Closely Now

What if writing here, I could somehow see into the person you are? Would you happily share your deepest self with me, or want to hide reality?

I will tell you what I already know of you and what your future might be. Come along and see:

You have come through a lot. Sometimes you are not sure how you survived your struggles. There are days you can almost consider giving up, but you do not allow the word, quit in your vocabulary.

There are people, maybe only one or two, or a few, who you could never disappoint, they are a devoted team who stay ever close to you.

You have people who admire you, looking to you for encouragement and inspiration though you may not now or ever know it.

There are things about your life you could make no better if you tried because they are the best already. Some things you hope to change and eventually will because you keep trying even when everything appears impossible. You refuse to give up, and thankfully, persistence usually pays off.

A few things you may have, or have to, let go. No matter who we are, sometimes our purposes may fail to go according to plan. It is okay, though, because you keep going, keep taking another step. Even when tears fill your eyes, you choose to smile and reach to help someone else. You are an excellent and dependable friend, although your circle of influence may be small.

You may not have all you want and may think you will never succeed to the degree you wish, but because you fight negativity and work creatively in every aspect of your life, more and more positive results will find you. Bit by bit the good you expect will evidence in your existence. You are loved. Blessings will come, and your gratitude will assure more manifest. God sent you here with a purpose, and He will never desert you.

Elective Activities…

Seeing with new eyes
All the times we almost had
Ahold of the precious prize,
But our gaze was called astray
Fingers slipped over broken edges
And sudden walls blocked our way.
The question justly arises,
Can we grasp new horizons
Getting our self-satisfaction
With blatant mediocrity
Over to the side, out of our lane?
Trouble speeds like a missile
Targeted to do incalculable damage
Causing fatal amounts of pain,
But our vision is alive again.

Writing seems the entree today. Not accomplishing much else, and I can live with that circumstance. This poem has a political edge to it, but it is also about the simple actions of continual living.

I hope you will take some time to create something today. Most often, it is the way I keep myself from spontaneously combusting. As a prompt, you might think of the state of the world currently and create something which provides your take on it, either from a personal perspective or more wide-ranging.

Currents

I remember a time when you could have a difference of opinion over most anything, but still remain friends. It seems our world has degenerated to the point that many people are in opposition to others always.

I thought what you did in the ballot box was between you, the machine, and your conscience. Your religious views were between you and God so long as you were respectful of others. Of course, there was an element of proselytizing, but it was not forced, faith was shared in a spirit of love. A sense of judging was ruled out by scripture. What you did in private, unless it negatively affected others, was your business.

I worry that the change I see is not for the better. If one believes in climate change and another does not, sometimes years of relationship is destroyed. There is a factor of humanity in us having differing abilities, opinions, and thoughts. I would hazard to say it is why we, as a species, have been successful and retained our superior position in the hierarchy of life.

I hope each of you will consider employing empathy in the coming days because even more divisive times may be in our futures. A thing I try to remember is, if I act or speak kindly, I am less likely to cause permanent damage to my relationship with another or even avoid causing harm to them in some way.

Living life as 2020 has shown us, does not always run according to plans, and disaster can bring out the beastly side of some. I shall continue to attempt to stand up for love and caring. I understand it is a struggle at times, but we are masters of ourselves. When we careen without control, we must rein in our distasteful temper.

Take care of yourself in this stressful season. You can better relate to others if you have adequate self-care. Find ways to relax and enjoy simple pleasures that appeal to you. Do not hesitate to talk to someone or seek professional help if negative feelings and depression are becoming overwhelming.

This year has served us challenging times, we should pull together to make sure we all make it through whatever lies ahead.

I hope you are well and finding some joy, however you choose. Love and prayers go out to you all.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative, if you like, follow the site, or come back at your pleasure.

Everywhere we go
There are tales of fear and woe,
But love still, we show.

Situations 1, 2, Something More

First, we shall begin with a story start. Sometimes I just noodle around with things and see where it takes me. I am a No Filter, No Boundaries sort of person when it comes to creativity.

*****

Morgan walked across the pavement cleanly edged with green, to what could be a gothic castle. Turrets, stained glass, rock walls, but closer, partial bars on the windows. No, it clearly was not a castle. In the near distance, the painstakingly manicured lawn was broken and dotted with marble monuments. The building was a handsomely disguised mausoleum, a repository of the dead.

She had roamed the halls where a voice could echo off marble timelessly, numerous times. Even a whisper could carry room to room.

She was allowed all over the vast building and knew the attic was a storage facility for emergency rations and necessities in case some disaster struck the metropolis.

Morgan hoped she was wrong, but she also knew a considerable waste disposal dump lay adjacent, just beyond the lawn of careful plots. She wondered when the dump reached capacity, would the graves seed it with resting bodies?

Those thoughts she pondered from time to time, but just now, she sought the coolness inside the imagined castle and shadows of comfort after the Summer heat had toasted her, and the bright white light almost made her blind.

As she opened the heavy door, the quiet took her by force. It nearly enveloped her in peace. Peace, however, was not hers to be had.

*****

This next is about today’s experience.

I avoid going out, but my stores of food, particularly dog food, were depleted. I ate lunch at Del Taco, I had lunch for $1.75. I had to correct the person at the drive-thru when I made my order. I think she thought I was upset, but it was not that, I just wanted it right and I have this voice thing. If I get in any way excited, I get louder. I hate it, but I have no way to control it. I promise I try, but… sometimes I really do not like how I am.

I went to Sam’s Club. All over the store, they have moved things around. Put that on top of my usual anxiety with being out in public, and I almost had a bad situation. I spent about three times the moments I would generally have in there today, and I never found some things I wanted, needed.

I came home and unloaded. The dogs would not eat, though they were excited about having food. I fed them by hand for a bit.

I have tried to relax, but this has not been a better day.

*****

The sunshine, the rain,
The grass, pines, dandelions,
Look, comfort abounds.

*****

Find me in the deep
Of thought where anxiety
Is no longer freed.

As a prompt, create something about situations you have faced recently or some you imagine.

I hope your day was pleasant, and you accomplished what you intended. If not, resolve to find better solutions on the morrow.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. I am so glad you took the time to see what is here. I hope you will follow the site or return as your leisure grants. Comments and suggestions are welcomed.

May God Bless and Keep You and Yours in all you do.

Beginning an Experiment

The environment on social media has become increasingly toxic, and as the election nears, I expect that trend to escalate. I am taking some time off, or at least decreasing my time investment, on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

I waste a lot of time on those generally. You may, too. I have some goals that will involve time expended, so I hope to recover a few hours here and there.

This does not preclude future engagement, it is just a sabbatical. I need to know if those influences are harming my attitude and reinforcing negative habits. I have reason to believe that time on social media is not a positive contribution to life.

I will be here because this is my forum. Hopefully, the readership will increase, but my commitment to posting daily will not abate. It is a vow I made to myself, contingent on none other. I wanted to work again like I did in the past, so far, I have exceeded my expectations. I believe I am doing good work, possibly improving with practice.

If you are distressed by postings, disturbed by attitudes, find yourself wishing the ads did not ruin your surfing, perhaps you should consider taking some time off from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well. I am not saying everything about them is terrible, but I think there is evidence that taking a close look at our consumption is prudent. I am making the break for now.