Fill In The Blank by BJ Neblett

As you may or may not know, 2013 was a pretty rough year for me in many ways. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel, I just hope it is not a speeding train headed my way! I've had the chance to do a lot of thinking and contemplating about life recently, who knows, perhaps too much time. I can honestly say I've come up completely blank. The answers I seek just aren't there. In a classic case of speaking something into existence, it would seem one of my poems has returned to prove itself, or perhaps to haunt me:

          The older I get
          The further I go
          The more I learn
          The less I know

My work, my money, many friends, and even my softball team have been taken from me. And I have no answers, reasons or explanations as to that ultimate question: 'Why?'. I am left with just my health, my writing and my thoughts, and, once again, I have come up short. So I'll just sit back and let you good people fill in the blanks.
Peace,
BJ

         "The (most)______________________man is the one who has nothing left to lose."
         "A man with nothing to lose is _______________."

Stepping Out Of Format For A Moment

Excuse the rants and raves. But like everyone, I am an emotional creature and sometimes emotions, like actions, can be mis-read and mis-interpreted. My altruism was questioned this weekend and I'm not ashamed to admit that it stung and hurt deeply... those nasty emotions at work again. When writers become upset they do what comes natural: they question, contemplate and write. Hopefully, maybe someday down the line the right person will read these rants and raves and understand. And forgive me for being human.
Thanks for listening.
BJ

For Kristin:

            What ever happened to friendship? What has become of unselfishly caring for one another? Where did empathy go? Have we as a people become so jaded that the simplest gestures of kindness become suspect? When did altruism become a four letter word?

            Doing the right thing for the wrong reason seems to be the new norm. The ‘me’ generation has begat offspring strangers to compassion. “What’s in it for me?” has morphed into, “What’s his angle?” Suspicion is rampant and trust nonexistent.

            Sometimes I am guilty of letting my emotions control my actions. The result is sometimes I do the wrong thing for the right reason. But why does it have to be that way? If the intent is honest, why must the method be questioned? The easy answer is the world has changed. But the world has changed because people have changed. We no longer accept other’s actions at face value.    

            Questioning fosters suspicion;

                        suspicion fosters distrust;

                                    distrust fosters alienation;

                                                alienation destroys friendship.

          Man is an emotional creature; it’s one of the most important distinctions separating us from the animals. For true friendship to exist there must be trust. And trust is an emotion, as real and as strong an emotion as love.

           We are all capable of doing things for ourselves and taking care of ourselves without help from others. But that doesn't mean we always have to. The next time someone does a kindness for you don’t question their motives. Rather, accept their deed, thank them, and enjoy the warm emotion of trust.

                You might just find you’ve made yourself a friend.

BJ 9/21/13