Carol A. Hand
I ask you once again
Please join me
in the space where miracles
are still possible
All it will cost you
is the courage to see your own beauty
to embrace the strength you’ve earned
through suffering
to nurture the tenacity required
when you sometimes stand alone
although brokenhearted
as you witness others
waste their gifts and beauty
because of fear
Reach out to them anyway
because you know
miracles can
and do
happen
***

***
Note: This semester, teaching has helped me realize something I learned from many past teachers in my life. The importance of mercy. In times when I was lost, they reached out to help me find my strengths and beauty. I have often automatically done likewise with colleagues, staff and students in my own career. Now it’s something I do deliberately because I feel it is even more important to be merciful in mean-spirited, oppressive times such as these.
Not only poem is beautiful but the thought about mercy is what this world needs more. What goes around comes around, so we all need to be more loving, more compassionate, more tolerant.
Love this read.
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful, lovely comments, Meenakshi, and for sharing your powerful insights about mercy. ❤
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It’s my pleasure to read your beautiful words. 💖
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It was a gift to find the beautiful poetry on your blog site, Meenakshi. ❤
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Thank You so much Carol! I’m so happy you liked it. 💞
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Great considerations, dear Carol! Indeed, you are right! Good luck with your book! 🙂
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Dear Maria, thank you so much for your kind words and wishes. ❤
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🙂 Greetings to Queenie! I hope he helps you to look through students’ papers.
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Ah, Maria, Queenie sings to me to help me remember joy. ❤
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🙂 Great!
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Amen to that, Carol! And we’ve been granted another miracle in the mission to free our innocent men. One will be paroled before Christmas. Oh how I’ve learned many lessons through this lengthy and enormously slow process.
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments, Joan. I am so grateful to hear about the newest development in your inspiring efforts to free people who have been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. ❤
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Beautiful words Carol and a beautiful spirit behind them.
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Thank you so much for your kind and lovely comment, Andrea. ❤
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Let this be my New Years Resolution!
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Such a lovely resolution, Diane. I’ll join you. ❤
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Thank you for this inspiration and beauty 🙂
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Thank you so much for your kind and lovely comments, Ignited. ❤
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A beautiful reminder to each of us Carol. When we take the time to nurture ourselves we can find room within, to reach out and give to those who need it the most. 🙏🏻💚💕
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Such wise and lovely comments, Karen. Thank you so much for sharing your insights and kind words. ❤
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I have two nieces, one named Grace and the other, Mercy. Both are beautiful beings. And I’ve learned from both. Your words are meaningful, Carol.
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments, Eric. Your nieces have such lovely names! Names can be road maps and blessings. I am grateful to hear this is true for your nieces. ❤
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“Love is the missing factor; there is a lack of affection, of warmth in relationship; and because we lack that love, that tenderness, that generosity, that mercy in relationship, we escape into mass action, which produces further confusion, further misery.” Jiddu Krishnamurti
I ran across this quote a while back, and your poem reminded me of it. I am put to shame by your poem and this quote. I struggle to understand how those who have never shown any love, compassion or mercy for others, should somehow still be viewed with love, compassion and mercy. And yet, Carol, I also recognize that hatred and vengeance will never bring about anything but more havoc/destruction, pain and suffering for humanity and the creation.
Perhaps, in the next life, if there be one, I can come to love and be compassionate like you, my mother, and a few others I have been blessed to know in this life?
Thank you, Carol, for this reminder!
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Ah, Dave, please don’t deify me! I, too, struggle when I have to deal with abusive folks in constructive ways. But I do try my best any way and keep trying to find the discipline to practice understanding and compassion …
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Thank you for sharing a beautiful, magical garden, Superduque.
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Mercy is a powerful thing.
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Ah, yes is is, Brendan. It ‘s interesting to think about how mercy can make one “light-hearted.” Carrying self-righteous judgment and anger are heavy, dark burdens. ❤
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Mercy. Decency. Integrity. Hell yeah. We need these things now.
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It’s always a gift to hear from you, A Shift in Consciousness. Thank you for sharing your important insights. ❤
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Believing in miracles and sharing… ❤ xo
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Thank you so much for your kindness, Bette. ❤
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Wishing you and yours a beautiful Christmas and a New Year filled with blessings, Carol. ❤
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Wishing you a wonder-filled winter as well, Bette. ❤
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What a lovely reminder you offer us with this beautiful poem. Thank you. 💕
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Thank you so much for your always kind and lovely comments, Carrie. ❤
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So good to hear from you, Carol. Always uplifting ❤
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It is so good to hear from you, too, Rosaliene. Thank you so much for kind and lovely comments. ❤
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lovely poetry, Carol
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Thank you so much for your kind words, John. ❤
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Thank you so much for sharing this powerful image Carol ❤
I think many of us needed to read this.
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Thank you so much for your kind words, Takami. Sending my best wishes to you. ❤
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Spoken from a golden heart to the many tarnished
by countless seasons of emptiness
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Thank you for such beautiful, poetic comments, Eddie. ❤
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You’re very welcome Carol!
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Beautiful… as only you can write
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Dear Trace, thank you so much for your kind words. Sending my love and best wishes. ❤
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How poignant Carol, and yes, the cost is to see your won beauty, how delightful is that, great line.
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Thank you for your always thoughtful comments, Paul. ❤ (And for sharing the same spelling of "own" that I always try to correct in what I write… 🙂 . I didn't your edit your comment because I find it endearingly.)
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Pleasure Carol, nice work you do.
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Your words are beautiful Carol!
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful. lovely comments, Henry. ❤
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What a wonderful mantra Carol.
This stoked my heart. Reflection points taken from this.
Anyone can suffer. Not all can be courageous. It takes courage to be strong. So can one only become strong if they have suffered?
Peace to you this day my friend.
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Ah, Ray, you have raised such a profound question! is suffering the only path to strength? I have no idea what the answer might be for others… Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your thought-provoking observations! ❤
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Beautiful, Carol. Thank you. lieve groetjes, Hanneke
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Dear Hanneke, thank you so much for your kind and lovely comments. ❤
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Beautiful poem and a great reminder!
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments, Wanda. ❤
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