I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.
j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.
Month: March 2018
by Melody Lima
It is easy to forget.
Forget to love, forget to pause, forget to breathe.
It is difficult to see the beauty, the light or the kindness hidden under the shroud of darkness.
It appears, often, there is nothing but gloom, nothing but aversion, nothing but hatred around us. This is not new. For thousands of years, the world has been filled with war, disagreement, threats, crime, disrespect, prejudice, torture and violence.
And yet, when we are filled with despair, out in the distance appears a glimmer of hope. A ray of the future shines upon us. Gently guiding us forward, onto our path like the loving hand of a parent or a teacher or a mentor. A simple touch to show us one step away from the oppressing cloud.
This small gesture of kindness is tiny, minute and easy to miss. Do not be fooled, gifts come in many sizes. A generous deed is found in the unexpected moments. Love is often ordinary, not panoramic.
Welcome the ordinary. Allow the gesture of compassion to brighten the way. Accept thoughtfulness from the acquaintance whose name you may not remember, but whose acceptance will never leave you.
It is easy to welcome goodness.
It is easy to experience laughter.
It is easy to rejoice in love.
Do not forget to breathe in life.
Never forget to love.
©2018 Melody Lima
Melody Lima is a creative adventurer who will always tell her story somehow, in some way. The narrative is filled with movement (yoga teacher), words (writer), color (artist), texture (parenthood) and other experiences of discovery. Sharing her observations on and off the yoga mat, Melody always attempts to keep things mindful and not too cynical. Her words have appeared through elephant journal, The Tattooed Buddha and The Urban Howl. Read more inspiration from Melody through her website www.yogamatunrolled.com
It’s not always easy
to find the right words.
The words we use, the
words we choose,
leave shadows over time.
It takes time
to get past the past,
to sort out emotions
and reservations.
It takes patience
and faith to accept
who you are
and what we can be.
03/15/2018 j.g.l.
Day to day, every day, we are accosted by words.
Look around. Everywhere our landscape is dotted with slogans, catch phrases, deals and appeals for our time, attention, and money.
Advertising is everywhere and cannot be avoided. Signs. Everywhere. Words from someone else selling, or telling us, what we need, what to believe, and how or when we can see it.
It goes well past products or prestige, and the message is not always clear, but it clutters any and all vacant space within our sight lines.
You get the message.
There is no escape. You can’t help but see the billboard blocking the sunset, larger-than-life banners flapping on the edge of the high-rise, day-bright neon, or lawns signs at election time emphasizing one bad choice over another.
How do you respond to the words? Do you try the new service, or buy what they are selling? Do you stop and take a further look? The truth always telling.
It is nothing new; I can’t remember when it was. It’s the same ol’, same ol’. Brand names may rotate, or the colour or style shifts in another direction, but with all the changes, it is still the same.
It could be handwritten or professionally crafted, and size does not matter, it speaks in our language. We all use words to communicate. We cannot survive without words. We read words whether we like to are not. They are always there.
Perhaps now it has become even more obvious as it has spread further into our virtual reality. We are constantly bombarded with messages each time you click or swipe on the mobile device to get to the information you want and need, our chosen apps held hostage or interrupted with pop ups.
It is a newer format, yes, but it follows the same old premise. The ads, the signs, telling us what we may or may not want, appealing to your hunger(s), or vices, insecurities, or greed.
We respond.
It works the same way a poster for Kool-Aid will distract you on a hot summer’s day. If you’ve got the thirst, you will likely buy. Sometimes you might be looking to repair something, or the best price on something you don’t really need.
Words: they temp you, they taunt you, they upset you and haunt you. The words catch your eye and, as consumers at heart, we look and we buy.
“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?”
-Les Emerson
