Life's Not So Rare Lessons, Dec. 3, 2011

Sometimes, something comes to you that really isn't for you.  This is one of those moments.  Whoever this is for, I pray that it reaches you.

I'm a people watcher, a shameless one, in fact, because I feel we learn so much from observation.  I try not to be creepy, staring hazardously at random folks.  At some point this would make them uncomfortable.  A few subtle glances.  Sometimes, listening to conversations.  It's interesting some of the things you'll notice about others that leads you to noticing something about yourself.

One thing I've wondered about people is how they deal with their varying moods.  Have you ever seen someone so overwhelmingly sad that it makes you sad, and suddenly you wish you could give them a hug?  I'm certain that's not just me.  It's interesting how our moods rub off on others, but I'll examine that in another post.  This one is about depression. 

In all of my life, even while enduring some extremely difficult things, I can thankfully say I've never been depressed.  Sure, I've found myself dangling close to the threshold, that invisible  place where sadness is so close to becoming a gloom that you just can't shake.  But luckily, I found some way to pull myself up again.

Family, close friends, work, writing, etc....there were several factors that helped me escape.  But some people don't have those outlets.  So I've been racking my brain for the last few moments, trying to figure out what they can do, and how I might possibly help them.

Most people have heard the saying 'there's light at the end of the tunnel'.  But what if the tunnel is so dark and long that the end seems nowhere in sight?  Then, it takes something within to make a person continue to move forward.  Suicide has always seemed like an odd concept to me, but I understand why some people struggle with it.  If I wasn't blessed with all the wonderful things that keep me motivated and going, the idea might have crossed my mind at times.  From being teased relentlessly as a child to dealing with seizures that my doctors couldn't find cause for, there have been moments in my life where I easily could have given up hope.

But I always remembered one thing.

Every life is worth living.  

There is someone out there battling with something right now and they're feeling like it has the best of them.  They've cried so many tears and fought as hard as they could, but somehow that hardship keeps winning.  And right now, they're considering ending their life, as the only way to cope.  But I'm hoping they don't do it.  Because every life, no matter how hard or desperate or unbearable it seems, is worth living.  From the pastor to the prostitute.  The extremely rich and the extremely poor.  Every single life is a valuable one, because it's the only one you get.

And while this might not solve your problem, I'm hoping it's enough to make you consider a real solution.  There are crisis centers, guidance counselors, or even the pastor at a local church, willing to talk to you and offer help.  My email address is therarepoet@yahoo.com, and you can email me at any time.  

I don't know who this message is intended for, but I was moved to write it.  I feel that if we're nice to each other, offer a smile, and try to be more concerned with the lives of others, then everybody will eventually understand that every life is worth living.

Blessings to everyone out there.  Make somebody feel worthwhile today.

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet 

Monday Oh So Dope Award, Nov. 28, 2011 (Yes, I'm Feeling Dope!!)

And here is yet another return to one of my favorite recurring themes in this blog:  the Monday Oh So Dope Award!!  Everyone know's that Monday is that day of the week somehow vilified by all.  Whether it's the start of the work week, the beginning of the school week, or that moment that reminds you the fun and games of the weekend are over, Monday seems to get a bad rep among the days (only Wednesday gets nearly as harsh treatment).

But everyday can't be Friday.  And every Monday isn't bad.  That's why I started this portion of the blog.  To remind us that there are always some cool and uplifting things going on.  Even on Mondays.

Today's award goes to leftover Thanksgiving dinner.

Sure, you said you were sick of them.  You've protested, having spent all weekend eating turkey sandwiches and gorging yourself with cakes and pies.  But come Monday, when the holiday vibes seem to finally be fading and the world is back to slowly getting on your nerves, you open the fridge and smile. One more night won't hurt you.  And it kind of makes this Monday seem even more worthwhile.

So go ahead, enjoy a dope helping of leftovers.  And remember to enjoy today!

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet

Life's Not So Rare Lessons, Nov. 28, 2011

Sunday morning, I was recuperating from a bit of sickness, and happened to catch an episode of Super Soul Sunday on OWN.  It was an interesting show with Oprah Winfrey talking to Mark Nepo, the author of The Book of Awakening, a daily companion book to 'help people meet their days and inhabit their lives.'  Nepo, who published the book in 2000 following a battle with cancer, said the book turned out to be a spiritual first-aid kit.  The Book of Awakening catapulted to fame in 2010, when Oprah listed it as one of her favorite things.

During Sunday's show, Oprah read one of her favorite passages from the book, which I'll share here.

After hearing the passage, an ancient Hindu teaching, it really made me think.  So often in our lives, we are confronted by pain and don't really know how to bear it.  But the profound message behind the teaching is that pain, like everything else in our lives much be taken in context.

Putting our experiences into perspective will allow us to deal with them better.

This might seem hard to do at first.  Often times, especially with negative situations, it's hard to get past how uncomfortable they are.  We forget to think about the bigger picture and only focus on how we're immediately affected.  But everything functions within a broader spectrum.  And that amount of pain, discomfort, heartache, or whatever, is serving a purpose within the broader spectrum of you.  I think what the teaching was trying to say is that unless we understand that we extend beyond the pain, we will always succumb to its bitterness.

Be a lake, not a glass.

The smaller the receptacle, the more force or impact anything that comes in contact with it has.  By being a lake, or expanding ourselves outside of the moment and seeing everything as a whole, we lessen how much we're impacted by pain.

I think being the lake is key in positive situations too.  So often, we get caught up in our successes and joys, so much so that we forget to keep them into perspective.  We become stagnant, because we get stuck in the moment, instead of stretching ourselves towards the bigger picture.

Once we learn to take things into perspective, we'll live fuller lives.  And isn't that a step towards happiness?

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet

Life's Not So Rare Lessons, Nov. 25, 2011

Life is what you make of it.

Sometimes, life really sneaks up on you.

This was something I was told in a conversation that really made me think.  When you hear this, it probably conjures up images of life overtaking you, most likely for the worse.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  Even when life sneaks up on you and you start to realize that things aren't going the way you want them to, it's best to look at it as an opportunity.

This is the chance to get life back on track.  Look at how your life is going, and if you don't like it, figure out why.  From there, look for opportunities where you can implement changes for the better.  Don't let it overwhelm you.  If someone had told me I'd be 30 years old, unemployed, and trying my best to just hold it together, I probably would have panicked.  But I've looked at my life and realize there are plenty of opportunities for change.  I'm learning new skills, meeting new people, and still pushing my way towards my dream.  I'm learning about myself as well.  I'm stronger than I once believed.  I'm wiser than I used to be.  And I've developed a ton of patience, the kind necessary to achieve what I want for my life.

Yes, life has been sneaking up on me.  There are things I assumed I would have done by now.  There are places I expected to be.  But the best part about it is, I'm not looking at this as defeat.  I'm still striving.  And who said there's a time limit on getting to exactly where you want to be?

In less than a month, I'll turn 31.  According to my teenage self, I should be a multimillionaire by now.  But Rome wasn't built in a day, as the saying goes, and a life you're completely happy to live is worthwhile, regardless of how long it takes you to get there.

Keep believing in yourself, keep reaching for those goals, and keep seeking ways to make yourself happier.  When it's the life that you know you want, you'll enjoy every second of it.

And that's what happiness really is.

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet

Something Worth Sharing

This was sent to me in an email via Hope Clark over at FundsforWriters.  It really made me think about how our actions impact others.  Think about this the next time you interact with someone.

Marcus Jamison, the Rare Poet

A short story I hope you enjoy . . . one I hope strikes home . . . one that hopefully makes us appreciate what we have and what we have to offer. Happy Thanksgiving, friends. 

 

~Hope

 

 

 

 

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, 'Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd.'
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him...
He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes . My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, 'Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives.'
' He looked at me and said, 'Hey thanks!'
There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.
He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends . He said yes.
We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, 'Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!
' He just laughed and handed me half the books.'
The next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors we began to think about college.  Kyle decided onGeorgetown and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never
Be a problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd.
He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak .
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.
He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, 'Hey, big guy, you'll be great!'
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled....' Thanks,' he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began ...
'Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.
Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends....
I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.
I am going to tell you a story.'
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
'Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.'
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. 
I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.
Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions.
With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse.

God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.