Simple

Simple

 

I hear a bird chirping

In a nearby tree

 

I walk along a path

With my dog

 

Nothing is happening

Yet everything is alive

 

The trees sway as the squirrels race,

The wind blows gently across my face

 

I am alive

I am free

 It is not hard to find

Not elusive or remote

It is within and around

 

Simple

Serene

Peaceful

 

 

 

Inflexible

Inflexible

Inflexible it may seem

My life, a scheduled plan

I want to have the same routine

To know what I’ll do next

 

It makes me calm to think

That there is a time for this

And a time for that

With everything in its place

 

But, then something happens

My time somewhere else is needed

So my plans must change

As the unknown I’ll follow

 

Inflexible, they label me

A rigid man they say

Yet somehow I get things done

Somehow I find a way

 

Inflexible is what I like

It is my solace, my comfort

But it is not as it always seems

I can be open for those I love.

 

Short notice

This is what happened. I just returned from a vacation, and immediately got a call to go to work—in one hour. I hate short notice. For I had plans, I had things that I wanted to do: to write, to read, to think. . . But those will have to wait. Plans have been thwarted.

That is how life is. I am usually lucky in that I do not have such short notice. But it can occur.

There are people who are constantly interrupted, whose job seems to entail a series of short notices. Some of these are parents—for kids are always interrupting with some emergency or problem—doctors, especially those in a hospital where an emergency may occur at any moment— police and fire fighters who never receive notice. They always must be ready at a moment’s notice. . .

Semper Paratus is the Coast Guard motto. It means “always ready”. That is a good description of them. Something happens, a call is made, and off they go to rescue or search.

I am not naturally inclined to that. I like things planned, methodical and researched. Yet sometimes I feel the inclination to just go—to be spontaneous. But usuallythis is short-lived. I generally like my schedule.

So, off I go to work. It’ll be ok. I tend to over think, anyway. Now I can avoid that. I only have time to react. It may be better that way.