Contentment comes from within
External things only provide
Temporary satisfaction
Accept yourself
You are enough
Once upon a time
God took on the form of a man
To sacrifice Himself
Because He believed
You are enough
E.A. Fussell
11.25.2020
Sometimes
I live like the women in the front row
Full on, fearless, loving it
Sometimes
Like the women in the second row
At a distance from risk, safe
But mostly enjoying myself
Sometimes
Like the women in the third row
Going through the motions
Wrapped up in surviving
Joyless
I wonder
Is it possible to live every minute
In the first row
Or is a little third row needed
Here and there for comparison
Are there people
Who never experience
Life in the first row or the third
Life is a rollercoaster ride
The sum of it
Can be determined
By where we choose to sit
E.A. Fussell
11.23.2020
In the foggy mist
Of the ancient dawn
The dragon’s breath
Was hard to see
As we poled our sampan
On the Yangtze
The albatross calling out
A warning screech
Drew our attention
There we saw Yinglong
Towering over the valley
Wings ready to take flight
We watched in awe
As he stood in the muted sunlight
Afraid he would see us
As a breakfast morsel
He either didn’t see us
Or chose to let us pass
Either way
We will remember
This haunting scene forever
And each time of remembrance
We will feel especially blessed
E.A. Fussell
11.22.2020
Once you become fearless
Life becomes limitless
Put your fear on a shelf
You can pick it back up later
For now, even if just for today
Be fearless
Allow your life to be limitless
What will you be
In this moment
This moment
Is your life
E.A. Fussell
11.22.2020
Understand
Your soul
Does not have to be bound
By three dimensional
Earthly existence
Your mind
Is what makes you believe
Your soul is trapped
Inside your body
But at any given moment
You can transcend the shackles
Of your mind
And experience all of creation
Resting in your very essence
Quietly waiting
For you to discover
You are a part of all things
All things are a part of you
Sit quietly
Let awareness show you
How magnificent
You were created to be
E.A. Fussell
11.22.2020
People wonder why
I choose to me alone
At this time in my life
It’s difficult for them
To understand
That I’m waiting
To find someone
Similar to me
Who’s roots have never taken hold
Because he was waiting for me
When we find each other
Our roots will entwine
And run deeper
Than they ever could have alone
E.A. Fussell
11.21.2020
Minute by minute
We are changing at a cellular level
Little things can make a difference
Like choosing more
Vegetables and fruit
Instead of sugary snacks
Walking, hiking, biking, swimming
Moving daily
In any way that
Refreshes the body and mind
Our cells are going to change
Regardless
And our choices do affect
The change we experience
Weight, skin, organs, tissue
Are impacted by our choices
Environment, exercise, nutrition
Play a role and compound the effect
Of choices made
Over the years
The effects of bad choices
Start showing up
Plus
Aging brings on its own challenges
When coupled with years
Of youthful neglect
I now have to consciously choose
To try and repair the damage
And prevent further deterioration
Of my body, yes, but
More importantly of my mind
Breaking old habits
That have been reinforced
By years of bad choices
Requires diligence and dedication
Some days go great
Some days not do much
My desire to age in a quality way
Keeps me moving forward
Shaking off the bad days
Rejoicing in the good ones
Knowing that each day
Presents itself anew
And allows me
Another opportunity
To cleanse my system
And my vitality renew
E.A. Fussell
11.19.2020
When I scroll through your texts from the past three years or so. Pictures of flowers color my screen. Almost daily you have sent me a virtual flower. Wild ones from your walks, gardened ones from your mom’s yard, random ones you like. You are a dear friend and I can no longer see a flower of any kind without thinking of you. I’m not sure what makes a person as consistent as you are but I am thankful to be on the receiving end of your consistency.
E.A. Fussell
11.18.2020
They mask us up
We play along
Dancing in step
To their safety song
While all along
It’s being over played
By numerous parties
Under-the-table-paid
Yes
There is a deadly virus
But not the one
Being put on display in front of us
The truly fatal one
Is less easily seen
Through all the smoke and mirrors
Ranging from onerous to obscene
Large amounts of wealth
Power and position
Are shifting hands
Behind the scenes
In a massive plan
Binding and gaging us
With one hand
As the other
Rakes in the gold
That will eventually leaves us
All out in the cold
Unable to function
Without government direction
Freedom is an illusion
That is slowly loosing its hold
As tyranny takes over
In the form of a safety cover
E.A. Fussell
11.18.2020
It takes courage to admit we don’t know the answers to certain questions. It takes even more courage to admit we don’t even know the right questions. But if we ask the wrong question we are guaranteed to get the wrong answer.
Ponder this for a moment: Think of a current problem you are facing. How did you come to define this problem? Did it magically appear in front of you with no influence from outside forces? Or were you heavily influenced by the media, or your family, or friends, or your employer, or your teacher, or multiple sources?
Do you have time to analyze the problem, really analyze it? Or are you relying on what other people are saying without doing your own research? And if you have done your own research have you looked at all sides of the question? Or just the side that bothers you most?
Looking at all sides of a question allows a problem to be solved in various ways. Deeper questioning allows for the most effective answer. Most of us don’t have the time, inclination, or self-discipline to research and analyze questions the way they should be deciphered. We simply pick which story sounds most plausible to our belief system and agree with what others are saying, adapting their words as our stance.
I challenge you to take one problem in your life and look at it from all sides. For a moment, set aside your emotions, beliefs, and pre-conceived notions. Ask a question related to the problem, gather information from various sources, ask another question, gather more information if needed, continue asking and gathering until you get to an answer that you believe is the correct one. Going five “why’s” deep is an effective way to get to the root cause of a problem
Refuse to accept what other people say as your truth. Research, analyze, ask, repeat. Until you have an answer that is your own. If it aligns with your original position that’s okay, at least you know it to be true for you. But you may find that you come up with a completely new position or approach.
In order to get to the root of a big problem you will need courage to face your own truth. Asking and answering the right questions can be unsettling and frightening as you stare the root cause of a problem in the eye. Sometimes we find it’s our own eye we are staring into. Sometimes it’s the eye of a family member or close friend. Sometimes it’s the eye of the dregs of society.
But would you rather be fighting the real problem by answering the right questions or would you rather continue boxing with shadows?
E.A. Fussell
11.15.2020
E. A. Fussell 