Rain, Rain

It rained today.
I wondered if
it would ever stop.
Dark clouds
fierce winds
downpours of heavy
and light rain
beset my little apartment.
I went out on my deck
to get some fresh air.
No one was astir
save the rain-slicked
maintenance man.
He was happy
to have company
as I said hello
and chatted briefly
our two souls embracing
mother nature's fury
and each other.
And then, guess what?
The rain cleared
miraculously it seemed
the sun broke through
the clouds
and warmed the day.
I went running.
The air was clear
washed clean
by the glorious rain.
Mother earth
cleansed herself
in a brief shower
while us humans
huddled waiting
for our opportunity
to be with her again
in person
out from behind
our windows
looking on
and wishing
for a breath
of fresh air
over and
over and
over again
until we felt
as clean
as her.
I'm glad it rained today.
More is forecast.
Getting some
good books
lined up in case
I get caught inside
again with myself
being more than doing
or even better
getting something done
that would otherwise
have gotten swept away
in a sea of activity
away from home.


Copyright © 2012 Gary Frates

When the Student is Ready

Like a box
that needs
opening
to find
the treasure
that lies within,
we dig around
the inner
resources
of our being
and find
what nuggets
have been
stored away
in lessons
learned.

Oh, how right
we can
seem to be!

So adamantly
headstrong
and stubborn
in our sacred
beliefs,
yet blind
to the truth
that stands
between us
and others
we have not
a glimpse
and will have
none of it!

Our minds
are shut,
access
to Fort Knox
would be
easier
than trying
to get
through
to us!

But Lo,
someone does...

with a gentle
suggestion
and question

introducing a
new possibility

a chance to
start down
a different
path to healing.

Having had
to swallow
our pride and
righteousness
and learn to
move forward
again in our lives
will seem easy,
actually
once the initial
resistance
is passed
for we had
long been ready
having had little
hope that a
seeming miracle
would pull us
out of some
bottomless pit,
"rescued" at last.


Why us?
Why now?

When the student
is ready...



Copyright © 2012 Gary Frates

Who is my Friend?

You never know
when a friend
is going to show up.
Sometimes in
the most unlikely
places and times.

Who cannot use
another friend?

A like-minded soul
a comrade in arms
literally
as you embrace in a hug
of appreciation and love.

Other people want to share
your friendship, also--
something maybe
you hadn't considered--
you have something
to offer them, too.

Nothing is really "lost"
when you "spend"
your energy
getting to know
someone better.
Rather
something is created
by the expenditure
of your combined
energies
something of much
greater value
than a bank account
of "saved" energy
that staying alone
and not reaching out
would engender.

We all want and need
connection with others.

When people open up
to each other
in warmth and support
a force greater than
the sum of the parts
is birthed
helping lighten
the planet 
keeping it spinning in
an evolutionary direction.


Copyright © 2012 Gary Frates


 

The Mind--Our Achilles Heel?

"There is nothing either
good or bad but
thinking makes it so"
Shakespeare said.

Are we happy
with our serving
in the soup line? 

Or do we need
a bigger bowl?

Or swear off
soup altogether
and find
new nourishment
elsewhere?

At least now
the sense
of limited
negative thinking
my mind so often
flabbily
engages in
when I'm confronted
with a challenge
is more apparent.

I can do no
sit-ups a day,
or one
or two
or I can vow
to get  into shape
no matter
what it takes.

Starting from
where I am now

I can be weak
or strong

look good or not

and feel good
about what I do

working with my
body and mind

pushing back that
imposition of limitation

a bit more everyday

until I feel unlimited
in what I can
do
be
and accomplish.

My mind can be
in my camp now
if I choose--
an ally
in my
heart's success.



Copyright © 2012 Gary Frates

Now What, Universe?

What's the most
important thing
in any given
moment?

The highest first
my friend says.
Someone else says
if you have to eat
two frogs eat the
ugliest one first.

Some other people
say:
Do what makes you
feel good.

Follow your heart
not your mind.

It's not always easy
to know what to do
when such random
thoughts proliferate
your mind's landscape.

In the end, it may come
down to what you can
live with.
Set your standards high
and enforce your belief
that the universe will see
to it that they are fulfilled.

Compromises can be
minimal or even
non-existent.

Other times you
have to have faith
that what looks
not so good on
the surface will
turn out much better
than all your anxieties
are pelting you with.

Your heart knows.
Follow it.
You can trust it.
Mistakes will lessen
as your betting on
yourself continues.

All is well in a
perfect world.
All is well in
our world, also.

Your life just
keeps getting
better and better--
and you keep listening
for that guidance.

It is much wiser
than you mind
will ever be.


Copyright © 2012 Gary Frates

You are Good!

The days speed by.
Choose carefully
where you decide
to invest
your time
because that's your life.

St. Peter
will read it
back to you
and there will be
no protests
as you
were calling
the shots--
yay or nay.

Be easy on yourself.

If you knew better
you'd do better.

So take what you
give yourself--
to the bank.

It's probably
much better than
you think.

And others would
be envious
of your situation
while you're thinking
you could be doing
or have done better
than what you did.

We all need
to cut ourselves
a lot more slack
than we do.



Copyright © 2012 Gary Frates

Inside Out

You can wear the same shirt
and get a lot more mileage out of it
by simply turning it inside out.
Inside is where it counts anyway.
It's where we live, do our business
and clean up, hopefully, every day
the mess we've created in living.

A polished car with a clogged engine
just looks good on the outside
but doesn't go very far, very fast, or
for very long without some periodic
oil changes and maintenance inside.

My car has recently stalled to almost
a stand still like driving through a
raging snowstorm on bald tires
chainless, it's hard to keep on the
road and steer and brake.
Traction is at a premium
hard to come by and needs,
it seems, to be gained one tire
at a time.

I'm open to a complete, instant
makeover.  Granted to some, it
seems and not to others--they
have to take the slower,
methodical route stepping
forward more times than they
step back usually an inevitability
in progress.

You thought you knew how
to drive but the "clunker" you
were navigating in didn't  give
you the performance a well-
functioning machine will
when it's repaired and
operating fully
on all available cylinders.

Time for a tune-up.  Look
within.  Most of the problems
and many of, if not most
of the answers lie there, also.


Copyright © 2012 Gary Frates