Tag: selfishness

I picked a rose today

mypetlobster1Leave a comment

I picked a rose today.

It was beautiful and perfect, so I tore it off its stem.

I ended its life to improve mine.

I liked seeing it in my hands,

it’s symmetry and beautiful color.

I picked it; it was mine now.

I carried it around with me,

I started thinking.

What if I was this rose?

Minding my own business,

fulfilling the fate mother nature gave to me.

Happy, growing, thriving, sitting on my stem,

then along came a girl.

She broke my neck.

She tore me from my home.

What did I ever do to her?

I think the Earth got mad at me.

Its leaves started to wilt and turn brown at the edges.

The bugs living inside started to crawl on my hand,

almost like a plead for help.

“Why did you take our home, leave us destined to die?”

I think the Earth got mad at me,

I think I deserved it.

After carrying it around for a while, I set it on a tree and left it.

I picked a rose today,

it was beautiful and perfect, so I tore it off its stem.

I could have just left it,

let it be.

Let the bugs live in its center.

Let the Earth run its course: the rose would continue to grow,

it would later begin to wilt,

it would eventually die.

It was destined to die eventually, but not the way it did.

If I had left it, it would have died with the other roses.

It would have raised numerous families of bugs.

It would have fallen to the ground decomposed and continued the cycle it was destined to do.

Instead, I picked it.

It will now die on a tree

away from the other roses.

It will die far sooner than it should,

start to wither away from being separated from its stem.

And why does it come to this fate? Because I was selfish.

I could have left it,

enjoyed it’s beauty from afar.

But no,

I was selfish.

I wanted it for my own.

It could have been enjoyed by many more people,

but instead it lays withered and rotting on a tree, slowly dying.

I picked a rose today,

I ended a rose today.

 

Photo Credit: jacksonandperkins.com

 

The Cowardly Insect

frog31 Comment

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An insect walks down a street.

Using its six insect feet.

The insect sees a spider walk.

It chases another insect down the block.

The other gets pierced with a sword-like fang.

The insects’ cowardice does not wane.

A day passes, the other insect is dead.

All that remains is a decomposed head.

The insect walks down the block.

Like its predecessor it gets caught.

The insect cries and pleas for help.

Another insect hears its whelp.

The other insect watches and runs away.

It decides to return another day.

A day passes, the other insect is dead.

All that remains is a decomposed head.

The Four Agreements

kirbyfullyloadedLeave a comment

I stumbled upon a book today, The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz.

My dad told me about the Four Agreements when I was in third grade.  Being an 8-year-old, I thought nothing of them.

But now, they are of value to me.

The Four Agreements are devices used to end needless suffering.  By following the Agreements, one can (in theory) achieve serenity.

The Four Agreements are:

1. Be Impeccable with your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the Word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your Word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don’t Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

I find the first three to be the most helpful to me personally.  Number 2, Number 1 and Number 3 (in that order) are what will reducing my suffering the most and the most quickly.

The book has each of the Agreements as the subject of a chapter.  Ruiz goes on to explore each Agreement in depth, providing examples for the reader and from his own experience.

The concept of the Four Agreements is based off of ancient Toltec teachings.  The book, and the Agreements themselves are really, truly worth a look.

Ruiz emphasizes that much of suffering comes from selfishness and the unwillingness to let others see our imperfections.  It is a bit of a blow to the ego, reading about how we are the sole cause of our suffering and anxiety.  But nonetheless, a much-needed blow.

So seriously, check it out.  Maybe start your attempt at serenity today.  I think I have.