detach yourself from the seeming
successes and failures of your children
by doing so, you become able
to be one with them at all times
to be one with them at all times
you do not live your life
through your children
through your children
therefore they are free
to find their own true fulfillment
to find their own true fulfillment
The Parents Tao Te Ching - translated by William Martin
m e s s a g e i n a b o t t l e
and at once, I knew
I was not magnificent
unemployed again - late in the game
I’m looking for a job where there’s room for my spirit to grow
(easier said than done)
I've been most fortunate
in having rewarding employment
jobs that I liked (ok most)
(easier said than done)
I've been most fortunate
in having rewarding employment
jobs that I liked (ok most)
it’s always been important and especially so now
it's becoming more of a challenge with each passing day
in a fixed timeline tock-ticking and where relevance
becomes an exercise in irreverence
my home is in a world vibrant, fragrant and abundant
in a fixed timeline tock-ticking and where relevance
becomes an exercise in irreverence
my home is in a world vibrant, fragrant and abundant
by a field near water with blue sky and clean air
I’m thinking about what it will be like
sitting on the rocks of the southern shore of Lake St. Clair
on a cold cloudy day in March 1969
where I lived as a 12 year old boy in isolation
parents split - spitting strangely - stupidly
living with Dad and this woman - an old flame fermenting
who hates us because we're just in her way
she just wants him - not us
baggage
me and my younger brother
Dad always gone, out of the picture
so yeah, both parents
in absentia
Dad drinks, everyone drinks - a lot
whatever
beach-combing - a daily ritual for David and me
finding shit that washes up
parents split - spitting strangely - stupidly
living with Dad and this woman - an old flame fermenting
who hates us because we're just in her way
she just wants him - not us
baggage
me and my younger brother
Dad always gone, out of the picture
so yeah, both parents
in absentia
Dad drinks, everyone drinks - a lot
whatever
beach-combing - a daily ritual for David and me
finding shit that washes up
looking out, just the sound of the waves
and the hollow, haunting cry of the seagulls
floating by (going with the flow)
I can do this
looking up
floating by (going with the flow)
I can do this
looking up
it's all in the absorption
seeing a corked clear bottle drifting my way
seeing a corked clear bottle drifting my way
lifting it out - removing the slippery, cold green seaweed
opening it - a piece of paper - wow!
this handwriting looks familiar
opening it - a piece of paper - wow!
this handwriting looks familiar
it’s a note from me, written 47 years in the future (March 2016)
unraveling the roll and absorbing it in the quiet
it reads as follows ...
.
I want to think about progress in nature
unraveling the roll and absorbing it in the quiet
it reads as follows ...
.
I want to think about progress in nature
I want to see the stars and
thank the gods
thank the gods
I’m 59 and there’s not a whole lot of time left
and I want what’s left to count for something in the world
spending time thinking about what we don’t want
(or what has gone wrong)
(or what has gone wrong)
is a waste and I’d like those years back - gone
I want to spend time thinking about what I do want
I want to inspire people
everyone around me
that being said, I am consistently reminded
everyone around me
that being said, I am consistently reminded
that we live in a world
made up of shapes and things
made up of shapes and things
circles, triangles and squares
and that thinking out of the box
means compromising the integrity
of the infrastructure
means compromising the integrity
of the infrastructure
there’s black and white
then the primary colours then - ok
I think you get the idea
rules are important because structure is important
then the primary colours then - ok
I think you get the idea
rules are important because structure is important
without them there would be no order in the universe
so I respect our rules and laws - values and beliefs
providing one doesn’t get stuck inside them
magnetized to the dots on a flat white page
with an inability to connect them
let alone distance oneself - seeing the bigger picture
from a fresh new perspective (from afar)
this for me is what life is fundamentally about
that willingness to take a step back and appreciate
what goes on under the surface
or beyond our exterior
utilizing our resources
to their utmost
potential
utilizing our resources
to their utmost
potential
listening to her nautical narrative
silently sung
silently sung
between the lofty lines
the magic that exists in all things
and yet remains elusive
to the naked eye
and yet remains elusive
to the naked eye
m e s s a g e i n a b o t t l e
spending time thinking about what I don’t want
is a waste of everyone's time
is a waste of everyone's time
I want to spend what’s left of my life
thinking about what I do want
and at once, I knew
I was not magnificent
thinking about what I do want
and at once, I knew
I was not magnificent
there are those who would say no
I would do nothing differently - me?
I would do everything differently
starting with this
I would do nothing differently - me?
I would do everything differently
starting with this
I love you friend
may you live abundantly
and love every single, breathing moment
that remains