I Blog Poetry and Prose

My mother ascended into the spiritual realm on Thursday, November 29, 2012, one week after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving 2013, was my first Thanksgiving without Mom. I spent it alone eating all the Thanksgiving foods that Mama liked. I had a turkey drum stick, which I cooked in the Microwave. In addition, I had dressing, which I also fixed in the Microwave, a turkey gravy--out of a can--a can of cranberry sauce, an entire Marie Calender's pumpkin pie, with Cool Whip, and several carafes of coffee. All right, maybe I should have gone to one of the Casino Coffee Shops. In the coffee shop I could have purchased a well balanced Thanksgiving dinner (green salad usually comes with the meal).

Each day I compose a Gratitude List of five things I am thankful for, because gratitude is an attitude that helps me face the dtests and difficulties that regularly confront me. Gratitude is an attitude that assists spirituality and help deal with material reality. A daily list helps to refocus both the mind and soul on the positive aspect of physical life on this mortal plan.

As long as zoos and aquariums do a good job of educating the public about the animals in them, I have no problem. Zoos and aquariums are supposed to be educational tools that give information about the creatures, their lives in the wild, and how to protect them. I don't like seeing animals in cages that confine them, and don't reflect--in some small way--their natural habitat in the wild.

I have prayed, contemplated, and meditated about this question numerous time over the years. I have come to the conclusion that I have no choice. I have to write! It is a compulsion, an exigency, and an imperative of my soul. It is the way my mind comes to terms, copes, heals, and learns to let go of the wounds that come between humanity, my spirituality, and me. Below is one of the poems I have written about why I write.

O Thou Glory of the All-Glorious, thank You for the blessings I have received through Your revelation from the All-Glorious Creator of the Universe. Thank You for Your willingness to spend forty-years in prison for nothing more than proclaiming the unity of humanity, the unity of God's numerous names, and the unity of the foundation of all religions.

"Gratitude is an attitude", I'm not sure who said that. I've heard and read this quote numerous times over the past several years. I've found that "Gratitude's Attitude" applies to every area of my life under all circumstances. Baha'u'llah encourages us to show and express gratitude under all conditions, which makes sense since gratitude is a spiritual attribute. Gratitude for what we have makes facing adversity, tests, and difficulties easier. It, also, helps us to see beyond the present situation or problem to find a solution. If we can't see a solution, gratitude helps us to put the problem in God's hands.

Rumble
Grumble
Boom Boom Boom
A storm is coming soon
BOOM drowns out the lark
Causes the dog to bark

What shape does the other 34% of 18-24 year olds think the Earth is? Is this 34% members, or potential members, of the Flat Earth Society? Does this group think Earth is shaped like a Rubik's Cube? Have they ever gotten off their smartphones long enough to look at the horizon and watch the sun rise or set? Did this 34% fail science or astronomy class? I don't think they come be from another planet, because they would have noticed the shape of the Earth from the flying saucer or whatever means of interstellar or interplanetary transportation they used to get here.

Most of the time, about 95% of the time, I know that I'm dreaming. The dreams that I remember have some sort of significance--either spiritual, educational, or creative--to my waking life. I've found, through meditation and prayer, that even the nightmares have something to teach me. I don't worry about the dreams I don't remember, because I don't think they are significant.

I remember reading superhero comic books. I remember watching superhero shows on television. I've watched some of the superhero movies, but not all of them. I see nothing wrong with reading about superheros, watching them at them on television, or watching them in a movie theater. Superheroes are part of the American--and possibly the world--entertainment culture. I see them as enjoyable, escapist entertainment that shows both the best and the worst of human beings.

I like this quote. It's a good Motivational Monday quote. It's encouraging and encourages a person to think about both safety and work. When I think about the safety part, I realize that there isn't any real safety in this world because even a ship in a harbor can be destroyed by a hurricane or a tsunami. People can do their best to make life safe, but accidents, human caused disasters, or natural disasters happen. If we worry about what could happen, we cause ourselves more problems and the things we worry about rarely occur.

Is blogging a form of essay writing? Yes and no. I know that sounds like a paradox or a cop out, since blogs can cover any and every topic, its the only answer that makes sense to me. A blog post can cover an author's business, political beliefs, religious beliefs, hobby, life events, or anything else that strikes the author's muse. A blog entry can be formal or informal, like a personal essay. It can be written using any voice or point of view, although it is better to use a first person voice because readers are more likely to read, respond to, and follow one that uses a first person voice.

“Don't Panic.”14 Size is relative. To human being a molecule is small, but to an atom a molecule is gigantic. Size is just a point of view, that is determined by the perception of the observer. A good example is the size of a spider, to most people a spider is a small eight-legged "bug". However, to anyone suffering from arachnophobia--and I know this from personal experience--a spider (any spider) is a huge eight-legged monster out to get them. Once I stop panicking, and realize that I am truly larger than the spider, I can find a weapon of some type of eridacate the monster.