THIS MEASURING NEVER STOPS

When you desire my life, or hate it,
Or hate what you think you see of it,
And you care what I think about that --
You’ve taken yourself apart needlessly.

It is what? Envy, wanting or berating, …
This misunderstood jealousy or disdain
Of misread assumptions, mistaken beliefs
And misdirected expectations.

You think this is better, or that is worse.
To have that body, their house, his wife
Would be more to your liking --
Would be better than this you are now?

You think others have judged you
As you still judge them
Because your ego, so large,
Must believe that you matter to them.

When you stop measuring us, and them,
And refuse to be half of a comparison,
You will see again you are, always were, whole.
But we are human, so this measuring never stops.



I wrote this a few years ago. It's written to myself out of pure anger at my constantly judging my worth according to what I believed others were, or had. The feeling is still in me, and it truly never stops. I either learn to live with it or let it run my life. So far I manage to do a little of both.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2021 04:40PM by Steevo.

It is part of the human condition, the measuring oneself against others. Yet it is one of the things we can restrain, put aside, put in perspective...sometimes. A foible if you will. So much more each of us can do than waste time comparing in futility. Good piece, Steve...on its own terms.

Peter

A good read, Steevo, I agree with Peter a great deal of energy is wasted in comparisons and there is much to be gained by all of us if we can tolerate diversity.


Les

bump

"A man who has not passed through the inferno of his passions has never overcome them."
- Carl Gustav Jung

I've found the mind to be like anything else, in that is can be molded once understood.

Peter. I'm honored by the bump.
JB: Great quote. I'm a big fan of Jung. Wish I could have seen one of his concerts.
Mr. P The mind also can be melted I discovered -- during a bad window pane trip in 1972.

Hey steevo it's funny this poem is now more relevant to me than any other point in my life. It seems to have come to me, it's such a good feeling! Thanks.

Thanks obiwan. I'm glad you took something useful from it.

I hope you don't mean that the crack about the acid trip made it relevant.

Very transparent Steve.

Anybody heard from Steve?


Les

Les:
Thanks for the call out. I appreciate that my absence was noticed. It's rewarding to be missed.

I am still around. I have been absent from a lot of activities lately, and writing is one of them. Just not feeling it these days though I do sorely miss participating here.

I work too much lately, and then deny myself the pleasure of things like posting and sharing with this gang. I attempted to get involved a while back during the last unfortunate hack, and gave up trying.

Hope to get back in the game again (game of living consciously) and hope the forum is still here when I do.
Steve

It's good to see you posting Steve. We hope to see more of your writing soon.


Les

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2009 02:31PM by les712.

Steevo,

I too have missed your contributions, yet I understand the need to focus on the living part of life.

Cheers,

Peter

Peter:
There's the catch. I prefer to make this the living part of life.

The other parts (the daily doings of life) are not feeding the soul. We each choose what matters. Sometimes we are not pleased with the choices. I can change the focus, but it is easier said than done.

Thanks for the encouragement.
Steve

hi steve,

this is just to say that the poem was good in december, and it is still good now.

Thank you Ms. mittens. I have done better, I have done worse. It's good to read your name here again. Missed ya'
Steve

An eye-opening reread, Steve.

K.Q.

Thanks for the commenting K.Q. Time for some new stuff I think. Can't find that bottle of enthusiasm pills I lost.