Inside Out Outside In

("Citadel of Light Merit Badge" - #67, 2016, original oil) Inside Out Outside In The world is nothing If not a continuum of beliefs and practices Along a spectrum of consciousness Within an infinite sphere of awareness; It’s all light And it’s everywhere But not in equal measure. In other words, that light shines differently In each of us, And so each of the cultures we create exist On a continuum From high to low. We don’t see what we don’t want But we see what we compulsively project Not like it’s a choice Just a given for the filters we bring The ones we inherit The ones we learn. What differentiates the individual path And progress of individuals along it? Refinement, subtlety and internalization. What starts big, grandiose, overwhelming Eventually becomes commonplace and manageable Until it too passes in its own small way. It’s called growing up and growing old. The Universe will have us all Swallowing us whole Kicking and screaming Or smiling and laughing It matters not to that final hole. (6/21/24)