Saturday, May 30, 2009
THE LIMITLESS PATH
Searching in vain, over and over again
Day after day on every visual terrain
The sky opened and trenched my brain
With a secret plan that has no name
My fingers can touch the bottomless sky
And my hands embrace the fleeing rainbow
Suddenly I can climb the highest mountain
Without ever leaving the place I stand
Effortlessly I can reach across the land
And fetch the radiant sinking sunset
Before it trips upon the waiting horizon
Oh what a mighty mind I am!
I can build a community under the sea
And design another above the ground
These things I can keep for all eternity
Within my treasured sanctuary
Oh what a mighty mind I am!
I can be anything I choose to be
The task becomes a worthy challenge
To convert lovely thoughts to reality
The process must begin somewhere
With determination, discipline and care
Motivation, persistence and an idea
You can evolve into an aspiring entity
You possess the mind and the will
To shape the path you wish to make
It is not in some hidden, distant place
But right in you it can be traced
Excerpts from - The Limitless Path, from the book, "The Forgotten Heroes" by John T. Rodriguez
Day after day on every visual terrain
The sky opened and trenched my brain
With a secret plan that has no name
My fingers can touch the bottomless sky
And my hands embrace the fleeing rainbow
Suddenly I can climb the highest mountain
Without ever leaving the place I stand
Effortlessly I can reach across the land
And fetch the radiant sinking sunset
Before it trips upon the waiting horizon
Oh what a mighty mind I am!
I can build a community under the sea
And design another above the ground
These things I can keep for all eternity
Within my treasured sanctuary
Oh what a mighty mind I am!
I can be anything I choose to be
The task becomes a worthy challenge
To convert lovely thoughts to reality
The process must begin somewhere
With determination, discipline and care
Motivation, persistence and an idea
You can evolve into an aspiring entity
You possess the mind and the will
To shape the path you wish to make
It is not in some hidden, distant place
But right in you it can be traced
Excerpts from - The Limitless Path, from the book, "The Forgotten Heroes" by John T. Rodriguez
I and ME, the Two of us
There was always a void, an empty hole, a missing link between my body and my very own spirit. On several occasions the search took me to undefined crossroads and to confusing intersections that I couldn’t logically explain. So at times, I would put away the books for a while and return to them determined to start the process all over again.
During the past couple of years the focus was gradually changing. I was not reading as many religious books as I did before. I simply concentrated on reading the New Testament in the bible and one or two selected books I favored. But a new development was also taking root.
I began to meditate more, to pray more and spend more of my time in developing a one on one relationship with God. As time went on, I started saying less and listening more. I was getting information instead of putting out information; the prayer pattern reversed because my silence was sowing more spiritual seeds and I began reaping larger spiritual harvests.
The focus did not change accidentally. No, there was a larger force pushing me in this new direction. The logic was simple; if I can get closer to my inner being, a being that is always with me, and one that was given to me by God Himself then the chances of knowing and satisfying the one that created me was greater.
Already, there existed a very close relationship between God and my inner being; they are both spiritual beings. Therefore, it would be easier for me to isolate my search within my own being than to reach out hoping to touch the rainbow that I can’t reach. Is this the reason why He made us with two distinct identities, one spiritual and the other physical?
Once I realized that there is an in-built oneness between my spirit and God, and he has an unconditional love and a permanent relationship for His children, it did not take long for me to detour my urge and strive to become a better human being.
I often wondered if God didn’t purposely made us individually in His image and likeness, so it would become easier to know Him through the process of knowing ourselves than blindly making the mistake of finding Him elsewhere.
Excerpts from - I and ME, the Two of us, from the book, "The Forgotten Heroes" by John T. Rodriguez
During the past couple of years the focus was gradually changing. I was not reading as many religious books as I did before. I simply concentrated on reading the New Testament in the bible and one or two selected books I favored. But a new development was also taking root.
I began to meditate more, to pray more and spend more of my time in developing a one on one relationship with God. As time went on, I started saying less and listening more. I was getting information instead of putting out information; the prayer pattern reversed because my silence was sowing more spiritual seeds and I began reaping larger spiritual harvests.
The focus did not change accidentally. No, there was a larger force pushing me in this new direction. The logic was simple; if I can get closer to my inner being, a being that is always with me, and one that was given to me by God Himself then the chances of knowing and satisfying the one that created me was greater.
Already, there existed a very close relationship between God and my inner being; they are both spiritual beings. Therefore, it would be easier for me to isolate my search within my own being than to reach out hoping to touch the rainbow that I can’t reach. Is this the reason why He made us with two distinct identities, one spiritual and the other physical?
Once I realized that there is an in-built oneness between my spirit and God, and he has an unconditional love and a permanent relationship for His children, it did not take long for me to detour my urge and strive to become a better human being.
I often wondered if God didn’t purposely made us individually in His image and likeness, so it would become easier to know Him through the process of knowing ourselves than blindly making the mistake of finding Him elsewhere.
Excerpts from - I and ME, the Two of us, from the book, "The Forgotten Heroes" by John T. Rodriguez
Do you make a Difference, Why not?
Cover of my soon to release second book
"Do you make a Difference, Why not?"
"Do you make a Difference, Why not?"
Thursday, May 28, 2009
A CHILD
A CHILD I am a child of the immaculate, divine Lord
I am a child of the sublime supplier of all
I am a child of the Great Almighty
I am a child of His Royal Family
I am unique, a distinguished and illustrious child I am intelligent,
I am brilliant, and I am wise
I am blessed and thankful to be a child of the Most High
I am always present before His watchful, loving eyes
I am connected and receptive to the truthful voice of Infinity
I am forever embraced by the affectionate heart of Eternity
I am a special child of this blessed universe
His sanctified and Holy hands created me
I am strength; I am health; I am prosperity
I am delighted to be part of Thee To day
I confess my weaknesses of yesterday
And reassert my new identity with undeniable authority
I am not a hopeless soul in search of what I already have
Or pursuing the unending course for which I already am
I am a child of the mighty, powerful
I AM I am free, fearless, an element of His loving charm
I throw away the old, unhappy me
The once angry, greedy and jealous me
I clothe myself in His finest and indestructible armor
A gift personally handed me by my Heavenly Father
Now, I walk like a child in the shadows of my Creator
I talk like a child in the presence of my Maker
I see through the eyes of my compassionate Father
I hear through the ears of my forgiving Savior
I am a child of the living, loving Redeemer
I am a child of the great Jehovah
From Him I was sent; To Him I shall return and in Him I do exist.
I am a genuine, indisputable child of the wonderful, loving God that made everything in the heavens above and the earth below.
Excerpts from - A Child, from the book, "Do you make a difference, Do you?" by John T. Rodriguez
I am a child of the sublime supplier of all
I am a child of the Great Almighty
I am a child of His Royal Family
I am unique, a distinguished and illustrious child I am intelligent,
I am brilliant, and I am wise
I am blessed and thankful to be a child of the Most High
I am always present before His watchful, loving eyes
I am connected and receptive to the truthful voice of Infinity
I am forever embraced by the affectionate heart of Eternity
I am a special child of this blessed universe
His sanctified and Holy hands created me
I am strength; I am health; I am prosperity
I am delighted to be part of Thee To day
I confess my weaknesses of yesterday
And reassert my new identity with undeniable authority
I am not a hopeless soul in search of what I already have
Or pursuing the unending course for which I already am
I am a child of the mighty, powerful
I AM I am free, fearless, an element of His loving charm
I throw away the old, unhappy me
The once angry, greedy and jealous me
I clothe myself in His finest and indestructible armor
A gift personally handed me by my Heavenly Father
Now, I walk like a child in the shadows of my Creator
I talk like a child in the presence of my Maker
I see through the eyes of my compassionate Father
I hear through the ears of my forgiving Savior
I am a child of the living, loving Redeemer
I am a child of the great Jehovah
From Him I was sent; To Him I shall return and in Him I do exist.
I am a genuine, indisputable child of the wonderful, loving God that made everything in the heavens above and the earth below.
Excerpts from - A Child, from the book, "Do you make a difference, Do you?" by John T. Rodriguez
SOME DAY
Some day you shall become an adult
Someone the world needs to cultivate
Its beauty, peace and creativity
Someone to lift the hope of the hopeless
To inspire the unbeliever and make the weak stronger
Someone to educate the uneducated
And love the unloved
To wipe away the tears of the ailing
And strengthen the hearts of the dying
To encourage those who are discouraged
Induce faith in the faithless
And peace to the troubled
Some day you shall become an adult
Someone the world needs to nurture
The minds of those left behind
Someone to ride the waves of truth and honesty
Ascend the consciousness of mediocrity
And share diversity among everybody
Some day you shall become an adult
An exceptional, pristine adult
That sees the world through the eyes of its maker
Someone entrusted to make a difference
And bridge the gap between the old and young
Excerpts from - Some Day from the book, "Do you make a difference, Do you?" by John T. Rodriguez
Someone the world needs to cultivate
Its beauty, peace and creativity
Someone to lift the hope of the hopeless
To inspire the unbeliever and make the weak stronger
Someone to educate the uneducated
And love the unloved
To wipe away the tears of the ailing
And strengthen the hearts of the dying
To encourage those who are discouraged
Induce faith in the faithless
And peace to the troubled
Some day you shall become an adult
Someone the world needs to nurture
The minds of those left behind
Someone to ride the waves of truth and honesty
Ascend the consciousness of mediocrity
And share diversity among everybody
Some day you shall become an adult
An exceptional, pristine adult
That sees the world through the eyes of its maker
Someone entrusted to make a difference
And bridge the gap between the old and young
Excerpts from - Some Day from the book, "Do you make a difference, Do you?" by John T. Rodriguez
SMILING FACES
Quickly, she hid her face with both hands hoping to conceal her emotions and sorrows from the eyes of the innocent babes that grabbed playfully at her naked legs. She choked and whispered in frustration, “I’m tired girls, I’m really tired. The day has just begun and already my body is bombarded from the fatigue and stress of yesterday.” “Where am I? Where the hell am I? Where is the attractive teenager that was living in her mother’s home only two years ago,” she stated in a clumsy hush. “Did I misplace my identity?” Confused, she tucked the dread-lock neatly under her natural hair and fastened it securely.
She pierced the mirror with her large, beautiful brown eyes hoping to find help outside the face that stared back at her questionably. How she wished there were someone standing behind the mirror that could respond positively to her unanswered questions and supply the help she needed. Unfortunately, she momentarily overlooked the reality that the bearer of the confused mind was also the vehicle for success and the reliever of her pains. Her dream lies within the safety deposit box that contains her mind, body and soul.
In disbelief, Janet sharply looked at her hurting, rough hands and shouted, “My job is too demanding, too intense and too time consuming. At this rate, I wonder if I could keep my sanity and work for the next fifty years.” Hurriedly, she tabulated the hours compressed in her regular schedule. She was convinced that her day was made up of more than twenty-four hours. She counted every minute between rising from bed in the morning at six o’clock and returning from work in the evening at six o’clock.
Half of the day was already taken up because of her commute and work. After factoring eight hours for sleeping she found out that there was only four hours left to do all her domestic tasks and other personal things on her daily schedule. She was convinced that one person could not supply the manpower to take care of all the activities mandated for each new day.
Excerpts from Smiling Faces from the book, "Do you make a difference, Do you?" by John T. Rodriguez
She pierced the mirror with her large, beautiful brown eyes hoping to find help outside the face that stared back at her questionably. How she wished there were someone standing behind the mirror that could respond positively to her unanswered questions and supply the help she needed. Unfortunately, she momentarily overlooked the reality that the bearer of the confused mind was also the vehicle for success and the reliever of her pains. Her dream lies within the safety deposit box that contains her mind, body and soul.
In disbelief, Janet sharply looked at her hurting, rough hands and shouted, “My job is too demanding, too intense and too time consuming. At this rate, I wonder if I could keep my sanity and work for the next fifty years.” Hurriedly, she tabulated the hours compressed in her regular schedule. She was convinced that her day was made up of more than twenty-four hours. She counted every minute between rising from bed in the morning at six o’clock and returning from work in the evening at six o’clock.
Half of the day was already taken up because of her commute and work. After factoring eight hours for sleeping she found out that there was only four hours left to do all her domestic tasks and other personal things on her daily schedule. She was convinced that one person could not supply the manpower to take care of all the activities mandated for each new day.
Excerpts from Smiling Faces from the book, "Do you make a difference, Do you?" by John T. Rodriguez
CHANGING THE GUARDS
Chapter 1
The blue eye, white cheek pretty baby knows nothing about the hostility and discrimination embedded in the hidden corners of society’s disguised values. She is innocent, oh yes totally innocent of the flying prejudices that dart again and again at the gray matter of the privileged human brain.
Once there, they multiply into ferocious, brutal armies that are ready and alert to tear the seams of a society that barely flickers a flame of hope for the disadvantaged, poor and elderly. The little, unblemished female angel flapped her wings across her face and covered her eyes. She was convinced that the love, care and personal attention she receives from a distant stranger is enough to dilute racial confident tension and nibble at the social dilemma that is so evident in the adult population.
She was confident that the care and the attention she gets from the foreign nanny is genuine and lasting, and possesses the power to displace racial disharmony, eradicate financial disparities or turn back the scale of social injustice that separates the rich from the poor. In her own disillusioned world she dangles the keys that open the doors to a better world; a world where discrimination and social division do not exist. In her innocence, Kathy dreams of a love that is somewhat unconventional and darn right contrary to the tainted love that is bosomed by the most dignified and wealthy people in a country which was founded on the awesome values of liberty and freedom and the equality of life for all.
Her guiltless eyes are just too young and pure to properly evaluate the differences between mummy’s care and the nanny’s care; to her there is no difference between the two as long as the treatment that is dished out to her is loving and kind and timely. Without fear or malice she automatically stretches her soft, tender hands to greet the outstretched alien hands that provide her with the basic necessities for her development.
She stares at the foreign face and examines her large, brown eyes that glitter brilliantly with love and hope; she sees bands of white teeth and a lingering smile that was manufactured in the dark woman’s heart and oozed to a lovely waiting face designed with thick parting lips. Politely and unassumingly Kathy sneered at the hazy room and turned her back on the racial divide that hangs provocatively from the ceiling and walls that defined her immediate space.
In disgust Kathy ignored conventional wisdom and touched and grabbed the dark fingers that respectfully and lovingly held the bottle of milk before her glossy, crystal eyes. To her, the color of the hands or the shape of the face or the length of the hair does not matter one bit as long as she gets good treatment and her food on time. How great! Kathy, the little white baby was born into wealth and is already rich at the age of twelve months. She would stare directly at the foreign face and smile lovingly at the piercing dark brown eyes that are stuck between the cheekbones on the black face standing over the beautifully, decorated crib.
There, at that frozen moment in time the differences in their cultures temporarily vanished while the two folks engaged in conversation and laughter using the universal langue of baby talk. Emma the nanny and Kathy held a friendly dialogue and approved a friendly, lasting relationship without the influence of a third party. Without the influence from her parents or without conforming to society’s unpredictable values, Kathy feels nonthreatening and very comfortable with the love and care she gets from her second mommy, a black undocumented immigrant from the Caribbean.
At this point in her life her innocence is wrapped tightly within her soul and bears no malice at the tender age of twelve months. At that age Kathy is still an unblemished angel that is couched away from the many concepts, historical data and ideologies that stand like thieves at the entrance of her heart waiting to snatch her away from her innate, flawless values she presently holds. Without looking over her shoulder to see who is watching her, or without conceiving the thought that she is doing something she does not honestly believe in, she romantically hugs the black nanny and kisses her dark face as though there was no discrimination between the races or discrimination in the division of labor. Yes, Kathy was born without a trace of discrimination and without a litter of hatred flowing through her tender, unclogged veins.
She conducted her day-to-day activities as though she was color-blind and unaware of the adult realities that flow in and out her bedroom windows. Children, yes little children, the descendants of the rich and the poor, the descendants of black and white or the descendants of other immigrant families convey true, uninterruptible love naturally. In their silence they speak volumes of unbiased and untainted words, which do not harm anyone and which glue our nation together momentarily in the hope that one day the innocent idealism of the babies would strangle and destroy the reckless behaviors of good children that became questionable adults.
The story goes on....
Excerpts from Changing the Guards from the book, "Do you make a difference, Do you?" by John T. Rodriguez
Once there, they multiply into ferocious, brutal armies that are ready and alert to tear the seams of a society that barely flickers a flame of hope for the disadvantaged, poor and elderly. The little, unblemished female angel flapped her wings across her face and covered her eyes. She was convinced that the love, care and personal attention she receives from a distant stranger is enough to dilute racial confident tension and nibble at the social dilemma that is so evident in the adult population.
She was confident that the care and the attention she gets from the foreign nanny is genuine and lasting, and possesses the power to displace racial disharmony, eradicate financial disparities or turn back the scale of social injustice that separates the rich from the poor. In her own disillusioned world she dangles the keys that open the doors to a better world; a world where discrimination and social division do not exist. In her innocence, Kathy dreams of a love that is somewhat unconventional and darn right contrary to the tainted love that is bosomed by the most dignified and wealthy people in a country which was founded on the awesome values of liberty and freedom and the equality of life for all.
Her guiltless eyes are just too young and pure to properly evaluate the differences between mummy’s care and the nanny’s care; to her there is no difference between the two as long as the treatment that is dished out to her is loving and kind and timely. Without fear or malice she automatically stretches her soft, tender hands to greet the outstretched alien hands that provide her with the basic necessities for her development.
She stares at the foreign face and examines her large, brown eyes that glitter brilliantly with love and hope; she sees bands of white teeth and a lingering smile that was manufactured in the dark woman’s heart and oozed to a lovely waiting face designed with thick parting lips. Politely and unassumingly Kathy sneered at the hazy room and turned her back on the racial divide that hangs provocatively from the ceiling and walls that defined her immediate space.
In disgust Kathy ignored conventional wisdom and touched and grabbed the dark fingers that respectfully and lovingly held the bottle of milk before her glossy, crystal eyes. To her, the color of the hands or the shape of the face or the length of the hair does not matter one bit as long as she gets good treatment and her food on time. How great! Kathy, the little white baby was born into wealth and is already rich at the age of twelve months. She would stare directly at the foreign face and smile lovingly at the piercing dark brown eyes that are stuck between the cheekbones on the black face standing over the beautifully, decorated crib.
There, at that frozen moment in time the differences in their cultures temporarily vanished while the two folks engaged in conversation and laughter using the universal langue of baby talk. Emma the nanny and Kathy held a friendly dialogue and approved a friendly, lasting relationship without the influence of a third party. Without the influence from her parents or without conforming to society’s unpredictable values, Kathy feels nonthreatening and very comfortable with the love and care she gets from her second mommy, a black undocumented immigrant from the Caribbean.
At this point in her life her innocence is wrapped tightly within her soul and bears no malice at the tender age of twelve months. At that age Kathy is still an unblemished angel that is couched away from the many concepts, historical data and ideologies that stand like thieves at the entrance of her heart waiting to snatch her away from her innate, flawless values she presently holds. Without looking over her shoulder to see who is watching her, or without conceiving the thought that she is doing something she does not honestly believe in, she romantically hugs the black nanny and kisses her dark face as though there was no discrimination between the races or discrimination in the division of labor. Yes, Kathy was born without a trace of discrimination and without a litter of hatred flowing through her tender, unclogged veins.
She conducted her day-to-day activities as though she was color-blind and unaware of the adult realities that flow in and out her bedroom windows. Children, yes little children, the descendants of the rich and the poor, the descendants of black and white or the descendants of other immigrant families convey true, uninterruptible love naturally. In their silence they speak volumes of unbiased and untainted words, which do not harm anyone and which glue our nation together momentarily in the hope that one day the innocent idealism of the babies would strangle and destroy the reckless behaviors of good children that became questionable adults.
The story goes on....
Excerpts from Changing the Guards from the book, "Do you make a difference, Do you?" by John T. Rodriguez
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