Predictable & Trustworthy

Mother nature
Is less predictable
But more trustworthy;
Human nature
Is more predictable
But less trust worthy.
05.01.13

Generosity & Gratitude

When expected generosity
Is abruptly terminated
It begets indignation
Instead of gratitude.
04.30.13

Obeying & Disobeying

Obeying comes because of
Fear, need, obligation, passion
Conviction and intuition;
Disobeying comes because of
Hubris, dislike, disagreement, malevolence
And the violation of conscience and intuition.
04.29.13

Mother Nature & Human Nature

Most tragedies and disasters
Are either caused by mother nature
Or by human nature
And neither of these two fierce forces
Is under rational control.
04.28.13

Reality & Imagination

On a nudist beach
The most intriguing bathers
Are the ones wearing swimsuits;
Whereas reality disillusions
Imagination beautifies.
04.27.13

Primitivism & Enlightenment

Primitivism
The archenemy of enlightenment
Is doubly dangerous because
Those who are primitive
Consider themselves enlightened
And consider those who are enlightened
Primitive.
04.26.13

Aesthetics & Emotions

Aesthetics
Are tied to emotions;
It is difficult not to love something
Which we perceive as beautiful
And it’s even more difficult
Not to hate something
Which we perceive as ugly.
04.25.13

Pollution & Mental

Mental pollution
With untenable ideas
Has been around longer
Than environmental pollution
Is deadlier, concealed, and responsible
For most human conflicts and tragedies.
04.24.13

Punitive & Humane

If we could remind ourselves
Before making punitive decisions
That all our gains will be temporary
Our actions would turn more humane.
04.23.13

Countries & Age

It is impossible
To keep any country
Young and free of disease;
Like the people who inhabit them
Countries age and become sick with time
But, unlike people, they never give up
And continuously rejuvenate.
04.22.13

Science & Courage

Of humanity’s proverbial institutes
Only science has the courage
To change its beliefs
With changing evidence.
04.21.13

Backs & Mirrors

We should all inspect
Our backs in the mirrors
Before we leave our homes.
04.20.13

Earned & Usurped

What is usurped by aggression
Decays at a much faster rate
Than what’s legally earned;
Survival of the unethical
Is invariably precarious.
04.19.13

Beauty & Desire

Beauty is defined by desire
And ugliness, by repulsion;
What is undesirable is unbeautiful
And when desire changes sides
Beauty always follows;
Desire beautifies.
04.18.13

Harm & Country

When what we do
To further our own ends
Does harm to our countries
We should refrain from doing it.
04.17.13

Intelligence & Wealth

Intelligence
Has little to do with wealth
But wealth
Has much to do with intelligence.
04.16.13

Bullies & Cower

Bullies
When bullied
Cower.
04.15.13

Injustice & Smiles

So as not to be surprised
Prepare for injustice with a smile;
It’s the way of the world.
04.14.13

Foresight & Hindsight

Foresight
Is an attribute of the few;
Hindsight,
An attribute of the many.
04.13.13

Lying & Oath

Lying under oath
Is just as debasing
As lying under God;
Why should it matter
Where and when we lie?
04.12.13

Fatigue & Energy

Fatigue is an un-measurable feeling
Indicating the lack of necessary energy;
Still, in spite of great scientific advances
Neither energy nor fatigue can be quantified
Except by the person who is experiencing them.
04.11.13

Memories & Age

Youthful memories
Are our only attributes
Which do not age with years.
04.10.13

Moods & Thoughts

Good thoughts mainly come with good moods
And bad thoughts mainly come with bad moods;
It is far easier to struggle for a good mood
Than to struggle against a bad thought.
04.09.13

Fiery & Contemplative

We lose our humanity and humility
When we become angry and hateful
And gain it back when we re-attain peace;
Our best decisions, opinions, and judgments
Emerge out of our calm, contemplative souls
Rather than out of our reactive, fiery spirits.
04.08.13

Advances & Tranquility

The rapid advances in technology and science
Have increased life’s medical and living expenses
Adding complexities, reducing tranquility
And straining everybody.
04.07.13

Peace & Turmoil

Peace cycles with turmoil; 
When peace endures too long
We become restless and quarrel
And when turmoil endures too long
We become drained and yearn for peace.
04.06.13

Pleasure & Memories

We can remember situations
And the times of joy and suffering
Better than we can remember pleasures;
Memories of past pleasures are irretrievable
Whereas the accouterments of pleasures
Remain indelibly memorable.
04.05.13

Promises & Remorse

Promises
Made during remorse
Are broken during abandon.
04.04.13

Humor & Beauty

Finding a hint of beauty in everything ugly
And a sliver of humor in all that’s sad
And a morsel of good in what’s bad
Would help us tolerate life
And make better use of it.
04.03.13

Worry & Hope

When one is mired in the quicksand of worry
A few, intelligent, encouraging remarks
Could furnish the ladder upon which to climb
Out of catastrophizing and into hope.
04.02.13