Alive and In Motion
The Architecture of Hope
Awareness!
Our justification today will be that the sun has risen,
And as is our lot, we must rise with it.
Awakening slowly, we get out of bed—
No haste, for in the light, we bask.
We shake our heads to clear the fog,
Steeling ourselves for the day's task.
Ask not of men, but seek from God,
For peace and strength to face the day.
Set aside now your fluttering heart;
Such is the way that men should pray.
Wash the skin, cleanse the mouth, fuel the body,—
Clear the plate, feed the mind, water the spirit.
The journey has begun; consider your steps.
Look right, look left, to come up with a plan.
It's best to know what to do, not to do as we can.
When all is done, step out with a pep,
Stride with confidence as you look your best.
A twinkle of hope in the eye for the day—
He's naive and bold, let the others say.
Win and win again, and even in loss, you win.
I ask that you don't give up—that's the only sin.
The depth of life can't be reached in a day,
And for every answer, there's a price to pay.
Seize the day; be opportunistic!
It takes a moment to break free of statistics.
Navigating the seas of life's ambiguity is rough;
We toughen our hides through the battles and the scuff.
Hear us on this matter:
"On any given day, rarely does the comfort of surrender go away."
We grit our teeth and rack our minds just to find a way.
The death of hope leaves us open to decay.
So, as we did today, we'll do tomorrow:
Lift ourselves from the bed—no time to wallow.
So many things to do—what's important to you?
In finding that out, you can escape the blue.
Every morning, we rise up, to live out life true.
And somewhere along it, we found out we grew.
Through trials and lessons, we found a light,
And offer this truth as a guide in the fight.
Alive and In Motion
Pushed by Pain
Driven by Devotion
Almost every day I wake up, I have to shoulder the burden of existence. It is a heavy thing to seek "proof of life" when you are simply trying to find proof that you're living. Being alive is demanding; there is a multitude of reasons why we should give up, and in truth, they are all perfectly justifiable.
I have found that despite that weight, there is room for a little whimsy and a spark of curiosity. A small seed by which we find the strength to continue.
I find my own strength in my faith. There's a prayer Jesus made for his disciples on the eve of his death in John 17v15: "I do not ask that you take them out of this world." It might seem a small thing to some, but to me, it is a reason to stay in motion. It is an acknowledgment that we are meant to be here, in the thick of it.
I'd like to sell you a dream: this world has "good bones." Though it is scattered with a great number of faults and failures, I believe that with determination, you can make something better of your little corner. My only advice is you start by taking care of the builder.
Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
Most motivational writing tries to convince you the burden isn't real, or that you're weak for feeling it. You just say, yes, it's heavy, and also, there's room for whimsy. Both things true at once.
That's closer to how life actually feels. Some mornings I can barely get out of bed, and some mornings I notice the light coming through the window in a particular way. It's not one or the other. Thank you for not pretending otherwise, Richard.