Walt Whitman

Walter "Walt" Whitman (1819 – 1892) an American poet, essayist and journalist.

Whitman was a religious skeptic: though he accepted all churches, he believed in none. God, to Whitman, was both immanent and transcendent and the human soul was immortal and in a state of progressive development.

"This is what you shall do:
Love the earth and sun and the animals,
Despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks,
Stand up for the stupid and crazy,
Devote your income and labors to others,
Hate tyrants, argue not concerning God,
Have patience and indulgence toward the people,
Take off your hat to nothing known or unknown,
Or to any man or number of men,
Go freely with powerful uneducated persons,
And with the young and with the mothers of families,
Read these leaves in the open air,
Every season of every year of your life,
Reexamine all you have been told,
At school at church or in any book,
Dismiss whatever insults your own soul,
And your very flesh shall be a great poem,
And have the richest fluency not only in its words,
But in the silent lines of its lips and face,
And between the lashes of your eyes,
And in every motion and joint of your body."

"I am as bad as the worst, but, thank God, I am as good as the best."

"In the faces of men and women, I see God."

"When I give, I give myself."

"The future is no more uncertain than the present."

"Be curious, not judgmental."

"Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?"

"I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise,
Regardless of others, ever regardful of others..."

More than words...

'I'm sorry.'
'I want to be better.'
'I love you.'
'You mean everything to me.'

Wonderful words aren't they? But. What does 'I'm sorry.' mean? What does 'sorry', 'love' and 'better' mean if there isn't an action and intent behind them? What does 'love' mean if you can't feel it?

I'm of the opinion that when one says 'sorry' there should be a thought, an action, behind it too. An intention of trying to correct what went wrong, whether it was bumping into someone in the street (i.e. I'll try better to look out for other pedestrians) or hurting someones feelings (i.e. I'm going to try to be more careful with my words/actions).

A 'sorry' without that intent is just empty words, and I can't stand empty words...! An empty 'sorry' will only cause more hurt and more bumping into people. Why say 'sorry' if you have no intention of at least trying to changes the mistake(s) made...?
You have to be sorry, if you say you're sorry.

Be the words you speak.
Be the intention behind your words!

The same thing goes with 'I love you'. It must be one of the most wonderful things to say to, and hear from, friends and family...but...it too can be empty. Don't say you love me if you don't intend to act towards me with love. If you act with love, in love, then the words no longer need to be spoken. The feeling of love will be felt. The same goes with 'sorry', if you truly mean you're sorry and act like you have understood the hurt caused then sorry will be understood, felt, and the words are rendered unnecessary.

Be love.
Be sorry...

Sure, it's always nice to hear the words too! :) But! The important thing is the feeling of being loved, respected and most importantly seen.

Because I believe that is was everyone longs for, to be seen. See the people you talk to, whether it be a stranger on the street or a loved one at home. See them and make them feel the words you speak...and always, always, try to speak with love.


Talking/thinking about this made me think of this 'old' song.
Extreme - More Than Words

Jewel

Thought I'd share a little bit of music with you this Friday.

My beautiful soul sister Née shared this video on facebook a little while back - Jewel's "Satisfied" and now I'm sharing it with you. :)




I just absolutely LOOOOVE it! It made me cry the first time I heard it and gives me goose bumps every time!

Satisfied lyrics:
If you love somebody
You better let it out
Don't hold it back
While you're trying to figure it out
Don't be timid
Don't be afraid to hurt
Run toward the flame
Run toward the fire
Hold on for all your worth
Cause the only real pain a heart can ever know
Is the sorrow of regret
When you don't let your feelings show

So did you say it
Did you mean it
Did you lay it on the line
Did you make it count
Did you look 'em in the eye
Did they feel it
Did you say it in time
Did you say it out loud
'cause if you did hun
Then you lived some
That feeling inside
That's called satisfied

Busy people walking by
Can't help but worry some
With so many things to do
So little love gets done
Empty hearts everywhere
Drowning but dying of thirst
If you want love
It's not that tough
Start by giving it first
It's so easy to give
Baby can't you see
Just close your eyes open your heart
And do what comes naturally

Well did you say it
Did you mean it
Did you lay it on the line
Did you make it count
Did you look 'em in the eye
Did they feel it
Did you say it in time
Did you say it out loud
'cause if you did hun
Then you lived some
That feeling inside
That's called satisfied

Horses are built to run
The sun is meant to shine above
Flowers are made to bloom
And then there's us
We were born to love
Not really being a Jewel fan I still found myself enjoying her tunes looking around on YouTube. :) "Stronger Woman" made me smile. The line "from now on I'm going to be the kind of woman I'd want my daughter to be" gave me major goose-bumps!! :) :) The goose bumps are always a good guide to my 'likes'! :)



So, I thought I'd post the YouTube links here and perhaps make you cry and smile too... :)

Stronger Woman lyrics:
I guess you could say I'm one of those girls
That's always been with one of those guys
You know the type
Like right now, he sleeps while I write

But it's better than crying
I'm worn out from trying
From loving a man who always makes it clear
I'm not welcome here
Just when he's hungry or frisky
or needs something cleaned
And you know what I mean

But not tonight
'Cause come the morning light, oh
I'm gonna love myself more than anyone else
Believe in me, even if someone can't see
The stronger woman in me

I'm going to be my own best friend
Stick with me till the end
Won't lose myself again, never, no,
'Cause there's a stronger woman,
A stronger woman in me

Light bulbs buzz,
I get up
And head to my drawer
I wish there was more
I could say
Another fairytale fades to gray
I've lived on hope
Just like a child
Walking that mile
Faking that smile
All the while
Wishing my heart had wings

Well from now on I'm going to be
The kind of woman I'd want my daughter to be, oh

I'm gonna love myself more than anyone else
Believe in me, even if someone can't see
A stronger woman in me
I'm gonna be my own best friend
Stick with me till the end
I won't lose myself again, never, no
'Cause there's a stronger woman,
A stronger woman

This is me, packing up my bags
And this is me, headed for the door
And this is me, the best you ever had
I'm going to love myself
More than anyone else
Believe in me even if someone cannot see
There's a stronger woman in me
I'm going to be my own best friend
Stay with me till the end
Won't lose myself again, never, no
'Cause there's a stronger woman
A stronger woman
There's a stronger woman,
A stronger woman in me,
Yeah...

Hope you have a beautiful Friday,
Be Safe♥

Prayer of Petrus

From Paulo Coelho, and The Pilgrimage.


At a certain point during my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, we came to a flat, monotonous field of wheat stretching all the way to the horizon. The only thing breaking the dull landscape was a medieval column with a cross on top, marking the pilgrims’ way. Petrus – my guide – put down his backpack and knelt down.

– Have pity on those who pity themselves, and think life has been unjust to them – for they will never manage to engage in Good Fight.
But have pity on those who are cruel to themselves, and can only see evil in their own acts, and who consider themselves guilty for the injustices of the world. For they know not Your law which says: even the strands of hair on your head have been counted.

Have pity on those who command and those who serve many hours of work, and sacrifice themselves in exchange for a Sunday, when everything is closed and there is nowhere to go.
But have pity on those who sanctify their work and go beyond the limits of their own madness, and end up in debt or nailed to the cross by their own brothers. For they know not Your law which says: be as prudent as a serpent and as simple as the pigeons.

Have pity on those who eat, drink and are merry, but are unhappy and lonely in their abundance.
But have more pity on those who fast, censure, forbid and feel saintly, and who preach Your name in public places. For they know not Your law which says: if I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.

Have pity on those who fear Death and do not know the many kingdoms they have crossed and the many deaths they have died, and are unhappy because they think that everything will come to an end one day.
But have more pity on those who have known their many deaths and think they are immortal, for they know not Your law which says: he who is not born again may not see the kingdom of God.

Have pity on those who cannot see anyone but themselves, and are shut in their limousines, locked in their air conditioned penthouse offices, and suffer in silence the solitude of power.
But have pity on those who go without everything, and are charitable, and seek to overcome evil with love only, for they know not Your law which says: he who has no sword, may he sell his cloak and buy one.

Have pity on us, Lord. For we often think we are dressed when we are naked, we think we commit a crime and in reality save someone. Do not forget, in Your mercy, that we unsheathe the sword with the hand of an angel and the hand of a demon gripping the same hilt. For we are in the world, we continue in the world and need You. We always need Your law which says: when I sent you without bag, pouch or sandals, you lacked nothing.

Petrus stopped praying. The silence continued. He was gazing at the wheat field around us.

~ Light ~

I'm not too sure how I will translate my one word into action, into being and into reality so I thought I'd start by finding some quotes :) about and around Light...
I found a great deal of inspiration and reasurance in my little evening quest. Sure, it's easy to find the answers one is looking for but these following words confirmed my choice. :)

I think Woodrow Wilsons words settled me the most and I loved the Maori proverb.

"Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue."
- Buddha

"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong."
- Abraham Lincoln


"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are
powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our Darkness,
that most frightens us."
- Marianne Williamson

"You cannot, in human experience, rush into the light. You have to go through the twilight into the broadening day before the noon comes and the full sun is upon the landscape."
- Woodrow Wilson

"Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished."
- Michael Strassfeld


"Turn your face to the sun
and the shadows fall behind you."
- Maori Proverb