I wonder how, it is sometimes,
That people, aren’t what they seem,
And words are lost, into the void,
And thoughts become extreme…

It shouldn’t be so hard, I think,
To take stock in what we know,
And see the truth, just as it is,
And know just where to go.

But that is where, the heart steps in,
And makes it all much worse,
It keeps our minds, from seeing truth,
With poems, and distracting verse,

Though even if, we need a change,
And it’s a bitter path to take,
We have to do, what we feel’s right,
And believe in the choice we make…

Cause I will find another sunrise,
Even in the darkest night,
I will lift myself, from where I am,
And I will not lose this fight.

I know it may be difficult,
And it may take its toll on me,
But I will do, whatever it takes,
To finally be free…

I wish it felt much easier,
At times when life must change,
But that is what it takes sometimes,
For things to rearrange.

For we can never see, too far ahead,
Over bridges we’ve not crossed,
And fear can come, and hold us back,
And make our soul feel lost.

But that is when we need to breathe,
And draw upon our strength,
To take a step, and then the next,
And cross that final length…

Cause faith is when we take the leap,
Without safety in what we know,
And hope is where leave that cliff,
And trust in what’s below…

For I will find another sunrise,
Even in the darkest night,
I will lift myself, from where I am,
And do what I feel’s right.

I know it may be difficult,
And it’s a painful place to be,
But I will do, whatever it takes,
To finally be free…

And so, I guess, it just takes time,
To find the path ahead,
But it’s worth the time, to look around,
And relieve that sense of dread.

For deep inside, we have the strength,
To face another day,
Even when we feel, our hope is lost,
And joy is swept away…

Because every time, we trip and fall,
And lay flat upon the ground,
It’s a chance to prove ourselves again,
And our strength to those around.

And as we lift, our heads up high,
And rise above our fear,
We prove that we are meant for more,
And our need to change was clear…

And I will find another sunrise,
Even in the darkest night,
I will lift myself, from where I am,
And reach that distant light.

I know it may be difficult,
In what it requires of me,
But I will do, whatever it takes,
To finally be free…
—
For the times we need to make difficult choices, and the faith that life is unfolding as it should… and will take us where we ultimately belong…

-CJG 07/15/2017

I was wandering through the desert,
For what seemed like many days,
I felt so lost and hopeless,
My life felt like a haze.

The heat kept beating down on me,
I felt oppressed and lost,
I struggled to find my very breath,
Each one, I drew, at cost…

I looked towards the horizon,
To find a safer place,
And all I felt, were burning rays,
That scorched my very face.

I lifted up my hand to see,
To shield my weary eyes,
And that is when I saw it there…
It caught me by surprise.

I came upon a flower,
I didn’t expect to find…
It never should have been right there,
In a place that wasn’t kind…

I stared at it in wonderment,
Lost… in how it could be…
Yet glad, I somehow found it there,
As if God had sent it to me.

I approached it somewhat cautiously,
Afraid I’d do it harm,
Yet in amidst that awful place,
I had no cause for alarm…

It rose above, the crackled ground,
Defying all of Nature’s rules,
As if it somehow knew a secret,
To survive, in a place that cruel.

And I felt a tear, drop across my cheek,
As I took that beauty in,
And felt, that perhaps it was a sign,
Of good things, meant to begin.

For even in our harshest days,
When the light may blind our eyes,
We know there will be stars at night,
And the cooler desert skies…

And perhaps if this, flower can live,
And life can always find a way,
Then maybe there is cause for hope,
To find a better day.

So I reached into my backpack,
And gave it the water I had,
Cause if that flower, couldn’t make it there,
I truly would be sad…

For it takes some courage, to put down roots,
Where others would dare not go,
But that’s where life can be divine,
In ways we’d never know.

So I said a prayer, to offer thanks,
For the Hand that led me there,
And I said goodbye to my desert flower,
And with it, my despair…

For the moments we unexpectedly encounter beauty in life… and the hope we’re present enough in the moment to experience it fully…

-CJG 07/06/2017

Spread your wings and fly up high,
Let your spirit soar…
Release yourself from all your fears,
Be open to what’s in store…

Take a step, out off the cliff,
Lean into the wind…
Find the strength, you have inside,
Hidden down within…

Feel the rush… as you fall,
The rising, upward breeze,
Allow yourself to trust your wings,
Start gliding on with ease…

Open your eyes, and see the skies,
The limitless, heavenly blue…
Feel the calm, reach to your soul,
With words of peace to you.

See the world, that’s all around,
The beauty at your feet,
Feel the wonder, of God’s own Hand…
His Creation, so complete.

Travel far, across the land,
Find a better place,
Leave behind, what worries you,
Put a smile back on your face.

Rest at night, and find some peace,
Sleep beneath the stars,
Rest and know, you’ve made a change,
And brought your spirit far.

And when the nighttime, finally ends,
You’ll see the morning light,
And you should know, deep down within,
That the future will seem more bright.

So take that step, with faith, my friend,
It’s all you have to do,
For the morning’s light is waiting there,
With hope and joy… for you.

For those who struggle… and the faith it takes to step off the cliff, trust in God, spread your wings… and soar…

-CJG 06/30/2017

Does a mountain cast a shadow,
In the middle of the night?
It feels, at times, that it is there,
But something isn’t right.

How sad we lose our sleep sometimes,
Thinking of the worst,
As if our thoughts are trapped in fear,
And focus somewhat cursed.

We picture all, of what can be,
…The world in steep decline,
If only we could clear those thoughts,
And let ourselves feel fine.

Cause nothing will ever come from this,
The worries in our mind,
And wouldn’t it be better to,
Spend thoughts on something kind?

And yet, we toss and turn with toil,
And waste the hours away,
As if that shadow DOES exist,
And we let that image stay.

I wish I could just turn it off,
These thoughts, with just a switch,
And stop the desire to even scratch,
That persistent, worried itch.

I suppose we simply need to try,
To find a little light,
To clear the shadow, and rest our thoughts,
And wage a little fight.

For nothing can condemn us all,
To succumb to needless fears,
And waste away the time we have,
With thoughts that aren’t so clear.

I guess it’s just the way we think,
…To choose a better view,
To try and keep away those thoughts,
It’s something we should do.

And maybe, if we try real hard,
To think a different way,
We’ll start to give our minds a rest,
And sleep a bit today.

So try, my friend, to see the truth,
That shadows need their light,
Then rest at peace within the dark,
And sleep throughout your night…

For all the times we should give ourselves peace of mind, when there isn’t anything to be done, but rest, and take the next day as it comes…

-CJG 05/30/2017

So often we are caught in traps,
The jails within our minds,
The thoughts we have, that hold us back,
That generally… aren’t so kind.

And all they are, is baggage that,
We allow to hold us down,
That drag us to our very knees,
And spirits to the ground.

If only we could have a way,
To change our daily thoughts,
Those traps, for us, would not exist,
Our spirits, not get caught…

So… find hope within the sunrise,
When the day is new,
See the light push back the dark,
And find its way through you.

Look to each new morning,
For all the day can bring,
Then lift your soul, up to the sky,
…It’s such a simple thing.

They sound so trite, these simple words,
And often, it’s quite rough,
To leave behind, what holds us back,
…When we have had enough.

But that’s the point, to let things go,
And find a different way,
To choose another path to follow,
With each new starting day.

Cause if we make a little step,
From where we are, to there,
We’ll soon let go, our burdens’ weight,
And, at a point, we will not care…

So, find hope within the sunrise,
When the day is new,
Put aside your harmful thoughts,
That’s all you have to do.

And look to each new morning,
For all the day can bring,
Then clear away your fears, my friend,
And bring light to everything.

And when we find, a different path,
There’s a chance that we may fall,
But nothing comes, without those days,
And, through struggle, we’ll stand tall.

For all the things, we want in life,
Can be within our reach,
As long as we, put away our fears,
…And boundaries, that we breach.

And when we’re “there”, upon our goal,
The world laid at our feet,
We can look back, and smile for days,
We overcame defeat.

So, see hope within the sunrise,
Above the morning dew,
Hear the songs of birds above,
Their words, just meant for you.

And look to each new morning,
With deep, blue, crystal skies,
Cherish your life, and what can be,
And hope will fill your eyes.

For the courage it takes to set aside our fears, let go of the past, and to move towards the hope that can come… with each new sunrise.

-CJG 05/21/2017

How large we feel, within our minds,
And the importance that it brings,
That we are meant, to rule the world,
…Our rightful place in things.

And on we march, with heads held down,
To climb that nearest hill,
It may not even be, required,
But simply for the thrill.

To know that we’re, above it all,
And feel that awesome power,
For nothing should ever seem so grand,
To make our spirits cower.

And yet, we are, so small in ways,
Just grains of tiny sand,
While in our minds, we rule it all,
To the oak, we’re just the ants.

And the farther we go, the worse it gets,
The Earth amongst the stars,
And all the universe, beyond our reach,
The lights at night, afar.

So strange that is, we lose our sight,
Of the scale that’s all around,
It’s worth the time, to give it thought,
To keep our feet, aground.

For this simple thought, can give us much,
To keep us free of greed,
And a little dose of humility goes,
A long way towards that need.

For all we are, is simple beings,
Put here to find our way,
And find our truth, within the stars,
That mission for our day.

And if we seek, that inner peace,
A harmony with those we meet,
And refrain from all our selfish thoughts,
Our lives will be more sweet.

For in the times, we give ourselves,
In service to the rest,
We’ll find rewards, beyond our reach,
A glory that is best.

For no one can, find their way,
Entirely on their own,
We need the help of those around,
Not journey ourselves alone.

And such a simple change it is,
To keep these thoughts in mind,
That when we meet another soul,
To make the effort, to just be kind.

And through this change, we’ll likely see,
Our place is really small,
But with that little perspective gained…
We’ll then receive it all.

For the times we need to see the bigger picture and accept our place in the universe… what we can and can’t control… and be at peace with it all… by keeping things in perspective.

-CJG 03/12/2017

I said a prayer into the wind,
One bright and sunny day,
I asked for God to heal my wounds,
…To take my pain away.

I listened to the leaves above,
As they moved with passing breeze,
I tried to set my thoughts aside,
To find that quiet, that ease…

I’ve never been so good at this,
To silence the deafening noise,
Because we’re taught to face our fears,
From the time we’re little boys.

And yet, at times, that’s not the path,
To walk towards our foe,
We’re meant to back away and wait,
And accept what we don’t know.

And in those times, we test our faith,
Our belief in God’s own plan,
That goes beyond, our line of sight,
Beyond the control of man.

And fear sweeps in, as we move on,
To challenge our every step.
And thoughts can race, and make it worse,
To drive us to the depths.

And when we’re down, we have to stop,
And commit ourselves to fight,
To rise against our darkest fears,
And find that guiding light.

For in our hearts, is all we need,
To find that blessed road,
God placed it there, when we were born,
Right in our very soul.

And all we need, is just some faith,
To close our eyes with trust,
And know that God will find a way,
To show that path to us.

So take another step, my friend,
And listen for that reply.
Because your prayer, will be answered soon,
And it will raise your spirit high.

For the times we seek direction, and the times we need to be open to listen to the wind.

-CJG 03/05/2017

Find comfort in the silence,
Slow things down and take your time,
Find ways to ignore to noise you hear,
Find peace within your mind.

Close your eyes and hear the wind blow,
Feel the sun upon your face,
Find yourself a calmer shore,
And dwell within that place.

Ignore the waves, you see around,
Hear the waters reach the shore,
For it’s what we choose to see and hear,
That makes our experience even more.

Celebrate the day that’s done,
And set your mind at ease,
Take a breath and rest your feet a while,
Give yourself time to be at peace.

Look up and see the stars above,
Get lost within their light,
Draw another deep, long breath,
And know you’ll be alright.

Find comfort in the universe,
That’s unfolding as it should,
Rest and know, you’ve done your best today,
And it’s all that anyone could.

Be patient with what tomorrow brings,
It will come in its own time,
And when you rise and life begins,
No doubt that you’ll be fine.

So close your eyes, and sleep tonight,
And wash away your sorrow,
Take strength in knowing, you’re not alone,
And you’ll start again tomorrow.

For the strength it takes each day… to be grateful… to set aside worry… and to find peace in silence.

-CJG 01/26/2017

Here I am, at last arrived,
The precipice before my eyes,
What tomorrow brings, I do not know,
But how eager I am, to rise.

I’ve struggled for so many steps,
I’ve crawled at times, for sure,
And what I’ve learned, throughout it all,
My spirit will ever endure.

And now I see, what lays ahead,
The climb I need to make,
Though I won’t allow myself to fall,
My knees, even once, to shake.

For now, it is, my time to rise,
To reach beyond this height,
I’ve spent the time, I needed here,
And moving on feels right.

And all this time, the pain that’s been,
Has prepared me even more,
For all the things, I’ll need to do,
That journey, now in store.

So bring the dawn, I welcome you,
I feel nothing close to fear,
I’m tired of being beaten down,
And it’s my time, let’s all be clear.

And what’s behind, I thank you so,
You’ve taught me who I am,
And nothing can ever, knock me down,
…So far… I cannot stand.

And when I reach, this summit’s peak,
I’ll thank God for all He’s done,
Because I got, to here… with help,
And most surely He’s the one.

So stand back now, I need to go,
I have a mark to make,
You’re welcome to ride this wave with me,
But if you don’t, then feel my wake.

For all those who overcome hardship… who find their strength in adversity… and who will prevail.

-CJG 12/04/2016

When Tomorrow Comes

I wonder where it leads,
This long and winding road,
At times it seems we’ve lost the way,
And we’re not clear on where to go.

I’d like to think the best of mankind,
That we’ve got each other’s back,
But so many times it seems,
We’re lost and way off track.

The words we use, in ways we speak.
They set a tone of discourse,
And if we know, this fact is true,
Why are we so unaware of that force?

We tip them over,
These dominoes in line,
And express such hate, in ways we speak,
How can we think it’s fine?

It’s a choice we make,
The way we live,
And it should be hard to take,
And easy to give.

And maybe we need a reminder,
This bitter pill to swallow,
To understand we’re a part of this story,
And we can help write tomorrow.

-CJG 11/14/2015

For the innocents who lost their lives, for their families and loved ones, my prayers and heartfelt condolences.