You catch yourself wanting to say,
to ask, to cry out for help, for attention
or for effect. Even if only to see
if anybody is listening. Yet you don’t.
Anger ignites, anxiety rages, and the
consequences of a handful of
wholly conscious decisions scorch
the fragility of the present. It matters
not what tinder was sacrificed
to the flame, for now it is ash. Now
useless. Consumed. There is nothing
else left. You know, deep down,
what matters is what you ask, or say,
to the one person who has always
been there. See yourself. Be yourself.
                                                                                         j.g.l.

We Fail To Notice

Familiar if not routine, we have
become acclimatized to a numbing
mediocrity intent on dulling
the senses. For even the
coldest autumn winds or meek
spring breeze carries hope and
generosity. Failing to notice, we
tend to overlook even the slightest
gesture, or reminders of our worth.
An existence more than accumulated
occasions over a period called life,
we will dismiss, or disrespect, even
the split-second encounters with
those who may serve a greater
purpose. Perspective shapes our
ability to accept what is offered.
Our ability to accept is altered by
those who offer. We cannot take
for granted the people who come
into our lives, however briefly, nor
can we view those who steadfastly
surround us as part of our landscape.
Our setting can change like
the weather, and we must remain
prepared to give back the support
and comfort offered, however briefly.
j.g.l.