“The pain of a friend is itself a mountain waiting to be climbed…”
~ Jim Gustafson
As I contemplate the words of my friend and poet, Jim Gustafson, I am drawn to the language of poetry to help me uncover how I survived the past week of challenges.
One Problem ~ by Dr. Joel Ying, MD I can only deal with one problem at a time But life does not know that I get two or three to juggle Sometimes four or five I stop counting after six Does life not know about the myth of multitasking I can only do one thing well at a time Or I can do them all poorly The leaking water heater perhaps only responding to some internal pressure The roof too old to care, worn by storms, shades the sun, but lets in the water sometimes The car that cares too much, now says, stay home The computer that sputters attempting to cool itself down Washing machine that clunks, not caring how much noise it makes anymore The steady drip from the air conditioner, sometimes outside, sometimes inside when it craves attention The hedges that no longer hedge, chopped down in their prime Butterfly bushes growing like weeds, everywhere but where they should be Grass that is greener on no sides The tree that falls where no one can hear it Old and dried up, no one to notice it, Until it falls near, and then I notice what could have been Or rather what might not have been I think of the friends that help me arrive in the morning, Called in a moment, arriving on cue, Moving me forward and up Do they have two or three, four or five, six or more problems What are their pains Are there more mountains I’m ready to climb
Book of Poetry by Jim Gustafson
