Tag Archives: giving

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Light in the Darkness

Light in the Darkness

I hear a lot of folks complain
Of darkness in the world
How negative things have become
And hate that has unfurled

I see them fold their arms across
Their chest and just bemoan
Never doing anything
To change the world’s dark tone

“It’s hopeless!” they often declare
“What difference can I make?”
And that, my friends, is what is wrong
With folks who bellyache

They cannot fathom how one light
One tiny little flame
When lit up in pitch black rooms
Can so much darkness tame

There was a man two thousand years
Ago who was a light
And headlong did He walk into
The darkness of the night

He did not whine about how bad
That people treated Him
He didn’t sit and fold His arms
And let His candle dim

His name was Jesus and He was
The light in the darkness
No matter how much it enveloped
His light would not suppress

He taught people to not just hide
Away from all the gloom
But to enter into the
Most dark and somber room

To take their hope and faith and light
Into the darkest place
And let that light act as a torch
Illuminating grace

Casting out shadows of doubt
And silencing man’s greed
Acting as a beacon of
The hope that we all need

You cannot just sit by and wait
For your way to be lit
Your path can be made clear by light
That you yourself emit

You may work at a dreary job
With melancholy peers
But it will make no difference
If you go change careers

No matter where you choose to be
There will always be those
Who are the darkness in the room
And cast on you their woes

There may be some within your tribe
Who grumble and dissent
But in optimism’s light
Their darkness will relent

So don’t snuff out your flame of hope
And say it’s all for naught
Follow the shining example
That the Savior taught

Go headlong into the night
And cast your brilliant glow
Just as the great King of Kings did
All those years ago

Your light may not burn quite as long
As you may hope it to
But the flash left on their eyes
Will always imbue

And inspire others to
Spread their light to the dark
Sometimes all you need to see
Is just a little spark

                                ~Miro

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Reciprocate

“One of the main causes of burnout is a loss of reciprocity in social interactions. In other words, we have to give much more than we get back.” ~ Peter Richter

Reciprocate

Reciprocate, 4 syllables
A word that means “give back”
“Respond,” “return,” “reply,” “repay”
But one must have the knack

Of recognizing when one does
A favor unto you
And not just ones that cost a lot
But ones that cost a few

A couple seconds of your time
A few moments of thought
Don’t let someone’s kindness be
A gesture all of naught

Amplify the good that others
Take the time to show
When someone greets you, take a sec
To tell them back “Hello”

If someone spreads their joy and smiles
Then take your scowled frown
Reflect the warmth that they’ve shown you
And turn it upside down

If a person waves to you
It wouldn’t kill you if
You waved your hand right back at them
And not be such a stiff

And don’t just think the gesture must be
Paid back right away
Favors can be put in storage
For another day

Just don’t forget to pop the lock
And pull it out for use
A friendly gesture never given
Makes you seem obtuse

Yes, it’s nice to have people
Do thoughtful things for you
But kindness is a fountain whose
Supply you must renew

You can’t just take and take from it
One day it will run dry
Contribute to its selfless flow
Or kiss that spring goodbye

With seven billion people on
This planet that we live
The universal way to show
We care is when we give

So show some gratitude whenever
Someone does you right
Reciprocating has not once
Been shown to cause you plight

Don’t just be about yourself
And all that you can gain
Don’t sit still and watch as others
Give while you abstain

Reflect their grace and soon you’ll see
That others will in kind
Nothing’s as encouraging
As selflessness combined

                                        ~Miro

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Try Harder

“Much good work is lost for the lack of a little more. ” ~Edward H. Harriman

Try Harder

When you try your best and it doesn’t work
And you lose your cool and then go berserk
Try harder

When you make a plan that’s not in the cards
When you’re tackled short of just a few yards
Try harder

When you get a message and you think it can wait
And you put off responding ‘till a later date
Try harder

When you’ve had a bad day that’s pushed you to the brink
And you try to find solace by grabbing a drink
Try harder

When you’re mad at someone ’cause they screwed up once more
And you unload on them with your vengeful roar
Try harder

When you know you should go for a jog or a run
But you stay on the couch because it’s more fun
Try harder

When you’re asked for your help but you tell them “I can’t”
Because you’re so busy you’ve no time to grant
Try harder

When you see something weird and make fun with jokes
‘Cause your personal tastes are not like those folks
Try harder

When you throw in the towel and whimper “I quit!”
‘Cause you can’t bare to take another big hit
Try harder

When you come home from work and just sit on the couch
And spend your evening being a tired grouch
Try harder

When someone you love doesn’t get your attention
When their thoughtfulness doesn’t get any mention
Try harder

When you read or see something that brings up your mood
But you don’t share with others so they’ll feel renewed
Try harder

                                             ~Miro

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The Mile

The Mile

It’s written in the Holy Book
In Matthew passage five
And forty-one, the lesson of
How far we all should strive

“If someone asks to walk a mile,”
Jesus once declared
“Walk that mile, and then another”
The Messiah dared

Now I don’t care if you believe
If He was Son of God
Or if you think religion is
Just one giant facade

It doesn’t matter if you’re Muslim
Shaman or a Jew
Buddist, Hindu, Taoist
Or Shinto tried and true

Wiccan, Sikh, Confucionist
Or Scientologist
Maybe you’re just Spiritual
Or just plain Atheist

Regardless of the name you call
The faith you choose to follow
No one can deny when words
Are wise instead of hollow

When someone says that you should do
Much more than what’s expected
That you should give them twice what’s asked
That man should be respected

‘Cause that advice comes from the heart
The goal is altruism
To only think about one’s self
Will only lead to schism

But when you serve and go the extra
Mile that’s requested
It shows you to be genuine
And how much you’ve invested

In making sure that people know
You’re not just there to do
You’re there because you really care
And know to follow through

Requires more than what is asked
Because people are shy
Or don’t want to impose too much
Or don’t want to imply

That they need a helping hand
Perhaps they are too proud
And when they ask, they feel as if
They’re humbled and have bowed

Regardless of the reasons for
The help that is required
It’s the words of Jesus Christ
That have left me inspired

I’ll walk the extra mile with
The one who needs my aid
And if that path goes through a river
Then walk shall turn to wade

Help should never be halfhearted
Please don’t just “show up”
To paraphrase another verse
“Run over their cup”

‘Cause kindness and philanthropy
Are known to be worthwhile
But the only way to spread them is to
Walk the extra mile

                                        ~Miro

by

Reciprocate

Reciprocate

Reciprocate, 4 syllables
A word that means “give back”
“Respond,” “return,” “reply,” “repay”
But one must have the knack

Of recognizing when one does
A favor unto you
And not just ones that cost a lot
But ones that cost a few

A couple seconds of your time
A few moments of thought
Don’t let someone’s kindness be
A gesture all of naught

Amplify the good that others
Take the time to show
When someone greets you, take a sec
To tell them back “Hello”

If someone spreads their joy and smiles
Then take your scowled frown
Reflect the warmth that they’ve shown you
And turn it upside down

If a person waves to you
It wouldn’t kill you if
You waved your hand right back at them
And not be such a stiff

And don’t just think the gesture must be
Paid back right away
Favors can be put in storage
For another day

Just don’t forget to pop the lock
And pull it out for use
A friendly gesture never given
Makes you seem obtuse

Yes, it’s nice to have people
Do thoughtful things for you
But kindness is a fountain whose
Supply you must renew

You can’t just take and take from it
One day it will run dry
Contribute to its selfless flow
Or kiss that spring goodbye

With seven billion people on
This planet that we live
The universal way to show
We care is when we give

So show some gratitude whenever
Someone does you right
Reciprocating has not once
Been shown to cause you plight

Don’t just be about yourself
And all that you can gain
Don’t sit still and watch as others
Give while you abstain

Reflect their grace and soon you’ll see
That others will in kind
Nothing’s as encouraging
As selflessness combined

                                        Miro