Relaxed Happy Travel

Everyone seems to be rushed 
Rushed to do so many things
Maybe because everyone knows
That time is running out

But the kids 
The driven kids
Under high expectations
Surrounded by others of the same

Rushed to take classes
Rushed to go to college
Rushed to graduate
Rushed to get a job

All the while chasing 
The ever elusive target
Of success measured by
Other rushed people

Without knowing what 
Success truly is
Other than universally agreed
Amassing of large wealth

Spending entire life 
Rushing to go from 
Point A to point B
Within a finite life

Like a person on Amtrak
Anxious to go from East to West
Obsessed with destination
Missing all the beauty in between

Not realizing
It is not the destination
But relaxed happy travel
That defines the success

Happy New Year

As the sun rises from the east
As the rain drops from thy sky
As the ocean waves hit the shores

Another year passes
Another revolution around the sun
Another new year to celebrate

All wishing happy new year
All wishing to be happy
All wishing for another one after

For some it will be the first
For some it will be the last
For some it will be neither

But for all who have made it 
But for all who persevered
But for all counting down the seconds

Happy New Year
Happy New Year
Happy New Year 

Suddenly Becomes Good

Tip of the iceberg
People often say referring
To the apparent issues at hand

Yet seldom do they care
What actually lies
Beneath the tip

How big 
How deep
How dark

As long as the tip is
Shiny and glorious or
Just not causing much problem

Afraid to look under
Afraid to expose
Afraid to fix

What lies beneath the tip
In case there is something
That needs actual fixing

Not because they don't want to
Not because they don't agree
Not because there is no resource

But because it requires work
It requires courage
It requires making tough decisions

So the tip just floats along
Hiding the big ugly
Underneath

And when the tip is apparently
Bad to the naked eye
All that underneath holding it up

Suddenly becomes good

And Climbing

Everyone wants to grow

It seems

To be better 
To mature

To understand 

Not the kids

But adults who are 

Already fully grown

Keeps on wanting to grow

When asked about why

They do certain things

Pursue a lofty goal

Or travel around the world

For example

And invariably the answer is

To grow and better oneself

Mentally and spiritually 

These fully grown adults

All heading towards the exit

Inevitable end of life

Wanting to grow 

An excuse and justification

To do whatever which is nothing

But activities to occupy time

Too much time maybe 

To live with some purpose

Serving as distraction from 

Facing what truly lies ahead

Like a man climbing a mountain

That has no summit

But keeps on climbing 

And climbing

And climbing

And climbing

Until time's up

A Thousand Times

A million here
A million there

It used to be such
That a million was regarded

As a huge sum of money
And it still would be 

Were it not for everyday
Mention in the media of

A billion here and
A billion there

To a point where a million
Seems like a chump change

Tens of billions
Hundreds of billions

And now even a trillion
A trillion

Which is beyond the ordinary
Human mind's comprehension

Like the endless universe
Countless stars

A thousand billion
Each billion comprised of

A thousand million
Each million comprised of

A thousand thousand
Each thousand comprised of

A thousand dollars
Where it all begins

A thousand times 
A thousand times

A thousand times
A thousand