The Five Remembrances of Buddhism

I am subject to aging. There is no way to avoid aging.

I am subject to ill health. There is no way to avoid illness.

I am going to die. There is no way to avoid death.

Everyone and everything that I love will change,
and I will be separated from them.

My actions are my only true belongings.
I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.
My actions are the ground upon which I stand.

Another Reminder

Forgive yourself if you can
Change yourself slowly
because you must
A better life is out there
only if you create it
You who sit and wonder
if you can actually do this
know that you can
We are creatures of habit
and comfort but
we can still change

Morning Reminder

I must remember and remind myself daily of the distance
of the journey on which I am. I must not let myself grow
disheartened. I must remember that on occasion I will
falter but that I must recover and persist. This journey will
be months and years in the making. It is a way of letting
myself become more open and whole. I must allow myself
to be more open, honest, and vulnerable to those I love
most. I need to always remember that change is always
possible within myself. To be human, to live and know
oneself, is a process of constant struggle and renewal.
To believe otherwise would be foolish. I struggle with
myself but I must use this to know myself more fully.
This is possible but must include concerted effort to be
mindful of ones own actions and thoughts.

Shivering Skeleton Fingers

weight of years
carry me down
from great heights
into the ground
blind my eyes
recreate me
into new life
new eyes
let me move
up from the
ground and
onto grass
and skies
let me accept
eventuality
let me be at
peace with
life itself
let me touch
soil upon which
I stand and let
my feet bathe
in ocean waters
remind me
always of this
fragile gift

Uncertain Light

I'm writing this for you
because I hope you will
read this some day
and remember when things
were simpler though
you wouldn't have thought
so at the time

Hardship grows and mounts
as we age and awareness
of this world comes to view

Perhaps you'll remember
writing this and addressing
it to yourself while at home
sick on a Saturday night
while deep in the heart
of the city protestors are
roaming the streets

How little there is
that is fixed

These days

These nights

Bathed in uncertain light

What It Is

You need a self-help reminder
about what you need to do
and this is what this is.

Take some responsibility
for your actions, there is no on
 else in the mirror to blame.

Do the work. It's hard,
it's grueling but there is no
short-cut.

Don't wallow in despair
or setbacks. Focus.
Focus harder.

Change your thoughts
and you will change
your actions.

This isn't a poem.