RAMs and ROMs: real events and divine contents

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Sun
29
Apr '07

to eleanor

reel back to first day at asc
at walters dorm #311, in walked my roommate to be
from worlds apart we now entered the same
to school our minds, our thinking to tame

she left agnes scott to land of scots
i sojourned to places of various sorts
over the years different things we sought
lo and behold we now find ourselves in sf bay spot

what provoked the above memory?
well, a cab ride email entered my ramrom sanctuary
which beckoned strains of eleanor-sinatra grand jury

u make me feel so young
u make me feel like spring has sprung
u make me feel there are songs to be sung
bells to be rung, and a wonderful story below to be flung

20 years ago, he drove a cab for a living
responding to a call, he arrived at 2:30 a.m. at the building
it was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window
hmm, maybe go to that door, his instinct to follow
passenger might be someone who needs his assistance
so knock on the door to find out this instance

“just a minute,” answered a frail, elderly voice
he heard a “something being dragged across the floor” noise
after a long pause, the door opened slim
a small woman in her 80’s stood before him
she was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it
by her side a small nylon suitcase, like somebody out of a 1940s movie hit

the apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years
all the furniture was covered with sheets likely from sears
there were no clocks on the walls, no knick-knacks or utensils on the counters
he noted though, a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware in one of the corners

“would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said
he took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to the woman to aid
she took his arm and they walked slowly toward the curb
“thank you” many times, she blurbed
“it’s nothing”, he told her, time for golden rule to be repeated
“i just try to treat my passengers the way i would want my mother treated”
“oh, you’re such a good boy”, she complimented

they got into the cab and she gave him the destination address
adding “could you drive through downtown, though it’s not the shortest way,” she confessed
“i’m on my way to a hospice but in no hurry”
not a problem for the cab driver this favor to curry

he looked in the rear-view mirror and her eyes glistened back
“i don’t have any family left,” she continued her story deck
“the doctor says i don’t have very long”
he knew it’s time to shut off the meter gong

they drove through the city some 2 hours solid
taking them to places of her golden past, she recanted a farewell bid
“there’s the building where i once worked as an elevator operator” she gasped
drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds

pulled up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom
where she had gone dancing as a girl, her mind excitedly boomed
slowing down to front of a particular building or corner, they would sit staring into darkness gloom

as the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said
“i’m tired, let’s go now” enough of reminiscing laid

they drove in silence to the address she gave
it was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway paved
two orderlies came out as soon as the cab pulled up
they were solicitous and intent, watching her every move, like a pup
he opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door
the woman already seated in a wheelchair, “how much do I owe you?” she implored
“nothing,” he said, his emotions explored

“you have to make a living,” she responded
“there are other passengers,” he bonded
almost without thinking, he bent and gave her a hug
“you gave an old woman a little moment of joy, thank you” she tugged
he squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light
behind him, a door shut and he knew the plight
it was the sound of the closing of a life, after the reminiscence delight

he didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift
driving aimlessly, lost in thought, deep insight rift

for the rest of that day, he could hardly talk
what if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient, the lady to balk
what if he had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?
on a quick review, he thought he had not done anything more important in his life than that day

we’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments won
however, often times there are great moments beautifully-wrapped in a small one
people may not remember exactly what you did or what you said
they will always remember how you made them feel instead
echoing gord mclean’s wisdom on handling people under your stead

u make me feel so young
u make me feel like spring has sprung
and even when i’m old and gray
i’m gonna feel the way i do today
’cause u make me feel so young

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Wed
25
Apr '07

d-day

gimme david jeremiah on the radio
my morning time with the Lord on stereo
lowly ways are gone, He will make me better
to philippians from paul, a letter

theme was on striving for “joy of harmony”
among churches, His family
happiness is haphazard and temporal
but joy stems from Source eternal

embedded in philippians 4
4 precepts roar
don’t be defeated or divisive
don’t be discouraged or defensive
and verse 4+4 is the beholden missive

whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable —
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —
think about such things

well, paul wrote the philippians and us d’letter
said we shouldn’t live without Him no more
listen mister can’t you see, we got to get back
to d’Source to discover joy in us once more

His way and everyday
gimme a ticket to Heaven rightaway

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Tue
24
Apr '07

ocean spray

when the moon is in the 7th house
and jupiter aligns with mars
when u listen to sonar waves deep, callings arouse
your universe engages to sync with cosmic stars

transposing cacophony to symphony
of ethereal motif, what to let it be

whitecaps crash on the cragged rocks
to knock off your socks

emptying to fill and distill
essence of life to spill

when you’re wary and weary
leery and feeling small
when tears are in your eyes
He will dry them all

asilomar zen

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Sun
22
Apr '07

lament to laughter

against Thy majestic asilomar backdrop
pbcc women connect, life scripts crop
letting desperate and chaotic waves crash
unleashing healing from shackled stash

to each, You met at the Cross to pave
the path to laughter, lament no longer slave
from ashes of tragedy, awakening triumph to rise
from peacekeeper, the peacemaker cries

onion peels to laughter peals
Thy divine peace heals and seals
draw from Thy well to handle whatever life deals
a journey well-travelled when body keels

revel in david’s psalm 63 and stuart townsend
the retreat was truly Godsend

in Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
the Cornerstone, this solid Ground
firm through the fiercest drought and storm

Fri
13
Apr '07

iraklion nemo – apr1

iraklion nemo

life is like a port
all kinds of boats to receive and court

life is like a boat
journeys to keep afloat

life is about the journey to destinations
that make up life’s exclamations

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'

delfi has spoken-mar23

when it’s springtime in the delfi
a gentle wind whispers back to you
ancient oracle up on mountains high
dilvulging wisdom to bleary minds of gruel

delfi

can we have an owner in enabler’s clothing, o delphi oracle?
help us o wise one, we need a “pecir” miracle

the earth rumbled
the rocks tumbled
thunder roared
as delphi scored

enable first yourself with the Source
before u enable others with their force
to accomplish goals bigger than oneself
seek truth to find freedom from “pecir hell”

yahoo yassou
avec un bisou

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Tue
10
Apr '07

yanni thursday

back to silicon pace where we came from
tomorrow at high noon, we’d be gone
but while the moon is bright
dream of our return through the night
no one knows
life comes and goes
santorini sunset
goodbye, santorini and grecian play
who could hang a view on u?
when u change with every new day
still we’re gonna miss u…

don’t question why we all need to go on such a spree
to keep one’s sanity, it’s the only way to be
we just can’t be chained
to a life where nothing’s gained
and nothing’s lost
at such a cost
theo
goodbye yanni of golden rust
greeks certainly know how to have a blast
we enjoyed your warm hellenistic embrace
gonna miss your sense of time and place

there’s no time to lose, i heard delfi say
catch your dreams before they slip away
dying all the time
lose your dreams
and you will lose your mind
ain’t life unkind?

goodbye, yanni thursday
who could hang a name on u?
when you change with every new day
still we’re gonna miss u…

cos’ we’re leaving on a jetplane
don’t know when we’ll be back again
stars willing, we’ll be heading to pylos terrain
in due time to peloponnese, nico …all is not in vain

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Mon
9
Apr '07

anastasis

pyrgos easter

if not for Thee
i could not free be
to be the best U decree
to live destined pedigree

Thy blood shed
sins to shred
goodness bred
death no longer dread

resurrection sets Thee apart
anastasis is anti-thesis at heart
for life is a paradox
opiated humans choose not to detox
trapped in the box

christos anesti
alithos anesti
giving us a way out key
what a gift from Thee

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Fri
6
Apr '07

tskoudia odyssey

dawned upon me while in crete
taipan my beloved morphed to zorpan the cheek
taipan smart
navigating single-laned hairpin curves, narrow-jammed streets
we have arrived, driving like local mad greeks

together 25 years we’ve journeyed this far
thru hills and valleys, fine tavernas, ouzo on sea, air, land by car

our thanks to dotty, a great audit team, kay and nico
stars destined us a wonderful voyage greco
not meant-to-be in pylos this time around
instead crete and santorini gems we found

started off with sights and sounds of bustling athens
amidst reminders of glorious past, acropolis beckons
greeted by warm aegean sea of humanity everywhere we went
delfi, sounion, iraklion, chania, agios nikolaus, matala, knossos, santorini blessings God-sent

drop technology into caldera with santorini
window blog
writing this blog, gazing out from panoramic villa window tiny

if i had to choose 1 place in the world to be in
#1 choice now is lyrical santorini sans din
painting with colors, pixels and in word
sharing journeys taken, inspired spurt