there is a haunting cloud of poison
in the air this morning…a red hot sky
our salty tears making dirty trails
on our faces…smiles darkened
in the wake of hate’s fire
~kat
Remembering Las Vegas…and keeping close to heart, those still suffering in Puerto Rico, islands in the Caribbean and Texas and Florida.
Being an optimist is exhausting, especially now. I’m not going to rattle off another list of what is wrong with the world. You already know it…if you’re paying attention. And I’m guessing you’re exhausted like me.
I’ve stopped saying “I can’t believe it! How is this happening?!” I’ve stopped believing that I can count on people, even those I love, to do the right thing. I’ve started to believe that voting doesn’t matter because politicians are not in it for the people, but to line their pockets and ensure comfortable retirements for themselves.
I’m seriously considering the fact that I may not be an optimist after all. I’m clearly not up to the task. But I can’t bring myself to admit that I’m a pessimist either. Luckily for me, and you too if you’re exhausted, there is another option. Being a realist.
I looked up realist and found the perfect definition in the Urban Dictionary:
Realists have a firm grip on reality and can see things for what they are, not what they are told they are. Realists have their own views and do not fall victim to propaganda, misconception, or titles!
1. There is the Pessimist who believes the glass is half empty!
2. There is the Optimist who believes the glass is half full!
3. Then there is the Realist who knows it is just half a fucking glass!
No more exhausting “rah rah la-la-la, everything is unicorns and rainbows” optimism from me! No more “kiss your ass goodbye, the sky is falling” pessimism either. They’re both exhausting and in a word, delusional. Realism is where it’s at. My self-talk needs a do-over…
“So yeah, things suck…a lot…right now. And it’s probably gonna get worse before it gets better. Fortunately for you, for everyone, it won’t last forever. It never does. Get a grip! In the meantime, the sun is shining and the sky is blue. Or maybe it’s raining. Deal with it. We need rain sometimes. It helps plants…and people grow. But the sky is definitely not falling, so get over yourself. And for god’s sake, get out of bed. Today is 24 hours of whatever you choose to make it. Clock is ticking sweetheart. Get out there. Kick some ass!”
I’m definitely pessimistically, optimistic that being a realist is the way to go. I am so over being an extremist. At the end of the day I might still be exhausted, but it will be well earned exhaustion from keeping it real!
Have a great week everyone! Here’s to keeping it real and kicking it!
conformation be damned
it drives us mad if we ignore it
and then some
the twister spared the trees
air dense with death’s balm
chaos rages, earth in flux
tossed and forgotten
a tiny dot on a page
back in the day
pipe-dreams on inked pages
until the lights went out
ending suddenly into dead, black silence
tracks through the wild
even if it is hard to see…
I am not dazzled
death whispers to her
~kat
my garden heaves her
last bit of sweetness
as the cool beauty of
death whispers to her
urging her to sleep…
to dream of spring
I am not dazzled by
broken gods and
fool-hearty men who
must be surrounded by
all-embracing prisoners
of fear to feel whole
keep trusting in
the goodness of
others even if it is
hard to see….I
believe it’s always
there, waiting to care
every path is thick
with followers but
wanderers leave fresh
tracks through the wild
~kat
photo by Bryan Minear via Unsplash
The explosion and loss of pressure sent the plane into a terrifying spiral, tossing passengers like ragdolls against the cabin ceiling; thirty horrible seconds that seemed like hours, lights flashing, people screaming, the fuselage groaning, ending suddenly into dead, black silence.
Sarah roused to the smell of jet fuel, the glare of red flashing lights and the tinny sound of rescuers calling for survivors on bullhorns.
With her legs broken, she managed to stretch her hand into to the air, crying out, a faint whisper, “I’m here.”
~kat
For Sonya’s Three Line Tale Challenge based on the photo above by Bryan Minear via Unsplash.
like mercury colliding... 