January  21,  2020

INSTILL

One has to become quiet –

quite quiet - quite  still ….

One has to go off to the side -

step back – sit sideways –

before one can get to essences –

before one can see still points

in their soul. It’s then – when -

they have clarity, that they

can have the calm grace

called “stillness”  – "peace".

It’s then – right then - they might

realize instillness has happened.

© Andy Costello, Reflections

January  21,  2020

Thought   for  Today

 “The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.”

Thales

Thales of Mileto

(c. 626-545 BC)

(1906) Velos Salgado

January 20, 2020

BLACK   BALLOON

Finally, someone bought me.

I had been on the bottom of

a pile of red, blue, and yellow

baloons - unblown up – empty -

airless for four weeks now and 

nobody seemed to want a black balloon -

just red, yellow and blue. Finally, I’m

out of the store – this kid screaming

“Daddy, hurry,  HURRY, blow up

my balloon” He did and on went

the string that the store keeper

gave my dad – and the kid hung onto

that string – and I loved it, LOVED

it  – me floating up into the wind

hi and mighty – in the wind - in

the sunshine – in the scream

of a  kid – with a black  balloon –

me – high above the crowd -

that is - till he saw the ice cream

sign – and then- it was THEN –

he accidently let my string go

and I was flying, high, HIGH,

above the park, above the crowd

chanting the words of the King,

“Free at last, thank God, I’m free at last.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections

January 20, 2020

Thought for Today

“There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

January 19, 2020

UNDERNEATH

It takes effort and energy,

“elbow grease” as the cliché goes

to get to what’s underneath

whatever that ugly dark stuff is

that sticks to pots and pans.

Sometimes we have to dig,

scrub, sandpaper it,

to get to the truth

of what you’re really

saying or not saying here.

In other words,

“Are you saying

what you’re saying

or are you saying

something else?”

© Andy Costello, Reflections

January  19, 2020

Thought  for  Today

 “Not the power to remember, but its very  opposite, the  power to forget is a necessary condition for our existence.”  

Sholem Asch,  

The Nazarene, 1939

January 18, 2020

RESTLESS

It begins with too many blinks.

Then the toe tapping and the

finger itching. It’s then I know

you’re nervous. “What’s up?”

Fears I know. It’s anxiety ….

The opening up the cabinet

above the sink. He reaches for 
and then hands me the letter.

Everyone gets at least 7

such letters in their life –

The ones that tells of a

death, being dumped, fired ….

I read your letter. I now

know why you’re edgy -

scared – worried ….

Thanks for trusting me.

Let’s do next together.

Let’s get the best doctor.

Let’s get the best lawyer.

Let’s pray to the best God.

© Andy Costello, Reflections
Painting on top: Pablo Picassso,
Reading the Letter