The Way We’re Supposed to Be

in #poetrylast year (edited)

These days, it seems,
we engross ourselves
in bucket lists,
and dream often
of the excitement
of far off, distant places,

We constantly seek escape
from the moment
and dive deep
into the blue glow
of our screens
while ignoring our dreams
and the gift of life
unfolding all around us,

Sometimes true peace
lurks only where
we can't hide,
the energy we feel
from the person
across the table,
in the micro-
expressions of friends,
the slightest twitch
of an eyelid,
the purposeful pause,
or a sarcastic smile,

Our answers are
often nestled in the most
uncomfortable of places,
where people know us deeply
but love us just the same,

As I find myself
in the full vigor
of my middle years
I know in every
cell of my being
that we must learn to
love who we are,
exactly where we stand,
at this very moment,

If we find
we can’t do that,
something then
must drastically change,

The choices,
they are ours
but life will never fail to
show us the way
we’re supposed to be.

~Eric Vance Walton~


All for now. Trust your instincts, invest in you, live boldly, and take chances.

(Gif sourced from Giphy.com.)


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Poetry should move us, it should change us, it should glitch our brains, shift our moods to another frequency. Poetry should evoke feelings of melancholy, whimsy, it should remind us what it feels like to be in love, or cause us to think about something in a completely different way. I view poetry, and all art really, as a temporary and fragile bridge between our world and a more pure and refined one. This is a world we could bring into creation if enough of us believed in it. This book is ephemera, destined to end up forgotten, lingering on some dusty shelf or tucked away in a dark attic. Yet the words, they will live on in memory. I hope these words become a part of you, bubble up into your memory when you least expect them to and make you feel a little more alive.

Pick up a copy of Ephemera today on Amazon.



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If we find
we can’t do that,
something then
must drastically change,

Most of the time I can relate to it. It breaks out of that congestion for sure, but we dont know which side. That's the dilemma.

The choices,
they are ours
but life will never fail to
show us the way
we’re supposed to be.

This sums up the poem quite nicely. "but life will never fail to show us the way we’re supposed to be."...that's the quintessence of life, .....supposed to be, that correctness and equilibrium is the true mirror.

Thank you, Eric, it's always heart-touching to read it.

Sometimes it's hard to admit what we see in the reflection because it means difficult choices. Thanks Milaan! I hope you're having a good week.

Sometimes I feel like LIFE is a tradeoff between idealism and realism. Idealistic though keep us afloat to dream and realism forces us to behave in a pragmatic way, sometimes it forces us to behave just for survival above anything else.

But peace of mind is way being such boundaries, that resides deep down the quiet mind. Nice poem, I really love the lines, quite deep and meaningful.

I think it's true. Our physical existence is one of duality, always a search for the balancing point between two extremes.

Nice poem @ericvancewalton, we must all learn to love ourselves, to see the beauty in others and to follow our dreams. @thebigsweed made a sign that hangs on our fence, it says "Dreams are ideas put into motion". I love that.

Technology is great, but we have to start balancing it with real life and real people.
Enjoy the day.

I love that quote! Dreams without action don't account for much. It's amazing how the universe begins to open doors once we begin to take action. Thanks!

It is so true, if we just bump along not much happens but when we began the journey toward a goal, everything changes. My dad used to say, if something is bugging you, do something about it.
Thanks for dropping by Eric, always a pleasure.

I wonder sometimes if we find ourselves, naturally, when we stop trying to make ourselves into something we are not. Facade and posing, the neon billboards that outshine the gems we truly are. A lovely piece of self-exploration, Eric. It was a fabulous way to begin my day:)

Thank you! Most people, I think, eventually tire of trying to impress others or project themselves to be something they're not. Social media sometimes protracts this phase of life for some people. So many feel they need to construct a life that others envy. I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! I hope you've had a great weekend.

It is being programmed into people. That is for sure. Everyone is so upbeat and happy online and then in real life ... so sad. I spend a lot of time on Social Media ... mostly when the world is not collapsing and I am not playing Atlas ... I try to make people feel better with nature, poetry, and cooking. Things accessible to everyone and things that truly can make people feel better. Poetry really does lead to a better place:)

That's wonderful that you're trying to provide a light during these times of darkness. It does have a ripple effect and helps more than anyone can even fathom.

We can only make choices, maximize them, and optimize them But we can't be sure of the outcome. I will apply E=mc2 equation of Einstein here. When two objects are in the gravitational field, a part of their weight is transformed into energy. Just like that the society where we exist, there is an invisible force or attraction binds us together, the result as we desire may not be achieved, a part of it also account on our surrounding, so the universe tell us the way we are supposed to be.

Yes, if we make good/wise choices though the odds of satisfactory results become much higher. Outcomes aren't totally out of our control.

I really enjoyed reading your poem!

Beautiful poem @ericvancewalton,I've been trying to write a book for years, the other day I decided to stop scrolling through my phone, and put it away. I took the box out with all my research work for my book, I asked myself, what motivated me to start this project, it's amazing what happens to one's mind when one makes that move towards that goal.
It's the same when one looks at a blank canvas and wonder what you're going to paint. By starting with a colour on the canvas, eventually the picture will emerge.
What I'm saying is,start somewhere.
Thank you for an amazing post, enjoy your holidays.

Thank you so much @artywink! Congratulations to you for picking it up again and best of luck! That first step truly is the hardest. I've had my second novel in limbo since 2018 and recently started working on it again. Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Thank you @ericvancewalton, same to you.
Keep safe and Happy holidays to you and your family too.

It is courageous to show ourselves as we are today! We don't have to please everyone. That is impossible. What is possible and necessary is to love ourselves, with our wounds and imperfections, and to find a person who kisses those wounds and respects them. In these times in which everything is consumed and discarded because it is broken, we should begin to see the beauty of the cracks, the stories they tell. In the place where we can be and with the people we don't have to put on masks, in that place and with those people we should stay. A poem to ponder. A beautiful evening, my friend. Hugs

I used to worry so much more about pleasing others than I do today but it seems that the more you give the more people take. There definitely has to be boundaries and, you're right, we have to consider our own wellbeing. It's all about finding a tribe with your vibe. Lol. Thank you, Nancy! Enjoy your week.

Our answers are
often nestled in the most
uncomfortable of places,
where people know us deeply
but love us just the same,

We experience this as humans on a daily basis which Is really true and I appreciate you sharing this poem, it's very nice.

This is so nice and very informative to learn something from it.

Glad you enjoyed it!

Beautiful poem!

If we find
we can’t do that,
something then
must drastically change,

Easier said than done, when our illusions of reality seem to show us that we cannot live without a cell phone and computer.

the energy we feel
from the person
across the table,
in the micro-
expressions of friends,
the slightest twitch
of an eyelid,
the purposeful pause,
or a sarcastic smile,

I feel more alive when I am in the company of others, or in nature, than I do when I am glued to my screen. Something about these screens, this light, or the radiation, is addictive.

Thank you @owasco. At this point in our connected world getting rid of all electronics would be very difficult for me but I can choose how I interact with it -- personalize notifications, limit usage, download only necessary apps, etc.

I very much agree! I feel more alive/positive when I'm in the right company but can feel lonely/negative in the wrong company. I almost every aspect of these devices have been designed to make us dependent on them. It's quite a conundrum.

I'm especially ticked off about needing a smart phone for 2FA verifications. I have several landlines, so anyone can get in touch with me fairly easily. No app is necessary for me. I refuse to use GPS unless I am completely lost, and even then, I will consult a map before I turn on my phone. If it weren't for 2FA and the like, I could ditch that device. The computer is easy to hardwire, but still addictive.

It's definitely frustrating. I switched phones once without knowing how to transfer the 2FA. If I would've wiped the old phone I would have lost access to a whole lot of crypto right after I left my job. I easily lost a few years of my life in that instance.

Now that I have this Tesla I'm more tech reliant than ever. Certain aspects of it are incredible and some give me the creeps. I think about how having all of this tech do so much of the mental heavy-lifting is changing our brains. It's, without a doubt convenient, but that convenience comes with a huge cost that we don't even fully realize the ramifications of yet.

We have our chocies, but life has also chocies for us as well. Perhaps, our choicies might be directed by life.

I agree that we must learn to love who we are, otherwise we go nowhere fast.

Good lines mate ;)

Learning to love who we are is right up there with the most important aspects of life. Those who figure this out when they're young have such a tremendous head start in life.

Thanks!

The choices,
they are ours
but life will never fail to
show us the way
we’re supposed to be.

People used to say that God have a grand plan with us. Probably most of us do not see it yet. We will all return home to God one day, and we will live in unearthly love and peace, as we all lived before we were born on Earth. The life is for eternity. What we call "born" and "death" are only transitions. Life is eternal. Time exist only in the physical world, but we are not really physical. We only "use" these physical human bodies to experience the physical world.

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Have a nice day. All the best. Greetings and much love from Hungary.

I'm of the belief that we choose our own path before we're born but then we're inflicted with "amnesia" the moment we're born into this world. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and your family as well! Much love from the US of A!

I'm of the belief that we choose our own path before we're born

I also believe this. We came to the Earth by our own choice/decision to test/experience the physical human life. The next life probably also depends on our choice/decision.

Merry Christmas.

My wife and I were driving home from the dentist today and something triggered me to think about how quickly time is passing us by. I once again made the comment to myself that I need to remember even the small times that we spend together doing things because everything is fleeting.

It's crazy isn't it? My wife and I were just discussing over lunch how, in our fifties, it feels like those time-lapse film scenes where the world is rushing by at a million miles an hour. We were staring out the window of a restaurant at patio tables and it felt like we were eating at them a week ago. Lol. The seasons just keep rolling by. Since Covid hit we've felt like we've been in limbo. We're hoping to get out of that state of limbo in 2023.

I can understand that. I am in the process of trying to plan a spring break trip right now, but flight prices are nuts no matter where I look.

Have you tried the Faredrop app? It was created by a couple of YouTubers and there are some great deals to be found on there.

No, I will have to check it out. My hope is to find a cheap flight local and not have to drive down to Detroit to get on a plane.

This is really a powerful poem I must confess. So powerful

Thank you! I hope you enjoyed it.

Simplistic... We, it's true that we often seek external validation for some of the most important or relevant things in life, love for example, and sometimes we turn to the internet, online spaces to see if we can get that. But you've said it all, sometimes we just have to envalue ourselves for who and what we are.

Well-done. It's been a while

Thank you! Yes, I'm blogging less, working on some big projects. I hope you be back to writing a blog a day soon. Hope you've been well!

Beautiful poetry about life. We really should position where we stand. Family and friends are those who will take good care of us. Have a nice day, Eric.

Thank you Eliana! I hope you're well!

I read this peotry and learn from many things from it. I think life is too short to spend with your family and good friend's. Life gives you a chance to select bad or good people's. Believe in your self and achieve your life goals.

Very beautifully said. And still simply and honestly.

I like this immensely. 👏

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I'm still carrying a Nortons Anyhology around with me on my travels after giving almost everything away.

That's how much I love poetry

This is a wonderful piece of writing right here. Nicely done 🦊

Thank you so much. Yes! I value poetry so much more, the older I get. It really has so many facets that seem to reflect differently based on your own energy or mood as you're reading it. It has a mystical quality that can't be duplicated in other genres.

Yes :)

Sometimes it says so much more without actually saying anything too specifically. Like abstract painting, I suppose.

It's incredible how this resonates with different people and their stories... well... differently. And people seem to take what they need from it personally.

Music as well. I hear songs and the lyrics often sum up entire philosophical journeys into a few versus

I don't know how musicians manage to do that! 👀 I'm in awe of them.

Time puts everything in its place. I noticed that every year I do not pay more attention to the opinions of others.

That's very smart not to pay attention to the opinions of others unless it's a mentor that you really trust the opinion of. Certain people can be wonderful guides and offer advice that eliminates years of suffering.

What a beautiful poem, I loved it.

We really have to seek more connection with ourselves and with nature.

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!

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