“Turn around……” Yes, the acrostic poem Vocal challenged us to write made me think of the song by Bonnie Tyler. Many challenging situations daunt us in life, and we hide our hearts to protect our feelings. 

A total eclipse of the heart preserves our emotions and prevents hurt. Yet, it can block the inflow of blessings in one’s life. How do we’s

Boundaries help you prioritize your emotional well-being while still remaining open to receiving blessings. Practice self-awareness, communicate your needs clearly, and surround yourself with supportive and nurturing relationships. 

Enjoy this acrostic poem. 

Eclipse of the heart locks a broken door

Chains in place, darkness a cure

Love’s entry, however, blocked

Inflow of Kindness, mocked

Perceptiveness is a pliable key

Speaking one’s mind sometimes a need

Every heart and mind in place. 

Doing anything can be overwhelming, be they tasks or managing relationships. Trying to do it all, especially in the age of instant gratification, is daunting. 

What do we do when anything seems to drown us? The answer- small steps. We sometimes cannot do it all (at once) despite trying ever so hard. 

We may not be able to do everything at once, but we can take matters step-by-step. These senryus suggest how. 

Stairs so sharp and steep

Are difficult to climb up

Ascend one by one

Stairs so sharp and steep 

Our eyes must be on the one

Pivotal to climb

Stairs so sharp and steep

One must ascend these high stairs

At a reasoned pace. 

Providence behooves us to forgive, and the task can sometime be onerous. We have all been in such situations and know that it’s easier said than done.

What, then, do we do when forgiveness becomes more than a little challenging? An injured dove, like any other bird, will find it difficult to fly. Forgiveness will give it flight, but it does not come easily.

One will have to acknowledge the negative feelings which require letting go. Though they may not seem obvious, forgiveness has benefits, such as emotional freedom, peace and improved relationships. It is a gradual process that requires empathy (difficult) and an understanding of the bigger picture (also difficult).

The dove is a symbol of forgiveness. But how do we treat it when it is injured? These cinquains will answer this question.

White dove

Feathers furled, bent

Its wings broken and torn

Unable to soar in the sky

Shattered

White dove

Spirit needs voice

Its injuries need light

For balm to soothe,revitalize

And heal

White dove

The lovely bird

Must know that olive branch

Nourishes the soul and nurses

The heart

White dove

Hard to rescue White bird must fly to the

Tall tree with the olive branches

That save.

This day being one of the most significant in the Christian Calendar, it is time for renewal. Happy Easter everyone!

It is difficult, though, to achieve any form of newness unless we discard the old. Declutter the soul. 

And how do we do that? We put in a little effort, hard as it is, to forgive trespasses.  We try to set new goals. 

We shift perspectives when our mindsets need refreshing.  In short, we do a little mental decluttering. 

Let’s usher in the new and throw the old away this Easter, at least in our minds. Again, a brilliant Easter, all!

Tiny egg arrives

It cracks in the rising sun

Newborn emerges

Newborn tries vainly 

To crack the eggshell but cannot

Ignore brokenness

Newborn emerges

Cannot crack shell so

Moves its little head. 

 You may have felt life circumstances leading you in alternative directions to what you expect. These situations may seem like rejections in some ways, but are actually opportunities in another. 

In other words, we should look at closed doors as a chance to open new windows. They may not always be open for you; when that happens, you do so yourself. 

And it’s time for me to open mine. Enjoy these tankas. 

Solid iron door

Nailed tight, refuses to budge

No way outside it

Resounding bangs go unheard

Door refuses to open

Window at the side

Open just a tiny crack

But can open wide

By the strength of our own hands

And the will of fired hearts

Ready to step in.

Life has an annoying way of leaving us in knots. Unraveling them entails making difficult decisions, most of them less than pleasant. 

What do we do to unravel them? We find out as much as we can about the circumstances, ask lots of questions, consider alternatives, and very importantly, trust your instincts. 

Unraveling life’s difficult knots (or any knot) is never a simple task, but we do what we must. Enjoy these verses, 

Binding knot 

Choking, Stifling

Closely entwined

Task to untie

Choking knot

Tight conundrum 

Unraveled by fingers

in the know

Winding knot

Unwound

By constant

Question marks

Tight knot

Loosened

By scissors

That thump. 

Curve balls bound to us at the most unexpected of times, and we’ve got to know how best to hit them. One bound my way yesterday, and I now respond to it with this post.

Responding to a curve ball requires us not to let emotions cloud our view of it. We’ve got to keep an eye on it constantly and think of ways to deflect it instead of letting it injure us. 

Curve balls don’t have to cause blows – there are ways to hit them back. Enjoy these senryus. 

A bounding curve ball

Ready to deal a harsh blow

Anger clouds vision

A bounding curve ball

Ready to consume our might

Eye always on curve

A bounding curve ball

Now within our range of sight

Now ready to smash. 

Having battled a few medical conditions and personal struggles (as all of us have), self-acceptance can be an overwhelming concept. It’s not easy to accept yourself as you are when the rest of society may have some struggle with it. I can envisage a few nods to this. 

Yes, following your heartbeat and accepting yourself for who you are is quite a challenge. Yet, we must, if we expect others to love us, love ourselves. 

The Japanese aesthetic of Wabi Sabi celebrates imperfection and impermanence (yes, yes, it challenges plastic surgery). It reminds us that the human form is not, at its essence, without flaws. Neither are our characters. 

So the next time we dislike ourselves, let’s extend a little compassion to US. Let’s think of our strengths (we all have them) and challenge the “I’m not good enough for that” philosophy. 

Enjoy these cinquains. 

Broken

Cup now shattered

Bits and pieces now joined

Welded, joined together tightly

In sync

Disjoined

But joined as one

Fragile, Apart, Beauteous

In its disjointed, shattered form

Artwork

Dainty

Pieces of soul

When linked with tender care

Combine as artwork of beauty

And might. 

I write this as I watch my better half hang out the laundry. 

All of us are busy. We are so busy that we often ignore the needs of those closest to us. It’s also easy to take them for granted because we see them often enough. 

Hence, we feel annoyed when those closest to us refuse to adhere to their everyday commitments, such as the laundry, cooking, cleaning, or simply walking the dogs. 

They, however, feel the same exhaustion as you, and, like you, need occasional breaks from their commitments. Otherwise, a bear hug

would certainly serve as a suitable stand in. 

So the next time we grumble that our family members or friends don’t seem to respond to your needs in the way you’d like them to,

perhaps they need a bear hug like you. 

Enjoy these Senryus. 

 A gentle bear hug

Wraps the discomfited heart

Needed warmth and love

A gentle bear hug

Grows the little sapling in

The mind’s fertile soil

A gentle bear hug

Joins one bear to another

Now firmly bonded

A gentle bear hug

Lifts another tired bear

On sound wings of love.