I've been gone a while…

And I hope you understand,

That I must do what I must do

To become a better man.

If I was to just to act a fool, and

Do nothing with myself

Then all my blessings would be cursed.

It's a joy when I sit down, and

Remember the good times that we had.

Well I hope you'll find it in your heart,

And know these words are true.

And please don't fuss —

Because I must go do what I must do.

Even though the road is rocky,

I'll be home with you again.

I just had to bare my cross.

Now I'm free: in time,

Space, and a different place.

How perfect we might be.

I would be the blowing wind,

You'd be that willow tree.

And I could never bear the thought of you not by my side.

So I would be the warmth of day,

You'd be the cool of night.

And everyday I pray you will see I must fulfill my destiny.

I hope you'll find it in your heart,

And know these words are true.

God knows,

Life is one big road.

With a lot of turns and twists, 

And curves.

But hold on, every single road I roll on,

Comes to an end and I’ll be back home again.

So baby please don't cry. 

There's no valley too low and there's no mountain too high.

Our love don't die with the passage of time.

It just grows and just keeps strong.

And even though I'm gone, I am never too far.

You're the light through the dark, shining right through my heart.

So my journey must start!

Our relationship has had it's ups and downs, 
     Occasionally, they have been rough,
           And, seemingly, unrepairable.

You say why go on, there's nothing that's right,
     But the deep love we share for each other
          Has never diminished. 

There are times when you feel despair,
     That's there no end to your journey
           And, you've reached the end of hope.

I've never given up on you, or we,
     Living in the moment,
          We've created a safe haven for love.

When we both turn inward,
     We find the burning glow of love
          That gives us insight.

For true love for each other is not a gift.
    It is forged in difficulties, doubt and pain.
       And as these trials complete,

We realize that what carried us through, was pure love.

I have been in love in numberless forms, numberless times.
     In life after life, in age after age, forever.

My spellbound heart has made and remade itself.

I take you a gift, which you wear in your many forms,
     In life after life, in age after age, forever.

I'll throw my voice into the stars,
     and, maybe the echo of my words
          will be written for you
              in the clouds when the sun rises.

All I'm trying to say:

                                I will love you through the darkness.

Waiting in the rain, a cold winter’s night.
Calm as I am. Hair blowing in the wind.
My eyes they close; as I breathe in deep.
You run through my mind.

I open my eyes, but you're not there.
No one takes your place.
With you my heart I share.

A cold afternoon, hands as cold as ice.
Thoughts go through my mind
Laying in your arms; we’re the perfect match.

The distance discourages.
Waiting under streetlights,
Nobody compares.

I want to cleanse my soul

With your indecency and brevity.

I want to linger in our sin.

Feeling your toxic essence, I delve in....

Exfoliating my soul,

You rub me raw with your presence.

My past I erase,

Beginning the endless chase.

I desire to leave this place

In the least state of disgrace.....

Recognizing the truth,
     After denying, for oh so long,
          Cuts deeply...permanently.

Love, even perceived love,
     Creates illusions,
          That dazzle the heart and soul.

You cannot impose your personal
     Expectations on others.
          They'll only disappoint you.

So...
     Trust and believe in those
         Who actions match their words.

And, those who do not or cannot,
     Let them be...
         Their lot is to find themselves.

In their own way.
     On their own time.
          Only, to realize, eventually,

How much they lost,
     And will never have.

She drifts in just like the gentle rain.
It all happens so calmly, quietly.
However, it's not a dream.

And, now, you're giving and she's taking.
But you are blind to this deception;
As she uses her insecurities as a weapon.

She implies that she needs your love.
However, you also recognize your needs
Will not be fulfilled.

Everything appears to be your fault,
Your misunderstanding; and you accept it.
You lose sight of your own life.

You're falling and you cannot find the exit.
When your give your soul to someone else
Your heart aches...

You love, and believe in her love
However, each day you realize
That this love was not love.

Wake up. . . it's not a dream.

Your partner in life does not come into your life peacefully.

     Your partner makes you question your world; changes your reality.

           And, marks a before and after in your life.


Your partner does not appear as an idealized human being, but...

     Just as an ordinary person, unassuming, yet, dazzling in their own way.

       And, who revolutionizes your world forever.

Distance is not the for the fearful,

     It is for the bold.

It is for those who are willing

     To spend a lot of time alone, yet,

           Not lonely.

In exchange for a short time

      With the one they love.

It is for those who realize

     How special that moment

            Together can be.

Even if that moment does not

     Occur nearly enough.

Feeling the need for simple, yet hearty food;
So… I’ll slice and chop winter vegetables.
And produce something tasty
May be a soup or may be a stew.

Carrots, squash, turnips, garlic and onions
I’ll add to the pot, drizzled with ghee.

And, spices: dill, thyme, sage and marjoram

And sauté them slowly in a brown vegetable broth.

I’ll serve the soup in bowls with warm crusty bread.
Adding shaved red cabbage to suit,
With a side of sliced golden beets.

A meal for family, friends and kindred spirits.

It may look paradoxical to you, but it's not.
It is an existential truth: only those people who 
are capable of being alone are capable of love, of
sharing, of going into the deepest core of another
person -- without possessing the other, without
becoming dependent on the other, without 
reducing the other to a thing, and without
becoming addicted to the other. 

They allow the other absolute freedom, because 
they know that if the other leaves, they will be as
happy as they are now. Their happiness cannot be
taken by the other, because it is not given by the other.

                                                              -- Anonymous

By wiilling to experience aloneness,
     connections are uncovered everywhere.

Turning to face fear,
     the warrior who lives within arises.

Embracing this loss,
     the universe envelops me.

Surrendering into emptiness,
     fullness without end finds me.

If I flee from a condition, it pursues me;
     each condition I welcome, transforms me.

And,  becomes itself transformed,
     into a radiant cosmic essence.

I wish I could show you, 

     when you are lonely or in darkness, 

          the astonishing light of your own being.

                                                         - Hafiz

As I traveled this life’s journey,

I have uncovered and explored many alternate paths.

Some with ease, and some without.

However, I came upon the big old oak tree.

I knew my journey would take a new course.

And at that point, I found a long, lonely road.

Although I was alone, I was not lonely.

Yet I wandered and searched upon that lonely road.

And at the end of that road, there I found a friend.

I did not realize it at that moment,

However, that friend had been waiting for me.

She had been waiting a long time.

I’m watching us in my mind’s eye,
     Bound together like thunder and lightning,
          Seeking to get away from the world and into secret places.
The day we first met shuffles a deck of memories,
      Repeats random pictures of you talking in my head,
          Rinses my heart in a rush of blood which feeds happy memories.

So I remember the way, 
     The way you’re not afraid to be you,
          To feel okay if incomplete.
The way you let me into your life,
     Not controlling the highs and the lows,
          Your fate (our fate) forever hanging in a game of toss.

The way you read between the lines,
     Take the wildest guesses and know without knowing
          What I really mean to say to you.

Sometimes.

Someone enters into your life,

     And, everything changes.

Laughter ignites.

Barriers shattered.

     And, you feel like you.

You cannot describe

What that individual does for you.

     And, though you’re alone.

You will never let go.

I give all I can,
     And, seek only what provides me grace.
Restoring balance sustains me.

This way of life calms everything,
     And, restores my faith.
I derive pleasure from seeing you smile.

Love warms like a friendship caught on fire.

In the beginning a flame, flickering, then,

Often hot and fierce.

But, still only a warm light.

As love grows and endures,

Hearts mature.

And, love evolves into glowing coals,

Deep burning and unquenchable.

Events occur that we do not want to happen,

     However, we have to accept them.

Knowledge exists that we do not want to know,

     However, once learned we do not forget.

Some people we feel we cannot live without,

     However, we must let them go on their journey.

Distance tests love. Many fail,

     However, for those who understand,

They have an answer;

     True love.

Distance between two lovers

     Does not create obstacles.

Rather, it becomes a reminder,

     Of the strength of true love.