January 11, 2023

THE BIG IRON GATE

 

I drove past the big iron gate

at least 500 times. Today was

different. I was walking.

Nobody was around so I

walked up to the big black

iron bars. Locked. I looked

in and saw the big house at

the end of tan cement driveway.

It had big black doors as well. 

My guess was inside there were

lots of black locked doors – more.

“Not my world” I said to myself,

turned away, and kept walking

back into my world – where doors

were red or white – with a worn

welcome mat at the front door.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 January 11, 2023

Quote for Today

 "Would you hurt a man keenest, strike at his self-love."

Lew Wallace [1827-1903]

Ben Hur: A Tale of Christ [1880] bk. VI, 2

 January 10, 2023

 

I DON’T  REMEMBER

 

Before I was getting words,

I don’t remember any words,

any conversations with

my mom and dad from

any of my childhood days.

Sorry mom and dad. Sorry.

I just remember my mom putting

raspberry jam on breakfast toast

and my dad taking us to the park

on Sunday afternoons. Now

in my 80’s I have to tell myself

that words before 10 are pigeons

and birds long flown away.

But good thing my dad and

others had Brownie cameras

to take 1,000 black and white

photographs that I have to study

and analyze and put words to.             

                                                              

Reflections (c) Andy Costello

 January 10, 2023

Quote for Today

"Two things fill the mind with ever-increasing wonder and awe; the more often and the more intensely, the mind of thought is drawn to them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me."

Immanuel Kant [1724-1804]

Critique of Practical Reason [1788]

 January 9,  2023

SIMPLICITY

 

To be simple,

to not get caught up in the chase for stuff,

to not spend too much time and energy

figuring out other’s motives,

to let go of wanting everything to go my way,

to say what I mean and mean what I say,

to have balance in my life, in my prayer,

my work, my time, my fun, my friends.

To be simple is to be calm and to avoid agitation.

To be simple,

is to avoid trying to juggle too much.

To be simple,

is to allow and to acknowledge others

to be far more gifted than I am,

to know there is lot more,

but so what?

To be simple is to relax,

knowing I came into this world with my own skin,       to know I’ll be going out the same way                       a bit more wrinkled with some scars and warts,

simply saying to God,  “Thanks!”

 

Reflections © Andy Costello

January 9, 2023

Quote for Today

"Abortions will not let you forget

You remember the children you got that you did

      not get."

Gwendolyn Brooks [1917-  ]

A Street in Bronzeville [1945]

The Mother, st. 1

January 8, 2023

ILLUSIONS

 

Illusions: we have them.

Illusions: we are them,

 

But we rather just admit we have them

and keep moving on through the day.

 

Naked honesty is too much and too tough

at times, yet it’s the way to be and the way to go.

 

Others see us as they think we are.

But to be honest we know, we’re not.

 

Slowly as I age I’m admitting

who are I really am.  Slowly.

 

But why not be and see who I am

as God sees and knows I really am. Slowly

 

And God while I’m at it, how about

letting me see who YOU really are? Slowly.

 

Reflections © Andy Costello