I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.
j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.
Month: August 2016
Crisp white shirt and a coffee stain,
to my chagrin, or much disdain.
I tried not to dribble, but I did.
Again. The sun shines brightly, on
a beautiful day, and I now carry
a souvenir to remind me of
my errant ways. I tried to slow down,
attempted to change, and now must
move about wearing the residue of
my mistake. Mishaps, careless errors,
or unforeseen disruptions, don’t we all
carry around with us a shadow of
what was. Not always is it this obvious,
rarely this Instant, the stains of the past
remain, as do the costs. Only some of it
will come out in the wash.
Posted on August 30, 2016 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment
You know
who
You are
Instinct
and
intuition
are not
to be doubted
Each season has a taste and
a time, offering remembrances
of those before and anticipation
for what may happen next.
Every season begins anew and
then fades into the next, a cycle
which honors us, and then lets go,
as it must. Life is full of days and
weeks, months, and years.
As they ripen, savor the moments,
preserve what you can, and then
be open to change as you allow
fresh tastes, and the coming time,
lively thoughts and open minds.
j,g,l,
Posted on August 29, 2016 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment“
“Give a man a fish
and you feed him for a day;
teach a man to fish
and you feed him for a lifetime.”
The origin of this quote is as uncertain as it is true. It has been offered as a Chinese proverb, Native wisdom, and has been attributed to several philosophers (or songwriters).
They are telling words, so it matters less where the phrase came from, and more about what it means.
We live. We learn. We all need to learn something, despite all we have taken in so far. We are students of life, as much as we are teachers. Whether we learn the lessons or share the knowledge, we benefit from either angle.
To pass on what you know, to teach what you can, is to give a gift. To receive wise words or instruction from a peer, a professor, or a stranger is to participate in a process as natural and as necessary as breathing.
We should always be learning, it allows us to grow, to see the world with new eyes. It teaches us acceptance and gives us the strength and the substance to survive another day, and to even make it last a lifetime.
We should always be teaching. Even the little things we have picked up along the path can strengthen the resolve of another human being.
By sharing we all become a little bit closer, and a lot wiser. Don’t be afraid to share, it can only build equity in the life we are trying to live.
Don’t turn down words of advice from others. They may not serve you right now, or might not be what you need to know right then, but it may well assist you in the future. It is amazing how much value there is to memory and hindsight.
When it comes to wisdom, it’s okay to eat for today, but it is even more nutritious to remain hungry for a lifetime.
j.g.l.
