CULTIVATE CURIOSITY
Here I am in the middle of the awkwardness of telling everybody about this new book I wrote called CULTIVATE CURIOSITY. This body of work took some time to work its way through me and along the way, I’ve been cultivating a deeper reverence for life — a profound appreciation for its entirety — the good, the bad, and the ugly.
It’s humbling to write.
Chapter One begins with a poem called RISE UP included below. I think it’s a relative perspective of our future because it calls for all of us to be involved in the process of helping to create it. That process is happening today and ongoing daily. The call says all our voices matter.
RISE UP
Rise up
We are the women
of a just and fertile world
Rise up
We are the men
who honor women
Rise up
We are the subject
scorned and battered unafraid
Rise up
We are the disenfranchised
poor and hungry not hating
Rise up
We are the community Beloved
brilliantly diverse and bold
Rise up
We are the future leaders
gen Z to infinity
Rise up
We are the Earth-keepers
calling all planetary healers
Rise up
Rise up
Rise up
Rise up
I wrote these poems because as I’d been feeling past events in my life rise to be acknowledged and healed, I also felt our collective pain and suffering rising to be heard.
So in the tumult of war and chaos of social media and news that tosses us around in a sea of uncertainty I wrote Cultivate Curiosity.
There is hope even in unimaginable circumstances.
I believe that!
Have faith in each other. Work together.
Our journey of appreciation is a continual process. It ebbs and flows. At times, we learn, we forgive, and we pledge never to take things for granted again. Yet, inevitably, life’s currents carry us, and we find ourselves slipping back. Not out of intent, but by the nature of being human, we often forget the preciousness of our time here.
On the days when I couldn’t find the light through my own experiences, I turned to watching the world in all its wondrousness and wondered how it is that we are all so similar and yet still we fight each other even at the expense of our common good? It seems we can’t make sense out of our own senseless acts.
We need solutions not polarity. We need more kindness not hatred. We need more education not less of it. Yet eventually and inevitably we see the demonstration of the power of love.
The friendships, random people doing heroic things, art, music, books — all reflecting our culture and guiding us where we need to be.
If I had one piece of advice to share it would be to open our minds, expand our reading sources and calm our selves by practicing meditation or spending some time in nature. Self compassion leads to a more compassionate world.
It’s important to remember the many voices who came before us that fought for the things we enjoy today. Freedom. Modern medicine. A healthier planet.
But it’s not enough to just thank them, we must persist in shaping a future where we can — as a global thinking society create safe environments, equality and sustainability that will make future generations proud to recount: “In times of adversity, they persevered.”
And we will!
In peace and solidarity,
Richard
If you feel moved to read more poetry like RISE UP, CULTIVATE CURIOSITY is available on Amazon. I’d sure love if you want to write me a brief review or kind word on my Amazon Author books page or a google review on my work, but I really just wish to leave you in love and solidarity knowing there is hope even in unimaginable circumstances.
