I'm not old school and never claimed to be
But the phrase Respect Your Elders always bothered me
Despite the reciprocal respect I should play blind and never truly see?
I won't play pretend it's much to costly
No that never resonated
And those expectations won't be tolerated
You either treat me with the same respect or kiss my ass
I might be younger but that mentality is pure trash
I am alive because of you
I live because of you
I suffer because of you
I love because of you
I am dysfunctional partly because of you
I am loved and needed because I care, because you cared
The only thing which is not predetermined
Is how I choose to live this life
Will I spread love and acceptance to myself and others
Or will I repeat the same mistakes in myself or my children?
We are not robots, but we are 'wired' together
We are not artificial intelligence, but intelligent, living, breathing fallible beings.
We live so many years on this ground, but are not defined by what we do.
We are defined by what we are.
I am alive and I'm grateful for that.
Elders once had wisdom,
Which is what was always taught,
So they were treated with respect;
Advice from them was sought.
Their years of life provided
The experience they’d learned
And there was satisfaction
When that knowledge was returned.
Yet that’s no longer valid,
For intelligence is gleaned
Artificially and so
The human aspect’s been demeaned.
Nowadays, to be an elder
Is to realize no one cares,
For our input isn’t valued
By our progeny or heirs.
As a consolation, maybe,
For so many years alive,
Elders get a senior discount
Once they’ve aged to sixty-five.
A long time ago when our first grandson was young -
I think around the age five or six -
there was a phone call we made to him
to say hello and talk with him for kicks.
We'd tried to make it short because of his attention span.
He’s a kid who later became a not-too chatty young man!
I felt surprised and a bit insulted
(was talking to our grandson such a bore?)
when he said very soon and matter-of-factly:
“What am I still talking to you guys for?”
Age cuts like a knife
Wrinkled hands can't work forever
The young need space soon
I walk out of sight
As a blizzard closes in
My memory stays warm
The night feels so cold
Stars cannot pierce this storm
Waves hold no favor
The fish were hungry
All that will take must give back
I smile, winter feast
Fat fish make good food
No one goes hungry tonight
In the sky I dance
Laughter from small ones
A ballroom so far above
Hearts know no distance
Today I’m thankful for the wisdom of our elders…
We should thank them ever day…
while remembering:
their wisdom does us no good
unless we heed the words they say.
Berqueeta decides to sage evil from the wind
She is warned by her elders it has not been done
Because people did not believe, she informs them
Chanting her love song into the wind, she changes its direction
It ebbs and flows, finally landing at her feet, begging forgiveness
Belief is everything, she tells the astonished elementals who witnessed it
Like a mage fight they pray,
Using different spells watch closely to what they say,
Some using pictures to chant at your achievements,
Some saying I wish you to fail can you believe this,
The children said truce but the men were too far along,
Just like the Bible said too much evil they be gone,
I know I asked for hell and requested the punishments too,
When I return to heaven I expect nothing from you,
It was research I took no advantage to my stay,
Who's at war I see societies of peace please watch what you say,
Because some look at evil just like it's me,
That's the realist devil pay close enough attention,
To the story of Jesus repentance is key.
Elder's wrinkles--antique lace,
Taking selfies is a disgrace,
We're the sperm who won the race,
Staying positive is a grace,
Now put a smile on your face!
I chose to be an evangelist
At my own cost, three years now
In this land South of the equator
Anti-biblical things pass for therapy
A couple had trouble being honest
To many silly secrets, even church visits
Caused weekly disagreements
They sought help from their church elder
Long story short:
Elder D tried to separate, isolate, "purify" the couple
In church, at home, at bible study:
Not to sit with, or talk much to, each other
Iron fist control freak elder went beserk
As the couple left the church
That imprisoned them, forced to love God -
Take each person in love, all humans beings then -?
Treat them like criminals: isolation
Solitary confinement, to love Jesus more!
What a sham & shame, on the Church
Who let such pain pass for therapy
Not quoting Bible verses, or Jesus's life!
How He dealt w kiith prostitutes & sinners
I wonder if there are Elders
wise
or more perennially surprised
who, looking back at their youth,
regret all their erotic time
invested in having peak
experiential sex,
And wish they had, instead,
done something, most anything,
more left brain dominant,
more theoretically
politically correct,
more economically prominent.
I so hope not.
Better off, I feel sure,
invested in abundant splatters of messy,
sometimes musical, health
Than overly divested
away from EarthTribe's gloriously peaking race
carried away by abstemious matters
of more disciplined pace
for securing capital infested wealth.
Excerpts from the compilation: “Prayer” 6:
Time for our Elders
I wish that we take Time for our Elders,
Even before some of them slowly slip away.
And that we can forgive and let go
Of some of the ineffective, inappropriate and unsuitable
Beliefs and lessons that they received
And passed on to us.
And that we can understand
That they need our loving
patient care and appreciation.
And that a World without Grace,
Gratitude, Respect and Dignity,
Is barren, un-bearable and life-less.
And that we can learn
About the beauty of aging
And not be afraid
(Like we don’t fear the passing of the seasons),
So that we are able to fiercely
Treasure and live each moment,
Regardless of the weather,
To the full.
© Sangeet Portals 2020
OH THAT COLOURFUL DESIGN…
That colourfully designed paper that can make one insane…
Crazily sought after by young and old,
Humans live on it till they die
Always throwing men into mayhem.
Preferred above nature
Preferred above love
Preferred above the beings
Even above the universe.
Religious houses,homes,society are in trouble,
Can make you powerful with it
And hopeless without it.
A scarce tool which everyone need…
Readily available for murderers, robbers,
Assassins and ritualist…
You might become a ritualist to have it in surplus.
May heal but can destroy
You can only survive with it in hospitals.
Elders no longer live long,
Children destinies thwarted.
Please go back to where you came from!
Let us live in peace and harmony…
Its more harm than pleasure!
Mr M...
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??? ??? ????
?? s??
?? ????
?? ????
??????? ??s????s
Curious, isn’t it?
Tentatively pacing
Down this narrow path
When what solely surrounds you
Is without form
And shapeless
Yet such an environment
Can only be gradually forged
With each grand step taken
On this very trail
Often you meet with
A harsh fork in the route
And feel yourself unnerved
By knowing you can only choose
But one side to follow
You may rest assured, however,
As those who preceded you
Explain that these complex feelings
Of hesitancy,
Apprehension,
And humane naivete
Shall cause no need for alarm
“Move on,” they say
“Keep moving on, Nature’s little foundling,”
They say that even the end may be daunting
But the best course of action
Is forever carrying forward,
And moving on.
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