In Pieces

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

“If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” – Paul Coelho

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi. 

“There is something in the human sprit that will survive and prevail, there is a tiny and brilliant light burning in the heart of man that will not go out no matter how dark the world becomes,” – Leo Tolstoy

As the war in Ukraine continues into week eight, we can but marvel at the resilience of both refugees fleeing the conflict and those left behind. Sadly, given conflicts the world over, it is not the first time nor likely to be the last time the heart has nursed such sentiments. 

If we let them, such sentiments can bring the host mind-body-spirit ever closer to The Abyss, to the edge of which many of us are likely to stray, for one reason or another, during our lifetimes. 

Reader A.D. has kindly emailed to say that he enjoys many of my poems and appreciates my choice of quotes. He asks what my first choice would be among quotes that have helped me, personally, weather and rise above hard times. A tough question, but I guess it would have to be the Tolstoy quote above; ironically, a Russian, given the current situation in Ukraine, and possibly why the Gandhi quote comes a very close second.

IN PIECES

Too often the world 
will turn a deaf ear to such words
of wisdom as its history
has remarked over centuries,
distracted by main events
hogging headlines, humanity more
inclined to scan than take in
any such implications for personal space
as may give cause for concern

Mind-body-spirit, though,
knows better than to rush to conclusions
likely, in turn, to lead us
into rushing to judgements without
being full advised of truths
behind hearsay from whatever source,
now urging that heart-and-soul
investigate issues invading personal space,
rediscover an affinity with peace

Together, we dig and delve,
uncover such truths as relate to ourselves
as much as the project
in hand, beginning to understand
what makes us tick
in (or out) of time with history’s alarm clock,
accepting or rejecting a need to make redress,
invariably down to us, no one else

While enemy forces all around,
hell bent on confounding, all but destroying
human roots, stunting growth,
slamming doors on such thought processes
as may well reawaken
survival instincts, trust mind-body-spirit
to come into its own,
message we’re not alone, move heart-and-soul,
three-in-one up for the call

We live in a global consciousness
and personal space, each deserving the best,
nor the latter any less;
no matter how we engage with others
in the spirit of kindness,
friendship and hope, things may yet fall apart,
what counts is making a start,
heart-and-soul, to itself, remaining true, or else
our world, inside and out… in pieces

Let  mind-body-spirit heal, and nothing the same,
yet, a rose by any other name…?

Copyright R. N. Taber 2022