The word tolerance, like every word we explore as a topic, brought a range of perspectives, which we really enjoyed discussing and sharing our personal feelings about.
In todays climate, a significant theme was around our tolerance as humans with others.
If tolerance is required, what is that saying?
Is tolerance kind? One suggestion around the ‘tolerance’ lied in a formula:
Judgement + facade = tolerance
Then of course there is the concept of intolerances such as body intolerances.
Where does it take you?
Here is what arrived for us with our poems and our discussion.
Next week’s word, ‘blushing’.
Pulling off the highway via a by-way
I started looking for an overnight stay
The road sign graphic displayed motels ahead
Overtired, hungry, I sought a place to rest my head
There was a peaceful charming, calming beauty
Unfolding before me like a scene in a movie
The far of mountains wearing white hats
A river running fast through rocky gaps
Weeping willows, red river gums
Reflecting golden hues of the setting sun
Cresting a hill a small town appeared below
Dropping down into the valley onto the plateau
I couldn’t locate a name for this place
My Nat-sav and mobile couldn’t find a trace
The side streets had strange unusual names
Passive, comply, obey, conform, abstain.
A vacancy sign flashing red
Was blinking on the left ahead
A tinkling bell announced my arrival
At last a bed to aid my revival
A young boy about six or seven appeared
Barely seeing over the counter he peered
He asked what sized room did I want
He acted as if he was my confidant
I wanted to know if his parents might be in
He explained it was his job to book me in
A pen and a form to sign was provided
Perhaps my rudeness was misguided
For the boy asked me if I was upset
The look on his face I’ll never forget
He was curious, open, direct and vulnerable
Maybe I’d appeared to be a bit intolerable
Before I left with my allotted key
I needed an answer to my mystery
I demanded to know which name his town went by
‘Tolerance’ he replied with a childish wave of goodbye
I entered my unit and as the door lock clicked
I was so glad this town wasn’t called conflict.
PJR 14.03.2022
Tolerance
There has been patience, now tolerance,
How many people say they can tolerate this and that?
When raising babies to toddlers, there are nights when sleep
Is evaded by crying through teething, colic or any illnesses.
Then comes the temper tantrums, getting into cupboards etc.
Better yet through teenage yeas all the testosterone teenager boy girls with attitude
Makes life really hard – that’s where tolerance comes in.
Going shopping where little ones once again, sit in trolleys only to be given
a phone to play with so Mum can shop in peace.
Where is teaching a child to observe different articles on shelves, looking
around at different things and being aware what’s around them?
Tolerance is when people are supposed to keep a distance in supermarkets
Only to be pushed aside to reach a product on the shelf no excuse me or anything.
Is there tolerance with the way life is treating us, trying to keep up with all
The technology around us.
At the moment, my tolerance is very low, patience was one of my best qualities
Now I have to tolerate people phoning 5-6 tomes a day,
SPAM callers
They ‘d try the patience of a saint.
Oh! For tolerance.
LAM
We choose words each week
To help us express
What they mean to us
And others more or less
Tolerance was chosen
And feels rather hard
Ah well here goes
I’m not really a bard
The opposite of tolerance, is often on show
It is characterised by signs
That we probably know
An eye roll
A grimace
A grunt
A fake smile
A throat clear
A sweat
An expletive
What is your style?
To show something
That has ground to an end
For some it never begins
And it often depends
On who
The colour
The style
The gender
The appearance
The height
The background
The status and nature
On what
The place
The service
The standard
The ambience
It can often be determined
By how we are feeling
Our inner state or mood
Our sense of wellbeing
When the indicators are low
It can become very short
Before all hell lets loose
Or we become quite fraught
The worst of it
Does not amuse
It often rages
And feels like abuse
For the others
It is never understood
So automatic it is
To be kind for all good
It is a practice
To be in touch
With how we feel
And love so much
That is how I feel
That tolerance works
It requires no effort
And is just one of the perks.
NRS
Tolerance lessening
Limits lowering
Abilities diminishing
Thresholds minimising
Being stretched and squeezed
From our natural feel
Like it’s no big deal
And sadly
As a race
We can no longer face
What used to be our natural flow
Now a level that is so low
Body tolerance, heat tolerance
people tolerance, pain tolerance
Food tolerance, emotional tolerance
Health affected, air con please,
get out of my way, give me pills,
please no dairy, dull no frills,
Anaphylaxis, and other such ills.
So as we tolerate less,
We are more in a mess
Can we find our way back,
Get back on track?
To the natural
Now that’s an ironic hack!
Where we open our hearts
And feel to care
For what’s left on this earth,
Can we or do we dare…
TLaB