The Quality of Life

Life is sanctioned by G-d,

for the sake of mankind:

to create harmony amongst us,

and the rest of His creation.

Life is disrupted by the neglect

of attention to the myriad details of its complexity,

lack of respect to the values of others,

and disavowal of responsibility to the voiceless.

Life does not repeat itself

by way of reincarnation,

nor can it be preserved by downloading

your essence onto a mainframe computer

or uploading your memories

into the artificial brain of an android.

Life only gives us one chance

to make the most of every day,

as we journey along the path to fruition

of all of our efforts, both material and spiritual,

culminating in an eternal reward.

Life regards kindness, compassion,

and helping others as assets

in our spiritual bank account;

and meanness, hatred,

and harming others as deficits

that will accumulate against us.

Life holds all things in balance,

as the Creator looks on with keen awareness

of the plight of mankind,

inclusive of every individual

on the face of the planet.

dVerse prompt

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Perfect Day

The conception of the world began in a moment, sparking the beginning of time, galvanizing matter, bringing order out of chaos, as the universe expanded. Then the original light of the world was spoken into existence by the Creator, Who also separated between light and darkness. Let us understand, that this light appeared before the sun, moon and stars, the luminaries of the sky. For, those were not created in the sequential order of things until the fourth day. The light, called into being on Day One, is described in the original Hebrew of the Bible as ohr.

The past will fold back into itself like dust, returning to the earth, as the light draws us toward that perfect day, when all of creation is renewed. Then ohr chadash, the original light of creation, that has been hidden away until this day, will resurface for the righteous to enjoy, as crowns are placed upon their heads. And, the night will no longer consume the sun, nor will death cast its shadow anymore over mankind. All will live in harmony with G-d, mankind, and creation. Even the natural world will be at peace with itself when the lion lies down with the lamb.

Darkness into light,

cast bright upon the land,

will vanquish death.

Divine Preservation

Salt and pepper,

addictive seasonings,

reserved for minimal use.

Crystal granules –

for Shabbos challah,

preservative of the Covenant.

And, spicey crushed peppercorns,

to assimilate fresh turmeric,

combined with ginger,

over coconut milk,

plus four tablespoons

of unrefined coconut oil,

to preserve proper

brain functioning.

dVerse prompt

False Memories

So-called memories

retrieved in office visits,

all proved to be false.

Beginning in the 1980’s, an epidemic of cases were reported across the States, having to do with childhood trauma. What appeared to be an epidemic was mostly the result of what today is a widely discredited type of pseudo-therapy called recovered memory therapy. Through psychological priming of information, guided imagery, hypnosis, and dream interpretation, many people’s lives were turned upside down, having been coerced into believing in what never happened. It is a story that must be told, to let the healing unfold, and prevent similar psychological contagions from occurring again.

Over the course of ten years, my childhood recollections were obscured, as dark memories began to surface, during office visits with my therapist. The innocence of my youth became corrupted by the shadows that passed before my eyes. My therapist painted an ever-changing picture of an array of implications. He cast doubts in my mind about my family, tempering the unpleasant into the horrific. Needless to say, this took a toll on my psyche, bringing me into the depths of my own private hell.

Until, one day, I was released from bondage to this evil form of therapy and gained distance both geographically and timewise from my therapist. Divine guidance led me to the False Memory Syndrome Foundation, where I first learned about the flexible nature of memory. Upon returning to the Southwest, one day, in a moment of revelation, everything changed when I realized that all of these shadows were nothing more than empty lies. Only recently, have I been able to “reclaim my past,” by reviewing my actual memories of childhood and young adulthood, in order to see them within the true light granted to me from Above.

dVerse prompt

Invisible Heritage

Our heritage is like the wind,

moving unseen through the trees;

yet, leaving an impression

amongst the sands of time,

along the beaches of distant shores,

and the deserts of the world.

Are we amongst the souls

whom may make the claim to be

children of G-d, under the heavens

that He created, before the dawn of history?

If so, the fruit of our efforts

to change ourselves for the better,

and lend a helping hand to others

must prevail over and against

the selfish urges within ourselves,

that have the capacity to sweep

away our best intentions,

while we create a house of cards

to please our own ego.

Lost & Found

With all of my focus on Shomayim,

daily, I will dwell in eternal joy.

No time on earth to make a fuss

about the trivial nonsense of the world,

nor ignore the inevitable,

unfolding of prophecy.

Yet, to stand up for the truth,

is a poet’s toil and obligation,

if one dares to become

a voice for the voiceless

a heart for the heartless,

and a light for souls

living in darkness.

At the edge of the sea

a lighthouse sends out its message,

warning nearby ships of the dangerous rocks.

A canary in the coal mine serves

as an indicator of impending doom.

So, too, words that seek to transcend

the crises of an ever-expansive

universe set in motion long ago,

will guide the weary traveler,

under the stars, home.

dVerse prompt

Slumbering Eyes

Wake up to the truth,
grant awareness to thyself.
The will of the Maker is done
each and every morning
under the sun.

Without the wisdom from Above,
our eyesight will dim over the years,
and eyes squint in the morning light;
yet, in anticipation of the renewal of the earth we wait,
renewed not by the hands of man –
rather, from Heaven’s glance.

Let me see the continuity
of Your blessings bestowed upon the land,
as the rejuvenation of the planet occurs,
guided by Your divine will,
the waters glistening on the surface,
the trees nourished by rich soil
that springs up in the deserts
when all of creation is healed.