GOING ... GOING

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GOING ... GOING ...

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If you can't let it go

Then it "might as well be useful as well as decorative"

(As my sainted grandmother used to say)

It can be a paper weight, a door stop

It can mark your place in a book, or perhaps enhance a sunny window sill

If you can't let it go, put it on a leash and take it everywhere with you

Your little buddy

You can move it from room to room

If it becomes too much to handle

You can always take it out into the counrtyside

And set it free

If you can't let it go then you can put it anywhere

Except your heart and mind

Because nothing belongs in your heart

Except peace, love, calm, strength, and the power

To let things go when you are ready.

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END OF YEAR SALE

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END OF YEAR SALE

Hatred (it's grave dirt cheap; the market is flooded right now)

Worry - whatever is left, I better check the inventory

Fears - too many to list

Rage - ask at the front desk since it is a controlled substance

Opinions - we seem to have an endless supply

Complaints - I am keeping a few but the rest are up for grabs

Poor decisions - really shopworn

Financial concerns - these are hard to sell, everyone seems to have plenty

Apocalyptic thinking - our End of the World sale, (hahaha just kidding)

Inattentiveness - in the back, under something, I guess

Indecision - not sure I really want to get rid of this. Maybe though, maybe not

All Sales Final

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FUNLIGHTENMENT

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FUNLIGHTENMENT

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Infinite thanks to all my pals

You smart supportive guys and gals

We all know, it's understood

Facebook can be a force for good

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We share our strength, we share our hope

We share the many ways we cope

The most valuable thing that I see

Is our inner growth philosophy

We are not stuck, fossils detained

In the quicksand of the lame blame game

Instead we choose to look within

Where all improvements must begin

While we have challenges like everyone

We can use philosophy to have some fun

Insight and humor are our means

To transcend the way things might seem

A nudge to the ribs, a smile in our eyes

Joking and kindness we rise to be wise 

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STARTER

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STARTER

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Each day is a new beginning

To tackle with verve and pluck

The open mind is the beginners mind

And is blessed with beginners luck

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Each breath is a new inspiration

As we walk our criss-crossy trails

We get good at cartography and navigation

Getting many more wins than fails

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INNER SANCTUARY

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INNER SANCTUARY

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I lead a sheltered life

I know this because I am the one that shelters it

I shelter myself from vexatious people

Too good to be true scams, vile sentiments

Evils that I can not fix, worrying about disaster scenarios

I somehow instantly create in my mortal mind

I shelter myself from myself

From the old programming of seeing all my flaws and weaknesses

But none of my assets and strengths

If my inattentive mind has drifted into dark thoughts

I grab the wheel and steer that thing right back over to

The sunny side where vision is much more accurate

Where I can decorate my shelter with bright happy things

Fun thoughts, a philosophy of renewal and redemption

Which pretty much covers everything

As a good shelter will always do

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SQUARE ONE

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SQUARE ONE

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When you find yourself at a dead end

Despite all your efforts to get somewhere

You are stranded in Nowheresville

It becomes important to know how to back up

We only want to go forward, forge ahead

Upwards and onwards, do or die

But that is the ego spurring us on

Which is quite useful in some situations

But not in this situation

Proceeding would be an exercise in futility

How do we retrace our steps

When memory has all but eraced our foot prints?

What to do?

We must reach into our Bag of Tricks

And pull out Square One

Place it on flat ground and step on it

Instantly we see we need to shift our focus

Recalibrate how to reach our goals

Healthy and clear minded thinking top the list

As we forge a new path, to a new verdant pasture

On a brand-new day, Square One day

Here is yours, in case you ever need a Square One

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THIS WILL BE THE TIME

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THIS WILL BE THE TIME

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This will be the time for us to forgive ourselves

For being young, uninformed, misguided, innocent, gullible, optimistic, blind, hopeful. open and eager

This will be the time for us to forgive ourselves

For being abused, taken advantage of, fooled, tricked, lied to, groomed, persuaded and led astray

This will be the time for us to forgive ourselves

For being damaged, confused, frightened, slow, weird, awkward, withdrawn, and erratic

This will be the time for us to forgive ourselves

This is the moment when we can lay down our burden of self-blame

Continue on with only the few uplifting things we need

Like encouragement, compassion, understanding and nurturing

In our little bag, now so light once recriminations are dumped out

While we are not going to be totally carefree, we are going to be much freer

Starting our journey anew, into the new day

With those things that no longer serve us 

Tossed away, into the abyss, the past, wherever

May now be the time you forgive yourself

So, you can flow unfettered into the new year

With your head held high, a spring in your step

Holding the tiny invisible hand of younger you 

The little Fool that needs to be embraced and guided

Away from danger and towards our rightful path

To self-realization

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FOOLISH BLAME

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FOOLISH BLAME

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Anyone's foot can slip off their chosen path

Any mind can become clouded and confused

Life force can feel drained, too weak for heavy lifting

We are not to blame when these things happen

Because blame is a meaningless concept

When it comes to ourselves

We know how hard we tried, how much we suffered

How unformed and uninformed our immature mind was

Self blame is really self hatred, which none of us can afford

Loving yourself is the vital unwritten pre-commandment

"Love your neighbor as yourself"

Lift yourself up with your inner words

Reassure and console yourself 

This will allow our mystical sight to find our chosen path again

To make our way forward towards our individual goals

With all our hopes and kindnesses in a little bag

We carry with us at all times, at the ready

For what may come around the next bend

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YOU

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Poem I wrote 

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YOU    

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There you are

With your dreams, fantasies, thoughts, desires

You with your habits, ways of coping

Unique perspective on life

No one has seen life through your eyes

You are a treasure trove of experiences

Feelings, curiosities, hard won knowledge

You are brimming with all the wondrous amazing things

That make you You.

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INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE

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INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE

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A regret we should never have is "Wasting my time"

In an attempt to accomplish something

We did not ultimately accomplish

If you break down your efforts step by step

Some of those steps were worthwhile

Some were successes

You used your time as wisely as you could

Just as a toddler can not say "I wasted so much time crawling"

Without the crawling, walking could not come next

Then striding, maybe eventually running like the wind

No time was wasted, it was invested in learning

The most profitable use of time

You were trying out a formula for success, a process

If it did not work, we make note of what was amiss

And give it another try

This is the best use of time, rewarded with wisdom

Gaining strength and stamina from your earlier efforts

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POWER vs POWERLESS

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POWER vs POWERLESS

There are two kinds of hurt angry people

The first kind says "I must modify my behavior

Change my old thought patterns, up my game

Get some insights on the causes

So the vulnerabilities in my life can be

Fortified and made secure.

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The second kind of hurt angry person says

"I have been the victim of a person, a system

Those people over there are responsible for all the unhappiness

I currently feel."

They feel justified in attacking, trying to lash out at an unfair system

Perhaps trying to modify the world to suit their needs

Venting, attacking, complaining

These things do not improve the world at all

But they prevent taking much needed personal action

On aspects of their life which might be improved

Unfortunately when you look for solutions in the wrong place 

You do not find any

When you look at who to blame, there are many to blame

Blame never solved a single problem, it never healed a single broken heart

And that is the power we are really wanting, the power to heal our

Broken hearts, the power to feel good, happy, secure

The power to have a good life.

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ENCHANTED SHOPPING

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ENCHANTED SHOPPING

If you went shopping in Fairytale Land

What would you put in your shopping cart?

Dumbo's Magic Feather

Frosty's Old Top Hat

Pollyanna's Positive Spin

Dorothy's Red Slippers

Alladin's Magic Carpet

Scrooge's Attitude Adjustment

Alice's Little Golden Key

The Little Match Girl's Last Match

Jack's Ability to Reverse the Beanstalk Fiasco

The Ugly Duckling's Realization

Briar Rabbit's Clever Prevarications

Pinocchio's Desire to Become Real

The Big Bad Wolf's Lung Power

Harry Potter's Cloak of Invisibility

Raggedy Anne's Little Candy Heart

The Little Red Hen's self sufficiency

The Tortoise's Focus and Determination

Chicken Little's return to reason and common sense

The Little Red Engine's growing confidence

The Monkey's Paw 

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PATCHES

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PATCHES

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Everyone ends up a little the worse for wear

We carry on, patching up the worn-out places

With new ideas, new ventures

Until we decorate our invisible battle jacket

Each a unique expression of our personal journey

We should wear our patched garments with pride

We were there, we showed up

And here we are, ready for a brand new day.

Much respect for your past, which has morphed into the present

Continuing to morph until we reach completion within our selves

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SHOULDA COULDA WOULDA

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SHOULDA COULDA WOULDA

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All the fun we could have had

The paths we could have taken

The things we should have saved

They are gone, that ship has sailed

But the Ocean of Time is vast

A new ship on a new day

Is flying across the waves to this very moment

Ready to take us to where we want to grow next.

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ADVICE

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ADVICE

Here's an idea

Team up with someone practical

Down to Earth, grounded, sensible

Someone who can listen to reason

You don't need someone from Outer Space

The Twilight Zone, Nowheresville, Looney Tunes 

You need someone you can work with 

To find solutions, problem solve, keep track of what's important

So here's the thing - Avoid those Space Cadets living in a Cloud

And get you someone practical.

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MOMENTOUS

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MOMENTOUS

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Have your wonderful seconds join together

So a happy minute comes your way

To make your pleasant hour

In your lovely day

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Little drops make a mighty ocean

Atom by atom a planet is born

Thus, things are improved or created

By incremental steps all is transformed

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DEPTHS

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DEPTHS

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A Mystic might have an ordinary life on the surface

But the surface is not where the Mystic resides

The ordinary life is the stage set

Backstage Eternity and Infinity are the Guides

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SOME LOSSES ARE GAINS

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SOME LOSSES ARE GAINS

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We can lose our illusions

By having them painfully abraded away

If we must be dragged down our life path

Kicking and screaming every inch of the way

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We will be dragged along

If we won't let go

Over the jagged rocks we bleed

Until we finally say "NO"

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No, I won't go through this anymore

I am already whole and complete

We no longer need our illusions

We can walk on our own two feet

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First, we precariously toddle

Finally, we learn to run

Joyously down our life path

Shining brightly as the Sun

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CURIOUSER

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CURIOUSER

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I am never far from Alice, she is never far from me

We walk side by side in Wonderland

And Oh! the sights we see

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We walk the Path through darkling woods

Hidden creatures scurry by

Some are big and dangerous

Some are slick and sly

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We must be open minded

While remembering our goal

To safely navigate Wonderland

Then climb out of that rabbit hole

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We all have a path we walk

I hope yours is good

If you're ever close by Wonderland

Look us up in Tulgey Wood

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TO MY BROKEN REFRIGERATOR

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TO MY BROKEN REFRIGERATOR

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For many years you were really chill

Then Mercury went into retrograde, and you fell ill

The fridge part was not nearly as cold

The perfect temp for botulism and mold

So, my beloved fridge, our relationship is through

Because, in the end, it was either me or you.

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CONTINUUM

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CONTINUUM

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If you worry, if you fret

About things that haven't happened yet

Worry topics are so vast

We could also worry about the past

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Who will win the Civil War?

Or be president in 1864?

Will the dinosaurs go extinct?

Is Atlantis going to sink?

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We think of the past as set, like jello

There is nothing we can change

But there is no way to know for certain

The future is not the same

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Do what you can to improve today

The present moment is all we can hold

Past and future will do whatever they do

This very moment you own is pure gold

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SECOND THOUGHTS

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SECOND THOUGHTS

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Every time we resolve to do something

An improvement that takes sustained effort

Towards what might be a daunting task

That resolve is Will - "I will do this thing."

That is when an odd phenomenon could crop up

An Anti-Will 

A little urge to behave in ways opposed to our Will

A suggestion to quit that weakens the Will

Or suggests something diametrically opposed to our goal

Perhaps out of sheer perversity

There must be survival value in the Anti-Will

A note of caution, including alternate considerations

In the end, if our goal is a good one

We must not be diverted down tributaries

That go nowhere

Keep your hand on your Will

Don't let Anti-Will take control

Undermining all your hard work

Dissolving your resolve

Will can prevail if you stand behind it

Support it, reinforce it, give it a chance

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FRIENDS OF CHRONOS

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FRIENDS OF CHRONOS

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Now You has a relationship with Future You

Now You can set things up so that Future You

Can do things more conveniently, easily

Because those essential elements of success

Were provided and waiting for Future You

Now You can lay in supplies you will need

Can eat healthy so Future You can feel good

Now You can learn something useful, developing skill

Future You will benefit from

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Past You can only wave from time's memory video

A grainy moment we retain in an album

But the relationship between Now You and Future You

Is vibrant, dynamic, intimate

Tell Now You to choose wisely, live frugally

And for Heaven's sake, begin right this second to encourage

Both Now You and Future You by recognizing your accomplishments

And potential, that locked reward we unlock with effort

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OCEAN OF IDEAS

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OCEAN OF IDEAS

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It is hard to know what to do with a big personality

A certain amount of personality is needed

To navigate in society

For a big personality the question is

What to do with the excess, the runoff?

It can't be stored in jars and bottles

Or folded and placed neatly in a drawer

It needs to be put to good use

Painting, drawing, inventing, sculpting, writing, poems

Like a mighty river the ideas flow out of a big personality

Flowing into the vast Ocean of Ideas

Filled with abundant visions and swelling enthusiasm

An Ocean we all swim, survive and frolic in 

Created by our drops of inspiration and, most of all, love.

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HOLY DAY BY DAY

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HOLY DAY BY DAY

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When a routine and schedule become the daily pattern of life

The many repeated actions grow dear 

To our sense of orientation, time and place

Fixed in our inner map of "You Are Here".

Thus, brewing tea, preparing a salad, making the bed

Become ceremonies

Doing the same thing in the same way each time

Becomes a ritual of love and attention in the Temple of the Holy Day by Day

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CHOR-US

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CHOR-US

I have harmonious relationships with those 

Who are singing the same song

But we are not all singing the same song

This does not have to be a problem

I can hear their true song without trying to drown them out

With my true song

I will save my song to sing with those who hum the same tune

Tap their foot to the same beat of a Cosmic Drummer

Only we can hear.

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