My Farewell

My Farewell

I sat around a fire and thought 
- of you. 

Take your greatest moment of pleasure,

and multiply that by a millionfold,

then you might barely 

conceive what I am talking about. 

Has your life been so restrained 

that you never collaspsed onto the floor

from ecstasy? 

As for me, nothing of me will survive,

so these poems are my farewell. 

To my readers, 

       What does it mean to lead a life in which you take this mantra to heart "nothing of me will survive"? Does it mean to use up every gift you have been given, to pass on every blessing you have received, to burn passionately the full width and breadth of yourself?
       When I graduated high school (June 2010), I asked my close family members and friends to write me letters for a “Time Capsule” that I would open upon my college graduation (May 2013). I asked them to reflect, to offer advice, and to emanate Love. The reason I have chosen to end with this post is because that is the poetry of Life, the hallowed words of the ones you love, the enriching spirits of those who love you. You won’t always feel connected to the words of Hafiz, though I hope within them you find gems and treasures and immeasurable worth. Conversely, you will often draw upon the encouragement of those near and dear to you. Hold close to these jewels, they are such gold to carry.

In closing, I would like to share some of the pertinent advice my father wrote to me in his letter:

“Dear Arden,

      As you start the next chapter of your life (or is it really a new road), it is appropriate to offer advice. As you know, I love poetry and I have often found wisdom to guide me in the short verse of poetry. We have both enjoyed reading the poems of Mary Oliver – “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” What will your answer be to this question? What will be your “credo”? – best translated as, “I have given my heart to”.

      You are an individual, trying to fit into this world. Treasure your achievements, find the joy of learning, and thrill in the discovery of not only new things, but also old things seen in a new way. You will meet many people and this is the best way to grow and change. Try to find something you love and you will never need a job. Try to find someone to love and you will experience all the emotions of joy, hurt, beauty – but it will make you have experiences that will fulfill your dreams.

     It is not important to measure the number of years that you complete in life. More importantly, you should measure the moments that make us human, that connect us to a spiritual place, or that enrich your soul.

So this is what I would like you to take with you into the future:

• Strength – to persevere against the mountains 
• Passion – to explore and question 
• Courage – to continue when hope seems to fail
• Honesty – to yourself
• Love – for your family 

You are a great person. You will probably do great things.

           Love always,
                           Dad

P.S. I am also including a diagram for an origami 5-point star. Who knows, one day, it may be all you need.”

       That's just it, who knows what you will need one day? It may be Love, it may be Courage, it may be Laughter, it may be a kind word, a soft touch, a caring smile, or it may be a 5-point origami star. I will leave you all with this final line from Hafiz: "Laughter is when the spirit, like an arrow, takes flight above the hour's concern." 

      Thank you for taking this journey with me, it's been a great year!

      Wishing you all a life full of laughter!

                                        Arden 

Contemplate For A Lifetime

There's enough here to contemplate for a lifetime. 

         Maybe you should repeat these words to yourself if you are ever feeling bored. In fact, can you think of a question you may spend your entire life contemplating?

Listen to the song lyrics of "Overwhelmed" by Big Daddy Weave.

I see the work of Your Hands

Galaxies spin in a Heavenly dance oh God...

Captivated by Your beauty

I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

Overwhelmed, Big Daddy Weave

Heart Has Held

My heart has held that which can never be touched. 


       Today I became a Christian, and though it took prayerful meditation and some reading of all the religions of the world (just to be sure), I would attribute the catalyst of my conversion to music. The Christian music I hear is so uplifting and so encouraging, it makes me want to go to the mountaintop. Below is a song I find near to my heart now, "Come Let's Go Up The Mountain/Fly Me Like The Wind" by MorningStar Ministries.
       I read on Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry something that changed my heart as well. It was more of the logical convincing that I needed. After reading it, I realized I often appealed my worth based on my own "goodness": "You must trust in what Jesus did on the cross to forgive you of your sins and not trust anything else, not even your own sincerity. That's right, sincerity isn't good enough. Why? Because sincerity is an appeal to God based on the goodness of your own heart. If you're appealing to God based on the goodness of your own heart, then you're being prideful. Sorry, salvation is either based on Christ alone, or it is not."

Link To "Come Let's Go Up The Mountain/Fly Me Like The Wind"

Plugged Into The Infinite

Being plugged into the Infinite helps. 

       Does love help you to soar above this world? To find the beauty in things beyond whatever your circumstances, shortcomings, and failures are? I think it does. The last two lines of this poem are beautiful, fear, weariness, worry, shadows, etc. will not win the loved and the lover. Aren't we all covered from darkness then?

Love Is Enough 

by William Morris

Love is enough: though the World be a-waning, 

And the woods have no voice but the voice of complaining, 

Though the sky be too dark for dim eyes to discover 

The gold-cups and daisies fair blooming thereunder, 

Though the hills be held shadows, and the sea a dark wonder, 5

And this day draw a veil over all deeds pass'd over, 

Yet their hands shall not tremble, their feet shall not falter; 

The void shall not weary, the fear shall not alter 

These lips and these eyes of the loved and the lover. 

Remind Me, Brad Paisley

Everything I Have Is Also Yours

Everything I Have Is Also Yours

There are so many gifts still unopened from your soul's birthday.
There are so many hand-crafted presents 
that have been sent into your life by God. 

The Beloved does not mind repeating: 
"Everything I have is also yours." 

A lover is a vital performance, 
a sweet breath in one of Creation's favorite songs. 

       There’s something to be said about gifts from our Beloved, and how much they can mean to us. The transient gifts, the new shirt, the better shoes, will fade with time. But what about love letters? About sweet nothings whispered to our soul? About moonlight and sunrises shared in deep embrace? These things have enduring power, they make us feel wanted, needed even. Is it because they take more effort than a glance? An offer for a drink? A quick drop of cash at the local store? With letters, is it because we can revisit their words as many times as we want and treasure the creases we form in our favorite spots? Or is it just because a letter about someone’s love for us touches us in the innermost part, where we are deeply human? Where we yearn to be touched by all souls who find common ground with our own?
        Take a listen to this incredibly beautiful love song.

Love, Me (1991), Collin Raye

How Does It Feel To Be a Heart?

How Does It Feel To Be a Heart?

Once a young woman said to me,

“How does it feel to be a man?”

And I replied, “My dear, I am not so sure.”

Then she said, “Well, aren’t you a man?”

And this time I responded, “I view gender

as a beautiful animal that people often take

for a walk on a leash

and might enter into some odd contest

in hopes of winning a strange prize.”

My dear, a better question for Hafiz

would have been, “How does it feel to be a heart?”

For all I know is Love.

I find my heart infinite,

and everywhere.

           I thought this poem was fitting with the recent victory for Gay Marriage in my home state of New Jersey. I’ve always believed that gender is what we make of it and true love is far from categorical. The commitment to love each other is what makes our relationships real. The commitment to make two lives becomes one. The commitment to value the life of another as if it were your own, or at least to try. I enjoyed this post on the Huffington Post by Ann Voskamp, a NYTimes bestselling author. She said: “Romance isn't measured by how viral your proposal goes. Don't ever forget: the real romantics are the ones who let another heart bore a hole deep into theirs.” And it’s wise to remember that such a hole is infinite.  

Where Do You Think You Will Be?

Where Do You Think You Will Be?

I am sitting on a mountain.

I am casting shadows into the sky.

I did not invite it, but the sun has come

and is now playing tag with me feet.

I am whispering to clouds today.

Where do you think you will be

when God reveals Himself

inside of you?

I am sitting on a mountain range.

I am a precious body of living water

offered to the Earth

from Light’s own hands.

All of existence and I will blend

I am every pillow offering comfort

to each mind and foot

Why ever talk of miracles

when you are

destined to become

Infinite Love.  

            What a spiritual question to ponder. Where will you be when you discover God? In many people’s minds God is Infinite Love. I too believe this is true. Yet Hafiz takes it one step further and says that we are destined to become the same. That God is inside each and every one of us. How wonderful it is to believe we are all sacred vessels. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8). Whatever your Truth is, you can find it through Love.

Mountains in Vancouver, Canada

Photograph: Arden Gewirtz