Martin Suggests

A friend, Martin, sent a holiday message to all members of a poet’s society where we both belong.  The message contains a list of things to think about.  It is positive messages for our contemplation.  I asked him if I might have his permission to use the list from his message for my blog, and he, kindly, agreed.  Thank you, Martin.  Here is his list.

Treasure the time together.
Seek the good in each other.
Embrace the gifts of love and laughter.
Welcome wonder into your heart.
Treasure the deepest memories.
Let music fill your soul.
Remain ever hopeful of what is to come.

How about we take a look at each item on this list.  For example:

Treasure the time together.
Let’s face it – time is finite.  Our time and that of friends and relatives (and, even, nemeses) is limited.  And, we don’t get to choose the amount of time.  So, as Martin has said, “treasure the time, together.”  Make time for your loved ones.  Care about them and their hopes and dreams.  Be part of their lives and make sure they are part of yours.

Seek the good in each other.
It seems to me that no one is “good” all of the time.  In the same way, it seems to  me that no one is “bad” all of the time.  It also seems to me that the good and the bad may be in the eye of the beholder.  Let’s suppose that someone (friend or relative) has said or done something that hurts and disappoints.  Is it possible to find the good that may be hidden there?  Maybe, not immediately.  My advice – not that you’ve asked for it – is to make every effort to be patient.  Wait.  And, wait.  I believe a time will come that you can recognize the good that is still there.  You may even have the strength to engineer the time when good” can return to your relationship.

Again, I believe that generally there is “good” in everyone, you know; we may, however, need to search for it.  (I do recognize it is possible that there are people who seem to possess no good.)  If we are willing to show this good in ourselves, it may manifest the good in our nemesis.  A word.  A compliment.  A gift.  Something out of the ordinary.  We may want to think over our friends and relatives with whom our affairs are not exactly pleasant.  Is there something we can do to change that and seek out the good?

Embrace the gifts of love and laughter.
In some movie on the Hallmark station was the dialog that says, “The best gifts are often not wrapped.”   That’s how it is with love and laughter.  How do we show love and laughter?  When is our life filled with laughter?  Is it around children?  Parents?  Friends?  How long does the laughter last?  Is the laughter genuine?  And, love.  How do we show our love to those same people?  It doesn’t come wrapped in paper and ribbons.  Instead, it is hugs, “I love you,” caring in times of crisis – to name a few.

Welcome wonder into your heart.
E.B.White said, “Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.  What is wonder, anyway?  A dictionary might say about the noun, wonder:  a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.  Is wonder brought  to us by the birth of a child?  By something that occurs to us that seems like “magic?”  What is it that brings about that beautiful, unexpected and unforgettable, inexplicable feeling within us?  If we’re are lucky or, maybe, just extremely fortunate, we may see wonder in a new acquaintance.  Perhaps, a friend.  Or, even better, a kindred spirit.  The Pollyanna in me hopes that the wonder that you feel is a person who just coincidentally is your kindred spirit.

Treasure the deepest memories.
So many of our deepest memories frighten us.  They are not pleasant; rather they are nightmares of memory.  Can we disperse those dangerous memories into a place far away from us in our remembering and refuse to call them into the here and now?  We can look at our children, at our parents and other ancestors, and treasured friends and relatives.  It is possible that thinking about them as positive memories and allowing those memories to become our deepest memories may help keep them as treasured memories to be kept forever and ever.  I pray this is so.

Let music fill your soul.
Yes, music!  Music for children! Music for grownups!.  Hymns from church.  Songs to send children to sleep.  Classical masterpieces.  “Popular” songs.  Christmas carols.  Songs of the season (and, not just the Christmas holiday, either).  And, the arts.  Wall arts.  Sculpture.  Indian pottery and weavings.  Modern art.  Vintage art.  Masterpieces.  So many ways to define the arts.  Music and art will fill our souls if we let them.

Remain ever hopeful of what is to come.
We all know that we live in troubled times.  Has our earth ever known anything except troubled times, somewhere on our world?  Of course, there have been times of relative calm, but if we look carefully enough, we can find disturbances somewhere in some country or countries.  Where can we put our hope?  What can we do to become hopeful and remain so?  Can we build trust, comfort, and hope   Time will tell what we can do.  Time will tell.

To my readers:  Please have a blessed and prosperous New Year.

Be Safe and Be Well.
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are appreciated.