Transformation

I am a doormat
Not especially decorative
Built to be functional
Pretty unremarkable
No one appreciates me
No one ever thanks me
No one wants to do my job
No one wants to feel so dirty
With mud and muck all over them
But everyone wants me to be here
Doing my job
Everyone wants to wipe their filth off
All over me
So they can walk on
Feeling clean and unencumbered
Though they don't appreciate me
Though they don't thank me
I am here
An unremarkable doormat

But I am tough enough
To scrape off all that muck
Yet soft enough
To give a bit and thus
Reach into the crevices
I'm sturdy enough to lie here
Year after year
Working away without falling apart
And integrous enough
To give a welcome to all who pass
I'm not too pretty
But I get the job done
Which is pretty remarkable, after all

I am a doormat!

I'm Still Here

You tried to take me down
To make me feel like nothing
It made you feel
Like a real big man

And when I cried
You didn't care
You were feeling the power
And it enlarged your tiny sense
Of your own worth
Until you felt like somebody

And when I shrank
You just felt bigger still

You tried to do me in
As if you could feed off my fading energy
Gorging your weakened self esteem
On my pain and shame

But here we are
And I'm not dead - I'm still here
I'm growing stronger yet
Feeding on the power of the One
Who loves us all
Even scared, humiliated me
Even selfish, crazy you

You did not destroy me
Despite all your efforts
No, I'm still here
And you, where are you?

Newton's 3rd Law

Hard-hearted, you call me.

That's what happens when

The volcano of self-protecting anger

Ignites and overflows,

Gushing down and- finding no outlet-

Fills the rib cage,

Superheating that small organ.

When the danger passes

The heart cools down

But it has been tempered by

The need to act and

The impossibility of action.

Hard-hearted, you say?

I am basalt.

Hmmm...

Feelings are not facts!
...yet sometimes they do present
a convincing case.

All You Need

My heart cracked open
and oh! what was there inside:
love, bright, shining love

You... yeah, you

    Wouldn't it be wonderful if every person on this earth knew, just knew, that they have worth? All the energy that goes, every day, into trying to prove that we belong, that we have a right to be here pursuing our dreams, could be freed up for more important uses.
    It starts with sibling rivalry, if you are fortunate enough to have siblings. You want Mommy and Daddy's complete love and attention and here is this other person with their own needs and wants trying to get your parents' complete love and attention for themselves, as if they don't know the world revolves around you! Silly siblings! So you step up your game (and step all over the interloper whenever you get a chance) to do your best to get validation that you are the better, more important, most special child in the family. But sometimes your efforts for attention annoy your parents (they always annoy your siblings but who cares about them?) and instead of getting warm fuzzy feelings from basking in parental love and approval you are scolded for your behavior and are left feeling sad and angry, anxious that maybe your parents don't love you anymore, or won't love you if you don't behave just as they want.
    And it seems to me most people bring this insecurity and rivalry into their relationships with the rest of the world once they grow older and expand the scope of their wants. And thus we have a world full of people trying to impress each other with their own wonderfulness and importance and behaving badly when old fears of inadequacy are triggered. Social media are full of examples of people boasting, gossiping, arguing and tattling, to, about, with and on each other, just as we did on the playgrounds of our youth! And it still happens in the physical world of work and friendships and families every day, as well.
    But what if each and every one of us knew, just knew, that we don't have to waste all that time and energy justifying our existence on the planet, that we are all human beings of equal intrinsic value, worthy of being respected, listened to and loved by others? What if we didn't have the voices in our heads telling us maybe we aren't good enough, the background buzz of anxiety that the love and approval of those around us might disappear at any moment? Think of all the emotional resources freed up for developing talents, pursuing interests, and truly enjoying our interactions with each other! Wouldn't it be loverly?

New Song - How Does It Make You Feel, What Does It Make You Think About?

You come to me;
You want to tell me that you're sorry.
Oh, baby,
Do you think I didn't know
That you're hurting
And your head is full of worries
And you come to me
Though you know that you should stay away?

And I try
To wipe the fear and pain out of your eyes.
I never think about
The pain and fear that you bring into mine.

Love doesn't count the cost,
Doesn't know the battle's lost,
Never sees unfairness in
That weighted die that's being tossed.

And I love you.

So you come to me.
You try to show me that you're sorry.
Oh, baby,
Like I don't already know.
But you're hurting
And you just can't face the worry
So you come to me
And you hope I'll make it go away.

Go away.
Go away...

Affirmation

We are the invisible.
Who will look at us and see?
We are the inaudible.
Will you listen to what we have to say?
We are the untouchable.
Who will hold us in their heart?

I see what's been hidden.
You are not invisible to me.
I hear the things you cannot say.
I will listen.
Your pain is in my heart.
I will hold you there.