[water … life … understandings]

…thinking

Seeking peace and healing, entering water calmly is one of life’s precious remedies;
Entering with arms and feet flailing belies intent and outcome;
Crashing from distance and with speed is all too often even fatal.

Consider life’s conversations are like river water;
Fickle maybe, unplanned much like an epiphany;
Humility, compassion, reason, and curiosity are calm pathways.

Undoubtedly, we’re different life experiences and enlightenments;
Giving doubt it’s due, good-faith and free-will are best starting points;
Calm pathways thereafter are dutiful, provided we desire mutual understandings.

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by William Anton Lee
2015 November 22
[life … water … civility]
Second Draft

[I’ll Be Here tomorrow]

Courage isn’t a desperate growl;
rather the gritty mantra “I’ll be here tomorrow!”

Yes my friend, it is courage you have, and
courage you inspire.

Better days are coming!

by William Anton Lee,
Oct 16, 2011
[I’ll Be Here tomorrow] ©

… My friend James Ventham inspires me each and every day.  While he is not alone in the daily challenge to keep head held high, it is his recent endeavors that motivated me to write this.  It is he that inspired me to stop and think about courage.  Specifically, about the courage it takes to face days where little changes for the better and in these days to feel the road is just slightly harder to climb than yesterday.  Only courage explains the grit it takes to climb that hill day-in and day-out.  James is a courageous soul and in the company of many such souls who share a common challenge called Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome.

Diligence Considers Antithesis

Whenever a thought or somebody appears to you as “the one”, take this as a sign that you neither completely understand the phenomenon or the person, nor the transient or evolving nature of truth or humanity.

Be cautious when lazy presumptions find you attached to the present and blindly dismissive of the future. We are not omnipotent in-spite of false assurances of intellect or emotion.

Be diligent! Consider the antithesis!

Mostly, nurture that and those you journey with, especially if you expect to look up one day and find yourself in the company of robust knowledge or loving companionship.

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by William Anton Lee
2013 April 14
Diligence Considers Antithesis

…inspired by Brother Ed, Christian Brothers High School, 1968-1972, who among others taught me to think while being anchored by humility.

[The Fading Rose]

Moments remembered when we couldn’t wait to see Affection as it turned the corner or we missed it when life required distance, even for an hour or two.

Affection remembered as a soothing voice, dazzling eyes and sweet lips so often and generously offered without expectation, albeit with hope and love.

Love remembered as an enchanted paradise where glimpses, snippets, a passing touch, even a gentle push naturally kindled the flames of Affection.

Loneliness remembered when Affection faded because we chose seclusion, relaxation or false expectations, albeit Choice can so often be clothed in blind apathy.

Wonder not, we are the masters of both affection and loneliness wherein we find no solace in seeing the faded rose while remembering the rosebud, so much so that our heart refuses to be quieted.

So it is Affection perfected that effortlessly remembers to gaze into Love’s eyes, speak in song, tame fire with a soft kiss, and gently touch the hand that holds your heart.

Magic or not, it is pure joy to remember forever rosebuds and gentle blooms, for if it’s the faded rose we routinely remember we only have ourselves to consider the fool, no less the lonely fool.

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by William Anton Lee
2013 April 18
[The Fading Rose]
First Draft

[Cherish Life Created]

Nurture students’ passion. Discover their mechanics. Lead them to resources. Encourage exploration.

Give teachers freedom and time to probe, to assess, to experiment, to adapt, to teach. Let them shy away from cookbook strategies, materials and tests which do little more than presume your child fits.

Rather, your child is a mosaic, a genius within. Let them be in it. Let them be it. Gaze across the room then. And, only then. See reflectively life created, life cherished.

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by William Anton Lee
2013, April 29
[Cherish Life Created]
Second Draft

[Be Not Alone]

Whether fear, trepidation, passion or affection, all play for our heart hoping to gather our soul and distract the mind. Some of these we favor as sunlight, others we banish as darkness. When called there are Angels in our midst who walk with us through darkness, just as their are Shepherds who guide us by daybreak. Sing through the night – dance through the day – and should the Moon rest and the Sun blind, reach for the subtle touch of angels and shepherds.

Caution! Hearts are at play with little understanding of emotion or endeavor. Gathered souls! Distracted minds! Flittering Hearts! These matter much and stand loneliness up. Listen carefully for sweet music calling us to sing and dance. Free your soul! Settle your mind! Guard against blindness causing angels and shepherds to pass-by after momentarily standing before us. Let not doubt, rationality, willful silence or stubborn blindness keep you from affection.

Be not alone, for we are not alone!

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by William Anton Lee
2013, May 6
[Be Not Alone]
First Draft

…I dedicate this to a dear friend of mine, Yvette, who fearlessly chose affection over doubt. She is an inspiration and an angel to so many herself.

Let Trust Survive Judgment

My very wise father, William Harold Lee, “Billy Boy” to his cousins, left us kids with several cognitive jewels. I’m reminded of one today.

“Don’t steal … and heaven forbid if you lie about it.”

Dad taught us that we all are inclined to “do” or to “not do” things. When called to face these decisions, whether by conscience or community, it’s always best to give the unvarnished truth without nuance leaving no small details out. Yup, no gray area in his definition of truth.

Leaving loose ends to fester in an attempt to protect caliber of judgement sacrifices integrity. It’s far better that we learn from mistakes in judgement, no matter how public or embarrassing, than lose trust.

The above is my takeaway, a few words longer than Dad’s (my intrinsic tendency).

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William Anton Lee
2013, May 10
Let Trust Survive Judgment
Second Draft

[Building a Life & Wooden Track]

Building wooden train track with your grandkids is a life lesson.

Start with the Round House, home, noticing a choice of multiple directions, arbitrarily select one direction because it feels right;

Work your way up to a Bridge while digging around for a tiny little Funny Piece, otherwise adapt;

Cross the bridge without accidentally collapsing the deck;

Choose the right Ding Ding, a kid’s pleasure;

Circle around and back and across and back until a Switch seems right;

Work you way back to the Round House but not before passing through the Maintenance and Repair Shop with a quick visit to the Wash House;

Pause and breath while planning how to finish off the other Spurs knowing that at least one track still needs to work its way back to the Round House – it’s the Switch you thought was needed earlier;

Seriously consider adding in a few Stops to make your job easier;

Listen to the kids making hay about your design choices and offering sage advice on how wooden track should be laid while deconstructing your best designs.

Lesson learned!

We get inspiration where we can and it’s the most unexpected and littlest things in life that provide the greatest insights and pleasures.

No matter the design, chosen pathways, obstacles, adjustments or the critiques, life has a funny way of working out and bringing you home, provided you keep your head down, work smart, and listen to the innocents among us who understand there is always a creatively simple solution which is usually different from the one we conceived or chose.

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by William Anton Lee
2013, May 19
[Building a Life & Wooden Track]

… inspired by Matthew Ciecek