Your Test Of Strength

February 23, 2018February 23, 2018 / markmkane / 3 Comments

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When the chips are all down

and your luck has run out,

take several steps back

cast aside any doubt

There are often times

when things don’t go your way,

you choose wrong, you fail

making mistakes throughout the day

You’ve just hit a rough patch

in this journey called life,

just roll with the punches,

bid adieu to the strife

In the midst of this insanity

there’s always a ray of hope,

that light at the end of the tunnel

is what helps you to cope

You’ll get through this dilemma

and will reach the other side,

problems encountered hereafter

is taken all in stride

Take pride in yourself

you’ve fought the good fight,

your character has mettle,

inner strength shown outright

So take charge of your life

when things go awry,

head straight forward, show no fear

wave those bad days goodbye.

My Meaning In Life

February 16, 2018February 16, 2018 / markmkane / 4 Comments

There are times

when I often wonder

“What is my purpose in life?”

This conundrum,

this perplexing dilemma

hinders my daily progress

“Do I continue as I’ve been?”

“Or do I alter my path?”

With deep contemplation

and extensive introspection

I’ve learned that

I have no real true goal

As long as I let my heart

guide my intentions

and lead my actions,

my journey has meaning

Striving not for

fame, wealth or success,

but achieving self-worth,

being of value,

spreading my love and light

Contributing to the pool

of goodwill and positivity

in this world

is what I was meant to do.

The ABC’s of Living Your Life

February 3, 2018February 3, 2018 / markmkane / 6 Comments

3d illustration of abc letters over white background

When we start out in life, that sense of naivety is truly a blessing. We are born into this world free of judgement. We see others as our equals. We have big dreams. Our imaginations are at its peak. We have no limitations. We don’t know the meaning of quit. We aren’t afraid to take chances and fail. We are curious about the world and seek to learn everything and anything that’s new. We show our appreciation and love openly and abundantly. We say what we feel and then move on with no grudges or hardships toward others. Our honesty leads the way and our good natured spirit keeps us ground. We share our infectious bright beaming smile to everyone we see. And best of all, every hour, every minute, every second is lived to its fullest; we live as if there’s no tomorrow.

Somewhere along the way, as we grew up, we lost some of those shining traits. If we can somehow remember what it felt like to be that child and apply it to our daily routine, then we can say that we are truly living. It’s easy, it doesn’t take much to regain back those redeeming qualities, we just have to be willing to try. So the best way to living our lives is to get back to the fundamentals.

ABC1

To Live Another Day

January 20, 2018January 20, 2018 / markmkane / 2 Comments

Live

As I sit here in front of my computer

pondering life

and all its wondrous possibilities,

I can’t help but reminisce

about precious memories

shared with

family,

friends,

and loved ones

To have such treasured moments

is truly priceless

Knowing that a point in time

created feelings of

unbridled love,

pure joy

and non-stop laughter,

puts a smile on my face

To go through something that can’t

be recreated

is magical

But knowing that

the future presents opportunities

to experience similar feelings again

is what makes me

live for another day.

The Worst Thing About Writing

January 13, 2018January 13, 2018 / markmkane / 5 Comments

Whether it be professional, recreational or therapeutic, being a writer can be the most exhilarating craft of all. You get to expound your thoughts, ideas, dreams or fantasy onto paper for all the world to see. You’re essentially the master of your realm; your creativity knows no bounds. The inner voice inside of you takes over and the words you use to display your soul shines through. It’s the best thing ever.

However, the one dreaded thing about writing is when you hit a dry spell. At some point we run out of ideas or struggle to think of something to talk about. It can be one of the most frustrating things to experience. You’d think that as a writer, you’d have a plethora of golden nuggets to pick and choose from. Sadly, that’s not the case.

We wrack our brains trying to come up with something fresh, something new, the next exciting thing that only you could have dreamt up. Alas that’s not the case. We sit and stare at a blank screen; typing a word or sentence that is soon deleted a couple of seconds later. It either sounded too ridiculous or something that was not quite our true thoughts.

We look high and low for new inspirations or turn to a friend or family member to be our muse. Sometimes we hit gold and other times we crap out. But the greatest thing about getting writer’s block is that, we as writers will continue to search for that next thing that excites us into crafting our thoughts into the words of our soul.

Writers are an eccentric and eclectic bunch that have a “Never give up” mentality. That’s why we continue to do what we do. It’s a love that can never be extinguished. So the next time you have writer’s block, just remember that there are others out there staring a blank screen just like you. We are writers, united in thought…united in passion.

WB2

New Year Haikus

January 6, 2018January 6, 2018 / markmkane / 3 Comments

AAAAA1

Start of a new year

Many doors are now open

Possibilities

With eyes wide open

Our dreams are within our grasp

Time to fulfill them

Make your first step count

Take on the world without fear

Everlasting hope

Navigating the Unknown

December 29, 2017December 29, 2017 / markmkane / 7 Comments

Lost in thought

nowhere to turn,

what have I done

that makes this a concern

I’ve lived a life

of certainty and control,

stayed in my lane

eyes on the goal

But one fateful day

I decided to jump

Heading into the unknown

taking me out of a slump

These unchartered waters,

scary with every wave

What course do I take?

How do I behave?

This path that I’m on

terrifying and new

Has me out of whack

my life a bit askew

With the chips all down

and back against the wall,

staying strong is the key

to endure the long haul

I’ve learned to be patient,

I’ve learned to be kind,

I became more trusting

by using my heart with my mind

This bump in the road

riled with stress and strife,

I’ll get past this somehow

it’s my test in life

I have to be positive

never wavering in thought,

look at all that I’ve done

be grateful for what I’ve got

Life it too short

I’ll do the best that I can,

live for a better tomorrow

“Everlasting Hope” as my game plan.

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Midlife Reflections #5

December 16, 2017December 16, 2017 / markmkane / 2 Comments

Looking back on everything I’ve done in my life, whether it be good or bad, there are definitely things that I would’ve done very differently. But I guess that’s how we all would feel if given the power of hindsight. Some would say that what we did was supposed to happen in order for us to learn a lesson or set us on the right path to where we’re going to end up.

For someone like me who’s a control freak, especially when it comes to my choice of jobs, it’s truly frustrating when you’ve made a bad choice. After making that critical decision, whether intentionally, hastily or ill-informed, it feels like an eternity trying to get my life back on track. Everything seems to be in overdrive just to get back to normalcy; but now every turn, every move I make I second guess myself.

“I shouldn’t have done this!”

“What the hell was I thinking?!”

“What have I gotten myself into?!”

“Am I going to get out of this jam? And when!?”

All these thoughts run a continuous loop in my head and I beat myself up over making that error in judgement. We’re all human, but I have high expectations of myself and feel like the whole world just came crashing down on me. I feel trapped with no option in sight.

We talk to our family and friends about our predicament to get their advice but it turns into a therapy session where we pour our hearts out in hopes of a quick and easy solution. We’ve all been there…and we’ll all go there again.

The one thing that keeps me afloat is the prospect of something better on the horizon. Yeah, I don’t know how long it’ll take to reach that destination but the idea of finding something better keeps that hope alive. AND I always hold out for hope! I always err on the side of positivity. Why? Because at my lowest point, that’s all I can do. It’s much better than the alternative; I can’t just give up. Throwing in the towel and being resigned to the fact that I failed somehow is not an option.

There is always a way out of every predicament I put myself in. Strength and faith is all I need to have to know that it’ll all work out in the end. Nothing’s impossible to overcome, I just have to be willing to take the first step forward…AND I just did.