Intimations of Immortality

The following is one of my all-time favorite poems.....

What through the radiance which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,

Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower;

We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;

In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind.

And O, ye Fountains, Meadows, Hills, and Groves,
Forebode not any severing of our loves!
Yet in my heart of hearts I feel your might;

I only have relinquished one delight
To live beneath your more habitual sway.

I love the Brooks which down their channels fret,
Even more than when I tripped lightly as they;
The innocent brightness of a new-born Day
Is lovely yet;
The Clouds that gather round the setting sun
Do take a sober colouring from an eye
That hath kept watch o'er man's mortality;

Another race hath been, and other palms are won.
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,

To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.

New Beginning - Start Over

From Tuesda, July 27, 2004 - 10:00am PST

A new beginning to a new day.

Here it is another week starts and another day dawns. New attitudes and new opportunities begin again in a never ceasing round. No, I'm not depressed or anxious, or even down today. I'm looking into a wide open future that bekons to me with excitement and the unknown adventures of the "new". I can see a different color sky, the sun shines a different shade of yellow, and the grass is no longer greener on the other side, especially since I found out it's artificial turf over there....LOL! Anyway, I have new motivation and clarity I have not had for some time and it encourages me to explore new understandings and new ideas with a furvor or anticipation. I think, see and feel clear. A new focus is here and I want it to stay. I will work for it to stay.

Those of you who read this, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to share a part of my being, my day, my world and my heart. Though you may not understand what I say, you are still there as a reminder that no one should or ultimatey can stand alone. Thank you.

May your world be as clear and rewarding as I am anticipating mine to become.

Thinking . . . Grrrrrr!

From Tuesday, July 06, 2004 08 00 AM PST

You ever just sit and wonder what the heck is going on? I mean here I am, a white, Christian, Conservative Male, living in the United States of America . . . . I guess I might as well have a target on my back! What is the deal? I can not understand how we as a society got to where we are. We can't be conservative because what is "right" for you might not be what's "right" for me...Riiiight! One can't be Christian because anything you say, do or put on your bumper sticker is construed as "hate-speech". The term "freedom of religion" has taken now to mean "freedom FROM religion". Litening to these people say that "the white man is the devil" and "these white supremists...". What did I ever do to these people? How is it that it's fine and okay for these very confused and angry people, who represent a very small portion of society, to use sweeping generalizations that have to do with my race, yet if I talk about my beliefs, those values I hold dear, or if some fool out there who happens to be white says some racial joke, it's wrong? This just doesn't make any sense. Why is it so important for homosexuals to not only have the same rights as everyone else, but better rights based on thier behaviour and not on anything else. Shoot, if that's all it takes to get extra rights then I should be able to do as I please and get the governement to give me all sorts of benefits! It's just all foolishness! It's getting out of hand.

Oh I know, I know, I'm making a lot of you who might read this angry and may get a lot of flack over it, but you know, I still have the freedom to express MY views, just like anyone else. I have the RIGHT to freedom of speech and religion, even though those both are under attack. I still believe and know that marriage is the union between one mand and one woman, irreguardless of what anyone "thinks". Remember they are trying to REDEFINE marriage, we are trying to PRESERVE what marriage is. We're not trying to take anything away from them, they ahve the same rights as anyone else under law, they just want more rights. It was interesting to me that in San Francisco, two men going to college decided to get married to take advantage of the benefits married couples get. These two men were not and are not gay. This caused an aweful outcry from the homosexual community. Why? Isn't this what they want, isn't this what it's all about? I wish they would make up thier minds.

Oh man! I am ranting aren't I? Sorry, I will stop now and let it rest. I know I will get flack from some of you and there may be those who will outright reject me as thier friends. That's okay. As many of you have put in your profiles, you wish to be accepted for who you are, without judgement. Well, I sincereley hope that you will not be the ones to reject me. It will be a good test as to who's going to be real and whose not. Not for me, mind you, but for you who might disagree with me or find what I say here to be offensive.

Well, on with the day.

You've Always Been There

This is from my Poetry Book entitled "Diamonds in the Rough"

Throughout my life I have suffered loss, pain, and grief.

I have felt the tinge of hunger and the hideous grip of sickness.

Many times I have fallen and not wished to rise.

Yet I saw the horizon on which all dreams lie.

At times I felt wealth, riches and happiness.

I felt warmth, security, prosperity, love.

I worked hard in hard times, I rested peacefully in quiet.

There were both good and bad yet all the while you were with me.

At times my anger rose and my voice lifted against you.

My fists clenched I shook in heavenward directions.

My cries were loud and desperate in the night hours.

And all the time you were there.

Many times in the past I could not see it, I could not feel it wrapped around me.

But seeing then now I see your hand surrounded me,

and even when I wandered aimlessly in circles,

with you, the path was straight, straight to your heart, your arms.

Through it all you've been my best friend, even though I never was yours.

You led me and guided me and brought me home in the end.

An ending of a beginning and a beginning of a new day.

What a song it is that you've planted in my heart, what a pleasure beyond belief.

A treasure that outlasts gold, and silver.

The ultimate expression in love, the price, the payment, all said and done.

Sorry, been away for quite some time....

Sorry to all who read this and wonder, where the heck has Peter been. I've actually bee concentrating on another service for a bit. It's called Netfriendships. It's really cool. Anyway, I've had a blog going there for a while and I will now be transferring my blogs from there to here as well to keep things going here. Sorry for the delay. I will try to remember to put the correct dates in the blogs. Thanks for reading.