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
Why are you complaining
About people
Sucking the life out of you
When you are giving them
The straws
Stop allowing others
To drain your energy
Lower your vibration
And dull your sparkle
Be an environmentalist
For yourself
Ban straws
And stop complaining
E.A. Fussell
11.15.2020
Wrinkles
I’ve got them
Life
I’ve lived it
Sometimes well
Sometimes not so much
Time
Keeps passing
Too fast
Days are gone
Dreams fade
Energy wains
Aging
Is not
For the faint of heart
E.A. Fussell
11.13.2020
Did you ever feel like there was a big joke happening and you were missing the punchline. Somehow everyone got it, but you. That’s how I feel when watching the political circus in any country.
Did you ever wonder what would happen if everyone took their attention off of the power struggle between candidates, parties, countries, if we stopped participating in their elections, manipulations, wars? If we focused on ourselves and taking care of our immediate surroundings in a peaceful way?
Ah ha, therein lies the crux. At our core we are creatures of conflict. Peace is difficult to obtain within our own selves so how can we expect it outside of ourselves? Internal conflict occurred when our spirit decided to enter this body of flesh and experience being human. From that point a battle began between our peaceful spirit and our active mind. The mind likes to attach to people, ideas, beliefs, things. With attachment comes ego. With ego comes desire for power. With desire for power comes struggle and corruption. Struggle and corruption create a political circus in any country. And there you have it.
Is it possible for us all to live in peace? Not all, not in this life. In this life a very few will learn how to transcend their internal battle to overcome their busy mind and get to their quite core spirit to live peacefully. Some of us will experience it in glimpses or brief interludes as we continually seek it. Most will lose the battle too lost in mind and ego to find their way or even recognize that they are lost.
As for me, I will continue to wear my dunce cap as I turn and go down a path to try and find my way past my mind to the center of my core so that I can live internally peacefully as the circus rages without me.
E.A. Fussell
11.12.2020
Sacrifices
You understand them
Nightmares
You lived them
Bravery
You displayed it
Endurance
You conquered Hunger
Torture
And conditions unimaginable
Honor
You deserve it
Veterans
You gave remarkable service
Gratitude
Unending respect and much love
E.A. Fussell
11.11.2020
Engagement
The catchphrase of promotion
Why
Not everyone
Wants to be an open participator
Some like to be observers
I’m learning not to be concerned
About it
If I touch even one person’s heart
Mind
Soul
If I lift even one person’s spirits
If I make even one person
Feel not so all alone
And if that one person chooses
To keep their thoughts
To themselves
I am still blessed
By blessing someone else
Engagement happens
Even when acknowledgment
Is not exchanged
Do not let promoters convince you
That you have to have
Engagement to be successful
Convince yourself
To create whatever you desire
Without concern for comments
Or even ever knowing
Whether someone was
Positively impacted
By your creation
Express your truth
Without flavoring it
Toward promotion
Engagement will happen
Even if it is unspoken
E.A. Fussell
11.10.2020
E. A. Fussell 