A Sincere Plea for Life..

I was planning to write this post in support of those walking in the Annual March for Life in Washington D.C, but with recent events they have transpired during this week and last, I feel compelled to say that I still stand with those who feel like life is precious.

So, you could say that I’m pro-life.

The reason is a simple one for me: I was raised in an Irish Roman Catholic home, and it’s something that I’m proud to say that I still am a Roman Catholic to this day. I may not show it outside, until today, but it’s not what’s outside that matters, it’s all about practicing what you preach inside and out. I’m here to admit that even though I don’t know the Bible chapter and verse, my morals can best be described by three words: Faith, Hope and Charity.

The reason I have hope is because of my faith, which helped me feel like I can be a better person; my charity is shown in my volunteering efforts, my desire to pay it forward to others less fortunate. But I’m also a lector at my local Church and also am part of a wonderful family known as Cursillo, which makes me making this confession necessary due to recent events, namely how Albany has endorsed abortion rights within New York State, that reinforce what Roe V. Wade started 46 years ago.

I understand that this might be an unpopular decision for me to make but I also realize that my faith means just as much to me as I want to connect people to resources that can help them, not hurt them in any way. For more information about the pro-life movement, the link is posted here: http://www.ewtn.com/prolife/.

Let’s help uplift others and support each other, born and unborn, and help us all…

Shine On!!

Poetry Packed Out: Will someone please think of our Malls?

Is it just me or is it just my nostalgia that wishes that malls could thrive as they did in the past?

The mall I see, barren storefronts, walls replacing them, a ghost town to be blunt about it, wasn’t that way when I was growing up, where arcades were commonplace, stores, shops and restaurants were plentiful and more importantly to me, a community came together and put differences aside for each other.

Ok, maybe I’m being a little Pollyanna here, but I paint that picture because it’s s far cry to whet malls are now (and what they can be still.) I spent many a day in stores, dragged into stores and wearing itchy clothing hoping that one was just right. My only oasis from the chaotic situation was the local arcade, where the classic game we all knew and loved were cutting edge.

It was a sad, tragic perhaps, before and after, but it was in that spirit that inspired the following ode, which is a poetic form I’m not used to doing, but I feel it imperative to expand your horizons. I need to thank my friend, the poetic diva, Cheryl Rice, whose blog is posted in the following link: http://flyingmonkeyprods.blogspot.com. She has always been a supporter of my poetic exploits and someone I consider a member of my poetic family, so without further ado, an Ode to a Mall, which she herself called “lovely”:

Ode to A Mall

 

-for my friendly poetic Diva, Cheryl-

 

O, If these walls could talk, show emotion

Bare stores alone could cause melancholy commotion

Wishing, hoping, praying for inspiration

To overtake everything, town, city, state and nation,

To show that they aren’t forgotten relics in time’s evolution,

Memories turned into action, sparks rebirth; revolution.

Wishing long lost smells, gossip, chatter from bygone days,

Walls want to change in so many, vibrant ways

Shockwaves signal shift, leaving people to wonder “Why, what

Stores will come, go, to give live, hope, breath to windows shut?”

From bookstores, restaurants, latest trends, when will it all crumble,

Fall from grace comes full circle, as communities all upturn, tumble.

May our past and present collide yo make an even better future and so make all of our collective dreams….

Shine On!!!

 

We’re all a little-diddle like Neddy-eddy!!!

If there’s one character I identify with on the long time sitcom The Simpsons, it can only be Ned Flanders. We’re both so positively optimistic, are both full of our hopes and our faith, but the one thing that I’ve noticed recently about us is that we all like our routines. We all have our routines I imagine to make our morning, our evening, our lives just right much in the same vein of Goldy Locks.

One recent story had me at my local Dunkin’ Donuts where I had planned to mix up a bit with something different, only to find out that the employee there (with whom I have a good rapport) had my standby drink all ready to go. I couldn’t help but laugh a bit then as now, but it highlights something that’s crucial to the success of us Spectrumites.

We thrive on doing things over and over again, we crave what others might think is mundane. We know our strengths and we know what we can do very well, if left to our own devices, if we’re left alone. We don’t do well with changes, or if we do, there’s bound to be a struggle, to be frank about it, as we try to learn the new skill being taught to us. We tend to get things in our own way, much like Julia from Sesame Street.

It can be frustrating for us to try to mask whom we are, so the question should (needs to, perhaps?) be, where can routine fit in how we learn new things?

That question needs to be answered on a case by case basis, but it always needs to be done in a compassionate matter where a person can be given the benefit of the doubt. Make no mistake about it: we can learn and we want to learn, but we may need compassion and understanding to help us master new things so that we can all…

Shine On!!

Poetry Packed Out: Bankin’ it for the New Year

A little late for this post, but Happy New Year from the Spectrumite Side!!

There’s something that I’ve been thinking about recently: about how humble I am but also how my self esteem and self confidence can suffer because of that.

But, it’s not exactly a bad thing,

I’m sure that we all have dealt with someone who wants to be in control of everything, micromanaging everything and everyone, much like Captain Jellico from an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. We all know that person whom will always want things to be their way and never listen to anyone, or at the very least, we know the person who will be stubborn ad nauseam.

Without going too much into detail, I’ve dealt with many a neurotypical like that, and I think that all Spectrumites have dealt with that at some point. We’re not used to being in command at times and often times, we’re tempted to let others have say in our lives and our communities. As a result, our voices get lost as others attempt to say that they speak for us.

Well, the good thing about seeing these people is that we have a choice as to whenever (or if) we should let these toxic influences into our lives, hence the reason for the following cinquain, which has been on my mind a lot recently:

Worth

By Brian Liston

Worth.

Cost, effort,

Enriches, shines, shares

All we are when we don’t see it

Ourselves.

It’s only been recently that I’ve discovered my self worth and I’d be lying to you if I’m still learning these valuable lessons about self worth, but it’s only when we pool our value together that we really begin to see how much we mean to each other and how that helps us all, Spectrumites and Nuerotypicals, better understand each other and help us all…

Shine On!!!

A Big Question: What’s your ideal?

So, 2019 is finally here, so I feel the need to challenge as of my readers: this challenge is open to you all, which is open to your own circumstances, all challenges may be hard to deal with, but they can make people grow as better people.

My challenge is simply this: What do you want for your life? What’s your ideal?

What do you want to change in your life, that thing you want to resolve, to change in your life? This question may seem difficult to answer but it will mean a lot, again, this question is not meant to make you feel uncomfortable, but it’s purpose is to inspire you to change, to improve the person you are.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been exploring past wounds and, at points, I’ve had to make tough decisions, but they were necessary to be made in order for me to grow in my own skin. It wasn’t easy for me to build the walls, but I did become a better, stronger person due to those decisions. In some cases, it needed to be done, not only for those on the outside, but more importantly for me personally. My safety and need to recharge took priority over needing to have people that drain my self worth and don’t see me as an autistic person.

So I ask again, what do you need to change in your life and what does your ideal life look like? Whatever it is, let no one stop you or let people belittle you, make your ideal life happen your way, on your terms and don’t give up on your ideal life so that you can truly….

Shine On!!