mirror and wall, image by Lynn Greyling, on Pixabay
BOOK OF DREAMS
When my spirit is forlorn and downcast,
I pull out and open my book of dreams,
Full of hopes and wishes from the past,
Each page a sketch of ambitious schemes –
Products of whimsical daydreams.
They are all hidden so only I can see,
My secret aspirations locked safely away,
Protected and safe from open scrutiny,
Available only when I bring them out to play,
To scheme and dream and brighten my day.
They are glimpses of what could have been
If only the dream had been fervently chased,
But I took no chances and kept them within,
Never to risk failure, never to feel disgraced,
Nor have the dream shattered and erased.
I now close the book, to wait another day,
Keeping my dreams secret as I want them to be,
Never revealing what within me holds sway,
No chance for defeat to knock me to my knee…
But no chance to taste sweet success or victory.
*
I AM ENOUGH
I look into the mirror.
“I am enough,”
a mantra repeated over and over.
If I say it convincingly, will it become truth?
Why is this necessary?
Why do I doubt my own capability?
or skill,
or strength,
or competence.
Why do I have these feelings of inadequacy?
I keep looking into the mirror.
“I am enough . . . I am more than enough.”
The little voices keep whispering their contradiction:
you are not enough;
you will never be enough;
you are woefully inadequate.
I drop my head, listening more intently,
beginning to be swayed by this opposing view.
I want to believe I am enough,
but how will I know?
My inner struggle continues to rage.
Paralysis is creeping in, fueled by self-doubt.
I bow my head and ask, “Am I enough?”
I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
With God all things are possible.
Be strong and courageous.
Mount up with wings like eagles.
I open my eyes, look in the mirror,
“I am enough… with God.”
(Scripture references: Psalm 139:14, Matthew 19:26,
Joshua 1:9, and Isaiah 40:31)
*
OPPORTUNITY
When I fall, I have the opportunity to rise,
For in rising I discover the fall is not fatal.
When I am afraid, I have the opportunity to overcome fear,
For if fear did not exist, there would be no need for courage.
When I fail, I have the opportunity to learn,
For in learning I gain insight and enlightenment.
When I face adversity, I have the opportunity to persevere,
For perseverance teaches me the value of trying.
When I doubt, I have the opportunity to demonstrate faith,
For faith teaches me to trust in something bigger than myself.
When I am wronged, I have the opportunity to forgive,
For in forgiving I can reciprocate what He did for me.
When I let Him guide, I have the opportunity to serve,
For in serving I can emulate God’s love for all of us.
When I listen intently, I have the opportunity to hear His words,
For His words are the gateway to wisdom and humility.
When I am granted a new day, I have the opportunity to live fully,
For in this I can experience all He has in store for me.
When I submit to God’s plan, He has the opportunity to use me,
For as He uses me He can complete me to be my best self.
*
LOVE SHOULD BE
Love should be freeing,
giving us the assurance to reveal our feelings,
giving us the courage to stand strong,
giving us the disposition to trust in one another,
giving us the willingness to forgive . . . and forget.
Love should be boundless,
giving us the potential to embrace the unlovable,
giving us the ability to soothe the wronged,
giving us the capacity to serve selflessly,
giving us the miracle of endless hope.
Love should be patient,
willing to wait as long as is necessary,
willing to believe when others have stopped,
willing to keep helping those who are thankless,
willing to stay the course when all seems lost.
Love should be visible,
so others can gaze upon unadulterated joy,
so others can see kindness overflowing,
so others can witness its healing power,
so others can view true sacrifice.
Love should be all of this
so others can recognize Him through us.
____________________________
Mike Hall has been a teacher for 43 years.
He has authored two collections of poetry,
Autumn’s Back Porch (Wipf and Stock, 2021)
and Thinking Out Loud (Wipf and Stock, 2022).
His work is meant to encourage and uplift us
during our daily lives, as well as call us to be
kinder to each other. He lives in the Dallas area
with his wife Cynthia. They are the parents of
three children, all married, and the grandparents
of three, who bring them smiles whenever they
get the chance to play. Here’s a link to his books: