Writing for Wellbeing...

Where the poems are

There is a long curved pathway
which runs between sanity and madness:
I have walked it many times,

searching

in wrong places
for solutions
to wrong problems;

destined

to walk for ever
until, exhausted,
I came close to death.

Whoever is responsible for miracles

chose that moment
to open up my eyes,
let me see the light,
which lit a different path.

That is where I found the poems.

by David Agnew (Belfast David)

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I read this poem by my friend David, today and I immediately wanted to share it. It offers hope that however bad things may seem, there is always the possiblity for change, for making different choices. It is never to late to take a different path.

Please do have a look at David's poetry; his words always have something special about them, whether it's gentleness, humour, wisdom, something to ponder upon, or something a little bit silly to smile about; his words never disappoint! Take a look at his blog:  http://belfastdavid.wordpress.com/posts/
and details of his books (that I can thoroughly recommend) can be found here: http://belfastdavid.wordpress.com/books/

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

Chapter One

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.I am lost .... I am helpless.

It isn't my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter Two

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend that I don't see it.

I fall in again.

I can't believe I am in this same place.

But, it isn't my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in ... it's a habit ... but, my eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault.

I get out immediately.

Chapter Four

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

Chapter Five

I walk down another street.

by Portia Nelson

This is another powerful metaphor of life being like a journey ... we learn important lessons along the way ... such as making the same mistakes again and again, then learning to avoid mistakes we've made in the past ... self-responsibility ... making choices - such as choosing to go in a different direction ...

I was first introduced to Portia Nelson's work during my counselling training. Each time I read this, it makes more sense!

What do you think?

The Journey ...

THE JOURNEY, by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice-
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognised as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do-
determined to save
the only life that you could save.

This powerful poem by Mary Oliver fits in nicely with yesterday's blog, on following your own path through life... It shows how much courage and determination it can take to walk away from one path and carve out a new one... It can mean making hard decisions, leaving others behind, saying 'no', being 'selfish' .. but to be truly authentic, you need to be brave enough to make painful choices if it means saving your soul ... and being true to your self ...

What do you think?

Did the words of the poem inspire you?

Are you on the right path?

comments welcome!

Chooisng your path ...

Life is like a journey... sometimes the path is difficult and thankfully sometimes it's gentler. It's perhaps essential that we follow a path that enables us to be authentic; real, happy and fulfilled. Other people, even those we love & respect, sometimes question the path we choose, but don't let this be an obstacle. If you listen carefully to your inner voice, you'll find that you know, deep down, which is the right path for you. Let your intuition guide you. Don't let the voices of those who question you weigh you down, like stones in your pockets; slowing you down, holding you back. Be brave. Your inner lantern will always light the way.

“Other people may be there to help us, teach us, guide us along our path, but the lesson to be learned is always ours.”

(unknown author)

How is your journey through life going right now?

Do you feel that you are following the right path?

If not, it is possible to change direction and follow a new path....

If you feel you're lost, have gone in the wrong direction, or that you can't even see the path, don't worry! Sometimes it is taking the accidental twists and turns that allow us to see a bigger picture or a new direction that we hadn't even considered before.

... However, on the whole, it is a good idea to have a plan, a map, before embarking on a journey, otherwise we might not actually get very far, we might get lost, or we might end up going round in circles.

What plans have you got for your journey through life?

What are your hopes and fears?

Where would you like to be in 6 months? A year? 5 years time?

If you don't know, counselling can help you get a clearer idea of which direction you want your path through life to be going in... especially if you're feeling lost or that you're going in the wrong direction...

A counsellor won't show you the way, tell you what to do, or lead you in any way. Your counsellor will 'walk alongside you' for a while, until you feel ready and empowered to continue along the next stage of your journey unaided...

March on, and fear not the thorns, or the sharp stones on life's path.

Kahlil Gibran

The longest journey through life, is down the path that leads us Home.
Tony G.