Monthly Archives: May 2013
Compassion
what is it…do we have it?
we want it for ourselves
and this is good
for only if we are compassionate towards ourselves
can we be compassionate towards others…
this may sound self-centered
but it really is not
I once thought “love yourself” was so arrogant and self-centered
then the LIGHT came on
and I realized we only can love others in the measure in which we love ourselves
unless we can be loving towards who we are, and who we know so intimately…
then how can we love another? whom we do not know with the same intimacy?
if we are patient and compassionate towards ourselves
we will better understand how to be compassionate and loving towards the other…
if we reflect on life and how others affect us…then we will better understand how we affect others…
we get what we give out
not that we should only “fake” love or compassion…
but be sincere in caring about others….and then appreciate when others care about us…express our gratitude!
sometimes i am very sad……and I feel very alone…..but then if I try to help myself …meditate, write, draw or create an oil painting…i feel at peace in that creation
it does not sell for millions…it does not sell at all…..it is sold to ME….to the expression i feel inside that needs to come out..
many, many people have helped me on my journey….and to each of them I feel grateful…and also extend apologies for not expressing my heartfelt joy for all that they have given to me…
i know i have not arrived here alone…i know i am a product of all those who gave to me…my Mom, first of all…i love her so much and i miss her so much……
i cry tears each day thinking of her…and I no longer hide my tears…because that is who i am…
i have been given much in life…i have three beautiful daughters…and for them…i am grateful…and i have beautiful grandchildren…for them I am grateful…
so many friends in my life have given me hope to go on…
and when I was teaching, the students gave me so much love and energy…and purpose…
there is so much GOOD in the world…for all of this…I am grateful……
and to my WordPress family…I am grateful…it has brought me so much joy…
be YOUR Light!
so easy it is to climb into yourself and give up
crawl back into that cave of self-pity, fill the cup
allowing the voices of the distant past
take up rent and killing you fast
penetrate your being, tearing you down
making you feel the fool and the hopeless clown
refuse to give up the fight
climb back out and be the light
they never understood
they never could
you couldn’t play the game
the stakes too high for you to claim
you felt the passion deep
for truth you would seek
refuse to give up the fight
climb back out and be the light
maybe not everyone understood you
maybe not everyone could be true
it does not mean that what you valued was wrong
they just were playing a different song
they did not understand the passion that drove you
they did not understand you cared for more than a few
they did not understand you were only expressing an insight
they did not understand you’re being part of the light
they could only shut you down and throw you out
for then they could continue without a doubt
refuse to give up the fight
crawl back out and be the light
if only for a second the truth did shine
it was worth it all to be YOU on the line
somewhere, some day someone will find you
until then, believe in the light and all that is true
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Ego Sum, if you drop by to visit, please leave a connection to your wordpress blog for me! I went to your Gravatar but could not find a link to wordpress. You must manually link it to WordPress.
Ego Sum, si se le cae a visitar, por favor deje un enlace a tu blog wordpress para mí! Fui a tu Gravatar pero no pude encontrar un enlace a wordpress. Debe enlazar manualmente a WordPress
this gentle soul, Nadia, my granddaughter
Two days ago my little four year old granddaughter, Nadia, brought me a dandelion that was past the stage of being yellow…it had gone to seed. The seeds were perfectly attached, as in the photo above. She was so proud of the “flower” she gave to me. I graciously accepted it and placed it in a tiny glass of water. Today, I ran across the above image…it reminded me of Nadia’s kind gesture…she is such a sweetheart!
While she was visiting with me, she became very quiet. I said to her, Nadia, you are so quiet?” She responded in a matter-of-fact voice, “Well, Nanny, it is the Quiet of Silence!” WOW! A poet already…
Wash Away the Illusion of Loneliness
what is loneliness?
it is an illusion
isolation confusion
fear of being by oneself
feeling separate on the life shelf
unconnected and dismayed
climb out of yourself and face the day
be gentle with yourself
inconvenience oneself
accept that you are loveable
not only culpable
accept that you are part of something greater than yourself
you must bring oneself
to the waiting God of LOVE
you are never alone…hand and glove
…remember…go your Center
be at peace in Love tender
In Honor of the Servicemen and Servicewomen who have given their lives for the freedom of others
Who was Aminul Islam…Martyr for Workers in Bangladesh?
Aminul Islam was a married man
A husband, a father
An ordinary man who walked the Earth everyday seeking to create a living
What would prompt a man to stand up and fight the Hog that fed him and his family?
What would prompt a man to speak out when he was threatened previously to keep his mouth shut?
What would prompt a man to speak the truth when he would end up giving his life for just that fact alone?
A person with a passion for justice
A person who cared about his fellow workers
A person with a heart so pure he cared only for humans to be kind to other humans
A person who believed in truth
A person who was hoping speech would loosen the grip of greed choking the owners
A person who was only asking that walls and floors be built safely
A person who was only asking for just wages so that he could feed and clothe his family
A person who was only asking for basic human kindness
Greed and fear took over the hearts of those who killed him
Now who will take care of his wife? of his children?
Will truth be silenced because he died?
Hopefully, more will take up his cause and fight the battle for him and for each other
equality justice hope love social justice factories in Bangladesh
Bangladesh people
Bangladesh workers
Factory Collapse in Bangladesh
Sweatshops
A map of the languages spoken in Bangladesh, in English. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
RELATED ARTICLES:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/countingthecost/2013/05/2013524164645166872.html
“…So, Bangladesh faces a multilayered situation. Even though there is anger that people are being paid a pittance, there are equal concerns that international corporations could now abandon clothes that are ‘Made in Bangladesh’ due to safety problems…”
Related
Extensive coverage of war crimes tribunals and controversial calls for blasphemy laws. ( 12-May-2013 )
Aminul Islam…Martyr for Workers in Bangladesh
The flag of Bangladesh Deutsch: Die Flagge von Bangladesch Esperanto: La flago de Bangladeŝo Español: Bandera de Bangladesh. Italiano: Bandiera del Bangladesh. Русский: Флаг Бангладеша Slovenščina: Državna zastava Bangladeša (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Aminul Islam is a martyr, whose death should not be in vain
He died because he spoke for the workers with no names
He died a cruel and torturous death not seeking fame
He simply asked for just wages and safe working conditions
Hoping that injustice would not become the tradition
That human life would not be lost in perdition
He rallied for those who had no voice
He spoke out for safety for lives who had no choice
He is silent now, but we remain with the damning invoice
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We buy the clothes for which the men, women and children died
They wanted to work, they had to eat, they had their pride
They were crushed to death so the big cats could set money aside
What can we do, we may say…stand up today against these brands
Add your voice to Aminul Islam and ask for love to expand
We cannot act like what we do doesn’t matter, we are part of the band
Do not allow this man’s death to be in vain
Shout out to the corporations your disdain
His wife and children should not live in the rain
Men, women and children deserve human respect
Factories can be shut down and forced to inspect
One thousand one hundred twenty-seven lives too late to protect
Bangladeshi woman (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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European and USA Companies that do not insist on safe working environments are: Wrangler, Wal Mart
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http://www.globallabourrights.org/press?id=0546: “EYE ON BANGLADESH: At a time when Bangladesh is under intense scrutiny to make reforms in its garment industry in the wake of a building collapse that killed 1,127 people, CBS News has turned up another garment factory making clothes for Wal-Mart, Asics and Wrangler that allegedly blocks its emergency exits, fails to provide an adequate number of fire extinguishers and uses child labor.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57586001/survivor-of-bangladesh-factory-collapse-speaks-out/
“…
His body was found two days later, dumped by the roadside. His kneecaps were smashed, and his toes had been broken. No suspect has been named.
Fahima told us she believes factory owners paid off corrupt police to torture and kill her husband.
“If you try to help workers in Bangladesh,” she said, “you make enemies.”
U.S. retailers have been trying to improve conditions in Bangladesh for many years, but there isn’t any pressure on American companies to stop doing business in Bangladesh altogether.
Bangladeshi workers need these jobs, but a lot of people in Bangladesh told us that since U.S. retailers benefit from the country’s very low wages, should take responsibility for conditions inside factories. Following the Rana Plaza collapse, several European retailers have signed an agreement to use their own money to make Bangladeshi factories safer, but so far, all of the big U.S. retailers have declined to sign on.”
If you are further interested in this cause, below is an organization that is also:
Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights
(formerly National Labor Committee)
5 Gateway Center, 6th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, U.S.A.
Office +1 412.562.2406 | Fax +1 412.562.2411
inbox@glhr.org | www.globallabourrights.org
passionate desire
The Black Stallion (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
desire…noble, defenseless desire seeks its want
you find it within yourself…your happiness you flaunt
tension deliciously mounts with numerous increases as you jaunt
your heart runs, ignoring the geo-political thread detente
…like the black stallion in the dark night, speeding onward without delay
…like the blue wave cresting over itself, heedless of any obstacle in its way
…like the brilliance of a summer sunset, streaking its copper orange passion hues through sky’s roadway
Waves crashing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
your heart knows no bounds
… turns in every possible direction
flounders… stumbling over its own emotions…no selection
…cascading into
turbulent joy, no honorable mention
your heart runs and runs…
Waves crashing on rocks on the Southern Oregon Coast. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
…oblivious of what is not there
…oblivious of the blank stares
..oblivious of the one way flare
UNTIL
until…you see you are running alone
until…you feel unrequited desire…no one home
until…you capture your sigh, realizing your heart was on loan
Waves crashing over rocks, Porto Moniz, Madeira, Portugal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
soul searching …part II
An overall view of an LG EnV mobile/cell phone. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
what is that spark that first ignites?
the sudden click of a smile across the internet site
…the recognition…the someone other…finds you…
of all the billion people on the planet…you…it must be true
that one smiling click found you…and the intensity builds…
you find yourself stumbling steep into the love guild
crafting your every word…longing to be heard
your heart skips at every sound of the computer screen
you drop EVERYTHING you are doing to reach love pristine
the cell phone beeps and a text is waiting for your word
of course you will respond, you silly bird
you plan your day around the love you seek
clean the closet…wait for the sound…don’t go too far
or out of bounds…do the dishes…don’t wander to the stars
however, you still WONDER…and get carried away
you let reality slip…and your senses do stray
you have never had eye meets eye
you have never heard the person’s sigh
or…the slight brush of the hand against yours…
but you are convinced that she is yours for sure!
she tells you, “No”…but you do not hear it still
your brain runs past it and your heart does what it will
you are so convinced and determined to try
even if it never happens you will not let your love die
why are you so persistent, what is it that you refuse to hear?
why do you not hear the insistence, what is it that you seem to fear?
