“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”– Edith Wharton, novelist (24 Jan 1861-1937)
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Thought For the Day: Spread the Light
Posted in Thought For the Day
Tagged Candle, Edith Wharton, Light, Mirror, Reflect, Spread, Thought For the Day, Two
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First Principles: It Is Essential To Preserve Liberty That All People Possess Arms and Be Taught How To Use Them
“Whereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them; nor does it follow from this, that all promiscuously must go into actual service on every occasion. The mind that aims at a select militia, must be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle; and when we see many men disposed to practice upon it, whenever they can prevail, no wonder true republicans are for carefully guarding against it.” – Federal Farmer (1787)
Posted in First Principles
Tagged Anti-Republican Principle, Arms, Federal Farmer, First Principles, Guard, Liberty, Possess, Preserve, Richard Henry Lee, Select Milita, Taught, The People, Use
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Morning Broken
Having a bit of a go at it in life these days. Six more medical tests scheduled by mid March. At that point, maybe we have a game plan? Let’s hope so.
Morning Broken by Michael Romani Early morning, barely awoken But a sunrise barely broken Troubled by my early thought Something that I had not sought All my life, I've felt a mistake Like I would walk alone in heartache There it was in the soul shake From the moment, I first awake I had words with myself later that day Discontent but on my solemn way That tomorrow would bring better things As I sat there looking at broken rings (c) January 23, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
Samson (X)
Continuing in the retelling of the story of Samson and Delilah as told in The Book of Judges:
Samson (X) by Michael Romani X It is as it must That God's wrath is just To watch his people die Or leave wondering why This is the choice proffered By the Philistine king offered But, his strength of hand extends to voice As he say no to this false choice To his God, Samson gives devotion Insistent on this negotiation To prevent his people's mass starvation He lays down his life for his nation God smiles on these things of purity Answering with blessings of dignity Broken as we are, scourged with envy We must chose to rise above our injury All the wrongs to be put rightly With things gone on almost nightly The unrighteous claim this dark hour Until Samson calls on the Lord for power To the living God, we witness The truth of God, we cannot protest For it is God's will that will be done Through Samson, Zion's Holy Son Wounded he seeks refuge in the valley And though it's no imposition, he must not dally Nursing his health, Delilah sets her plans Through trickery of kindness, she will have her man Frightened and alone, Samson turns to his mother She offers love and forgiveness like no other As the storm clouds come creeping in Samson feels shame from his life lived in sin As night turns again into today A hard life know no other way And still, despite all of our sorrow Is always another fallen tomorrow (c) January 23, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Book of Judges, Devotion, Dignity, Envy, False Choice, God, Injury, Living God, Lord, Nation, Negotiate, Night, Philistine, Photograph, Poem, Poetry, Power, Pure, Right, Samson and Delilah, Shame, Sorrow, Starve, Storm, Tomorrow, Truth, Witness, Wonder, Wrath, Wrong, Zion
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Thought For the Day: Government Can and Must Provide Opportunity, Not Smother It
“It is not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work — work with us, not over us; stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it.” – Ronald Reagan
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Tagged Cooperate, Do Away, Foster, Government, Opportunity, Provide, Ronald Reagan, Smother, Stifle, Thought For the Day, Work
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First Principles: Legal Immigrants From All Nations Are Welcome As Long As These Conform To American Laws
“Born in other countries, yet believing you could be happy in this, our laws acknowledge, as they should do, your right to join us in society, conforming, as I doubt not you will do, to our established rules.” – Thomas Jefferson (1801)
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Tagged Conform, Established Rules, First Principles, Foreign, Join, Law, Legal, Society, Thomas Jefferson
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Samson IX
Continuing the story of Samson and Delilah as told in the Book of Judges:
Samson (IX) by Michael Romani In the rocky passage of history There are signs of Divine certainty When God's voice has spoken clear Stilling waters and calming fear All broken vows apart God knows the depths of man's heart Samson would save his people By strength of hand and faith of steeple Samson, chosen of God, tribe of Dan Was born to lead as just such a man Set apart to fight for true freedom Against the power of the Philistine kingdom With donkey's jawbone Samson slew his enemies alone Finally taking his just stand There to reclaim his ancestral land A humbled servant bent in prayer God's invincibility present there One by one, Samson slew the enemy In reliance on God, began his legacy Mighty in his submission to one Quenched by living water when he was done Nazirite anointed to free his people Through God's strength and words from steeple The prince of Dagon felt this Godly power There in the ripeness of his darkest hour While Samson, as judge, protected his nation To save his people from evil and devastation (c) January 22, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Book of Judges, Chosen, Dagon, Dan, Evil, Freedom, God, Good, History, Israel, Jawbone, Nation, Nazirite, Philistine, Photograph, Poem, Poetry, Samson and Delilah, Submit, Vows
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Rough Road
Sometimes it’s a rough patch. Sometimes it’s a life sentence. All times, it’s up to the person walking it to push on through. Sometimes that shapes you into your least intentions…
Rough Road by Michael Romani It was a late night drink To shut the place down I was starting to think Like another superstar rodeo clown She called me Rough Road On account of my face My life was rugged and it showed She invited me to her place I was inclined to go Tomorrow was just another show Nowhere in particular to be And I guessed she could see She had been a singer in a show That what she told me I believed her like rock-n-roll With her voice as pretty as a melody She brought me to her place Decorated with guitars on the wall I feel into her embrace The rest, I just don't recall She called me rough road On account of my face My life had been rugged and it showed She invited me to her place I was inclined to go Tomorrow was just one more show With nowhere in particular to be And I guessed she could see We spent half that night Singing old fashioned love songs The rest -- I held her tight Whispering wishes of wanting to belong She called me rough road On account of my face My life had been rugged and it showed She invited me to her place I was inclined to go Tomorrow was just another show Nowhere in particular to be And I guessed she could see With the light of the morning We said goodbye over coffee She was leaving without warning As over heartbreak as she was over me She called me rough road On account of my face My life had been rugged and it showed She invited me to her place I was inclined to go Tomorrow was just another show Nowhere in particular to be And I guessed she could see (c) January 22, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Belong, Coffee, Drink, Embrace, Face, Guitar, Heartbreak, Leave, Life Sentence, Melody, Morning, Night, Old Fashioned Love Song, Photograph, Place, Poem, Poetry, Road Road, Rock N Roll, Rodeo Clown, Rough Patch, Rugged, Shape, Show, Shut, Singer, Think, Tight, Tomorrow, Voice
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Thought For the Day: We Should Focus More On the Integrity of Love Than Purity of Dogma
“We worry more about the purity of dogma than about the integrity of love.” – Abraham Joshua Heschel, rabbi and professor (11 Jan 1907-1972)
Posted in Thought For the Day
Tagged Abraham Joshua Heschel, Focus, Integrity of Low, Purity of Dogma, Rabbi, Thought For the Day, Worry
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First Principles: Be Leery of Transferring Political Disagreements Into Personal Hatred
“It has been a source of great pain to me to have met with so many among [my] opponents who had not the liberality to distinguish between political and social opposition; who transferred at once to the person, the hatred they bore to his political opinions.” – Thomas Jefferson (1808)
Posted in First Principles
Tagged Distinguish, First Principles, Hatred, Liberality, Opponents, Opposition, Pain, Person, Political, Social, Thomas Jefferson, Transfer
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