Oasis

OASIS

Wandering in the desert of being

Looking for life’s meaning

The earthly world

So dry and barren

When to the lofty

We go comparing

Turning in times of need

To higher realms indeed

But as creatures

Of two worlds we are

Towards earthly happiness

We go far

From time to time

In the distance I see

A patch of green

Promising to be

An oasis of opportunity

The oasis if true

Is a chance

Of happiness anew

Born of this world, no doubt

A way to sate

This earthly drought

And if it stands with time

Twill go

To the world sublime

But many a time we hope

And with this, we learn to cope

We approach that patch of green

And find it only exists

In the realm of dreams

A mirage will appear

To be real but not

Mostly a result

Of inner drought

We are distracted

By this wayward search

Living in the hope

Of dreams come true

But mostly in vain

The real goal

Closer than our life vein

But for now

Another Oasis I see

Approaching it

Cautiously

Will it this time be

My destiny

-Shiidon, July 2010

Much has happened since my last post. The most significant (for me) is the visit of my daughter Shahdi. She took two weeks vacation and spent it here. Today, on the last day of the trip, she wanted to spend with me. We went out to eat, saw a movie and then said goodbye way too soon. She and Shervin are driving my parents new (used) car to New Mexico.

I am not sure what the future will bear, let alone the new future. However, I do know that I will make every attempt to make the most of each day that I am blessed with.

This poem was started a week ago. It was in response to my mediation's on life and what is going on at this time for me. Nothing spectacular, just my inner musings.

Reflections of Happiness

REFLECTIONS OF HAPPINESS

How is happiness defined?

From times past, that remind

Or the charges were given to mind

Or is it when we find

One to whom

Tis second nature

To be kind

We search high and low

And to many places we go

But tis many times

In the simplest ways

It doth show

A voice of kindness

Doth remind us

Of the happiness

For which we yearn

And in turn

Doth make the flame

Of caring

Brighter burn

A simple smile

Can all the while

Keep happiness alive

To the deepest extent

To which we strive

The thoughts of caring

While together sharing

Bring a peace

To our heart

And for a start

Shows how each

Can do their part

In happiness

To each other impart

True happiness

Is not temporal

But in this worldly plain

We strive on high

Seemingly in vain

For that state

For which we must wait

Until that day

When we make our way

We have each other

To find the reflection

Of what we seek

From that most lofty peak

Happiness can be found

In things all around

The joys in life

Do us surround

The reflection in all

Of what’s profound

Will continue to astound

-Shiidon, July 2010

Happiness is elusive in that we think we know what makes us happy. Many would think happiness is possessions, power or money. When we reach one of these goals we sometimes find that happiness is more elusive than we think. This is not, however, a time to speak of detachment or attachment. What is the focus here is to find the things in each other that bring us happiness To see how the flower, bird or even the creek can bring us happiness. It is happiness in seeing what is there and not what we want it to be.

I have a fond memory from China. I was walking to a school and was approaching two of the other teachers coming the other way. I remember reaching out and grabbing a beautiful flower from a bush as I walked past and without hesitation reached out and passed it on to the others as we passed by. A simple exchange of greetings without stopping or commenting on the flower. It was a simple act and there was a beauty in the way it transpired as as well as in the flower itself.

I am not sure what the future bears for me. But for now I am trying to live in the moment and appreciate each sign of happiness and beauty that I can see and experience.

Sweet Bouquet

SWEET BOUQUET

Life, So full of surprises

Amazing sunsets

Glorious sunrises

But the point I find

And comes to mind

Is the peace, that settles in

When around us, we begin

To know, we are not alone

And the beginning of a path

Is shown

How absolutely amazing

As the curtain is raising

To step on stage

As more of a sage

And realize the errors

Of the past made

Are not repeating

As that part of me

Doth fade

To see the inner self revealed

That one has self-concealed

Is evidence of one healed

And no longer in need

Of a shield

The fear now

Is of the unknown

For the path

From which I was honed

Has opened up

And more clearly shown

And it seems

No longer much left

For which to atone

When your way to live

Is to others give

And you’re spent

In your attempt

To serve

As if you yourself

Do not deserve

You find yourself in solitude

Undeserving of gratitude

However,

When one to you doth give

A new experience you doth live

Thank you for being there

For sharing

And showing you care

T’is hard to

Tear oneself apart

When you know

Within your heart

That on a new direction

You did start

It won’t be long

When I look back and reflect

On how everything

Did interconnect

And how my life,

It did affect

For now I will

Live each day

And in gratitude pray

For showing me

This new way

The joys of life

And it’s sweet

Bouquet

-Shiidon, July 2010

Well, take from this one what you will. Like any other art, it will mean something different to each person who reads it. To some it will speak to them and to others it will be poorly written. I have learned to not assume anything. I write about my feelings as well as those things that come to mind that may not be from me but observations I make.

Greater and Lesser Flame

It was summer. It was a dark and still night. The moon had not risen as of yet and there was a dampness that filled the air. A lone moth saw and flew to its heart’s desire. The flame beckoned to it, drawing it in with its alluring light. The moth strove over and over to reach the flame but each time it thought it had reached its heart’s desire, it found itself unfulfilled, and left wanting. One night is a very long time in the life of a moth. It spent hours flying, arriving and becoming disappointed at not obtaining its love.

The moth grew tired. Looking at the moth brought to mind despondence and sadness. How is it one can strive over and over again so much and with all ones energies and yet not reach fulfillment? It seemed cruel at best.

The moth turned slowly and found itself suddenly between two lights, one so ever brighter than the other. It seemed that the moth had been chasing a dim and mere reflection of the source. The moth was so determined to reach its love that it did not reflect and see that it was a reflection. With new found energy, the moth arose and raced towards its life consuming union with the flame.

____________________________________________________________________

With passion we strive

In hopes

To our hearts desire

We should arrive

This goal

So ever lofty

Is our single

Most important role

This flame

Towards which we reach

Is beyond a barrier

We cannot breach

Though for an eternity

We will strive

With our source to be

T’is a fact

That this union

Shall never be

There is at times

On this earthly plane

We are attracted towards

A lesser flame

It can’t be helped

To one another

We are drawn

And in some small sense

To one another belong

And this clearly

Cannot be wrong

Towards the greater flame

We are well tempered

But turn away

We become self-centered

When we see inside the heart

That greater flame

In its most inner part

Reawakens the fact

That together

We make a pact

That greater flame

That beckons so near

Is our desire

As well as

For the one we hold dear

Together now we fly

Into the night sky

Dancing in the moonlight

Towards the flame

We set our sight

Spiraling higher and higher

Leaving this world behind

In our common purpose

We become entwined

In each other

That greater purpose

We do remind

-Shiidon, July 2010

The concept of the reflection in glass for the moth came to me as I was driving home from work one day. The thought of attraction on two levels comes to mind often. We are called upon to know and to love God. We are on a never ending journey to know and understand our creator, an impossible journey, yet one we are made for. In this life there is a duality in that we are made as man and woman and then driven towards each other. It is written in many places that if we focus on each other we lose sight of what actually binds us together. When we turn towards God first our bond together is stronger.

The story is about turning towards the light; the poem is more about the connection with each other.

(I took this photo)