If I were graffiti

I’d spray myself all around

The ugliest parts of every town

Spreading a message

Positive and bright

For those who find it hard

To even try

Believing in themselves

Or anything good

I’d brighten the saddest

Neighborhoods

Encouraging young and old

To embrace life

To be brave and bold

To follow their dreams and vision

To have lots of fun

And live a life filled with passion

E.A. Fussell

07.31.2020

How does one find

Peace and quiet

How do you

My experience has been

That it’s an elusive state of being

The more I chase it

The further away it gets

However when I stop chasing

For long enough

There it is

Embracing me

The golden key

Is just allowing it to be

Without thinking

But fully knowing

That it is there

Waiting for me

Peace and quiet

Accessible

At any given moment

Unless I chase it

Then it will flee

It’s secret is in

That it waits for me

To comprehend

Thoughts are it’s enemy

It doesn’t have to be found

But thoughts keep pushing

It around

Until thoughts fill my mind

And then peace and quiet

I cannot find

But when I let thoughts go

What do you know

Peace and quiet

All aglow

E.A. Fussell

07.31.2020

In reality

There are no limitations on us

Regardless of the signs others post

The limitations only exist in our mind

If the signs we see say NO

We can dive a little deeper

Within ourselves

To see what direction we should go

Our core being is part of creation

Molded by the living God’s hand

When we stop listening to the world

We can see our plan

The path we should take

The sense it makes

When we stop looking outside

We can see within

E.A. Fussell

07.30.2020

There can be striking beauty

In a living thing at rest

It’s brilliant color and character

Tucked quietly away

Waiting for just the right moment

To burst into display

E.A. Fussell

07.29.2020

Being brave is a decision

Bravery requires vulnerability

Combined with

A silent acknowledgement

That you may be hurt, or ignored

Kindness can be an act of bravery

And can sometimes result in

The deepest kind of hurt or

Ignorant rejection

Brave souls understand this

It’s easy to be kind

To kind people

Being kind to the unkind

Or to the downright hateful

That takes a type of bravery

That I may never master

E.A. Fussell

07.29.2020

Learn to be okay

With people not knowing

Your side of the story

They will believe whatever

They want to

Regardless of your truth

Can’t you see

Your truth is really only

Your truth

You are the only one

Who knows what’s in your heart

Or in your head

It’s your experience alone

And others

Can never fully comprehend

What your experience has been

Just as you

Can never fully comprehend theirs

Stop trying to explain yourself

It’s a waist of energy

Just be yourself

Some will like you

Some won’t

That’s okay

Our purpose here

Is not to win a popularity contest

Our purpose is to be our best self

Not a carbon copy of someone else

Not a puppet

Allowing others to pull the strings

Not a docile

Go-along-with-the-crowd crony

Not a one-day-when goal seeker

Our purpose is to be

The best version

Of what we were created to be

Artist, writer, farmer, teacher, singer

Doctor, lawyer, architect, contractor

Realtor, laborer, driver, rancher

So many labels to choose from

Don’t accept any on them

They can never fully express

Who you are

A unique individual with

Independent thoughts and ideas

Find a way to be okay

With only you

Knowing the truth

About you

E.A. Fussell

07.28.2020

The table

An ancient symbol of gathering

Cast your eyes upon me

What do you see

A loving family

Recounting their day

The father his work

The children their play

Friends consuming food and wine

Talking, laughing, much imbibing

Adversaries in tense negotiations

Kingdoms at stake

History in the making

Look upon me

What do you see

It is more a reflection of you

Than it is of me

E.A. Fussell

07.25.2020

Enter the gate to another dimension
The length, width, and depth of it
You have yet to know
Beware
Should you chose to enter in
You won’t be the same
When you come out again
You’ll be transformed
From deep within
And a mind
Once expanded
Cannot return
Certain knowledge gained
Cannot be unlearned
So
Choose your course
And choose wisely my friend
Ignorance is bliss they say
But is it really
Would you like to know
What it’s like to play
With dragons of old
Knowledge is like a dragon
Sometimes dormant, sleeping
Then waking to devour the mind
In consuming thought
Burning up old ideas
Igniting new possibilities
Would you like to learn
How to detach
And observe the dragon playing
Without the urge
To grab your sword
And immediately start slaying
Enter in my friend
Or
Stay as you are

E.A. Fussell
07.25.2020

Be careful what grabs your curiosity
With your attention distracted
Behind you may creep
Something reaching out to grab you
That is scarier than you think
The danger lies not
In what we do not know
But in “what we think”
“We do”
Being grabbed unaware
May be a simple action
Harmless in nature
But in our mind
It only takes a fraction
Of a second in time
To turn us upside down
And inside out
Because we thought
The gesture
With danger was fraught
Let’s be curious, yes
Take our mind and explore
Being careful not to loose sight
Of what we know in our core
There is seldom danger
In anything we find
Most of the danger
Exists only in our mind

E.A. Fussell
07.24.2020