65+ years

integrity vs. despair

resolution: wisdom

Grandpa, me?
His children grew, married, and had kids as well
life was full, life was good
his school was also having kids
there were schools all over the globe
with stores, clinics, and film studios, radio and TV stations
as a memory of his years in film and TV production
and also print media, as a memory of his years in the press

In each country, there were people from several other countries
working at the local foundation
all kinds of languages, religions, and races were obvious
yes, people could live, study, and work together
all they had to do was to meet each other
to find out that they were all asking for the same thing:
a better quality of life, internally and externally

He won a Nobel peace prize at the age of 80
it helped to promote the schools
he was quite happy with the prize
he had suffered, fought, worked hard, enjoyed, taken risks
he had paid his dues, done his time to achieve healing
he had also loved, danced, played as a child
and now the children of his schools were rejoicing
because they were the winners
they had also worked hard to grow as role models

The message of those children was echoed around the world
the peoples of this world were finally coming together
it was harder and harder to justify a war
it was easier and easier to justify a peace
people knew each other, they didn’t fear each other, anymore
there was trust and understanding, love and dignity
and the children of this world could walk in peace
as they saw their elders walking hand in hand with each other

The world was not homogeneous, and that was the beauty
it was one big rainbow pointing in all directions
people could now recognize the colors of the rainbow
because they had recognized the colors in their internal rainbow
joy was at hand, joy was present, joy was the name of the game

He went with his grandchildren for a walk in the hills
just like his grandfather had done with him
he just made sure that this time they wouldn’t get lost
then again, maybe that was the beauty, the unknown
they collected the little bells that fall from eucalyptus trees
and smelled their fragrance, a gift from Nature
just like he did with Pivo, his grandpa
and thought of his father, now with Pivo, in heaven

A tear fell, some sadness came by
a smile, a slow smile walked through his face
he thought of his life, a good life, and gave thanks
to God, to the dear people in his life
and to all those ones who made it a little difficult
because without them maybe he wouldn’t have learned as much

The children asked him why he was so quiet
he told them he was talking to God
they looked without knowing what to say
he told them not to worry, he told them to enjoy
joy, the word he had had trouble grasping
was now very familiar in his life, and for these children too

Life was good, my friend, life was good
and so, he departed when he completed the century
he was 100 years old when he decided to leave
he asked people to start a whole new project five years before
they were a little surprised, but maybe some knew
it was his final gift to the world, it was the golden crown

It was called Parque de la Alegría
something like Joyland, yes, it had to be a park
animals, technology, people, lights, music, feelings, and emotions
all together in a harmonious way, supporting each other
in the name of peace, joy, dancing, singing, learning, embracing
people couldn’t get enough, and they took it home
once tasted, joy was difficult to leave behind
and he knew that, and he knew that

He sent a letter asking for a one week big reunion
the most special workshop he had ever organized
and he had done hundreds of them, in all the continents
this one was different, quite different
he thanked everybody, hugged everybody
talked about the transcendence of the soul
the sanctity of life, which goes beyond the material world
the I who is actually we, we are just one
therefore, the impossibility of death, even in the material world
since all the rest remain here, in time and space

He hugged them one by one, everybody knew
yet, some didn’t want to believe it
he looked fine, he just looked a bit tired
after all he was 100, yes, a century on earth
he went to sleep, and sleeping he remained
the next day a big party was announced
just as he had asked in quite clear instructions

He wouldn’t go for the sadness, oh no
there would be some grief, but the key word was joy
he asked for song and dance, and that’s what he got
his ashes were scattered in the ocean
the one he loved so much
the one he always longed for
the one he worked hard to keep clean

Not everyone could be joyful
no matter how much he had asked for it
and tears dropped into the ground
and from those tears, flowers of rainbow colors bloomed
those flowers he loved so much
those flowers he always kept around

His final words, the ones he had written for the occasion
were read and published, and more joy was spread
they basically said that he was thankful
for the opportunity of having been around
for having met all those he met
and for having had so many dear friends
in so many corners of the world, and he thanked children
for having been his best and most knowledgeable teachers
he called them the bearers of joy, hope, healing, and service

His grandchildren danced and sang
but at the end of the day, they also cried
tears of pain, tears of joy
they already missed grandpa
yet, they were happy that he had been in their life
bye, grandpa, they said
as they watched the sun setting in the west
bye, grandpa, they repeated
we love you, you are with us, they added
and they all embraced, and stood still
silence was all over, even the birds remained silent

The people started to leave
a page had been turned, Nature would continue its path
now everybody was smiling, joy was back
and they thanked God for the gift of life

Self-forgiveness

65+ years
I found peace, and there were no judgments.

Views of poet Pablo Neruda’s house and museum, Isla Negra, Chile, 1995.

Pablo, I’ll join you in heaven, where poets go. Your brother, Vlad