Apocalypse and judgment day
may occur somewhere in Montana,
but the real arbiter resides within
where final choices are made
on those who’ve done us wrong,
and more painfully,
on our own most grievous sins.
We really can’t forgive
without seeing the cold truth,
then we are left with the choice:
to love our enemies,
including the one in the mirror,
or continue on the cross.
Don: I think I beg to differ, I think. We CAN forgive without seeing the truth when we are truly in submission to spiritual authority / God (pure Truth). And when I am in that state, I struggle daily to ‘love my enemies’, and struggle to accept with a loving heart both the blessing and the adversity.
I love your pursuit of expression of soul. thank you. T
Searingly true; thank you.
I often tell my nutrition students that if they want a life filled with endless adventure and laughter: keep looking deeply in the mirror.
That’s my Truth as well, Don. The clarity of reflection you offer this man is greatly appreciated. Thanks for being the mirror you are.
In the 12-step inventory work, all the “issues with others” get written down one by one. Then finally the last column gets added — “My part in this is:”
That usually provides the key for release. It may not always look like classic forgiveness, but complete ownership of my experience gives me the power to change — myself.
Beautiful work, Don!
At once, I agree with you and Terry Stoupa, and for days now I have cried grievous tears for whatever it is–I cannot identify. If I were writing these words in pen and ink, the paper would be tear-stained.
I think it’s my wife….no, she seems happy and kind. Oh, then, it must be the guy in the mirror….no, not that I can tell; he at least presents a happy face, tear stains notwithstanding; stranger children in shops continue to approach him.
Reflections….I cannot yet see behind; but I will, I will.
This is SO well-put, Don! It really rings.
What choice is that I ask the mirror? True forgiveness is of the self and it comes when I see my part in the situation. Others are in charge of themselves. Loving myself through my choices, loving others through theirs, no matter what, is true compassion. So as Dolly Parton said, “Get down off that cross. Somebody’s gonna need the wood.”
“Somebody’s gonna need the wood.” I love this!
My version of “get down off that cross, someboy’s gonna need the wood” is looking in the mirror and saying to my image “get over yourself, move on.” Then the power is there for forgiveness and for giving energy to something that really needs my attention.
Put so well, Don, I find your words clean and distilled on the form level, substantially filled with the felt authority of your own experience and heart.
This particular verse beautifully describes the process of freeing oneself from self created bondage. Sooner or later we each must meet and embrace every aspect of ourselves.
This is one of those sortuva poem with great content that people print up as a message and post where people can draw inspiration–like the Desiderata for our times: punchier, edgier. See how all these comments focus on content rather than form? The form has become invisible to them and allows them to contemplate only content. Hard to beat that for a writerly goal!