More than a box of chocolates

Four things we can learn from Forrest Gump –

“If I had known that was the last time Bubba and I were gonna talk I’d have thought of something better to say…”
“Hey, Bubba”
“Hey, Forrest … this isn’t good … I wanna go home …”
“Bubba was gonna be a shrimp boat captain, instead he died right there beside that river in Vietnam.”

Forrest has a sense of humanity uncluttered by an ego we all wrestle with – that ego personified as Lieutenant Dan. Forrest doesn’t take things personally*, he lives always in present moments, and doesn’t understand what it is that drives Lt. Dan so mad. What makes him feel as though his destiny to die in battle has passed him by. While recovering from being wounded (in the but-tocks) Forrest masters the game of ping pong, life just flows for him, he always does his best*. Yet, as a reminder of the connection he has to his soul, to his own fulfillment, to knowing true love and completing the circle of life, he finds his heart is haunted by Jenny, who drifts in and out of his life.

Forrest lives as the truest example of how to live life, and through his example both Jenny and Lt. Dan find redemption within themselves, they learn that above all people they have to first forgive themselves, then the rest of world. Jenny asks him at the bus before leaving for San Francisco; “Why are you so good to me?” She doesn’t understand that she is a child of God, the same as Forrest. All he says is; “Cause you’re my girl”. He doesn’t make assumptions*, Jenny is his girl, it’s as simple as that. If we asked our Almighty Father, Great Spirit, Heavenly Mother the same question we would get the same answer; “Because you are my child, I love you unconditionally”

On New Year’s Eve 1975, Forrest is telling Lt. Dan that he gave his word to Bubba that he would buy a boat and go shrimping. The Lieutenant sarcastically tells him; “The day you become a shrimp boat captain, that’s the day I’ll be your first mate.” After an outburst caused by the girls who came there to party, Forrest starts to realize he and Lt. Dan are more alike than he knew, and Lt. Dan is learning that there are some things you just can’t change. Forrest goes home and gets enough money from promoting ping pong equipment to buy a shrimp boat – the promise he made to Bubba is fulfilled, because he is impeccable with his word.*

Stupid is as stupid does, but his innocence gives him an ability that all of the egos he meets on the bench in the park in Savannah can’t seem to grasp.They, we, long to have our innocence back, we long to live in fond memories of a youth that was carefree. Jenny comes back knowing unconditional love waits for her, and again can’t believe she deserves that kind of love, so she leaves him again. Forrest goes running across the country for ‘no particular reason’. Or, just maybe, his heart hurts so bad he has to give the pain a form he can understand.

Ultimately he learns and he teaches us about our humanity, our mortality, the blessedness of innocence, about not living in the past, using the present to build our future, and that life has its own longing for itself. The child Jenny gives him, is pure love – “is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen”. After all she has done, he loves her, forgives her, and marries her. At their wedding Lt. Dan returns, a whole man – with new legs and a new love. Forrest cares for Jenny until she passes on from the sickness he knew she had when she returned, and in the garden under the tree at her grave stone he leaves us wondering how can we be like Forrest Gump – alive in love and in innocence. How can we get ourselves back to the garden?

* Credit to Miguel Angel Ruiz who wrote ‘The Four Agreements’

Wildflowers

Grass in the evening
shorn to the ground
Lights ever fading
days falling around

The twilight that whispers
of love on the way
And dreams ever after
lost, far and away

In noon-tides where sunlight
fell soft to earth
Where longing became
a moment of birth

Toward seasons withholding
and shimmering snow
Its hope ever drifting
in roots lost below

Still frozen and waiting
in faith for the spring
To wildflowers blooming
a warm summer evening

Is patience abiding
love written in sprays
Given free to the travelers
passing their way

Shadows of a dream

fading shadows of a dream
these are other places
moonbeams meant to fall
beaches bleaching in the sun

waves of thought in motion
toward another, following …
far away from loneliness
distant shores (still wandered)

there, there is a heart beat
always listening in time
life revealing, love unseen
words unspoken – (reasoning)

far from such un-sanity
since, another place and time
fragments of a memory
mirrors shattered (silently)

into a thousand suns (alone)
reflecting Isis’ light forgotten
orange sunset fades to blue ~
lifts her veil within our eyes

Abide with me

Oceans of Sky - Near Pike's Peak, CO

What hope abides
in faith shall we live
alive in the day
what heaven will give

Where is the reason
love brings to the light
to songs of seabirds
carried windward in flight

Such are the ways
of life rolling by
a universe melting
in violet skies

These days ever after
lost to the earth
days dance in sunshine
mere moments of mirth

Its laughter becoming
the ancient of days
our own souls creation
now flowing our way

Into the daybreak
of dreams we create
thought our own making
whose hour is late

The earth still winding
a way toward the sun
the essence of life
as two become one

Give me a reason

I like the idea of poetry because it is always subject to interpretation, and the reader can make of it anything they want. Prose is different. I always saw prose as more verbose, and to the point, some writers are very prolific at it, and go on and on, without ever missing a beat. Some call it a Novel, and it might even be called literature. Then what about a novel idea?

Interpreting something like the word novel I just wonder about the roots of words and the way we make them into what they are and what they mean to us personally, and in a broader sense, what they mean to us in the context of our culture; society, religion, nationality. My meaning of context here is our world view, the thoughts, feelings, emotions, that make us who and what we are – rich, poor, saint, sinner. All of those are our context, which then makes up our lives expression in the world.

Curiously, most simply view each other as personalities, I like you – I don’t like you … Why? Because of the way you dress, the way you talk, you have nice smile, and all those factors that make up the context of who we are, and how we fit others into our lives, and we into the lives of others.

Largely, most children grow up and practice the same religion as the family they were brought up in, and if they do they will adopt the same persona as their families, and profess to the same dogmas, don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t covet – the variations are endless.

So if we want to change the world – create lasting peace on Earth, how do we get back to the garden, how do we do it in our present context? I’ll answer the question with a question – How do we change the world without changing ourselves?

People look around at natural disasters, or schools that are attacked, or any other human tragedy, and ask – “Where was God?”, and I am compelled to answer “He was in the hearts and minds of each and every one of us.” History is full of reports of earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, and we live there anyway. In Japan there were markers from past tsunamis saying “…do not build any home below this point” (see image above) – They say it only takes two generations for people to forget.

What is there in our hearts and minds that we have forgotten?

Haiku for Living

I promised I would post some Haiku – This is a compilation that I put together into a small handwritten book and gave to my daughter on Christmas 2010 – I called it ‘Haiku for Living’ each poem a reflection of moments in our lives ….

1
being existence
within this world we day dream
life will become us
2
take all the treasure
laid up in all the kingdoms
none compares with love
3
forsake the future
can we exist without it
moments here and now
4
this is – That I am
we are simply one without
knowledge of living
5
words are not just thoughts
colors melting in the sun
rainbows in our mind
6
true love does not call
it knows not of rules or time
we open the door
7
when darkness will fall
there is light always forming
truth awakening
8
never beginning
there is no ending to love
the Spirit’s embrace
9
Prometheus bound
what he gave to all of us
curiosity
10
let not your mind grieve
for places we’ve yet to know
many worlds await
11
right here and right now
is the place destiny makes
for us a reason
12
never lose your faith
one simple act of kindness
shall redeem the whole world
13
I wander this earth
full of awe and wonderment
so many just sleep
14
each day we embrace
Eternal hope – Faith renewed
yesterday is gone
15
souls have seasons
unknown to waking wills
the flower unfolds
16
in touching your soul
I reveal my own light
In giving I live
17
only the Haiku
softens the cacophony
so our ears will hear
18
Spring brings loves light back
beyond the glow the eyes see
lives another Sun
19
A Polynesian
sailor viewed vast ocean waves
their rhythm his guide
20
life reveals itself
when longing leaves us empty
asking to return
21
Energy follows thought
the worst that can happen is ..
not going to be !
22
only joy shall be
for our imagination
creates the future
23
in living we find
days that define existence
between pages divine
24
feeling guides us on
like a river to the sea
longing for fullness
25
Geisha is loved.
Is she loving in return?
Or Just saving face?
26
Souvenirs pasted
Eternity’s scrapbook fills
lessons in growing
27
can we own the wind
know only passion’s season
flowers bloom in love
28
Hidden in the darkness
the light of the world reveals
The Way and the Truth
29
Love is undefined
it chooses us to know it
gives us power to be
30
two rivers converge
forming one stronger than each
one ends, a new beginning
31
against the current
free will looks for its purpose
caught in the rapids
32
misunderstanding
some words best left unspoken
sanctification
33
is eternal rest
what we embrace in heaven
or eternal love
34
see through the minds eye
to the other place we live
true reality
35
in sacred visions
the Universe unveils paths
disguised by reason
36
humility seeks
solid ground in loving hearts
a seat of honor
37
these are not myths
the gods who walked among us
gave us their will
38
passion overwhelms
only your ability
to give the fire life
39
lifetime to lifetime
becoming all we have willed
and carried within
40
these are moments felt
family memories kept
always in our thoughts
41
spirits abounding
children grow into our lives
memories of youth
42
loves sweet creation
is a world we find within
music of the soul

By Peter Anthony

daydreams

daydreams are fading
into the night
as sleep is returning
we fade from the light

in to realms of darkness
there we will dream
of people and places
n’er as they seem

deep fountains of colors
will drift and flow
as ebb tides uncover
all we would know

this world is waking
and living will ponder
of dreams ever flowing
on footpaths we wander

prophet

Shall we ever see these things;
the hearts of men (and women)
aching, hurting, wonder burning
wearing their masks (of sanity)
(and many they don’t know)

singing and dancing, songs for the asking
believing, their loving and dreaming
lying in their sheets, touching (lives)
no sounds to tell their stories
(they speak louder than words)

can I let this be (let this stand)
let this go? (t’was never mine)
being a witness to life
and learning, what they learn
(without their ever knowing)

hearing soft soprano voices (echoing)
words fall to the ground
seeds to the earth, no fruit to bear
flowing in gutters of time
(washed away by the rain)

and there – still just one (I see can wander)
grows in golden rays of sun
a flower (a leaf gone mad with love)
returning its scent of sweetness
(fulfilled as Angels smile)

Light in Darkness Still

Talking is just a matter
there are no words to say
things to settle in the mind
each one knows his way

or thinks he does, since life
is his to take what will
to have, to hold, till death
returns to take us still –

Back into the dream
to this self same reality
finding living isn’t there
returns again to come to be

Clings to life and longing for
the flesh and blood to feel
moments on the earth remain
a passion tide to fill

Forever I return to be
to feel the way I felt before
what will I learn by living
here inside of nature’s door

My strength is understanding
I am not captive in the dream
but rather knowing I am free
to choose a life between

The essence of existence
trapped within my living breath
will only come to know itself
by knowing of my death

By ending I begin to see
consciousness the light begot
though the love is free to take
the darkness knows it not

Diamonds and rust

… I’ve already paid.
Well I’ll be damned here comes your ghost again, but that’s not unusual it’s just that the moon is full, and you happened to call … Ever have that happen, the moon is full and someone from your long ago, happens to call. Moon’s are like that, it seems they always come up again, and light the night sky, and there we are left in that ghostly white glow, wondering why …

Timing is everything in life, or so it’s been said, good timing, bad timing. But how do we know what’s right, and what’s not. For sure, we don’t, as clearly as we can plan, we can miss a detail and end up with rust. For those of you old enough to remember – Andy Granatelli is famous for the saying “Luck, what’s that?” after his team lost the Indy 500 on the last lap for a 50 cent ball bearing. Well, it’s all about timing, the universe knows though, and if we pay attention, its telling us a whole detailed story.

Its giving us all we need to know to make sure our decisions are sound, and I know, the facts are not always what they seem – are they? Everywhere in life this applies, ever take a job that turned out to be completely different than what they told you. Ever hear the word facade; the face / the side, that the world sees, compared to the man behind the curtain. The Wizard of Oz put on a front, for the world to see, creating an illusion – We might even call it the Mask of Sanity, the place where we create our appearance of normalcy. “We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto”

Now you’re telling me you’re not nostalgic. Then give me another word for it, you who are so good with words, and at keeping things vague. Because I need some of that vagueness now, it’s all come back too clearly, and if you’re offering me diamonds and rust, I’ve already paid