As many of you know, poetry is very dear to Bob's heart. In an effort to bring joy into his life and keep him in a positive mindset, we are encouraging you to comment on this post (or e-mail Michelle: METschannen@gmail.com) with poems that have inspired you and spoken to your heart. Be sure to tell us your name and what the particular poem means to you. We'll re-post the poems here on the blog, as well as sending them along to Bob. Our hope is to make a collection of poems that can be bound into a book of inspiration for Bob to peruse as he heals. Come join in on the fun!
-Michelle
If you are a dreamer, come in,
ReplyDeleteIf you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
come in!
Shel Silverstein
Hi, my name is Stacy and I took the Wellcoaches courses. Bob was one of my favorite teachers to work with. I am also an inpatient rehab physical therapist and have been inspired by Bob's journey. This poem means that there is someone out there who accepts you as you are. I am always inspired by such lack of judgement and unconditional acceptance of another. I also have a book recommendation for Bob and his family. It is called My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor. A fascinating book about a brain researcher who has a stroke and wrote about the experience and her recovery.
Good luck Bob!
I still have the hard copy of this poem Bob gave me at one of the NVC gatherings a few years ago and it was one of the many nudges he gave me that pushed me to create www.simplyrediscovered.com - a blog dedicated to sharing my own experiences, loves and learnings with others. This was a first step in giving myself permission to just be me, be more compassionate and kind to myself so in turn I could give something much bigger to others. Bob, Megan and the LifeTrek family continue to be a very important part of my life and I'm thankful everyday for these connections.
ReplyDeleteDream Big, Author Unknown
If there were ever a time to dare,
To make a difference
To embark on something worth doing
It is now.
Not for any grand cause, necessarily –
But for something that tugs at your heart
Something that is worth your aspiration
Something that is your dream.
You owe it to yourself
To make your days count.
Have fun. Dig deep. Stretch.
Dream big.
Know, though,
That things worth doing
Seldom come easy.
There will be times when you want to
Turn around
Pack it up and call it quits.
Those times tell you
That you are pushing yourself
And that you are not afraid to learn by trying.
Persist.
Because with an idea,
Determination and the right tools,
You can do great things.
Let your instincts, your intellect
And let your heart guide you.
Trust.
Believe in the incredible power
Of the human mind
Of doing something that makes a difference.
Of working hard
Of laughing and hoping
Of lasting friends
Of all the things that will cross your path.
Next year
The start of something new
Brings the hope of something great.
Anything is possible.
There is only one you
And you will pass this way but once.
Do it right.
Throughout my struggles I have often recited the Bene Geserit Litany Against Fear from the book Dune by Frank Herbert:
ReplyDeleteI must not fear.
Fear is the mind killer.
Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me and when it is gone I will turn my inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
Since pain (both physical and emotional) has been a very common recurrence over the course of my life - I adapted Herbert's words to develop my own Litany Against Pain:
I will not be in pain.
Pain is the body killer.
Pain is the assault on the senses that prevents clarity and peace.
I will face my pain. I will channel it over me and through me and when it has passed I will focus and reflect to capture its path. I will erase that path until all remnants are gone. Only I will remain; renewed and refreshed.
I have recited both litanies time and time again as a form of therapy. Along with other forms of relaxation and cognitive behavior I have been able to not only live through some very painful ordeals but become a stronger more cognizant and thankful being because of it.