Human Labyrinth

Conflicts and drama in relationships are sadly too common. Although we interact with people every day, and would have boundless experience with them, they are the most difficult mazes in the world to navigate. I’m finding this maze quite insurmountable,

Why? Diverse perspectives, communication hurdles, emotional complexity, and mismatched expectations make them a veritable matrix.

Moving through the human labryith of relationships is definitely Keanu-worthy, if one manage to do it well. Navigating takes honest communication, a lot of empathy, compromise and a lot of trust. Not to mention that we need to put up boundaries when necessary.

With these tools in hand, let’s enjoy these senryus. They’re at least a little easier!

A human labryinth

Complex and interwoven

Lost in corridors

A maze connected

Needs gently-trodden footsteps

Movements sharp and clear

Matrix intricate

Decoded by honest mind

And exchange of hearts

Multi-faceted

Fence electric corridors

In order to move.

Face Palm

I’m sure there are many occasions when you’ve felt like putting your face to your palm. Yes, I’m referring to awkward clashes or moments.

I experienced one recently, and the feeling isn’t pleasant. Awkward situations can leave one feeling silly at best, and out in the cold at worst. We avoid them as best we can, though they are sometimes out of our control.

So, we try to avoid doing the Face Palm. Acknowledging the awkwardness helps to break tension. Apologize if necessary, and move on gracefully by redirecting the conversation.

Enjoy these free verses.

Palm

Held

To the side

Of the face

Feels strange

Palm

Wants
Someone to know

That skin feels

Clammy

Palm

Contrite

About

Odd

Circumstance

Palm

Gently

Comes off

The side.

Pillar of Salt

Sturdy pillars. Salt of the Earth. Being either is a tall order as one responds to a dicey situation, when emotions run high.

And so, we try to be stoic. Being rational, sensible, and unguided by emotions takes much skill, which I admit to having little of.

But why should we be stoic? Stoicism builds resilience as we accept what we cannot change. It also builds self-discipline. It nurtures and allows one to grow, and we learn to be content as we let go of what we cannot control.

And what does it take to be a proverbial pillar of salt? Thoughtfulness, acceptance, resilience, rationality and virtue.

And as we try to be pillars of salt for those we love, let’s enjoy this little sonnet.

Pillar of salt, with great sense

Humbly holds, yet peaks

Never shakes, ever content

Always kind and meek

Pillar of salt, clear and white

Stays stable on the ground

While building’s base will quake with might

And, with great force, Life pounds

Pillar of salt, a humble one

It always says its thanks

From weal and woe it never runs

Though Life might try to crank

Pillar of salt, one of a kind

A salve for heart, and balm for mind.

Roll the Dice

No, no, no, I’m not asking anyone to pack a suitcase for a trip to Vegas. What I AM doing is suggesting that everyone has periods of uncertainty. You feel dragged out of your comfort zone and anxious because you’ve no idea what is to happen next.

Life has a frustrating tendency to throw us into situations that we know nothing about and have no control over. These put us in situations in which one has to manage uncertainties – take a gamble, do our best, and hope for the best.

Happily, there are ways that can help us roll the dice with less fear of getting burned. Let’s think positive, be realistic, focus on what we can control and practice a little flexibility when we’re thrown into the deep end.

Enjoy these cinquains.

Roll dice

When stakes are high

Have in mind large number

A number you can work towards

And throw

Roll dice

Controllable

Twist the arm a little

Do adjust the chips a little

And throw.

Playing Musical Chairs

Many of us can relate to the childhood game of musical chairs. The objective of the game is to find a seat among the chairs laid out in the room before the music finishes. The loser of the game is left standing and excluded from other rounds of the game.

No one wants to be the loser left standing, of course. Feeling excluded or ostracized is shattering, troubling, and for want of a better description, unjust.

The big question: How do we respond when others leave us standing? Try to empathize with the situation – perhaps others left us out unintentionally. Remember that it’s alright to feel hurt because all feelings are valid. And then it’s time to nurse the heart – set boundaries within which we can heal.

Enjoy this sonnet.

Musical chairs, simple, fun

A raucous childhood game

None wants to stand when it is done

Have ‘left out’ to his name

Musical chairs, coveted seats

Not enough for all

When one stands, one does weep

Must know why, yet still stand tall

Musical chairs, with sharp edges,

Cut the heart when one will stand

Remember to acknowlege wedges

Allow the heart to mend

Musical chairs, a game that’s fun

None should stand when day is done.

The Tightrope Walker

View at Medium.com

Were you an avid circus goer as a child? Cirque De Solelei is one of my favourites. The performers dance the tightrope with finesse.

We have high expectations when we watch a performance. In fact, we have high expectations of everything in life, because we approach its various aspects with specific mindsets. Of course, we feel let down when others do not meet them.

That’s when a little empathy comes into play. Perhaps our friendly tightrope walker had a bad day when he fell off the tightrope. His circumstances may have provoked a lack of sleep. A furious argument may have distracted him.

Enjoy these senryus.

The tightrope walker

His mind away from his dance

He walks off balance

The angsty walker

Falls off rope with sudden jolt

Enwrapped in a net

The tightrope walker

Does pirouette on the rope

With friendly applause.

Managing expectations is a delicate dance on a tightrope. Be kind to the tightrope walker, and he’ll do a dance worthy of applause.

Exchange of Hearts

View at Medium.com

Do you sometimes feel as though you are the only one giving in relationships, be they familial or collegial? The one-sidedness is an identifiable feeling.

Everyone likes to see their efforts and sacrifices acknowledged. No one likes to feel like what they do doesn’t count; reciprocity is necessary.

Reciprocity provides the balance necessary in relationships and prevents feelings of being shortchanged. It builds trust, binds people together and provides communication channels – when we reciprocate each other by giving gifts, for example, there’s actually something to talk about. Many would agree that reciprocity resolves conflicts.

A healthy exchange of hearts and minds develops us in many ways. Enjoy these free verses.

Exchange

Of hearts

And minds

Two equals

One

Exchange

Of hearts

One hand

Over each

In sync

Exchange

Of hearts

Joins two

Exchanging

Hearts

No

Cracks.

My Trophy, Your Trophy

I’m sure that you’re familiar with the way airline stewards and stewardesses teach us to always wear life-saving jackets for ourselves, before helping our family members to do so, in the event of an emergency. It’s a sensible notion, considering that our family members have a better chance of survival if we’re there to help them.

And that’s enough reason to prioritize our needs. Of course, we have to ensure that those of others do not fall behind.

How do we put ourselves first without putting others last? It’s a delicate balance of empathy, self-awareness, and communication. At times,our needs take priority because we are vital to the existence and well-being of others.

A certain amount of self-awareness is necessary because we need to know when the opposite is true.

A trophy is an apt symbol for priorities, both ours and others.

Enjoy these cinquains.

Trophy

Win for the self

Sometimes vital for the health

Success, survival and wellness

Of all

Trophy

Win for others

A prize won by a friend

The success of another soul

Is ours.

Kaleidoscope

Life is a constant challenge, and we cringe at the down times. There’s one thing that it’s not: boring.

Have you noticed that nothing is one-dimensional? Our relationships are dynamic and viewable from many perspectives. We live in a varied, multi-cultural world; with such a melting pot, people bring varied views to the table. Hence, our situations are varied and dynamic as well.

We live in a kaleidoscope of many colors, which we should all drop a note of thanks for. Life isn’t perfect, will never be; but that’s what gives it that zing that makes it worth living.

Enjoy these free verses

Scope

of many colors

Hearts beat

In each shard

Of refracted glass

Vari-coloured scope

Refracted glass

Of many colors

Linked

Scope

Multi-colored

Shards of glass

of many shapes

And sizes

Brilliant.

Building Bridges

Conflicts can be painful and unnecessary. With everything that is happening in the world, I’m sure that you would agree.

Conflicts arise because everybody has different perspectives on an issue. Furthermore, all viewpoints are valid. Everyone is entitled to think what they do.

Meeting in the middle is a tricky endeavor. Getting someone to relinquish the perspective they value and aligns with their values is no easy task.

So, why do we need to build bridges? We need bridges to resolve conflicts. We need them to build relationships . Bridges help us to navigate differences between cultures, and most crucially, they promote peace.

Enjoy these senryus.

Bridges firm and sturdy

They join a broken path so

Misaligned, ruined

Bridges firm and sturdy

Join two hearts and minds

That cannot connect

Bridges firm and sturdy

Joining distant lands

Vibrant, colorful

Bridges firm and sturdy

With white, stone pillars

Where white doves can rest.