Sunday, July 14, 2024

When the World Goes Mad

 when the world

goes mad


become wildly kind

to everyone


everyone

everyone

everyone 


my love,


~ you can’t control

much


but you control how

you treat others


in these breaking news

heartbreaking times 


when nothing feels

certain


let your raw kindness

be a certainty


allow your compassion

to become a North Star


stamped up in

the sky for


others to follow

back home


~ john roedel




(art by Jungsuk Lee)

18 comments:

  1. Those are good words to remember even as hard as it can be some days. Thanks for sharing, Jennifer.

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  2. Very timely, very poignant. Thank you, Jennifer.

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  3. These are wonderful words Jennifer, it would be good if we all remember them all the time. The timing is so right.

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    1. Thank you, Yael. It's hard not to choose anger and bitterness and division at a time like this, and those things only add fuel to the fire.

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  4. At first I thought that poem was your own Jennifer. The words chime with this moment in America's history. What was Trump thinking of to yell "Fight! Fight!"? Fight who for heavens sake?

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    1. I fear things are going to get much, much worse in the coming weeks. I'm really struggling with anxiety. To cope, I'm choosing to focus on the one thing I have any control over--my own behavior and response to it all.

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  5. I think our tendency as humans is to meet hate with hate, and all that does is makes things worse. This poem was a balm for my soul, thank you, Jennifer.

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    1. Thank you Karla. Knowing so many people like you, good and decent people, is the only thing getting me through these times. Let us take comfort and strength from each other.

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  6. Interesting, though I think realistically the good people are going to have to stand up. Yorkshire doesn't seem to realize that Trump's "Fight, Fight, Fight," was a rally cry to MAGA cultists.

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    1. For sure good people are going to have to stand up and stand strong for the truth and for decency. That being said, if we resort to bitterness and hate we'll get dragged down to the level of the cultists, and I refuse to do that.

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  7. Oh Jennifer. That poem was like a cool breeze. Thanks.

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  8. Thank you Jennifer for posting that poem. Like you, I am filled with anxiety. And yes, the world has gone mad.

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