Yes, it’s true
I think most small talk
Is just froth
I’m sure it serves someone
But not me
An Introvert’s Lament
living life out loud
Bare Light
Her eyes were luminescent
I saw straight into her soul
All else had been but stripped away
She was left to be simply whole
Her dying body housed a loving heart
And from that she shone and she was
I came to know that all that matters
Is our humanness – our goodness, and flaws
Starbucks Surrender
That’s perfectly fine.
I’m in no rush.
Go ahead and finish your conversation.
I mean, I’m just a customer in need of service.
There’s four of you behind that counter.
None of you are doing anything job-related.
Does Starbucks employ managers?
I think not.
Unless one of you is one of them.
Wow.
That’s a depressing thought.
I’ll just wait.
Send that Snapchat.
Read that text.
No need to bother yourself.
No need at all.
I’ll just work myself up into a lather,
And when you finally come over to me
And I let all hell loose on you,
You will treat me like I am the problem.
Maybe you’ll even report me to the manager-if-they-do-exist-at-all.
Not worth it.
I’m leaving and I won’t be back.
(Until next time.)
Tactical Advantage
I believe in thwarting the devil
The bits and pieces of dark that drag into my day
I used to battle them mightily
Use force and sheer will to get them out of my way
But now I befriend them, it works so much better
From acceptance, I find I have much more sway
Home
This real sense of
Being deeply inside
My actual life
(Inchoate as it may be)
Astounds and grounds me
I’ve longed for this
For so long
I may as well
Be living in Paradise
Rest Area
It’s a long haul
The distance from
Young adulthood to
Middle age
I’m leaving my baggage on the side of the road
No need to take it any further
Time to lighten my load
Head out again, open and free
No looking back, just good memories to hold
Will
“I can do that,” she thought.
And as other thoughts began to churn in her mind – self-recriminations, doubts, fears – she made the decision then and there to follow only the quietest of them all.
And just like that, she was off on a new life-road from which she would never look back.
Black Box
Warning: This woman no longer accepts less than she deserves. At times, may erupt into genuine, whole-body laughter. Has been known to cry when she is so moved, and could care less about what other people think of her. Determined to use her voice and talents until her last dying breath. Interact with her at your own risk. Could cause deep joy and love when taken with respect.
Mental Quartet
They play exquisite pieces
The four musicians in my mind
Used to fight them, used to hate them
Now I remember to be kind
Perfectionista, Cautionella
The Judge, The Belligerent One
Each designed and crafted by me
They’ve served a purpose, have expertise
I appreciate their music and let them go
“I hear you, thank you, you may stop now, please.”
Inspired by The Daily Post Daily Word Prompt: quartet
Do-Be-Do-Be-Do
Somewhere along the way, I learned to value efficiency over my own sanity.
I mean, I can multi-task something fierce. Today, my day began at 7 AM and had been straight through from meeting to class to rehearsal to workout to an hour and a half with nothing planned.
I had intended to relax and have a shake and chill until I needed to leave for the next thing, a class that would go until 10 PM. But no, I ended up doing other things, and all at once.
I ended up troubleshooting with an Adobe support person while making a shake with my Nutri-Bullet, and helping a friend in need on the phone through a rough time. My hour and a half quickly dissolved into a remaining ten minutes to get out the door and on to the next thing, and I still hadn’t rested or had my shake.
It was crazy! And thank God, the better part of me knew it. I was not with any one of those fully. I at least had the presence of mind to tell my friend that while I was glad she called and that I could absolutely make time for her, that I couldn’t give her my full attention, and I wanted to.
The truth is, I have to make a concerted effort to stop myself during the day to drink water, go to the restroom, take a breath.
It is hard for me to not see “downtime” as inefficient.
When did I begin to de-value just “being”? Why the frenzy to always fill every possible slot of time with actions and tasks?
It doesn’t really matter. I could blame it one the world today. This digital age. That I live in NYC.
All I know is that after several days like that, I will crash. My system will revolt.
I need those pockets of doing nothing. To refill me well. To daydream. To be blank. To breathe.
I practically have to schedule them. They are still not second nature. My second nature is to get into the frenzy.
But, today aside, I am getting better. Awareness is all, right? And action.
Or should I say, inaction!?
How do you get yourself to remember to do nothing?
Beyond the Skinny Branches 