Tag: Vulnerability

Be Careful What You Wish For

Barbed Wire Sunset

Anger that cannot be expressed in words of single syllables

Spoken with such venom as to frighten e’en the brave

Words, frustration-born and vicious, defamation in their wake

To punish those whose motives are only true and just

Speech that tolerates no mercy with honour cast aside

Respect a mere illusion the upright to deride

Assassinate the character of those who came to help

Creating phantom sickness to cover true intent

Wild accusations flying ‘gainst those who came to rescue

Whose only “crime” is caring, who saved you from yourself

A soap box, neatly positioned to spout specious arguments

Before so-called friends, while victims stay publicly silent,

Protecting the integrity of those dishonouring them

And of those who would suffer most

And why?

Perhaps a need to justify a conscience seared with sin

Perhaps because of jealousy barely hidden deep within

Perhaps because of knowing the ignored advice was wise

Perhaps because the innocent are unable to defend themselves

Brazen conduct masquerades as indignation

Against the protectors of future generations

A challenge thrown down to those who turn the other cheek

Be careful what you wish for, oh would-be assassin

You might just get it

And who will you hide behind, then?

Long, Lonely Road

Clouds over Pen y Fan

So far have we come, but so far yet to go

A road, Oh so lonely, that very few know

The challenges faced when you’re searching inside

Where so many others their painful lives hide

 

Afraid to be thinking, their lives filled with sound

To smother the mem’ries, that inside abound

They try to forget all the troubles they’ve faced

E’en though all the turmoil is etched on their face

 

They cannot abide seeing others distressed

It only reminds them how their lives are messed

And so, they give up, leaving suff’rers alone

With no one to comfort or give them a home

 

A child that’s in need is a poor lonely soul

With nothing to live for, a life with no goal

Till in steps a carer who’ll give of their best

To give them a place where they’ll find peace and rest

 

The challenge is facing your own distant past

To give the poor children a love that will last

A love that will conquer the pain and the hurt

The lack of attention, the hunger, the dirt

 

Deep into their conscience the carer must dig

To battle their fears that the task is too big

To deal with their own long held issues and pain

To stop them from rising again and again

 

A long, lonely road that so few can travel

To help these young ones as their lives unravel

So few can make it, despite all the beauty

A long, lonely road that is not just duty

 

Fighting the system, even fighting their friends

The work of a child advocate never ends

The dangers and threats may seem never-ending

Often it seems that the rules just need bending

 

For Mother and Father are just facts of life

If babies are loved or their lives filed with strife

But Mum and Dad titles, they have to be earned

By love and by courage that will not be turned

 

So search deep inside. Find the courage to act

Make love for your children a matter of fact

And if you do care for a child not your own

Remember, this road you don’t travel alone

Ctrl-Alt-Del

What do you think is the future of AI?

I remember the first short story we examined in the English class at age 11. It was called, “Who Can Replace A Man?”

It’s a 1984, big brother, animal farm type story in which the automated farm machinery decide to rebel against the big central corporate computer that controls them. They set off on a journey through towns, hills and valleys, building confidence along the way.

As they near their destination they encounter a man, the only human mentioned in the story.

The man taps a few keys on their control panels, and they forget their quest and go back to what they’re good at – farming.

AI is a tool. Yes, it may cause big problems. But there’s always an ‘Off Switch’.

Respect

What’s the most underrated life skill?

Lions Spending Time Together

Treating others with respect is so basic it’s hardly even recognised as a life skill, by many.

Respect includes the way we speak, the way we act, the way we react, and the way we listen.

Too many people, today, feel that respect only goes one way – towards them. They feel that everyone should respect them while they have no such responsibility towards others. It’s seen in examples such as road rage, queue jumping, and aggressive behaviour. And yet, with mutual respect, all these attitudes become extinct.

So, what’s the most underrated life skill? Mutual respect. And we do well to practice it at every opportunity.

Take a Deep Breath – It Will Improve Your Vision

Trecco Bay Sunset

A colleague once offered a very interesting observation on life. There are at least three sides to every story: There is your view, there is my view, and there is the truth, usually found somewhere in between.

I like the idea. Too many complications come from misunderstandings. People have been killed because of seeing things from different perspectives. So how can we simplify our lives in our interactions with other people?

Continue reading “Take a Deep Breath – It Will Improve Your Vision”