Tag: poetry

Indentured Servitude

I’m an indentured servant in the 21st century

Not to a single person

But to my discover and capital one credit cards

Commercials taught me I needed these precious cards

They they would bring me joy

The opposite was true

For every time I gambled

The shackles on my wrists got tighter

Everytime I mindlessly consumed

The shackles got tighter

The thousands I spent at coffee shops was all to dig myself deeper into financial slavery


Until one day I awoke to my servitude

Realizing my freedom has been stripped from me slowly each day from my unwise decisions

Now aware

I will be more mindful

I will practice discipline

I will practice compassion

I will practice transparency

I will break from indentured servitude

One day at a time


With aloha,

Johnny

Our Own Life is Our Message.

What do you want to be remembered for?

The shiny sports car?

A fancy corporate title?

Or is there more to life than accumulation and status?

I want to be remembered as a compassionate person.

As someone who reduced the amount of suffering in this world.

Who left this world a little more peaceful then when I arrived.

Not through talk alone but through mindful action.

Our own life is our message.

With Aloha,

Johnny

Exploitation vs Protection

Is humanities purpose to exploit the world?

Exploit other humans

Exploit mother earth

Exploit are fellow animals

All in the name of greed

Or are we here for another reason?

To love other humans

To cherish mother earth

To protect are fellow animals

All in the name of love

Time will tell which path humanity will take moving forward

For now I choose love over fear

Protection over exploitation

Values over money

My life is my message

With Aloha,

Johnny

Brothers & Sisters

There once was a star in the milky way

Until one day this star grew old

This distant star died & transformed into a supernova

Sending its space dust in the vast darkness of the Universe

Until one day this dust accumulated and condensed under pressure

To form our home, Earth

The star never truly died

It was reborn

Reborn as you, me, and every species that has existed on this planet

We are brothers & sisters

Sharing this beautiful planet together

With Aloha,

Johnny

Question Everything.

Question society

Question your culture

Question your thoughts & behavior

Your diet

Your values

Your opinions, beliefs, and habits

Question if this is truly who you are

Or what you were taught by others

 

Life is too short to live it blindly

Not questioning what we have been told

Question everything, including yourself

Is this what I truly believe from logical evidence?

By love?

Or is it driven by greed, hatred, or fear?

Lost.

 

I’m lost in the negativity

Drowning in the sea of news

Death counts on my mind

Economy crashing

Endless news of this pandemic

 

Fear & anxiety

Run through my mind

The 2nd pandemic

Of our times

 

I know this will all pass

Impermanence ends all

All we can do is have faith

Faith that things will work out

The way they are suppose too

 

Ferris Wheel of Life.

The Ferris Wheel of life

Enjoy the views

The sounds

Bask in awe of life

As you turn slowly

Aging

Growing

Ever-changing

 

Embrace your childlike curiosity

As you notice all the details of nature

Outside & within you

Beauty found everywhere

 

 

Love unconditionally

For everything & everyone is impermanent

Enjoy each day alive

Knowing it won’t last forever

 

The ride will end for you & I

Allowing others to enjoy the ride

Without death, there is no life

Embrace both

 

Greed.

How will we break from the spell of money and power?

Caring more about the dollar then human life

Living as if our bank account is the only thing that matters

Sacrificing our grandparents for the dow jones

Even in crisis, the rich get richer

Leaving crumbs for the rest

I’m not a revolutionary

But a man who questions everything

Especially my own life

I will look within

Within my greed

Doing my best

To choose generosity over greed

And the love of life over the fear of losing money

 

I’ll Stay in my Own Lane.

I won’t change you

I won’t judge you

I won’t argue with you

I’ll stay in my own lane

For life is too short for me to focus my energy on others

Telling them what they should or shouldn’t do

My work will be to accept all as they are

For I’m no god nor tyrant

No dictator or ruler

My path is mine to walk

No one can walk it for me

And I can not force you to change

Grow & change in your own time

Or not!

Who am I to judge?

I have plenty to work on

Much growth to be had

Any energy spent on you would be wasted

For my life is my message

If others follow

That’s great

If they don’t

That’s fine too!

I’ll stay in my own lane

Kobe & Gigi.

Some of us won’t grow old

Some of us will die too soon

They will not see another beautiful sunset

They won’t see their children grow

Their death is a tragedy

But an important lesson for us all

That life is short

Too short to hold grudges

Too short to be cruel

Too short to hate

Hold the ones you love closely tonight

For we truly don’t know what lies ahead

Show gratitude for your life

Show love to all

 

RIP Kobe Bryant, Gigi Bryant, & the 7 others who lost their lives today

You all will live on within your family & friends