As Much as You Can
And if you can not lead your life the way you want it,
at least try this
as much as you can: do not degrade it
in a crowded relationship with the world,
in too many things and too much talk.
Do not degrade it by showing it around,
dragging it along and exposing it
to the daily nonsense
of relationships and associations
until it is strange to you and a burden.
excerpt
man of the board. As she returned to her place, she blinked back
tears. Suddenly, the stress and excitement of the last few days – even
the last few months – overwhelmed her. The culmination of three
years of nurses’ training, the anxiety over her parents’ animosity towards
the man she loved, the disappointment that one of her two
best friends could not be graduating tonight, all gathered into a river
of tears that rose in Tyne’s throat and threatened to gush from her
eyes. Panicked, she darted a glance at Moe, and was saved by another
broad wink and a cheeky grin from her friend.
Good old Moe. Thank you, kid.
As graduate after graduate walked to the podium, Tyne tried not
to think of Carol Ann who should be with the nurses in the last row,
soon going forward to receive the coveted diploma. But, thanks to
Bryce Baldwin, Curly’s dream had died with her unborn child.
Tyne tried to shake the negative thoughts. After all, Bryce had not
acted alone, and Curly must certainly have been a willing partner.
And it was hardly his fault that she had resorted to the measures she
had to get rid of the baby. He had suggested she get an abortion but
he could not make her do it.
Tyne now remembered that a few days after her confrontation
with Dr. Baldwin in the nursery, she had begun to harbour guilt
feelings about the anger she felt towards him. She had finally gone
to confess her uncharitable thoughts to a priest. Father O’Malley
had been stern, and had given her much greater penance than Tyne
thought she deserved. She left the confessional with equally negative
thoughts about the priest, and for a moment she wondered if she
should go back and confess that, too.
However, only hours after her confession, the anger began to surface
again. This time, Tyne told herself she had a right to be angry.
After all, was there not such a thing as righteous anger? Had not Jesus
been angry with the money changers in the temple? So why should
she not be angry with Bryce Baldwin after the way he had treated her
friend?
But she found no peace from holding the grudge, and she recognized
that Morley’s influence was having an impact on her conscience.
Jesus had told his disciples they must forgive. Not seven
times, he had told Peter, but seventy times seven. Tyne finally realized
that she had to forgive Dr. Baldwin.
Fourteenth Hour
In silent moments I often mourn
the vigor of her hair standing
against the wind of an early May morning
before the phony freedom comes
forth with all its equipment
orchestrating the next tune
in a celestial dancing hall
free-spirited birds accept and
embrace it openhearted
animals accept and curl up in it
free flowing winds receive
and espouse it yet the stimulating
truth far from acceptance
and adoption by caged man
conditioned in willful ignorance
such as morons deserve and He
graces him with freedom as it is His
to choose a path other than
thorny shortcut of sweetest
sin that defines profound absurdity
When Ecclesia’s ghetto
markets the word and tosses it
to fanatics who down its
virulence with pleasure
in vain understanding
comedy of errors and frivolity
as I stand like Mistral asking
‘why?’ and the zealot laughs
righteous ignorance and still
hollers from the depth
of his lungs: who cares?
Manolis Aligizakis 