Gestalt

GESTALT

I find myself, on the brink of change

Facing an unknown, not quite in range

Feeling alone, but what is strange

Is that all around, others I find

who face change in kind

Friends and family are stepping out

Upon new paths all about

Each one facing change in a way

Letting go of fears, sending them away

Lands far and wide are facing tests

Full of troubles, and unrest

Status quo, that held its sway

No longer works, eroding away

This Earth of ours, once so large

Is showing its pain, by and large

We are testing it to great extent

With our excesses without relent

We are all on the cusp of changes so great

Enough that past and present, doth elate

We will overcome what we face

Of the past, we will leave no trace

We have been promised, a new day

Past dispensations have had their say

So when we think we are alone

A gestalt we are, our planet, our home

This present confusion we confront

Will give way to a common front

Comprised of one and all

As past separations doth fall

So hearken now, and heed the call

-Shiidon, August 2009

Gestalt, the sum of the whole being greater than the parts. This is how I see our dear world and all of us great parts that comprise it along with the animals, plants and minerals. I see change and uncertainty everywhere. It is in our day to day lives as well as the world surrounding us. The world of my childhood does not exist. The tests we face are not the same. The fact is that things went slowly back then. Now things happen to such a great degree that we are almost numb to them. To lose just under half a million people to a natural disaster in the Asian tsunami and almost have forgotten about it is surprising. We remember 9-11 and the twin towers falling but over a hundred fold lost their lives in that natural disaster. The suffering of our brothers and sisters in various contries around the world is so much that we are all but numb to it. No continent is spared. The disasters are natural as well as man made. It is almost foolish to not think that fundamental changes are needed in how we conduct ourselves in this small blue marble we call Earth. The suffering on another continent is the suffering of my brother or sister. The joy in accomplishing something major as the recent scientific discoveries regarding malaria etc. are our shared joys.

We are on the brink of something big and wonderful.

The New Path Tread

THE NEW PATH TREAD

As the music pours through my being

I wonder what it is I’m seeing

Thoughts and emotions come pouring down

Scattering their energy, all around

In this peculiar place, I am found

At times I want to leap for joy

And at others I am annoyed

T’is the middle ground I travel

Lest straying lead to unravel

I am often now, deep in thought

Reflecting on what I have sought

Sometimes what we think we need

Is really what we should not heed

By sloughing off, the layers of old

And open ourselves to being bold

To take a step in a direction not tried

To know what can hold us back, like pride

So I stick my neck out, beyond my shell

Taking a risk in which time will tell

I look forward, to these new days

And know life may change in new ways

So in truth, what is to come

Will bring about change, in what I’ve become

I let go of the past, and embrace the new

And cherish the spirit, my soul it doth renew

-Shiidon, August 2009

I was sitting again at my desk and listening to music. Gortoz A RAN, J'Attends from the movie Black Hawk Down. It is enchanting. This poem streamed out of me as I listened to this music. I am writing, it seems, about change. I will say a bit more about this in the next poem I post.

Roads of Change

ROADS of CHANGE

The days flash by

Like dashes in the road

The older I get

The faster I go

As I pass my days

Through this life

I wonder at the joys and strife

And while at times I question why

The answers may not come

Till I die

This road of life

Has twists and turns

To find balance

My heart yearns

Stepping stones

These tests are named

Though sometimes pain

Is all that remained

So when a bright light

Comes to me

I am not sure

t’is my destiny

When pain rains down

And troubles befall me

T’is easier to believe

This is meant to be

Cautiously I advance

Through uncharted lands

Wary of pitfalls

My attention it demands

When a test is repeated

Again and again

At what point do you pass

Do we know when?

Could it be

That the current uncertainty

Is a sign that progress

Has been made in me

T’is time that will tell

As I move on

Whether these tests

Remain or are gone

Is it readiness

That I see

Or simply headiness

My heart doth plea

I will face the coming days

In a new found way

And through the lessons

I have learned

I see how my life has turned

Regardless of what is to come

I begin to see

Of what I’ve become

Those tests had a role

In making me whole

And in elevating my soul

-Shiidon, August 2009

I would assume my weeks rest is the explanation for the amount of poems that I have come up with this week. I have had many things spinning around me like dervishes. Some of them elevating, some challenges and some are unknown elements in my life. The great thing is that I am not stressing out about work as much. I provide the best service to the customers that I can but it is in being rested that I can be even more helpful.

I had some nice conversations with Shahdi since writing the poem for her and reflecting on my three children I must say I am happy with where they are going in life.

As they say; the glass is either half empty or half full. We choose to look at things one way or the other. I am making the attempts to see what befalls me as part of the growing process and am relishing the challenges and opportunities that have presented themselves to me.

I feel many more poems whirling around in my mind and will be writing and posting them here soon.

Insight

INSIGHT

Close your eyes

And realize

That we are all

Of the same things comprised

The things that separate us,

One from another

Represent the superficial

Of which, we should not bother

What we are is

Not what is seen

Who we are

Or who we have been

What makes a difference

And brings thought

Is the strength of character

Of which we are wrought

It can’t be traded

Nor can it be bought

When we look in

Each others heart

We make a start

Seeing what strengths

Are in one another

Rejoicing in the beauty

We find in each other

If we look

With a heart that’s pure

We shall see true spirit

Of that be sure

When we see this beauty

In each other

All else falls away

And are of no bother

So my friend I will look at you

With this in mind

And hopefully you

Will return in kind

And together we will find

Our common place

To be,

We’ll see

-Shiidon August 2009

I wrote this poem on the plane ride back from California. I was reflecting on friendships. I had just seen my dear friend Payam. I had not seen him since his wedding well nigh thirty years ago. I was blessed to see his dear wife and even older friend (36 years and counting) Cindy and their dear son Aram at the occasion of my Uncles passing five years ago. I have a poem posted to Aram in a previous section. I was able to meet their son Kamran and daughter Nura on this trip. It was with ease of hearts that we all sat together with my precious family (Cousin Ramin, Brenda and their kids Anisa and Samaan) and we passed the evening away as only old friends can. Except the ease of which their children moved so quickly into a loving and deep friendship with me that seemed so natural and yet so out of place in some ways in this world. This poem was inspired by that lovely evening and for other times of meeting to come in my life and in the lives of those whom this poem resonates in some way.

I was able to find such peace on this past weeks trip that will be hard to come by again anytime soon. Already the stresses of my first day back have grabbed a hold of me and are trying to wrestle away my sense of tranquility. I will ignore it as much as possible until the time I can make my way out there again and spend time with my dear cousins, Aunt and friends.

Shahdi

SHAHDI

All my life

I wanted to see

a little angel

who would walk with me

Hand in hand

we would go

the world to you

I would show

and teach you

what I know

And now my dear

you have grown so much

soon you will not need me

as your crutch

You have grown so well

my heart doth swell

of the pride I find

in your growing up

I think of you most every day

and keep you close

in this way

Keeping in touch

heart to heart, as it may

You have seen so much

in your few years

some in joy

and some in tears

but of your future

I have no fears

And now I tell you, this my love

Whether here or the world above

You are dear to me

more then I can say

For in words

there is no way

-Shiidon, August 2009

I was on the plane from California back to Texas and had just finished a poem that is to follow this one. I was moved of a sudden to write a poem for Shahdi, my dear and wonderful, precious daughter. It may be that I was flying overhead when this poem came to me.

She is a dear soul and I never stop getting compliments on her wonderful attributes and skills. Simply said; I love my daughter so very, very much.

Summer Found

SUMMER FOUND

The light keeps up its pace

Along the grass, the shadows race

Everything seems, to have its place

Among the breeze, the flowers trace

The light caresses all around

Warming everything that is found

Life all over doth abound

With loving energy it doth surround

Of summers past I doth remember

Not quite a fire, but still an ember

Not unlike those days of past

They seemed endless

But not meant to last

As I reflect on those days gone by

I sit here and wonder why

We rush about here and there

To our surroundings

We give not a care

There is something that is lost

And clearly, there is a cost

When we forget and neglect

To our surroundings our attention

To direct

And now as I look around

The number of butterfly’s abound

The trees rustle in the breeze

Before my eye calm seas

The purpose of life becomes so clear

Surrounded by those I hold dear

Everything around me so calm

So much a life saving balm

And as the shadows run ahead

I slow down and rest instead

And breath deep of the fresh clean air

Of my surroundings, I am more aware

Of the temporal thins, less I care

In days to come, when life rushes ab out

My eyes will close, shutting things out

Remembering these days and summers past

I will find my peace at l

Shiidon, August 2009

I wrote this poem on Tuesday, three days ago. I find myself posting my poems on the dock by the lake with the breezes blowing and the birds cawing. i will never forget this week. i am realizing that if I want to serve and give as much as I do, I must also take some time out from time to time to rest and recharge you could say. I spent Wednesday going to Los Angeles and back to pick up something for myself and Kamran from his brother. I was in traffic and the trip took several hours. I had lunch with a good friend and then went to walk it off an outdoor mall. It turns out I could not wait to come home and take a nap in the hammock. We went to some dear friends that I have known from when I was 12 years old and since then I have rested. I am happy. I have not one shred of anxiety, nor do I feel the least bit stressed. I know that I will go back to the same work environment but I believe it will be with a new and refreshed look on things. I encourage everyone to take time off like this. Mind you, I am surrounded by many distractions but have enjoyed just being at peace and taking lots of naps. Today it is lunch with my Aunt, Children's classes, dinner and a movie at home with a boat ride to follow. One more full day to go. I am ready for the weeks and months to come now and am at peace. I look forward to things new.

Vortex of Change

VORTEX OF CHANGE

Standing on the brink of change

Seeing a new future within range

That it would come now

Not so strange

The winds swirl around

My feet firmly

On the ground

a new light in life found

I have rushed through life

To find this place

Against myself

Did I race

I thought in time

It would be so clear

Realizing now

How much t’is near

The vortex swirls

As the meaning unfurls

And yet I am calm

New found reflection

A balm

And so I step forward

With a sure footing

Wiser with time

A life more sublime

Each moment I relish

Each encounter I cherish

Taking each day

In its own way

Not worried so much

For the next day.

Shiidon, August 2009

I wrote this on the airplane on the way to California. it seemed appropriate at the time. It is slowly dawning on me that my children are not children anymore and that they are rushing on to their futures with haste and zest, the same haste and zest that seems to infect all of us at that age. I am also finding a new found peace and am appreciating the people and things that surround me. I have always found myself rushing to the next place, thing, event etc. so much so that i would forget to stop and smell the roses (as the saying goes).

Life is good, I am happy and I am ready for comes next in life. In the meantime, i am enjoying my vacation by the lake in the cool summer breezes of California.