A Certain Reminder

Black Elk has been one of the greatest influences in my Native Spiritual journey. So, imagine the delight I felt when seeing his name, Josh. xo

This snippet of wisdom is definitely of his essence.  We have a responsibility to share the truth, but also the wisdom required to know when.  That tipping point is when we can no longer live with ourselves keeping silent. Sounds like you've reached that point in this.

Wonderful spill. Took me home.

Aha - I hit home :))   I was actually checking out the Gospel of Thomas quote of which there are several translations but the one in my head must have stuck from reading Elaine Pagels' book, which I still have. Then I saw Black Elk come up and followed a bit more - looks like I'd better add Black Elk Speaks to my reading list.
You're right about the tipping point - I've experienced it at several points in my life where a sense of 'do or die' is generated. The current one concerns, as you know, 'the move' and many decisions surrounding it.

Sometimes we need to just move forth blind as we will adjust our sight to our surroundings

Thank you Tim; you're spot on. When we think about it we can control very few factors and are mainly moving blindly anyway even though we convince ourselves we're not. Bigger decisions tend to highlight the difference.

"So after much procrastination
I take a deep breath,
bite the bullet of reality
and trust it won’t explode in my mouth."

I totally understand this feeling  ... change can be hard, it can also be very good

Thank you Jemac, and for the RL.
"change can be hard, it can also be very good"
... a strangely it never seems to get easier - each time it feels taking the plunge into a time of change is just as scary as it ever was previously. I'm not sure if it's something to do with as you get older whether one feels one has more to lose, or less to lose - feels a bit like both.

I've had to uproot myself more than a few times  ... the Gypsy Wanderlust in my soul seems to feed on it .. but, there are definitely stages when it is more difficult  ... I've had those too .. I went in search of anything positive to get me through those and this is one that still pops up for me ...  

"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like."
Lao Tzu

Thank you for that Lao Tzu quote - I needed that  :))

Change is never easy...
even if we've wished for it so
but the choice is only change or die... or
do we want it hard or easy
oft times there is one choice only...
to get off our arses and go. H4U...Ely

"but the choice is only change or die."
... Yes, spot on ... that's what it always boils down to in my experience; eventually you reach a place where it's more scary (and painful) not to change.

"can feel pretty stark -
and peering into a dark unknown"

Excellent use of rhyme to capitalize on the momentum it can provide.

So I suggest you lather, rinse and repeat such by:

"arguing there are some things better not to know,
and spout [i]Ignorance is bliss - it leads to an easier life[/i].
Unconvinced [of this], my soul is not fooled"

I threw in a dash, as it seems the first notion leads into the next.

And I tossed in italics as well, because such always allows proclamations of thought or spoken word to stands out better than quotations.

Regardless of my fiddlings, it's a top notch poem.

Really nice to have some considered feed-back, thank you - changes noted. I like the addition of the mid-line rhyme (bliss -> this), it helps carry the momentum further.

When you stare into the abyss...the abyss stares back at you...Nietzsche. Powerful ink indeed Josh.
Cheers...Harry

Oh, Nietzsche again - that guy certainly drops the odd whoppers into one's life.  Thanks for that - and the RL, Harry. I'm trying to imagine what kind of beast is staring back at me, and what its eyes look like. Experience tells me facing things head on usually diminishes the fear.

I like what the Stoic Philosopher Hecato said...Have less hope and you will have a lot less fear. LOL

I can relate with those last two lines. Even as I've gotten older I tend to be uncertain of my decision and always tried to proceed with caution.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece.

Thank you Wally for your comment. I was actually wondering whether to scrap this poem and delete it from DUP; your comment has convinced me otherwise. There's a fine line between "confessional poetry" where others can find helpful common ground, and what I call emotional-throwing-up poetry which is best left in one's private journaling and out of the public eye. I was thinking I was the wrong side of the line. Now I'm seeing it differently, reading through the above comments again too.

It's always patiently waiting for us to give it attention, that reality thing. I sometimes think we put too much thought into it before we face it...more energy wasted avoiding it than it actually takes to deal with it. Silly humans. I love those last 2 lines

Thank you Willow. You're right that 'reality' isn't half as scary as we worry it will be - I tend to waste a lot of energy that way. I'll take a leaf out of your book. Bullet bitten, so far so good.   :))

Hello skyblue2, thank you for visiting this way, and the interesting comment. Sometimes I have a mantra "Once I'm clear, the rest is easy" where gaining the clarity in the first place to make the decision is the harder part. And sometimes it's as you suggest - the follow-up is the harder part.
And welcome to DUP, best regards, Josh.

"I take a deep breath,  
bite the bullet of reality  
and trust it won’t explode in my mouth."

Fucking epic ending. Loved it.

Yours,
LostGirl

Thank you LostGirl for the read and comment- glad you liked it.