The Great Dance of Life
Where to begin a song that has
No beginning or ending?
For all things turn in cycles
Infinite, unending, in life or death,
Birth and rebirth,
Days, months, hours, seasons,
And everlasting millennia
There are many grains of sand
In the crevices of earth
And yet more stars than all of those
In the universe, uncountable, incomprehensible
To our minds
Though if we let it be, and strain not on thinking,
We see it simply for the beauty
And the mystery
The wonder of it all
If it were only so simple
That we could think that way of all things
So life would go on turning
Without question, or criticism, or fear
In ourselves we would be peaceful
And perhaps then
Our world would be peaceful too.
Think not on life as a struggle, for all it requires
Is an outlook of joy and optimism
A train of thought
An affirmation
That all will be okay
No matter how tough living can be
There are always choices
And saviours
And heroes
In ourselves
There may be many dark days
But our hearts can make them shine
For what is light without the darkness
And stars without the night?
It is in those darkest days when the glimmers of stars are visible
That we can see our way
For when our souls are at rock bottom
Where else is there
But up?
Like ascending angels
We will rise and be reborn
Like the phoenix from the ashes
And we will be wiser for it
And happier
And more complete
For we know
And we are
And we can be
In this great universe of mystery
And wonder
Do not grieve for those you have lost
Mourn their passing
Move on
And honour them
Feel joy for them
For they are free
I used to think that we were pawns of Fate
That when it’s time, we go
And all we choose is our path home
But now
I wonder if perhaps there are interventions
In our human, mortal ways
But there are always reasons
And experiences
And things to be learned from all in life
Be thankful for that small mercy
And do no grow embittered
For they are always with you
By your side
In your heart
Guiding your way
Think not that you have lost them
For they have not gone away
They are with you always now
Their attention and guidance and affection
Is not limited to times when they can fit you in their schedule
But is constant now, and everlasting
Their love unconditional
If it was not already
So talk to them awhile
And don’t forget them
It is easier that way
Think now of those who wronged you
No matter how big or small their sin
And think of what created them
Shaped them
Made them
Into what they are, and were, and will be
Let them go
Forgive them, or at least,
Be willing to forgive
And see them for what they could have been
If not for prejudice, misguidance, neglect, other things
That twist us in such ways
Let go of anger, resentment, hate,
The festering only destroys ourselves
Not others, for even revenge
Is a weapon against the self
Stripping little bits away
‘Til we are bare, and vulnerable, and left to the throes
Of that other tool of self-destruction
Guilt
Take away lies
Jealousy
Envy
Regret
And all the limiting restraints
We put on ourselves
To stop our dreams
And delay our destiny
Let go
Drift out into the stars
Or the ocean
Or the fields
And be free
Love yourself
And all others
No matter who they are
For they were once like you
It’s just their path
Took a wrong turn
And they could not find their way home
If your heart is full of things you cannot seem to be rid of
Go back to the beginning
Release everything that’s old
That was not released before
And love yourself for it
Because it does not matter
What you say or do
Or how you look
Or how you dress
Or what shape or colour or faith you are
I know that I have faults
But I do not berate myself for them
I embrace them
Work on them
Release them
Set them free
And all the time I remind myself
That I am a slice of the one whole circle
Of divinity, of creation, and at the same time
I am an individual, I am what I make me
I am me
Money is something I strive for
But it is not what drives me
Material gains are for my taking
As and when I need them
But they are not what comfort me
Remember that the most simple things
Can bring joy no object can achieve
Like the embrace of a lover
The song of another
The stars or the sun or the moon in the water
Baby’s first steps or the birth of your daughter
Or son, or the love of your parents and siblings
Or the being in nature or stillness in silence
Or the breath of sea air or the flash of fork lightning
I know there is more happiness in simplicity than complexity
Like the dragonfly in the garden
Or the bird that cocks his head at me
While I talk nonsensical
And he sings to me
To silence my chatter
I walk in the woods
And I feel spirit around me
And there is more of God there
And in hills
And mountains
And oceans
And gardens
Than I will ever find in tall buildings
Or at altars
Of hypocritical preachers
When I sit, and I think, of what mankind could do
Instead of what he has done
I think that there is always hope
If I could just reach out
And touch every one of you
With the realisation of all that is sacred
Around you, above you, within you, without you,
You might change
And change others
It matters not how big or small
You make your contribution
But perhaps you think
That you would not make a difference
Or that people would not listen
Or maybe you don’t even care
But we can all make a ripple
In the largest of ponds
For can a butterfly’s wings
Not cause an earthquake in China?
In large oceans dwell small fishes
And each has their place, and is beautiful
With an equal chance against the current
And an equal importance to the way of things
Down there
In an unexplored kingdom
Of infinite possibilities
Just like the universe
With the stars
That are more plentiful than the sand
That our minds cannot comprehend
And so it goes
And so it grows
This great river of life
It ebbs and it flows
In large oceans and small streams
It is ever changing
Yet ever constant
In a circle of rebirth
Like the rain and the tide
The turning of our earth
And the seasons and their cycle
Of birth and rebirth, no beginnings, no end
Look within yourself for the answers
For only you can unlock the truth
And the truth is we all hold the key
To our lives, our essence, our body and soul
We can eliminate disease
Poverty of the soul
Destruction of the self
And we can manifest our changes for the better
If only we let go
And took hold of something new
And better
And let ourselves flow
So dance with life
In your utmost innocence
For you will be rewarded
With the greatest of gifts
Just dance.
(c) Louise Heyden, January 2004
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