106. Fri 14 Dec ’07

there’s always another way

’twas at u of maryland graduation , the auditorium filled with crowd random
the moment waited by them, in walked 92 students in tandem
with their rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps
they looked almost as grown up as they felt in their regal wraps

dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, moms freely brushed away tears
this class however could not pray during commencement – not by choice but by fears
all because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it
the principal and several students therefore within guidelines sit

they gave inspirational and challenging speeches – no one dared mention divine guidance
no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families, in strict compliance
the speeches were nice but they were routine creation
it took the final speech to receive a standing ovation

a solitary student walked proudly to the microphone to reckon
he stood still and silent for just a moment, and then it happened
all 92 students -every single one of them suddenly sneezed- releasing the cue
the student onstage simply looked at the audience and uttered “God bless each and every one of u!”

with that from his lungs squeezed
off the stage he breezed
the audience exploded into applause
this graduating class had found an unique way to exercise their cause
invoking God’s blessing on their future with or without the court’s approval clause

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115. Sat 19 Jan ’08

con te partirò – i wish u enough

yahoo 3-day weekend
thanks mlk , the imprint u left this land
a bro in arms
igniting ram-rom psalms

i have a dream…
dream, dream, dream
all i got2do is bream dream stream

today’s forwarded email inspiration
sourced from cyber constellation
traced to bobperks.com, possible circulation origination
saw it in another web location
for poetic expression

of public domain, now for my modulation
here goes, for your rumination

recently i overheard at the airport
the p.a. system announced the departure report

mother and daughter
in their last moments together
they hugged, standing near the security gate
“i love u and i wish u enough“, mother said

“our life together has been more than enough, mom
your love is all i ever needed”, daughter summed
“i wish u enough, too, mom”, she replied with a lump

they kissed and the daughter left
mother walked over to the window close to where i was seated, bereft
i could see she wanted and needed to cry
i tried not to intrude her privacy, neither pry
but she caught my eye

connected to my unspoken care
initiating her soul to bare
“did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?”
“yes, I have…forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?’, a curiosity clamor

“i am old and she lives so far away”
so far away – doesn’t anybody stay in one place any more, carole king in my head play
she continued, “i have challenges ahead and the reality is – the next trip back
will be for my funeral”…mick jagger straining black is black…

“when u were saying good-bye, i heard u say, ‘i wish u enough’. ..may i ask what that means?”
“that’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations”, she beams
my parents used to say it to everyone”, it seems”

she paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail
she smiled even more, as fond memories evoked and set sail
“when we said , ‘i wish u enough’, we were wanting the other person
to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them”, through life’s season

then turning toward me, she shared the following
reciting from memory glowing and mellowing

i wish u enough sun to keep your attitude bright, no matter how gray the day may appear
i wish u enough rain to appreciate the sun even more, future bumps to clear
i wish u enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting
i wish u enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger, bittersweet-tasting
i wish u enough gain to satisfy your wanting
i wish u enough loss to appreciate all that u possess taunting
i wish u enough hellos to get u through the final good-bye
she then walked away and began to cry

they say it takes during life’s season
only a minute to find a special person
an hour to appreciate them
a day to love them
but then
an entire life to forget them

erich segal’s love story
infamous pearls of “love means never having to say you’re sorry”

where do i begin to tell a story of how great a love can be,
the sweet love story that is older than the sea,
the simple truth about the love He brings to me?
where do i start?

with His first hello at 12 when i walked the line
He gave a meaning to this empty world of mine
there’d never be another love, another time
He came into my life and made the living fine

He fills my heart
He fills my heart with very special things
with angel songs, with wild imaginings
He fills my soul
with so much love that anywhere i go
i’m never lonely
with Him along
who could be lonely?
i reach for His hand
it’s always there

how long does it last?
can love be measured by the hours in a day?
i have no answers now but this much i can say
i know i’ll need Him till the stars all burn away
and He’ll be there….

====================================================

121. Sat 1 Mar ’08

march rose marvel, today’s marble

yesterday, canuck bro#3 called to update how mother is faring
a few days back, tropical bro#2 shared a provocative “wise old man” clip below that’s cyber-circulating
a few weeks back, novato bro#1 touched base in south bay upon their silver anniversary celebrating
all of us contemplative as we physically age and gauge the cusp of long-distance mother caring

once again i sprinkle my rapping dust to the unknown sourced public domain story
to trigger reflections on cyclical life gory and glory
connecting back to nov 2, 2006 blog entry on “rose” with this allegory

a 92-year old man, short and well-presented
who great care in his appearance meted
alas the fateful day arrived
to move to an old folks home to spend remaining life
for his 70-year wife has recently died
leaving his home obliged

after waiting several hours in the retirement home lobby
he gently smiles as he is told that his room is ready
as he slowly walks to the elevator, using his cane
i describe his small room to him, including the sheet to curtain the window pane

“i like it very much”, he says with the enthusiasm of an 8-year old boy
who has just been given a new puppy, with renewed childlike joy
to which i remarked “but sir, u haven’t even seen the room yet,
hang on a moment, we are almost there, u to set”

he responded
as we bonded
happiness is something i choose in advance
there’s no need to glance to prance
whether or not i like the room does not depend
on the furniture, or the decor to append
rather, it depends on how i decide to see it
for in my mind, i already like my room, the whole bit
it is a decision i take every morning when i wake up, the day already lit

i can choose
whether to boost or goose
or hang myself on the noose

i can spend my day in bed enumerating all the difficulties that i have with the parts of my body
that no longer work very well, that is no longer swell buddy
or
i can get up and give thanks to heaven for those parts
that are still in working order guts

everyday is a gift
and as long as i can open my eyes and spirits lift
and focus on the new day and all the happy memories that i have built up during my life to sift
old age is like a bank account, u see sooner or later u pay for your do-and-say
u withdraw in later life what u have deposited along the way
galatians 6:7 “u reap what u sow” replay

so the story goes, the wise man’s advice to us decrees
to deposit all the happiness u can in your bank account of memories

coinciding with sender’s ending powerpoint reel spill
thank u for your part in filling my account with happy memories, which i am still continuing to fill

echoing the intent of this ram-rom blog till
unknown author ends with 5 simple guidelines for happiness in life to seal

1. free your heart from hate
2. free your mind from worry bait
3. live simple galore
4. give more
5. expect less, joy in life to roar and soar

from this author, sunday day school refrain ringing
is what currently my heart and head is singing

joy, joy, my heart is full of joy
joy, joy, my heart is full of joy
my Savior dear
is ever near
that’s the reason why my heart is full of joy

harkening back to memory
of “my symphony”
penned june 1974
not knowing what was in store
as she embarks to foreign american shore

let me enjoy
the cool of the breeze
let me seek out
the simple joys
let me taste
love unstained
– i’ll be happy –

====================================

122. Sun 2 Mar ’08

live a life that matters

after i posted a saturday marble
i received yet another marvel
such laheim breathtaking shots
with life nugget thots

ready or not, someday it will come to an end
there will be no sunrises, no minutes, hours or days to append
all the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten,
will pass to someone else, good or rotten
your wealth, fame, and temporal power
will shrivel to irrelevance cower

it will not matter what you owned or what you were owed or in arrear
your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will suddenly disappear
so too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire
the wins and losses that once seemed so important will no longer respire or inspire

it won’t matter where you came from
or on what side of the tracks you lived, what circumstances or pomp
at the end it won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant
even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant even if resilient

so what will matter? what will be treasured?
how will the value of your days be measured?

what will matter is not what u bought
but what u built filling others’ needs sought

not what u got but what u gave 
for there’s nothing u can bring to your grave

what will matter is not your success, but your significance
what will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught without askance

what will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice
that enriched, empowered, or encouraged others to emulate your example prized

what will matter is not your competence, but your character fuel
what will matter is not how many people you knew
but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone without residue

what will matter is not your memories
but the memories that live in those that loved u, that live for centuries
what will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what, such luxuries

living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident
it’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice resplendent
choose a life that matters, that sets precedent but u don’t have to be president

==================================

123. Thu 6 Mar ’08

c’est simple comme bonjour

my mantra swoons
as graham nash croons
“i am a simple man
and i sing a simple song”

thanks again, gaik2supply food4thot to sound ramrom gongs
now time to work my irresistable rapper tongs

reframing
and refraining 
warren buffet cnbc interview nuggets
yea – that richest guy in the world, giving back buckets
a cool 31 billion
here’s how he dances life’s cotillion

1. at 11, he bought his first share mate
now he regrets that he started too late
things were cheap at that time
encourage your children to invest, 4value2climb

2. at 14, he bought a small farm
paper delivery savings to drum
don’t undermine – small can potential big summon
do fan entrepreneurial spirit in young gamin

3. he still lives in same small 3-bedroom house in midtown omaha
that he bought after he got married, 50 years ago, now – that’s dada
he says he has everything he needs in that house
no need wall nor fence to protect or attention to arouse
no need to buy more than u “really need”
so impart to your children, no need to debt-bleed

4. he drives his own car everywhere, does not have a driver or security people around him
u are what u are, no need trim to overflow brim

5. he never travels by private jet, although he owns the world’s largest private jet company
always think how u can accomplish things economically

6. his company, berkshire hathaway, owns 63 companies
a letter to each CEO, goals for the year accompanies
no need for any meeting or regular calls to check
execute – it’s as simple as that
to right jobs, assign the right people to bat

7. he gives his ceo’s only 2 rules-harmony
rule number 1: do not lose your shareholders’ money
rule number 2: do not forget rule number one, sonny
set goals and make sure people focus on them, not on the dummy!

8. he does not socialize with high society crowd, doesn’t consider himself v.i.p.
his past time after he gets home is to make some pop corn and watch tv
don’t try to show off, just be your self and do what u enjoy doing, simple be

9. he does not carry cell phone
nor has a computer on his desk, things get done in uncluttered zone

that other world’s richest bill gates met warren for first time, 5 years ago
gates didn’t think he had anything in common to glow
so scheduled for only 1 hour to blow
when they finally met, meeting lasted 10 hours aglow
ever since, a warren devotee in bill was sowed

to young people, warren advises
“stay away from credit cards (bank loans), invest in yourself, [yea, stay away from vices crises]
and remember, [honey]:
a. money doesn’t create man but it is the man who created money
b. live your life as simple u are [that’s where i will put my money, honey!]
c. don’t do what others say, just listen to them but do what you feel good
so there u have it, that’s how warren multiplied his buffet food

but harken to verses of matthew 6:19-21 that warn
“do not to store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal…but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also“….

simple comme bonjour, mais oui?