You are one of the most determined creatures, if I can call you that, that has plagued humankind for I don’t know how long.

I’m sure you first assaulted me when I was a baby in the crib.

As I grew older, you would show your craft by slowing me down for a few days. Each time you attacked, I would handily send you packing.

Your attempts to bench me usually proved effortless even in my late preteen years.

Now that I’m in the fall of my lifetime, you have finally discovered yourself weakened prey. It’s even difficult sometimes for me to tell if it’s really you, since some of your cousins are also anxious to attack me, too. I think it’s you that has been waging one strike after the other against me for the last six days or so.

Since you will be with me, mostly in hibernation, for the rest of my life. I long for those times during my younger years when I could better withstand your incursion.

You are so Cantankerous, Old, Lingering and Determined. You darn cold.

Old and Blessed

There are things within me that sometimes I don’t think I know that well, myself.

These things lie quietly in a calm, serene area where there are no storms.

Although there are no storms, these things are affected by all the storms of the world.

These things care deeply about injustice, and they grieve whenever they are made aware of innocence suffering due to no fault of their own.

These things develop severe cases of anxiety whenever there is uncertainty about the state of leadership in the country.

These things harbor deep concern for all people they see in need. The outward stoicism doesn’t portray the depth of the concern these things suffer.

These things would offer a comforting hug to all, but they are restricted by the socialized private space that was constructed years ago.

These things cheer up exuberantly where justice wins out in a skirmish that has captured the headlines.

These things find themselves weeping quietly while watching a good, tear-jerking movie.

These things love so much more deeply than what’s portrayed outwardly. Something is holding them back.

These things are constantly nudging self-will to give up efforts for self-aggrandizement. Fortunately; they are successful at moving the needle in the right direction when necessary.

These things have come to realize that they serve a purpose, and that outside demonstrations would be much darker if they weren’t there.

These things: love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, are part of my heart. Thank God for placing them there.

Old and Blessed

These are the things I hate, war, murder, greed, sexism, racism, ageism, elitism. I’ll stop here, because if I don’t, this poem will be an exhaustive list of things I hate. The things I hate are things that don’t do anything to promote the general welfare of humankind.

I’ve always hated these things. I wish I could eradicate them from the human psyche. I will continue to hate these things. I often feel trapped because I get close to hating the people who practice them. Illogic tells me that it’s easier to direct feelings toward a person versus an attitude which occupies no visible space and time.

The power of a concept is remarkable, but it has no feet without a willing vessel. It needs legs to walk, a mouth to talk, a memory to move it forward.

And so, the things I hate will continue until the legs, mouth and memory that accommodate them undergoes a metamorphous. Until then, the things I hate will continue to do well.

Old and Blessed

You are a beautiful nation.

Your people are peaceful, and you’ve done a fine job of providing for all.

Your history shows that you’ve not had any wars for over two hundred years.

We think you would be in a better position to serve your people, if

You gave us mineral rights to the vast amounts of untapped resources that lie beneath your beautiful lands.

We would provide you with skilled people who would extract the minerals.

We would even construct communities where our workers would live.

We would provide work for your people in these modern communities.

We know that others have been courting you for mineral rights.

Several of them have promised things like new hospitals, schools, roads and other impressive additions to your infrastructure.

You shouldn’t be fooled by these long-term promises.

We will give you jobs at once, and we’ll offer you a military base to protect you from your enemies.

Let’s start negotiations at once.

Don’t worry about the contents of a contract.

I’m sure we know exactly what needs to be included to help both of us.

What do you say?

Old and Blessed

I’ve heard them developing in my soul through the years.

When I was a toddler, they started to assume residence. I didn’t always understand what they were saying, but they were there, the voices of my mom, my grandparents, my uncles and aunts, all the elders.

All my life, there have been voices, voices of teachers, preachers, seekers of my will, and fortunately the voice of myself standing strong to develop its own agency.

And now that most members of the mass choir of voices that have been singing and talking to me through the years have lost their vessels, they still talk and sing to me.

I recognize their vessels, who are still nudging me in the right direction when important decisions must be made.

I still feel the love, compassion and sweetness of these recorded voices. They will never leave me.

Good morning, mom and all the rest of you.

Voices.

Old and Blessed

It’s been said that for you to understand me, you must walk a mile in my shoes. I wouldn’t ask you to do that. I only ask that you walk beside me. For my shoes are quite uncomfortable at times. Then, at other times they are light with the burden of life’s weight.

Therefore, I ask that you walk with me.

Walk with me in the garden and experience the early morning dew and the quiet that has come during the night.

Walk with me during the noon day when the heat of activity has had time to mount challenges for me to face.

Walk with me during the evening when the day is preparing to rest. When the day’s activities are reviewed for successes and failures. When plans are made to tackle the next day.

Walk with me when I interact with my family, see the encouragement and support I receive from them despite the challenges they are facing, too.

 I don’t ask you to do anything but walk with me. Your observation will educate you well about who I am.

Your walking with me means more than you can imagine. And when you are asked, “What did you do for the least of these?” If asked, I will gladly testify that you walked with me.

Old and Blessed.

Remember when the world rid itself of the need for war.

I think the global halt of producing weapons of war had a lot to do with that.

Remember when most of the heads of government became women.

I think people got tired of being insane, doing the same thing over, and over again.

Remember when the United Nations brought all 195 countries of the world together.

I think efforts to find commonalities of humankind finally worked.

Remember when commerce took a back seat to individual human development.

I think recognizing that fully developed individuals were necessary to have fully developed societies.

Remember when the worldwide crime rate descended to a single digit number.

I think that individual development resulted in people realizing that service from others was better than harm.

Unfortunately, I can’t remember any of this. I’m to old to be around to see it happen, but it would be good to remember.

If you’re young enough maybe you’ll remember, or maybe all of this is just the morning after. I did sleep well last night.

Old and Blessed

And so, we’ve all come in early to have our cars serviced. We’re comfortable, almost comatose, glaring at our little blue screens, those tiny windows to the world.

Then, some guy comes in with nothing but his smile and cordiality. He interrupts the atmosphere with, “Good morning, how are you?”

What’s with this guy?

Old and Bless

She was born of good intentions, though only for some.

Despite the early short sightedness of those who bore her, other caretakers have fed her well.

Feeding has seen several adjustments to her character, resulting in her inviting more to the table.

She’s been the victim, the witness, and the center of countless skirmishes, as well as a great battle.

Her journey has not been easy.

Her history has caused her to suffer immeasurable pain and agony.

She’s reached a point where the New Colossus saying, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free”, has become a living dream for a bouquet of dreamers.

Progressive minded caretakers have brought her thus far.

I hear her whispering a prayer that says, “Please let me keep growing.”

Old and Blessed

Can you live life without resolution? Is life so accommodating that it’s mindful of you and all your wants, whims and desires?

Has there ever been a day, a week, a month, or a greater segment of time when you’ve gone without something going awry? When something goes south and your intention was for it to go north, what do you do? Do you lose your bearings? How do you get back on course?

We live in a world that went south long ago. It goes the way it goes. Like salmon during mating season, fighting their way upstream, relentlessly moving to their target, we push against resistance with every move we make.

Be it resolved that I won’t give up. I won’t pack it in. I won’t lose my mind. I will face each day with the grace of God as my force above and beyond all others.

Old and Blessed