All lives end in defeat, if each day death is feared.
All lives end in a smile, if each day death is cheated.
Regardless, all lives end,
And death loves her rogues.
Thought #26
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Category Archives: Personal
Thought #25
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is not remembered
For the thousands of cars safely carried after it opened,
But for its collapse one fateful day.
Nor is it remembered that now there sits two bridges,
Strengthened in partnership,
Carrying millions with the learnings of that collapse.
Snowflakes
Every unique snowflake
Is a snowflake.
Snowflakes melt.
Snow endures.
Almost, But Not, Symmetrical (2)
There are two types of pain …
Beautiful pain strikes our ego.
Beautiful pain strikes our pride.
Beautiful pain builds us up.
Beautiful pain teaches love.
Ugly pain strikes our soul.
Ugly pain strikes our honor.
Ugly pain tears us down.
Ugly pain teaches hate.
… that in the moment, are hard to discern.
Beautiful pain can feel ugly today.
Beautiful pain feels beautiful tomorrow.
Our minds cannot discern,
But our hearts know which is which.
Ugly pain can feel beautiful today.
Ugly pain feels ugly tomorrow.
Our minds cannot discern,
But our hearts know which is which.
Both hurt, in different ways; …
Beautiful pain hurts.
Beautiful pain is a struggle.
Beautiful pain transcends suffering.
Beautiful pain nourishes.
Ugly pain hurts.
Ugly pain is a struggle.
Ugly pain amplifies suffering.
Ugly pain kills.
… and both can break us, if we let them.
Fear walks away from beautiful pain.
Deceit weakens as we lie.
Isolation inspires others
To leave us to our fate.
Fear turns to embrace ugly pain.
Deceit weakens as we lie.
Isolation inspires others
To leave us to our fate.
Yet both can serve us …
Courage turns to face beautiful pain.
Integrity protects as we strengthen.
Vulnerability inspires others
To face their beautiful pain.
Courage walks away from ugly pain.
Integrity protects as we strengthen.
Vulnerability inspires others
To face our ugly pain.
… to grow.
Series: Almost, But Not, Symmetrical
9 Word Tragedies (10)
The Beauty Of Broken Things
The Venus De Milo
Is not beautiful
Because she’s broken,
But would
Be less so
Were she perfect.
My Cup
Sometimes when my cup is half empty,
Sometimes when my cup is half full,
Sometimes when my cup runs dry,
Sometimes when my cup flows over,
I remember,
Holy shit
I have a cup!
I have a cup!
Questioning Students
Student: I need to know the secret to enlightenment.
Master: Ah, you’re not ready.
Student: Then what separates the master from the student?
Master: Practice.
Student: How do I become the master?
Master: Become the student.
Almost, But Not, Symmetrical (1)
As a parent,
Your child’s first diaper
Is no delight.
But you endure
And when you remove the last
You cry.
As a child,
Your parent’s first diaper
Is no delight.
But you endure
And when you remove the last
You cry.
Series: Almost, But Not, Symmetrical
The Marriage Candle
Your candle’s light has colored
And brightened my heart’s hole,
And when my wick’s been smothered
Your glow ignites my soul.
Thought #23
We do not grow more beautiful with age
Yet our age together grows more beautiful.
Shelley’s Bond
There is a calf-skin bond issued in 1648
To build dikes and canals in Holland
That still pays interest today.
Near 400 years.
For the people who built those dikes and canals
That the bond still honors,
Long since dead,
And their children dead,
And their children’s children’s children dead,
What an accomplishment!
The armies of people who dug the canals,
Who stacked the walls,
And bent nature to their will were heroes
For their work has fed generations.
The will of mankind
Reigns
Over hundreds of years!
And the million-year-old sea
Smiles at mankind and says,
“Wait my precious, for I will that you return to me.”
And the billion-year-old sun
Smiles at the sea and says,
“Wait my precious, for I will that you return to me.”
Thought #22
Life is not as extreme as I imagine,
And more extreme than I can possibly imagine.
Thought #21
What is the point?
This is the point.
There is no other point.
This point is enough.
There were other points.
There may be other points.
This is the point.
This point is enough.
Secrets of the Master Clown
1. One face for the crowd.
2. True face for the troupe.
Secrets of the Master Lion Tamer
1. Respect your partner, and accept there will be scratches.
2. Respect yourself, and hold your ground.
Secrets Of The Master Strongman
1. The strongman can carry his burden.
2. The strongest can carry others.
Secrets Of The Master Trapezist
1. To hang on, you must build the strength to endure.
2. To soar, you must build the strength to let go.
Thought #20
So many wrongs,
So many rights;
Layer upon layer
Beneath dropping sands.
Some fools note
The slumping pile.
I still treasure
Each falling grain
And lust for
Your eternal hourglass.
Thought #19
To those who say their parents never gave a fuck about them, I disagree.
Chances are they did at least once.
A. B. Clarke 