would point out
the beauty in each window.
She taught me to see the beauty in life,
to be able to appreciate what I saw,
without having to have it.
Recently a friend of mine looked at me strangely
because I commented about a guy being handsome.
He is, but it doesn’t mean I want him,
or want to be in a relationship with him.
It simply means I can appreciate the beauty
the Ultimate has created in this world
and see and appreciate it for what it is.
Like Matthew Fox, I can see beauty in the cracks.
I can see the beauty in the stains in old coffee cups,
I can see beauty in all of creation.
Seeing it doesn’t mean I have to buy it,
want it,
or crave it.
It just means I see it,
appreciate it,
and give thanks for its contribution
to beautifying the world I live in.

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Beyond the Usual

Beyond the Usual

The crackfinder,
that is what she called me,
my major professor.
She said I saw value in the people
who had fallen into the cracks of society.
It was not just that I saw value,
I saw the Ultimate.
It is easy to look at temples and synagogues,
everyday images and representations of the Divine,
but what if we look beyond the usual representations.
What if we see the Ultimate
in the homeless person,
in the prostitute,
in the addict,
in the ones who we would call the least of thee?
What if we saw the Ultimate
in the animals that have been
abandoned,
neglected,
and left to die?
What if we saw the Ultimate
in the hood,
in those areas that even make the hood look good?
What if we moved beyond the usual
and saw the Ultimate in everything,
everyone,
and every place?
The Ultimate does not just shine in the
usual people, places and things,
but in the unusual.
Can you see the Ultimate in the unusual?
If not, look again,
and keep looking until you see
the Ultimate in the Unusual.

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Hatred

Hatred

Hatred
I grew up thinking this was the opposite of love,
then I learned the opposite of love is fear.
Hatred comes from fear.
It is an intense negative response to
that which causes us fear.
It can be a fear of people,
things,
or even ideas.
Fear comes from
false things or beliefs
which appear real.
As much as I hate to admit it,
there are moments I feel hatred.
However, as I was once asked,
what are you doing with it.
my initial response was
nothing.
but then I realized holding on to it
was not helping me grow or evolve.
Hatred is now an opportunity to evolve.
it is an opportunity for me to let go of
that which is keeping me in fear.
When I use this to help me grow,
I leave the hatred behind
and grow in my capacity to love.

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Expectations

Expectations

I hate expectations.
It seems like they set me up
to get hurt, angry, and disappointed,
especially when things do not turn out
the way I expect them to.
Agreements are one thing,
expectations are another.
Agreements mean I have reached an understanding
with others about how things will be.
Expectations are about me having my own understanding,
without communicating about what
I expect you to know or do.
Sometimes my expectations are not with people,
but with life,
like when I expect things will go the way I want them to.
to be simple, not hard, or
to be easy and not complex.
what is frustrating is when I do not even realize
I have an expectation,
until I am frustrated
and then I see it.
once I release my expectations,
I find peace
especially when I release
my expectations about the Divine.

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My Share

My Share

I have never minded doing my share of things,
whether it was work,
chores,
relationships,
and life in general.
I have never minded paying my share of the bills,
the meals,
or any life expenses
as long as I can do so without going beyond my means.
I have always thought about my share
in terms of stuff and things
but not emotions.
When I do, I realize I am more likely
to share in the joy and celebration,
then to carry my share of the burden of pain and suffering.
I know I cannot go through the challenges
but I can be present, listen, and empathize.
I can be there to share in the suffering of others,
doing what I can to bring about change,
show compassion,
and lighten the burden of others.
I know I cannot take away the burdens of others or of the world,
but I can do what I can to be present in times of need
and remember how others have been present for me
lightening mine by sharing the load.

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Hungry

Hungry

Have you ever had that craving
In the pit of your stomach
and are so hungry
and know you really need to eat something.
I get that feeling daily,
but not for food/
I wake up hungry
for time to just be with the Ultimate.
I wake up hungry
to be fed,
to be taught,
to be nurtured,
and to just be in
it's presence.
I am hungry
for all that I absorb
nutritionally,
emotionally,
mentally,
physically,
and spiritually
when I sit with it
and allow myself to be fed.
There is a satisfaction that comes
from being with the Ultimate
that cannot be satisfied any other way.
Sometimes it is not that I am hungry,
but that what the Ultimate fed me
makes me wants more.
I am always given just enough
to leave me hungry for more.

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Living Without

Living Without

Sometimes I close my eyes
and I remember you
and the memories flow back to me
and through me and keep me warm.
I look at those who are still here
and I remember how important it is
to create memories
with them while they are still here
so I can hold on to them when
the day comes that I have to live without them.
Then it dawned on me that
not only are those memories
important for me
but for you
as the day will come
when I am not here
and those memories
will keep you warm
when you are living without me.

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sons from the Darkness

Lessons from the Darkness

We all have those moments
where we feel overwhelmed,
scared,
frustrated,
and sometimes even angry.
We may feel like this is one of those
dark moments in our life.
I felt this way yesterday
and just wanted to cry, but then the lesson came
and reminded me this darkness
was a door,
a pathway to the next blessing and phase
in my life.
It was, and is, about to introduce me
to new people, places and things.
Was it as I or others planned? No.
But once I let the fear go,
and walked even closer with the one I trust,
I was reminded of the words from Psalm 23
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a]
    I fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
The lessons I am and will learn
are already comforting me
in part because the Ultimate is with me
teaching me
even from the darkness.

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Remembering my Purpose

Remembering my Purpose

Like anyone else,
I am human.
I have my moments
when I feel down,
depressed,
frustrated,
and want to give up.
Then I remember
I am only allowed for these
to be moments,
commercials in my life.
I only allow them to last for seconds,
before I remember that
I was created for a purpose.
There is a master plan for my being here.
I may not know it,
but I still walk in it
one step at a time,
only seeing what is revealed to me.
My walking, for me,
is like faith.
My left leg knows where it is
and what it is doing.
My right leg does not.
With no feeling or sensation,
it is just there.
I cannot feel it moving or walking,
It is about me trusting that
the same power that I can feel guiding my left leg
is the same power guiding my right.
The same power which guides me on the good days,
is the same that guides me when I am down.
Regardless, I have to remember
that I was created with a purpose and a plan,
whether I can see or understand it yet or not.
I have a purpose and I have a plan
and so do you.

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Michael Jackson and HGTV

Michael Jackson and HGTV

I know this sounds like a joke.
What do Michael Jackson and HGTV
have in common?
They both challenge us to begin
by changing ourselves
so we change the world,
whether Michael is telling us
to start with the man in the mirror
or HGTV is telling us to start at home,
the message is the same
making this world a better place
begins with us opening our hearts
to loving all of ourselves.
It means we start with the parts of ourselves
that are hungry for love and attention,
the parts that have felt as if at times they
were living in a homeless shelter
because I was not always willing
to love all of myself unconditionally.
When I take off my blinders
i open my heart, mind and soul
and I stop.
I stop running,
from all I was suppressing,
all that I was pressing down,
all I wanted to deny and not see.
I allow the change at home to start
by owning what I like about myself
and what I don’t.
If I can’t look at the person in the mirror
and really look at all of me,
then I cannot change the world.
Until I start with me
spiritually, emotionally; mentally, and physically,
I cannot change the world.
All I do is ignore Michael Jackson and HGTV.
 

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Seek & Find

Seek and Find

It’s a question I am asked from time to time,
How do you do it?
Do what? I ask
See God in everything.
Then I smile and laugh because the One is
everywhere and in everything.
Maybe it’s easier for me,
because I live each moment
remembering the Divine, the Ultimate, the One
is with me in every moment
and every place.
No matter where I seek the Ultimate,
I will find the Ultimate.
I have found the presence
in the warmth of my morning coffee,
in the bubbles of my club soda
in the cold breeze from the snow,
in the postal carrier who picked up my mail,
in the computer that allows me to work,
in the time alone,
in the parties I booked,
the poems I wrote,
the people I spoke with,
and the bed I will crawl into tonight.
Do you remember to ask for eyes that can hear
and ears that can see
and senses that allow you to be in tune
with the presence of the one who is ever present?
Take time each day
to seek and you will find.

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Unique

Unique

There is not,
never has been,
never will be,
anyone exactly like me
or you
or anyone else.
We are each unique.
We are divine by design
because we are designed by the divine.
We have so much in common,
but then we don’t.
We are like a museum of art.
Each one of us is a masterpiece
on our own
and part of a collection
which as a whole
defies description and understanding.
We are a collection of
unique.

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RSVP

RSVP

It doesn’t happen much anymore
that we get invited to places.
Out of sight,
out of mind.
But then it came out of the blue,
a personal invite to a birthday party
and it made us both feel so loved.
My friend felt bad that their home is not accessible,
but we honestly didn’t care
because they had asked and we felt so loved.
It wasn’t until we said we were coming
that I realized that when we rsvp coming
we make other people feel blessed.
There is a reciprocity that happens
when we rsvp.
We are blessed by the invite
and they are blessed
in the rsvp.
Realizing that when I say yes,
whether I want to go or not,
is not about me
but about letting others know
they are loved.

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Sharing is Caring

Sharing is Caring

Sharing is caring,
I first heard that when someone wanted
me to shre my food with them.
They wanted to try what I was eating.
But for me sharing is caring
has less to do with me
or even at the people at my table,
but more about the people who are not
at my table and maybe not
at anyone’s table.
Sharing is caring
is about me caring for those who have nothing
for those who are hungry
it is about recognizing my blessings
and sharing them with others
who are a part of my human family
sharing is caring
is about me giving back in
gratitude for the one who shared with me.
Sharing is not just about my food,
but about any of my abundances.
I share because I care,
because the Ultimate cares about me.

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