Strength seems to be something we are often told is what we need during challenging times or even in life.
So what is strength? And what does the word conjure in us? Once again, it lead us in a variety of territories and our expression related to so many parts of life.
Once again the conversation rich and insightful and left us pondering and challenging some norms and conditioning.
From birth growing up, what is the expectation around how to be in the world? What are we conditioned to say, not say, do, not do in the ‘name of strength’.
What can we learn from this? And does real strength actually look different to how we have come to ‘expect’ it? What do you feel?
Wander
Panic felt all around
Smell of smoke, animals scurrying
The crackling of the trees,
Fierce flames fly with the breeze
Devastation crushed the land,
Some finding strength to be found
Wandering through life
Thoughts of struggling past, damaging times
with so much destruction.
So much energy passed over the years
Such dark times, many silent tears
Was I so strong to carry all the
memories of the past on my back?
No! The burden is so heavy
The weight too much to bear
Shed the weight, for what purpose?
To move on and find the surface
Finding strength, somehow, someway
To lighten the load for today
Strength to reach the surface
Strength for a better purpose
The balance of weight may lighten the load
A lifelong task as I wander along the road
CCon 8th November 21
Is strength strong?
Is it powerful?
Like an emotional song
We seem to use it
In all sorts of ways
Like the strength of my tea
Or vaccine efficacy
We go to the gym
And lift increasing weights
We see a movie with a plot
that weighs on our mind
Is that strong?
We talk of resilience
Like emotional strength
To be able to survive
Going to any length
No matter what happens
Is this strength or denial?
We call a wall strong
If it can withstand
Nature’s elements
What about a feather
Or other tender
Ligaments?
Is strength strong?
If strength is power
Endurance
Or resilience
What about clouds
That carry
Water droplets
Until the
Storms break (them)?
We sometimes see strength
As pushing against the tide
Holding on
For the whole rodeo ride
Trying harder to achieve the ends
Of climbing the ladder
To more and more things
It can often feel quite viral
To be constantly moving on our spirals
To me, inner strength
Is the ability
To be vulnerable and to love unconditionally
To learn, practice, improve and grow universally
To accept impermanence
be all that we are, with all that we bring
in all our moments
To truly express our choices and feelings
With caring for the self,
others and environment
(NRS)
Me incorporated
These are my characteristics
My values in action that define me.
My Bravery is to speak up no matter what
Creativity is me imagining how things could be
To tease so others smile is Humour to me
My Leadership is joining others to achieve
Love of Learning is my way to grow
With Fairness I let my feelings of bias go
Hope in goodness can be realised and taught to all
In Judgment evidence is critically weighed before I make a call
Forgiveness gives me a second chance to fix my mistakes
MY Perspective is the flexibility to discover more options I can take
Social Intelligence I use to find how people tick and think
For me Teamwork is doing my share as a strong link
Zest to live my life as an adventure to explore
Saying thanks for everything is the Gratitude in my core
My Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence can leave me in a state of awe
The ability to respond truthfully is in my Honesty
I discover and explore new ways with my Curiosity
I give to me and others through my goodness and Kindness
My Love I can give and share and receive with fondness
In my Humility I accept I’m a fallible human being my best
Perseverance is my determination to finish the quest
I use Self-Regulation to keep myself in check
I bring Prudence to my thoughts with no regrets
Spirituality is my belief in the sacredness of humanity
These traits give strength to my personality.
PJR 7.11.2021
The greatest show on earth!
Waiting for the show, what will happen?
We do not know, anticipation; faces a glow
Not a thought for what it all means
How it feels up on the beams?
Or to be seen as a freak
As a ‘strong’ man not meek
The tallest, smallest, bearded lady on show
Pulling a car with a rope, wow!
Flying high without nets,
Way above our heads
Dressed up for the show,
Do we really still go?
Entertainment spam,
Facade not glam
Cleo Smith’s family did suppress the rage
Of being watched, while in a cage
Learning resilience
To withstand the attack
survival
Just to stay on track
Real strength I say, the demise of the guise
No longer the need to hide
Breaking down the steel wall
Not afraid to fall
Where it’s not a big deal
To be real and heal
Crying, being shy, being who you are
Lifting the lid, and freeing the scars
Saying, expressing, just how it is
No to show biz, let the show fiz
So unless there’s a change to our way of life
Humans will be in strife
TLaB 8th November 2021