Earth Hour

My friends and I observed the Earth Hour last night in a party. An Iranian friend of mine found the beginning of Spring, the Persian New Year, Easter, St. Patrick's day, etc. good excuses to host a party for his friends of many nations. The host asked me to prepare a toast in appreciation of mother Earth few hours before the party. So, I searched for poems and quotations about Earth among my favorite poets. I thought I would emphasize we only have one home planet, one Earth. Even if we find life in other planets, as we are actively searching to do so, it would take decades before we understand those environments, learn how to adapt and live there, let alone build civilizations. I decided to close with a verse from a poem of Robert Frost:

"Earth's the right place for love: I don't know where it's likely to go better".

Many seemed to like it! I was glad, my job was done. Later, one of the guests asked me if I read and like Robert Frost's writings. I said I have read some of them and like them. Then, he recited this beautiful poem from him to me:

"The rose is a rose,
And was always a rose.
But now the theory goes
That the apple's a rose,
And the pear is, and so's
The plum, I suppose.
The dear only knows
What will next prove a rose.
You, of course, are a rose
But were always a rose."

It was a nice night to remember.

One Moment

Thousands of miles farther
Many fortunes later
I have arrived
For that one gaze
For that one smile
For that one moment with you

Passive Aggressiveness

Something is bothering you:
What a friend said,
What a colleague did,
How an organization is being run.

You keep your silence.
What is the point after all?
Nothing is going to change,
You rather believe.
You keep getting hurt.
You build up anger within yourself,
More and more everyday.

What if you speak up?
What would you lose if no one hears you out?
What if someone does?
What if something changes?
What if you learn you were wrong?
Maybe you had no reason to be mad to begin with!
Maybe you learn something you did not know!

You accept the status quo.
You accept the behavior you do not like.
You do not give others an opportunity to explain, to improve, to gain your trust.
You allow yourself to blame others for your unhappiness.
After all,
If others resolve the issue,
Who else would you have to blame?
So, you keep quiet.
You resist change.
You resist being proven wrong.
You protect yourself.
You hide behind others.

Speak up gently sometimes.
Ask questions.
Declare your feelings.
Declare your thoughts.
Give others the benefit of the doubt.
You may see more clearly.
You may live happier.