The sun shines brightly
Happiness engulfs me now
Time to spread the joy
To smile means to care
My love for you know no bounds
Always…Forever
Laughter of children
Innocence so refreshing
Dreams and hopes alive
Following your dreams
Your story is a journey
Inspire everyone
You’re a great writer
Send your work into the world
Set your stories free
I count my blessings every day I wake up; I have a wonderful wife, two great kids, a loving pet, caring family members and loyal friends. My health is going well with the exceptions of a few aches and pains but that comes with age.
Lately, however, I’ve been feeling a tad bit unfulfilled; stuck in a rut and in a funk. My life has stalled for some reason and it’s as if there’s something lacking in my life that somehow can’t be extinguished. I noticed that it tends to rear its head when I’m at work.
Day in and day out, I trudge into the office to work for a private corporation whose bottom line is one of financial profit instead of valuing interpersonal relations with its employees. Those that work tirelessly are underappreciated while the slackers and less qualified upper management are praised highly for taking credit where credit is not due.
Granted the pay is good but like I said earlier, it’s lacking in substance. I’m at that age where I want to do something that matters; to make a life changing decision. Yes, I know that sounds so cliché (and NO I am not trying to apply for sainthood) but it’s the God’s honest truth.
I want to work in a place where I know the things that I am doing are for the betterment of someone or a cause. You know the feeling you get when you help someone in dire need without a thought of receiving anything in return? The sense of doing something favorable for purely selfless reasons and cracking that big inner smile in the process; you can do no wrong when you give of yourself to someone.
That’s what I want to feel; I want to smile more while working instead of being worried about deadlines. Learning to have more empathy for those that are in a far worse predicaments than I am. Strengthening my compassion towards strangers. Spreading hope when there is none. And enjoying life in the whole scheme of things. Doing something that’s rewarding and feeling a sense of self-satisfaction at the end of the day is what I’m longing for. Being able to do this would not only enrich my being but it would give meaning to my place in life.
Most recently, I have been applying at places of interest that do that sort of thing for quite some time…but unfortunately no luck. But that did not deter my desire for achieving the goal of doing something worthwhile to satisfy my inner soul.
I’ve been tirelessly perusing sites where I can volunteer my time and make a difference. The most eye opening aspect of this process is seeing the number of pages that the volunteer application forms contain.
Some even require medical documentations of past immunizations, past work history, references, reasons for volunteering and a mandatory commitment for your free services. My how times have changed from when I did community service back in high school.
Even if this whole process is time consuming, my urge to really do something worthwhile and make a difference in someone’s life is all that matters. My hope is that I can find the perfect fit and in doing so quench that burning inner desire.
We all have tons of dreams
some big, some average, some small
Achieving them in our lifetime
is the common theme for us all
The map to our success
is following these three views
Learning them by heart
will help us avoid any miscues
Patience, Persistence & Perseverance
also known as “The Three P’s”
Commit them to one’s memory
is a MUST I do decree
Biding our time without complaint
having “Patience” is the key
The journey’s just beginning
in bringing our dreams to reality
“Persistence” will outlast talent
staying the course, when all else fails
We must get up after every fall
towards our dream we will prevail
In spite of all the difficulties
and the strong urge not to quit
“Perseverance” dictates our true passion
we’ll get there…bit by bit
So pursue your dreams to the ends of the earth
learn “The Three P’s” & follow through
You’ll reach your goals and then much more
of this I promise you.
In my opinion, one of the best things about being a writer is showcasing our inner voice through our pieces of prose to the world. Our writing style, our choice of words and our descriptive passages all reflect our artistic expression hidden deep within. 
Everyone’s writing style is unique; it can be eloquent, serious, humorous, wordy, concise or simple. The fact that we get our point across to any and all readers, in whatever fashion our voice dictates, is truly amazing. AND the painstaking years that it took just to get us comfortable in writing is a feat in itself. AND the tremendous courage it takes to put forth our laborious effort for strangers to read. 
That’s why I enjoy reading other people’s work; I love the fact that they took the time to share something that was on their mind. I’m able to get a semblance of their personality through their choice of topics and words. It’s like meeting a stranger and getting to know them through their writing. The more I read, the more I become familiar with them. 
We as writers share a piece of our soul in the hopes of bringing to view something that we feel has value and get a sense of self-satisfaction from doing so. Our reasons for exhibiting our work can be therapeutic, informative or for entertainment.
I’ve known a couple of writers, however, that were quite hesitant to impart their work for public viewing for fear of crucifying comments or lack of praise. They toiled over their piece but found it difficult to take it to the next step; in the end, they abandoned their desire for writing. It was a sad loss because I felt that they had something of quality that was worth sharing.
We need to lose all inhibitions and accept the fact that there will be some people that’ll like what we write and others that’ll hate it. It all comes with the territory of our craft and shouldn’t be a factor in deterring our passion for writing.
The joy we get from putting pen to paper, the dedication to honing our craft, the anticipation of producing something substantial from a mere thought and the gratification from seeing the final product are qualities that strengthen our passion. In the end, our devotion to writing should outweigh all reactions, whether it be good or bad. So let loose, face your fears, WRITE and let your “Inner Voice”shine through.
The day was all fraught
with stress and strife
My nerves were all bent
from the chaos of life
Thought I could handle it
but alas it was a mess
My mind stripped clean
optimism started to regress
Getting through the day
would be most difficult to do
The wanton need for some air
near a place with a view
So I stepped outside quickly
became akin to nature’s palette
Weight of the world lifted
introspection reset
The bright sunshine rays
the soft, silent wind
Thoughts of your warm morning embrace
stirred feelings from within
Your unabashed, beaming smile
your gentle, loving eyes
A tingling sensation
came to my surprise
The hours till we meet again
though they seem so far away
Thinking of you…my love
made this a special day.
Don’t tell me that you don’t love me,
don’t give me a heart that’s not true
Just promise me you’ll say nothing,
that’s all I ask of you
Promise me silence…
if you don’t really care
Promise me silence..
if your heart’s not willing to share
If you can’t tell me you love me,
then don’t say a thing
I’d rather have your silence
if that’s all you can give
Just promise your silence…
if I can’t have your heart.
We’ve all heard the phrase “That team played a perfect game”, “He/she got a perfect score on the test”, “That was the perfect date”, “He was a perfect gentleman” or “That was a perfect day.”
That word “perfect” obviously meant flawless, without fail. Things went so smoothly that the stars aligned and there wasn’t an ounce of disruption in your particular quest.
For some odd reason that word came to my mind this past week and I tried to fathom what I did in my life that was so “perfect.”
Yes, I’ve had a perfect score on an exam before so that was easy to relate to but as for the rest, I had a hard time trying to comprehend what that really meant. I figured I’d sleep on it and try to tackle that the next day.
The next day arrived; there were no plans or errands to do so it was pretty much a chill day.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP…I sluggishly turned off the blaring alarm clock and rubbed my tired eyes awake. I looked to my left and saw my wife, Iris, of 20 years still asleep; she was always a deep sleeper.
I gazed at her for a moment and a flood of memories washed over me. It was like a video album showcasing all of the good and bad times; I smirked at how we ended up together and miraculously endured all of this.
Just then, our 3 year old dog “Chibi” started to lick my face as if to say “Good Morning, time for my morning walk now” or it just could have meant “Are you awake now? Good, let’s go play!” Chibi then turned her attention to my wife and did what the alarm clock could not do.
We got out of bed and did our normal routine. Soon after my son, Conor, woke up somberly said good morning and immediately turned on the TV as he plopped on the couch. Soon after my daughter, Chloe, awoke and joined Conor on the couch.
They weren’t their boisterous selves, more like morning zombies adjusting to the daylight and getting their bones, muscles and joints acclimated to the new day.
As the day wore on, our house started to liven up to its usual self. There would be times where I saw Chloe and Conor laughing about something, joking with Iris or playing with Chibi.
Throughout the day, we all would be interacting with each other in some fashion. As the day turned to night, we continued doing our little things to keep us occupied, all the while still connecting with one another.
The day came to an end and we all prepped for the next day of work and school. As we said our goodnights, I laid there in the dark and mulled over what took place throughout the day.
It was just a simple ordinary day of really doing nothing and just relaxing with the family. We laughed, joked and did inconsequential things but enjoyed every minute of it unbeknownst to us all.
I replayed the entire day in my mind’s eye and took stock of how beautiful that was. My sense of appreciation was immeasurable. Nothing went wrong, there were no major disruptions…I couldn’t have asked for a better day. It was simply “perfect”; it was “My perfect day.”
As I was growing up, I never really got the full grasp of what it was like to rely on family members for support; especially that of the emotional kind.
I was always off on my own, or with my friends, involved in insects, cartoons, action figures, video games, comics or remote control vehicles of the fast kind.
When I wasn’t squeezing every ounce of free time for my personal pleasure, my head was preoccupied with school. So as you can tell, it was either trying to finish that super complex homework, study for zillions of quizzes and tests or what to do first when I had free time; those thoughts took up most of my emotional journeys.
Nothing major happened to the point where I needed to consult my parents or siblings for advice. A lot of my life’s lessons came either from trial and error, mostly HUGE ones, or talking with friends. Life was simple, there were no worries.
If it didn’t involve school or play (or girls) then it completely fell to the wayside. That, however, took a different turn as I got up there in age and started a family of my own.
My focus adjusted and my eyes began to really “see” the value of having family around you. I could have a bad day at work, a traumatic incident, health issues or just feeling down in the dumps, but just knowing that my family was there made the trials all the more bearable.
My wife and my kids provided emotional support in ways that inspired hope in me. Just having someone in my corner, through thick and thin, really made all the difference in overcoming the obstacles that were in my path. Their positive words of encouragement, daily affirmations and big burly hugs made all the difference; they truly became my emotional cheerleaders.
My outlook towards my parents were in a state of flux as well; it changed from seeing them as an authoritative figure to that of sage-like confidants that I can pour my heart out to.
It’s interesting how time really changes you and strange that it took me this long to value the bonds we share with our family. I might have grown up slightly different from others but at least I can say that I finally learned how strong family bonds can be.
Today is your birthday
a time when wishes come true,
a card, a cake, a present, a party
are all awaiting you
These are things you would expect
on this auspicious day,
but my gift to you would be a special one
in each and every way
I’d offer you the beauties of nature,
the sunset, the flowers, the rainbow;
gift-wrapped, sealed and delivered with care
as you deserve them so
So when this day passes
and the days and months go by
Just look out any window
and my gifts will still be there,
as the clouds are in the sky.
I’m not too sure if I’m alone in thinking this way but every single year, just days after we ring in the New Year, I feel re-energized and inspired. Everything and anything unfortunate that occurred the year before is completely erased. I’ve been given a clean slate where anything is possible.
There’s HOPE! I can see it, I can smell it, I can taste it…it’s finally within my grasp.
A sudden rush of invincibility and unbridled optimism fuels my drive to pursue my dreams; this euphoric feeling of boundless positivity and capability is intoxicating. I’m in open space moving at Mach 6 towards my quest in achieving EVERY dream, whether it be big or small.
There’s nothing that I can’t accomplish…there is no fear…no hesitation in thought or action. My focus is razor sharp and crystal clear. The only thought that echoes in my mind like a broken record is “YES! This is THE year! This is gonna be MY year!”
I know that thought is so cliché, but what can I say, I’m an eternal optimist at heart. Feeling this way makes me want to share my words of affirmation and enthusiasm with anyone and everyone around me. That’s a good thing, right?
This wave of emotions will eventually subside as the year progresses, but I’m going to ride it for as long as I can and know wholeheartedly that I gave it my all and then some.
Midlife, Maniacal & Me 