The Year Is Going, Let him Go

"Ring out the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land

Ring in the Christ that is to be."

(From In Memoriam by Tennyson - I highly recommend reading CVI, at least)

This Year…

I got to know myself more

I was reunited with all of my siblings (at once!)

I ran my first 10K (very slowly)

I climbed on a Neolithic stone circle 

I discovered my love of yoga

I got closer to the perfect balance

I fell in love with The Doctor

I taught a college class for the first time

I wrote poetry in poetry’s backyard

I discovered the influence one person can have

I was reminded how little we can do without One certain person

I celebrated Halloween in a scholarly gentleman fashion

I wrote a dozen letters

I read at least a dozen books

I conquered 11,749 feet

I experienced many worlds within one city

I decided what my future (probably) holds

I recognized the universal love of my Savior 

I succeeded

I failed

I taught

I learned

I sang

I loved

I lived.

Next Year…

I will spend more time outside myself

I will run another 10K

I will appreciate the little things

I will take the GRE and apply to grad school

I will take myself less seriously

I will improve my teaching skills

I will look for common ground

I will be a better friend

I will fail and I will succeed

I will seek, and as promised, I will find

“For my purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset… to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” (Tennyson, once again, this time from "Ulysses") 

Poetry?

Sometimes (very rarely) I write poetry. I have friends who write good poetry and share it with me, so I guess a small part of me has been inspired to step out of the realm of prose every now and then, if only to have something to share at our open mic poetry nights. My poetry kind of looks like prose where I hit enter a few extra times, but hey, I tried. Enjoy this sample. Maybe I'll share my other stuff at some later date.

Solitude

We’ve all been friends with him at some point

A good friend he has been to me of late.

He’s easy to be friends with

Easy because he knows us

Easy because he doesn’t expect us to be something

Easy because he doesn’t interfere with our dreams.

Yet, sooner or later, we all seem to get tired of him.

Rather cruel of us, really

When he’s been there in all of our dark times.

Is it his presence that makes them dark? You ask.

Some may think so

But I don’t.

He has been there in many of my happy times, too.

Yet he does not make us happy.

Comfortable? Perhaps.

Better? Usually.

Happy? No.

But I think we need him.

For in learning to live with him,

We learn to live with ourselves.

And only in learning to appreciate him

Can we ever leave him behind.

Ironic, isn’t it?