The subject for, and the inspiration to write, December 2020’s Poem of the Month came from a Zoom Town Hall Meeting on Brain Health, presented by the Institute for Systems Biology* (or ISB) on December 8, 2020. ISB is a nonprofit scientific research organization located in Seattle.

Dr. Lee Hood, founder, and Dr. Jim Heath, president and professor of ISB, lead a dedicated crew of research scientists hard at work in understanding Brain Health (Alzheimers), Immune Response (Covid-19), Bacterial Infections (Salmonella), and many other diseases for which there, so far, are no definitive answers.

Their dedication to the research is nothing short of miraculous, and I could not help but realize that it must have started for them when they were quite young… with a definite “sense of wonder.”

I believe that a true sense of wonder is the basis for finding answers to most of the world’s problems… approaching the research with an attitude of “What If?”

Perhaps we could all benefit from a dose of “wonder” right about now.

Here, then, is my poem. I hope you enjoy it.

SENSE OF WONDER

From birth, a child is bombarded by experiences
That instill a sense of wonder quite profound.
According to Socrates, wonder is the beginning of wisdom.
Nature is the first place the sense of wonder is found.

Dew on a spider’s web; a robin building it’s nest…
A dog licking an ice cream cone in the park…
Discovering the world around him, the child begins
His journey to make his own mark.

This is what is grand about childhood: Everything is a wonder.
It is not merely a miracle-filled world.
Oh no, quite the opposite! With wonder at every turn,
It is a miraculous world to be discovered and unfurled.

Human growth has no limits; it’s boundaries are infinite!
Your intelligence, imagination and wonder are the guides.
By looking at everything as if you are seeing it anew,
You’ll not lose your sense of wonder. In you it resides.

People love to wonder, and that’s the seed of science.
We’ve been to the moon and back, and then beyond!
We’ve changed medicine and agriculture; people live longer lives.
To the miracles in our lives we are happy to respond.

There’s so much to see — there’s so much to learn;
Our time here on earth is brief.
I would rather have a mind that is opened by wonder
Than one that is closed by belief!

November’s Poem of the Month is not a new one of mine, but one I wrote in 2002! I believe it is quite appropriate for this time… this year… this month… especially! It reminds the reader that, like it or not, we are all in this life together!

Human beings are social beings! We need each other in order to thrive… not only to thrive, but our very survival depends on all of us figuring out how to work together!

It’s not “us and them.” It is just simply us! U.S. (U.S. of A.)

My hope is that this poem, “Separateness Is An Illusion,” will serve, as a reminder, to guide our thinking towards unity and away from divisiveness… not only in our country, but all around the world!

As the last line of the poem states, “Love is the cure.”

And remember, Whatever the question, love is (always) the answer!

SEPARATENESS IS AN ILLUSION

Mankind suffers an illness
Of the illusion of separateness.
We believe the world is made up
Of discrete things which don’t coalesce.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
We are one interconnected whole
In the natural order of things.
It’s as if we have but one soul.
We are a part of the natural order
And it’s laws are our laws, too.
We are an endless moving stream
In a stream that is endless and true.
All distinctions are falsely imagined.
Separateness is sickness, to be sure.
We are the eternal mind of the universe,
And Love is the cure.

So here we are in October… just a few short days until the election. Accountability is the subject of this month’s poem, as it relates to the upcoming election. However, the need for accountability is everywhere; on every level, at every age and, of course, it begins at home.”

Other descriptions of accountability are: “walking your talk,” “keeping your promise,” “being mindful of what you say,” “following through” — “being reliable.”  I read something the other day that fits in this discussion: “Be accountable for your feelings and actions, because you chose to have them.”

And what must follow from being accountable (or not) is this gem: “When you choose your behavior, you choose your consequences.”  Taking ownership of one’s thoughts and actions almost automatically makes one accountable.

Whether running a household, a corporation or a national government, accountability is the major basic requirement!

Be accountable, and be sure to vote in the upcoming election. Vote early, if possible, and vote wisely.

Always remember, whatever the question, love is the answer.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability is the measure of a leader’s height.
A leader who is accountable will do things right:
Calling leaders to be responsible before placing blame,
And to realize leading others is not just a game.

Conscience binds and accountability liberates…
Failure to follow through will negatively translate.
Opinion is the lowest form of human knowledge…
Fact-finding and truth-telling will give you an edge.

Unless you’re dead, you can keep your promises;
It’s easier if you can examine your old prejudices.
Never promise more than you can perform.
Always strive higher — much higher than the norm.

The price of greatness is responsibility,
Which gives your actions a strong sense of credibility.
A leader must be accountable to his nation’s laws.
Decisions cannot be made by “drawing straws.”

Being reliable is the basis of accountability.
“Walking your talk” illustrates your dependability.
It’s always the right time to do things right.
Your actions can be trusted. They are honest and forthright.

Life is better when people keep their word.
When they don’t, the meaning of their words becomes blurred.
I strive to be accountable for my thoughts, words and actions.
Being less than honest will spoil all interactions.

The only thing in your way is you.
So check your motives, and push your way through.
You are the reason for your success or failure.
Accountability is what good citizens prefer.