Flowing River

This is a poem I wrote some time ago for a close friend, who just really reminded me of a river, that never stops, but its beauty stays intact, despite that constant movement...

A flowing river;
It never stops, and never moves in the same direction
New things are always uncovered and old things remain deep within,
It travels straight ahead to its destination, but oddly enough it stays in the same place forever
The heart of the river is the middle, where it stops to breathe, it takes its fears and worries and spreads them in one direction or the other
Never letting one side take on too much
It then flows back again, to its roots where it knows which way to go
Everything is once calm again and the river flows smoothly

You my friend are that river
The river that flows with uncertainty at times and never in the same direction
Uncovering new things around each bend of life,
But never forgetting the roots that have been embedded deep within

You are forever grounded by the one thing that makes you, you
Your faith in the Creator of the Universe

Your fears and worries are never too much to handle
This you know, because of the One who fashioned you
The storm that rages within is once again calm
Your life, once again runs like the smooth flowing river

Keep going, like the river, never stop
Press on toward the goal to win the prize,
A life like that of the river
Moving always and never forgotten

Copyright ©2005 Emily R. Allison

The Leader in All of Us...

I'm definitely sick of mediocre...have you ever felt like that? I'm tired of people who ALWAYS follow and NEVER lead. What are we, puppets? I don't think so...

I believe that we are ALL called to be leaders; sometimes behind the scenes, sometimes for all to see; but it's in the little things that we can find strength, we can find our voice, and ultimately, find the leader that is dying to get out!

In the Heart of the World

I’ve been thinking about Mother Theresa lately. I suppose I’ve always been fascinated with her life, her amazingly selfless life.

What a remarkable woman she was. She never wanted to be recognized, but her compassion couldn’t go unnoticed. What a TRUE woman of character and humility; what a TRUE woman of beauty and grace…

There is a book I’m reading called “In the Heart of the World”. It’s compiled with thoughts, stories, and prayers that Mother Theresa once wrote. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to read the words of such a TRUE servant of Christ; a TRUE depiction of what we ALL should strive to attain: TRUE Selflessness and Sacrifice.

The following are just a few excerpts that I can’t but help, share with you:

“We will never know how much just a simple smile will do.”

“…be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today, let us begin.”

“In the silence of the heart, God speaks. If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you. Then you will know that you are nothing. It is only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence.

“Like Jesus, we belong to the whole world, living not for ourselves, but for others. The joy of the Lord is our strength.”

“Seeking the face of God in everything, everyone, everywhere, all the time, and seeing His hand in every happening – that is contemplation in the heart of the world.”

“Every act of love is a work of peace, no matter how small.”

“There are many people who can do big things, but there are very few people who will do the small things.”

“Love, to be real, must cost – it must hurt – it must empty us of self.”

“I feel that we too often focus on the negative aspects of life, on what is bad. If we were more willing to see the good and the beautiful things that surround us, we would be able to transform our families. From there, we would change our next-door neighbors or city. We would be able to bring peace and love to our world, which hungers so much for these things.”

“There are thousands of people dying for a piece of bread. There are thousands upon thousands who die for a little bit of love. My thoughts often run to you who suffer, and I offer your sufferings, which are so great, while mine are so small. Those of you, who are sick, when things are hard, take refuge in Christ’s heart. There my own heart will find with you strength and love.”

I wonder what it would be like if we lived in a world, where ALL people saw others the way Mother Theresa did…

…the way Jesus continues to SEE each one of us? I’m amazed that He still loves us…that He still loves me…

You Don’t Have to be On Your Own…RIGHT?

You don’t have to be on your own, right? I think so…I guess some part of me has ALWAYS thought so…there is this vast world of beautiful people, yet there are so many of us that have been hurt by someone, so we then choose to hide, believing that we ARE on our own; that we have no where or no one to turn to…

Hmmm…

Sometimes walking through life…IT definitely can feel alone…SO alone…

I was listening to this song the other day, by a band called the Goo Goo Dolls…maybe you’ve heard of them, maybe not…nevertheless, it was a song called ‘Before It’s Too Late’. You can listen to it on their website, if you’d like. Just Click Here to visit their site…

Anyway, some of the lyrics to the song say, ‘Live like you mean it’…’Love until you feel it’…this might be far-fetched, but perhaps, if we DID live like we meant it, loved until we TRULY felt it…maybe this ‘ALONE’ feeling that so many of us feel, would subside…we walk aimlessly through life sometimes…NOT living…NOT loving…but what if we just stepped back, took a look at the mess we’ve created of ourselves, and despite all the hurt, all the pain, all the uncertainty, we took a leap of faith and TRULY embraced this thing called life?

I think when life was first breathed into each of us, a sense of yearning and longing was just an innate ‘thing’ that we felt…as babies, we LONG for our parents to love us and want us, yet nowadays, from an early age, parents lack that care, that love for their children; maybe it’s because their parents didn’t give it to them when they were children, or they just don’t care…I’m not quite sure…but I have to believe that if we simply tried to be someone’s somebody, than we wouldn’t have so many people ending their lives because they feel alone, so helpless and hopeless…

So perhaps, we can all GIVE a little bit more…LOVE a little bit more…especially the people we call our friends...and family...what do you think? My thoughts are aimless today...

Haven’t felt like writing much in the past few days…I’m not sure why…I feel I’m in a funk of some sort…perhaps it’s writer’s block or just…golly…I’m not sure…anyway…here is another poem…one that perhaps describes this moment in time…

Where Do I Go From Here?
Where do I belong?
On the coasts of a beautiful island,
On a mountainous range of cloud filled skies,
In a field where all is left but faith,
Or maybe, it’s across the ocean, in a country, far, far, away from here.
Who do I become?
A dancer of interpretive music,
A singer, perhaps a songwriter,
A missionary to the moon,
Or maybe it’s a dreamer, waiting for my next great adventure.
Do you ask questions such as these?
Do you never chase your dreams?
Stop asking...
Dream big…
Chase them…
Trust in Him…
He will make them come true.

Copyright ©2005 Emily R. Allison

Impact Your World...What Will it Take for YOU to do Something?

Have you ever thought about the significance of the statement, “Impact Your World’?

I’d like to think that impacting the world we live in would and could be an easy task if we weren’t so selfish, yet the reality is, we often think, “we can only do so much” and “time is valuable”…we are selfish beings with selfish needs and well, the fact of the matter is, we spend our lives trying to attain ‘things’, material possessions, because in America, we are a consumer driven society…we strive on getting ‘something’ more because corporations continue to throw those ‘things you need’ at us daily…I must say, I’ve fallen prey to that trap…I’m as selfish as the next person…

And here is the thing…I’m not just talking about money, I’m talking about time too…Time is money, right? We subscribe to that thinking so often…but think about it…what if we ALL did ONE thing different? Cut out one thing from our daily ‘routine’? Think about the time and perhaps, money, we could put in the world to impact it…for real!

There are many resources out there to help you get involved…it’s just taking the time to see what best fits you…whether it’s volunteering, donating money, or becoming an advocate; it doesn’t take much to make a difference even if it's only in ONE life…

The following are a few organizations that you might like to learn more about:

Action Against Hunger

ACCION International

Make a Wish Foundation

Save the Children

Wildlife Conservation Society

The Humane Society of the United States

American Red Cross

Direct Relief International

CNN Special Report: Impact Your World
(You can find MANY more organizations trying to impact our world through CNN's Special Report. Click the link above to find out more.)

"What will you do to make a difference, to make a change? What will you do to help someone along the way?" -- Skillet

Independence Day...

So I’m thinking about Independence Day…the Fourth of July…what it ALL truly means…

We live in a country where we can have the freedom to do as we wish; the freedom of speech to say what we want; the freedom to be who we are and not have to worry about being condemned in any way for it…

It’s amazing to me that we have such freedoms, yet so many times, we take it for granted…

I’m so thankful for the freedom we have, to be who we are and NOT be afraid of it! I’d like to think then we shouldn’t be ASHAMED either of who we are…we have the freedom so why not reflect that?

Men and women die to protect this freedom…their blood has been shed for centuries and yet we still don’t recognize the significance of what they’ve done for us…it’s NOT about politics, it’s NOT about democracy, it’s about the sacrifice of one for another…

In reflection…that sacrifice could be mirrored to what Christ did on the cross…he died so you and I could live…could be free…could still be who we are and yet, He still chooses to love us anyway…
In this moment in time…on this day of remembrance of what our forefathers did so many thousands of years ago, I think it’s pretty fitting to understand why we are free today…to thank and appreciate the men and women who are fighting for that freedom at this moment in time, and how we can be free through the one who so freely gave his life on a cross…

Younger Years...

I think we all have these ideas of what our lives are going to be like when we are young. We think becoming a ‘grown-up’ is going to make life ALL better; perhaps make like a little easier…OH…if we only knew…

I think the reality of it is we don’t really anticipate the disappointment that life can bring…AND…with that…we don’t anticipate the BLESSING that life can be either…

Sometimes it seems like this double-edged sword that no matter how hard you try, you can’t escape from it…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, yet I think we embrace BLESSING yet dismiss the hard times because, well, it’s hard! Yet, with it all, I think God is trying to give us an idea of what we TRULY have, what we should TRULY be thankful for…

We try so hard to attain success, yet what really is the meaning of that word? As children we think having money is the key, or maybe making it to the big town to make a name for ourselves is another thought…I don’t know really…I just know that as I’ve grown up, I’ve come to the realization that it doesn’t matter what ‘stuff’ I have, or if my name is plastered across the front page of the newspaper in recognition of something, but it’s who I am as a person that really matters…

Think about it…MOST people in the world who have EVERYTHING they’ve ever wanted are the most miserable people dwelling on the face of the earth! As the saying goes, ‘Money can’t buy happiness’; yet I also believe ‘Stuff’ can’t buy happiness either!

I’ve been BLESSED beyond measure with the many people in my life who have chosen to be a part of it...and despite my dreams of my younger years, and the hard times that life can sometimes bring, I think my life, to this point is perhaps what it should have been all along…and for that, I truly am BLESSED…

Someone to Love...

Haven’t written much in a while…I guess time hasn’t permitted…although, sometimes, I think that’s my excuse…sometimes I’m filled with MANY excuses!

Nonetheless, I’m thinking about love, relationships, friendship, and time…seemingly different things, yet intertwined in a way that is so very beautiful…love is perhaps the most important; it ties the other three together…without love, what are relationships and friendships? Without time, how can you have relationships and friendships, which then spawn love to come from them?

I don’t know…I think we all need someone to love…we all want someone to love us, right? I think so…isn’t that what Jesus intended for us all along? To love one another and in turn, be loved? It doesn’t matter what color you are, it doesn’t matter what class you are, it doesn’t matter if how tall or short you are, we ALL simply, want to be loved…we all need to be loved! If we could only grasp onto what Jesus so meticulously embodied, perhaps the world could be a better place…PERHAPS, we could have better relationships and friendships, and bring love and valued time to those very people that are important to each of us…

The Ideas of the Mind - Another Poem to Ponder...

The ideas of the mind are quite extraordinary.
They play, may fight, cause confusion, forget, dream...
Dream they do, discover they may, uncover love forgotten...
Love forgotten, you ask?
It is love of a Man who loves unconditionally,
Forgives in abundance,
Died, so you and I could live...
Find, discover, live once again those extraordinary ideas of the mind;
Exist in a different idea,
Die to yourself and let Love forgotten prevail.

Copyright ©2005 Emily R. Allison

Color Blind? Just a Thought...

I was reading an article today on Editor and Publisher. The piece examined a recent columnist, Leonard Pitts, about a commentary he recently wrote for the Miami Herald. It was his ‘debut’ commentary, which I guess, has given a few white supremacy groups something to talk about, hence the reason for Editor and Publisher to write about this topic…

Anyway, the gist of the article, as stated by Editor and Publisher, indicated that Pitts “wrote about the brutal January murder of a white couple in Tennessee. A group of African Americans were charged with the crime.” However, in Pitts’ column, Editor and Publisher stated, “He noted that supremacists and conservative bloggers who pushed the murder case into the national spotlight were examples of white people who ‘put on the victim hat’ and allege that black crime against whites is underreported”.

After reading Editor and Publisher’s article, I just HAD to read what Pitts wrote in his ‘debut’ piece. You too, can read the article by clicking here. (I do advise caution however.)

I can tell you, after reading his commentary, I was amazed that anyone could be so callous about a man and woman murdered in the fashion that the two young people were, Black, White, Asian, Latino, whatever!

The REAL sad part of the story wasn’t that the media reported the crime, but that the color of their skin was the MAIN topic of the story. Was this a hate crime? Who knows…who is ANYONE to judge that? They could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the fact of the matter is, they are gone, and were brutally taken away.

I had to ask myself a few questions after I read what I did…Why does this country continue to focus on the color of skin? What are we teaching the youth of the nation? If you’re not white, if you’re not black, etc., etc., you can’t be a ‘particular’ something or do something great? Why can’t we start writing about the positive rather than the negative ALL the time?

I then thought…perhaps if we stopped focusing on the color we could start focusing on the person…then maybe, just maybe, we could ALL learn to be color blind…

Just a thought…

Beauty...

Here is another poem for all you poetry lovers out there!
Let me know what you think!

Beauty comes from within...
...like a rare jewel, it stays forever...
Intact and unique...
...Only the beauty of the soul is what matters...
The outward reality is nothing to be troubled about...
...Like the rare jewel, it's what is on the inside that remains forever...
Is your soul like a rare jewel?
Is your reality your very utter ness of mortality?
Take your beauty, dream it through...
...Re-visit mortality and unlock your reality...
Unleash your beauty and like a jewel...
Let it remain forever...

Copyright ©2007 Emily R. Allison