“Men are divided in opinion as to the facts. And even granting the facts, they explain them in different ways.” – Edwin Abbott Abbott, schoolmaster and theologian (20 Dec 1838-1926)
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Thought For the Day: Men Are Divided In Opinion As To the Facts. And Even Granting the Facts, They Explain Them In Different Ways
Posted in Thought For the Day
Tagged Different Ways, Edwin Abbott Abbott, Explain, Fact, Mankind, Men, Opinion, Thought For the Day
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First Principles: To Preserve Their Independence, We Must Not Let Our Rulers Load Us With Perpetual Debt. We Must Make Our Election Between Economy and Liberty, Or Profusion and Servitude
“To preserve their independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.” – Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Samuel Kercheval (1816)
On Christmas Island
On Christmas Island
by Michael Doyle
It's those accidental greetings
That lead to monumental meetings
These fill our lives with love
As if somehow guided from above
On Christmas Island, looking for a room
It's surprising the miracles that bloom
Open hearts put a smile on our faces
It's just how it is when love's found its place
The magic of Christmas comes from our hearts
It's made special as we make our new starts
Catching snowflakes on the top of our tongues
It is the kind of silliness that keeps us young
It is true that time spent candle-making
Is a time that will never be heartbreaking
Sometimes, everyone needs a little help to smile
A little cocoa and mistletoe offer Christmas-style
Every life has a little bit of tragic
It needs a little bit of Christmas magic
Like living love and having happy families
These are the things that color Christmas memories
(c) December 19, 2024 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Above, Accidental Greetings, Bloom, Candle-Making, Christmas Island, Christmas Magic, Christmas Memories, Christmas-Style, Cocoa, Color, Every Life, Face, Guided, Happy Families, Heartbreaking, Hearts, Little Help, Lives, Living Love, Love, Magic of Christmas, Miracles, Mistletoe, Monumental Meetings, New Starts, Open Hearts, Place, Poetry and Poems, Room, Silliness, Smile, Snowflakes, Time, Tongues, Tragic, True, Young
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Thought For the Day: Love the Life You Live. Life the Life You Love.
“Love the life you live. Live the life you love.” – Bob Marley
Posted in Thought For the Day
Tagged Bob Marley, Life, Live, Love, Thought For the Day
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First Principles: Life Is A Succession of Lessons Which Must Be Lived To Be Understood
“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Posted in First Principles
Tagged First Principles, Lessons, Life, Lived, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Suecession, Understood
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Several Levels From Myself
Several Levels From Myself
by Michael Doyle
Living life
Several levels from myself
I usually have my nose
Stuck in a book from a shelf
You were a swirl of perfection
Without a flaw in detection
What was I supposed to do
But to fall madly in love with you
My Christmas serenade
Was a plan I hadn't really made
One hello and I was done
As certain as certain, you were the one
Quickly in chaos spent adrift
You were always one to constantly shift
And I was the glad one to be there
As long as I could hold you near
So many storms blowing strong
But it felt right where I belong
Thought much of it was your making
Your dreamy eyes were risks worth taking
My Christmas serenade
Was a plan I hadn't really made
One hello and I was done
As certain as certain, you were the one
Some hinted that I better look out
In your arms, I had no doubt
You came to me in answer to a hope I pray
My gift from God, I hope you'll stay
Maybe braver hearts have fallen deeper
Here in my heart, I know you're a keeper
It was the path of God that brought us together
Being with you, there's nothing better
My Christmas serenade
Was a plan I hadn't really made
One hello and I was done
As certain as certain, you were the one
(c) December 18, 2024 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Adrift, Answer, Ars, Being With You, Belong, Book, Certain, Chaos, Christmas Serenade, Detection, Done, Doubt, Dreamy Eyes, Flaw, Hello, Hint, Hope, Living Life, Look Out, Love, Making, Near, Nose, Nothing Better, Path of God, Perfection, Plan, Poetry and Poems, Pray, Risk, Self, Several Levels, Shift, Storms, Swirl, Taking, The one, Together
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First Principles: The Most Sacred of the Duties of A Government Is To Do Equal and Impartial Justice To All Citizens
“The most sacred of the duties of a government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all citizens.” —Thomas Jefferson (1816)
Posted in First Principles
Tagged All Citizens, Duties, Equal, First Pricniples, Government, Impartial, Justice, Sacred, Thomas Jefferson
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Thought For the Day: Art Should Be Like A Holiday: Something To Give A Man the Opportunity To See Things Differently and To Change His Point of View
“Art should be like a holiday: something to give a man the opportunity to see things differently and to change his point of view.” -Paul Klee, painter (18 Dec 1879-1940)
Posted in Thought For the Day
Tagged Art, Change, Different, Holiday, Opportunity, Paul Klee, Point of View, Thought For the Day
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Gifts On this Morn
Gifts On This Morn
by Michael Doyle
It's just how it is since we were born
We await the superficial gifts of this morn
Excited eyes search around the Christmas tree
Wondering what presents are for you and me
Then when all the gifts have been found
And the garland and tinsel are unwound
We would take our toys to play outside
Having spent time to find, it was time to hide
Until the sun began setting down
And we knew supper was being laid down
We would gather around the family table
Stuffing ourselves as fully as able
That is, until we as parents became
The ones wanting our children to know the same
Times had changed and fun had become digital
Our children gathered around screens as able
It was no longer safe to go outside and play
And we parents find ourselves mourning yesterday
As we try to help our children still have fun
Wondering yet how all innocence has been undone
No carolers come through snowfall's moonlight
But still we gather around to sing it bright
Each note in its right place as we remember cheer
And keep our Christmases year after splendid year
We will not betray our warm and pleasant memories
So long as we can keep love shining in our families
And while the times have changed, we know no numbness
As we smile all the same and keep our love in oneness
All of our sequestered hearts are given
As we gather in the name of He who has forgiven
Christmas has come with its long memory
We gather our hearts together as one family
(c) December 17, 2024 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Born, Carolers, Change, Cheer, Christmas Tree, Chrstmas, Digital, Excited Eyes, Family, Family Table, Find, Found, Fun, Garland, Gifts, Go Outside and Play, Hide, Innocence, Memory, Moonlight, Morn, Mourning Yesterday, Our Children, Outside, Parents, Poetry and Poems, Screens, Sun, Supper, Tinsel, Toys, Undone, Wonder
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First Principles: Peace Is the Real and Right Memorial For Those Who Have Died In War
“Peace is the real and right memorial for those who have died in war.” – Richard M. Nixon
Posted in First Principles
Tagged Death, First Principles, Memorial, Peace, Real, Richard M. Nixon, Right, War
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ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER 