My Name Is -------. and I Am Addicted

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Originally uploaded by Randuwa.

To Poetry!

I read it voraciously, daily, widely. For many years now I have sent poems out on post cards from art museums to a wide range of friends and acquaintences, and even a relative stranger or two. I trace this habit back to my ex- Mr. J., and my profound desire to make real the call to commit "random acts of kindness" in this world. My ex- used to do this as well, and I don't know if he still does. I hope he does. I hope that reading this will inspire you to take up the practice, too.

Over this past Christmas I visited the ministry of a friend of mine. He has established a center of education and worship in the barrio of Monsenor Les Cano in Managua, Nicaragua. For years now I have sent him such poetry post cards. Imagine my delight at finding them lamenated and used as bookmarks in his library! My heart was deeply touched, and my passion encouraged greatly. I will tell you about and share some of my favorite poems/poets with you in the future. Just another strain in this ever expanding online journal.

But let me leave you with this poem by Keats. Feel free to copy it (it's in the public domain) and share it with those you love. It clearly speaks to a philosophy of life that I embrace.

LOVE'S PHILOSOPHY

The fountains mingle with the river,
And the rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix forever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine? —

See the mountains kiss high Heaven
And the waves clasp one another,
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother,
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?

>~ Percy Bysshe Shelley, (1792-1822)