Friday, April 22, 2011

A Long and Winding Road

Haiku My Heart
April 22, 2011








Haiku My Heart is a place where soft hearts and peaceful minds meet and write Haiku, at least every Friday, but sometimes for days in advance or after. Please check out Rebecca’s recuerda mi corazon blog for more Haiku and find out how you too can participate.
Pyramid of dreams
What awaits us at the end
Fate pours through our hands
This photo looked like a pyramid for a moment when I was messin’ around with it. So the word pyramid came to my head and I wanted to use it in today’s Haiku My Heart offering. This Haiku was way out there for a while, and believe it or not, every word has strong relevant meaning. I won’t explain what the words and picture mean to me because there would no doubt be a huge difference in what it all might mean to you. I think it’s suppose to be that way.



So, take each word, or each line or the entire Haiku and have at it. What I’ve noticed since I started trying my hand at Haiku on Rebecca’s Haiku My Heart Meme is that each and every one of the participants entries makes me think of something, reminds me of some event or just spurs emotions from the visuals, words or both that I get as I travel from blog to blog. And some Fridays, there are at least a couple that I never know the true meaning that is being conveyed. And that's okay.


Some things take me a long time to get, (as in “get it”). Also, sometimes I’m not sure if what I ‘get’ is what it’s suppose to be I’m getting. Like the idea in recovery that says the process is spiritual and mentions a higher power. I rebelled against it for many years because I didn’t want to side with any one particular religion.

But now, I have an understanding and the idea is firmly planted in my life as a way of life, a way of living, a path, a walk, a journey. I travel on a rail these days. There is no end to it. Sure, there are train depots and you’ll see end-of-the-rail guards there where the train will stop and eventually head the other way, but surely all rails don’t lead to that spot. The locomotive must be switched or diverted onto that particular track.


Life’s like that. On the rails. Continuous, until switched to one place or another. Who's doing the switching?


My dreams are the places I might want to go. What happens along the way is my life. Where I switch brings me to events and some blind guarded endings and turnarounds. Some spurs are dangerous, some smooth sailing.
I love this. And I love the idea of living this way. Taking the experiences of the past and seeing them in the rear view mirror. Not knowing what’s around the next curve or over the next hill. Just watching the wheels going around and around right where I am at any given moment as I get from the start to the end, of something called life. 

I follow my heart. Matters of the heart, all the physical. emotional and spiritual references to it, are evident now. No one uses the heart better than Rebecca and her legion of followers. I didn't know I had bought into this just a few years ago. Some days I am totally aware of the blood circulating through the system of roads and rails that carry it around my body, into and out of my heart.

Peace

21 comments:

gma said...

I grew up on the railroad. Used to walk those tracks for miles barefoot.

Ramesh Sood said...

My childhood went near railway lines.. what vibrations would erupt as the train neared..

Meri said...

I love where your rails of thought are transporting you.

Rena said...

"fate pours through our hands." wow...

gatheringwonder said...

fantastic post - wonderful words and images

Unknown said...

I so enjoy how you lead us down this path with you...

how that path wanders and veers but almost always takes us somewhere we need to travel.

Motivational Poems said...

An amazing post and beautiful images!

Take Care
Marinela

Short Poems

Grammy said...

I can say "I get it too" The first photo I knew it was a littered track, I at first thought it was a tip of a bullet in the center. But did not think till I read more it was to change the track. I walked the track bare foot to as a teen. My mom still live less than a block from the track. I hear the train some times when I visit. But she is now 180+/- miles from me. And Hear I have a dead track at the end of the road. I have heard the horn many times in the last 10 years. I did not know there is no train any more.The though a ghost train came to mind. But Now some one told me there are truck horns that sound this way. I can hear the Hwy echo and roar some times. So maybe it is the road calling me too. This post echos in my heart. And I can feel it deeply.
bhlol :)
E

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

"...sometimes I’m not sure if what I ‘get’ is what it’s suppose to be I’m getting."

My dear Spadoman, I think we get what we're supposed to get when we are ready to get it. Does that make sense? I hope so...

A story: When I was a freshman in high school, I tried to read Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. It was an exercise in futility. I set the book aside. I just didn't get it.

Several years later, when I was in my twenties, I picked up the book again. This time I couldn't put it down. I got it!

Sometimes we get it, sometimes we don't. Sometimes we have to wait a while to get it.

Oh, I'm rambling...sorry...but I still hope what I'm rambling about makes sense...

Mel said...

That MMT is a wise one.

And this post--absolutely wonderful to embrace.
And if I had only 'read' it, I wouldn't have gotten what I got.

Thank you.

I might have to read this a time or two to remind myself.
I might have to read this a time or two so I CAN embrace it for all it's worth.

And it's worth a LOT.

Just sayin'.......

Jill Berry said...

I grew up next to the railroad. Wound my way around Europe by rail, I know it is not literal but it is still so, so romantic.

Kim Mailhot said...

Connections made with fellow travels on these rails run deep when you learn to let thm. It makes the journey all the sweeter for me.
I love this post, Man.
Happy Weekend !

Margaret Pangert said...

I like your intent and how you arrived at your intention. The rails are a great metaphor to express your journey and routes. I thought the pyramid photo was actually from the point of view of a diving board suspended over a swimming pool. The perspective makes it look like it's narrowing down to a pinpoint... My understanding of pyramids is that they are great conveyors of energy--I have a little crystal one on my desk. However, I agree with you that the most uplifting energy comes from the insights of others on our blogosphere.
I think our fate is... The Bridge of San Luis Rey...
Thanks for opening so many doors, Mr. Spadoman! Love

Noelle Clearwater said...

Hi Joe,
We lived next to a railroad track when I was a litle girl as well. I think that it was one of the most comforting sounds that I remember in my childhood, steadfast and true. Every night as I went to sleep, I could hear the whistle and then I would nestle in my blankets and listen to the chug-chug-chug of the train cars going over the tracks as I drifted off to sleep. I can recall it being a necessary element of my getting to sleep some nights. I love your post and the way that you anthropomorphize the train tracks as if they were the arteries of a human heart. You are a man who travels a lot and so it makes sense to me. Here is an old song by Woody Guthrie about trains. I thought you might enjoy it.
Peace,
Noelle

Danville Girl
Words and Music Adaptation by Woody Guthrie

I went down to the railroad yard, Watch the train come by
Knew that train would roll that day But I did not know what time.

I did not know what time, boys, did not know what time,
Knew the train would roll that day but I did not know what time.
Good morning, Mister railroad man, what time does your train roll by?

Nine sixteen and two forty four, twenty five minutes ‘til five.
At nine sixteen, two forty four, twenty five minutes ‘til five.
Thank you, Mister railroad man, I wanna watch your train roll by.

Standing on the platform, smoking a big cigar,
Waitin' for some old freight train that carries an empty car.

I rode her down to Danville town, got stuck on a Danville girl,
Bet your life she was a pearl, she wore that Danville curl.

She wore her hat on the back of her head like high tone people all do,
Very next train come down that track, I bid that gal adieu.

I bid that gal adieu, poor boys, I bid that gal adieu,
The very next train come down that track, I bid that gal adieu.

© Copyright 1963 (renewed) by Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc

Rosie@travel-i-tales said...

I know exactly what you mean. This is more than a meme...here is where there's food for thought and interpretation. Thanks for inviting us to share your thoughts.
Rosie

GYamato said...

Oh! These are so wonderful. I have a collage for one of my haiku that looks so much like part of this series...I have to run back and find out what it was! Talk about resonance!

Dawn Elliott said...

Your Haiku really makes me ponder -wonderful! I so agree with your post about our meandering lives - so true!

rebecca said...

dear joe,
your words speak straight to my heart. this willingness to trust, to be. your generosity in acknowledging the presence of all....
your courage to look for and to express soul.
i am honored to walk in your peace.

Cheryl said...

I love your post. I thought your photo was a flag pole and I couldn't make out what was next to it. Now I realize it's a railroad track. I've lived near a track twice in my life. The second time, reminded me of the first, and I was transported back in time. The second time I moved near the tracks, I stayed.

foxysue said...

Dear Joe,

I feel so blessed having spiritual on-line buddies like you, reading your posts always transport me to a special place, of course I put my own interpretation on it everyone does, but that makes the journey all the more magical!

BTW I too never want to align myself to any particular religion having left a very exacting one, but recognizing all roads with 'heart' is a good sign I'm on the 'right track' for me.

Love Ms Foxy

mig said...

It's a beautiful haiku and the photos fit so well. and they are lovely.