Joyful, Joyful…

One’s death has a way of removing the fluff
And the calendar’s concept of ‘more’
What looked like ‘important’ and ‘urgent’ and ‘real’
Is just ‘minor’ and ‘later’ and ‘lore’.

When the death-threat is lifted and ‘normal’ returns
Some switches just don’t turn back on
The ‘somber’ ‘apparent’ the ‘frivolous’ and ‘lame’
Are now ‘joyful’ ‘substantial’ and ‘strong’.

There’s games all around us, delusions abound
All cultures indulge in such froth
Confronted with death we find life and ourselves
Drawing us to their light like a moth.

Junk food is convenient it matches our pace
As we race on pursuing the top
But the culture’s inverted, it’s bottom-side-up
Ere we get there, it’s sickness we’ve got.

We used to sing songs doing dishes and chores
Built our families on shared work and joy
Now our singing and laughter are driven away
By machines and the folks we employ.

We walk from the house to the car and we take
Elevators instead of the stairs
We’re all in bad shape and object to the price
Of the payments we pay for repairs.

As I look at my lifestyle for days up ahead,
Making time for the goodness of yore
Is a problem until I invert to my feet –
Spending time gains substantially more.

Where to start is the question that faces me now
‘Up the goodness’ or ‘chuck out the worst’
‘Hierarchy of needs’, ‘seek the Kingdom’, ‘Food First’,
‘Exercise’, ‘get the heart working first’ –

‘Build a network’ ‘get funds’ or ‘rewarding employ’
‘Clean the mess up’ ‘make lists’ ‘move away’
‘Find your passion’ ‘drop stress’ ‘grieve your losses’ ‘enjoy’
‘Make a plan’ or “live just for today’.

Endless options, and theories, advice by the ton –
I’m recalling all change comes with stage:
Pre-awareness, awareness, information, trial runs,
Implement it, transcend – it’s the rage.

“You can’t start the next stage in line", so it says,
"Till the questions of last stage are met
So instead of a jump from the bottom to top
Deal with issues involved in each step.

"We don’t have to change all the parts of our life,
A change can bring others along
So select just one change to bring health or cut strife
Make it ‘joyful’, ‘substantial’ and ‘strong’” .

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