The Living Years

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my Father held so dear
I know that I'm a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid that's all we've got

You say you just don't see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that lasts

So Don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don't give up, and don't give in
You may just be O.K.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

I wasn't there that morning
When my Father passed away
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I'm sure I heard his echo
In my baby's new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

Dance With My Father

Back when I was a child, before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high and dance with my mother and me and then
Spin me around ‘til I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure I was loved
If I could get another chance, another walk, another dance with him
I’d play a song that would never, ever end
How I’d love, love, love
To dance with my father again
When I and my mother would disagree
To get my way, I would run from her to him
He’d make me laugh just to comfort me
Then finally make me do just what my mama said
Later that night when I was asleep
He left a dollar under my sheet
Never dreamed that he would be gone from me
If I could steal one final glance, one final step, one final dance with him
I’d play a song that would never, ever end
‘Cause I’d love, love, love
To dance with my father again
Sometimes I’d listen outside her door
And I’d hear how my mother cried for him
I pray for her even more than me
I pray for her even more than me
I know I’m praying for much too much
But could you send back the only man she loved
I know you don’t do it usually
But dear Lord she’s dying
To dance with my father again
Every night I fall asleep and this is all I ever dream

My Father

The memory of my father is wrapped in white paper, like sandwiches taken for a day at work. Just as a magician takes towers and rabbits out of his hat, he drew love from his small body, and the rivers of his hands overflowed with good deeds.

By Yehuda Amichai

Are You In Love Or Is It Just Infatuation?

Lust, simply is Infatuation. It is purely physical attraction. Friendship that develops into desire for each other is Love.

Infatuation is like those fast food packages, which you get in the market. It looks oh-so-delicious but has little nutrition value. Love is like homegrown, homemade food... which you take care right from the time it grows on your farm and then go all the way. You have your emotions, feelings and caring nurturing it every day.

Love is the mature acceptance of imperfection. Do you know all his/her shortcomings and still find him/her attractive emotionally, intellectually, and physically?Nobody's perfect, we are all humans not Gods; but of course you don't have to accept everything...we are all different people with different expectations...there are a few adjustments you can make and some you simply cant!

When you are truly in love, long distances do make you want to be near each other but that doesn't lessen your love for each other. Infatuation on the other hand makes you look for some other excitement in place of the one you have. Infatuation lacks confidence. When he/she is away, you doubt if he's cheating. Sometimes you even play the detective and check! Love is trust. You feel calm, secure and so sure of yourself. Both of you feel that trust and it makes you respect and love each other even more than ever.

Love grows from friendship. You are friends and then you become lovers. Infatuation might lead you to do things you'll regret later, but remember love never will.

Love makes you look and think up. It makes you want to be a better person than you are now. So, think about it...are you truly in love or is it just a momentary crush?

Deepest Fear

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; its in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

~ Marianne Williamson From her book Return to Love

Words To Live By

01. As I let go of my feelings of guilt, I am in touch with my inner sociopath.

02. I have the power to channel my imagination into ever-soaring levels of suspicion and paranoia.

03. I assume full responsibility for my actions, except the ones that are someone else's fault.

04. I no longer need to punish, deceive, or compromise myself, unless I want to stay employed.

05. In some cultures what I do would be considered normal.

06. Having control over myself is almost as good as having control over others.

07. My intuition nearly makes up for my lack of self-judgment.

08. I honor my personality flaws for without them I would have no personality at all.

09. Joan of Arc heard voices, too.

10. I am grateful that I am not as judgmental as all those censorious, self-righteous people around me.

11. I need not suffer in silence while I can still moan, whimper, and complain.

12. As I learn the innermost secrets of people around me, they reward me in many ways to keep me quiet.

13. When someone hurts me, I know that forgiveness is cheaper than a lawsuit, but not nearly as gratifying.

14. The first step is to say nice things about myself. The second, to do nice things for myself. The third, to find someone to buy me nice things.

15. As I learn to trust the universe, I no longer need to carry a gun.

16. All of me is beautiful, even the ugly, stupid and disgusting parts.

17. I am at one with my duality.

18. Blessed are the flexible, for they can tie themselves into knots.

19. Only a lack of imagination saves me from immobilizing myself with imaginary fears.

20. I will strive to live each day as if it were my 50th birthday.

21. I honor and express all facets of my being, regardless of state and local laws.

22. Today I will gladly share my experience and advice, for there are no sweeter words than "I told you so!"

23. False hope is better than no hope at all.

24. A good scapegoat is almost as good as a solution.

26. Who can I blame for my problems? Just give me a minute.. . . I'll find someone.

27. Why should I waste my time reliving the past when I can spend it worrying about the future?

28. The complete lack of evidence is the surest sign that the conspiracy is working.

29. I am learning that criticism is not nearly as effective as sabotage.

30. Becoming aware of my character defects leads me naturally to the next step of blaming my parents.

31. To have a successful relationship I must learn to make it look like I'm giving as much as I'm getting.

32. I am willing to make the mistakes if someone else is willing to learn from them.

33. Before I criticize a man, I walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry, he's a mile away and barefoot.

Wise Words

"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children."

~ Pablo Casals

When You Are Old

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

By W. B. Yeats

Strangers In The Night

And we end with the blue eyed crooner, who sets hearts aflutter and I do not think I need to say anything more than, “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Frank Sinatra!”

Strangers in the night
Exchanging glances
Wondering in the night
What were the chances
We'd be sharing love
Before the night was through

Something in your eyes
Was so inviting
Something in your eyes
Was so exciting
Something in my heart
Told me I must have you

Strangers in the night
Two lonely people
We were strangers in the night
Up to the moment when we said our first hello
Little did we know
Love was just a glance away
A warm embracing dance away

And ever since that night
We've been together
Lovers at first sight
In love forever
It turned out so right
For strangers in the night

Love was just a glance away
A warm embracing dance away

Ever since that night
We've been together
Lovers at first sight
In love forever
It turned out so right
For strangers in the night

Love Unexpressed

The sweetest notes among the human heart-strings are dull with rust;
The sweetest chords, adjusted by the angels, are clogged with dust;
We pipe and pipe again our dreary music upon the self-same strains,
While sounds of crime, and fear, and desolation, come back in sad refrains.

On through the world we go, an army marching with listening ears,
Each longing, sighing, for the heavenly music he never hears;
Each longing, sighing, for a word of comfort, a word of tender praise,
A word of love, to cheer the endless journey of earth's hard, busy days.

They love us, and we know it; this suffices for reason's share.
Why should they pause to give that love expression with gentle care?
Why should they pause? But still our hearts are aching with all the gnawing pain
Of hungry love that longs to hear the music, and longs and longs in vain.

We love them, and they know it; if we falter, with fingers numb,
Among the unused strings of love's expression, the notes are dumb.
We shrink within ourselves in voiceless sorrow, leaving the words unsaid,
And, side by side with those we love the dearest, in silence on we tread.

Thus on we tread, and thus each heart in silence its fate fulfils,
Waiting and hoping for the heavenly music beyond the distant hills.
The only difference of the love in heaven from love on earth below Is:
Here we love and know not how to tell it, and there we all shall know.

By Constance Fenimore Woolson

The Way You Look Tonight

Time flies I always say, the month dedicated to love, romance and relationship has come to an almost conclusion. It was great to share some of my favourite ballets, although the list is endless. I think each song that touches the heart has a beautiful moment attached to it and there is no way in hell one can actually capture all the moments in life in matter of 28 days! Anyway, as I come to the finale I thought that I cannot ever complete my list without mentioning one of my favourite vocalists of all time. Mr Tony Bennett will always remain the ultimate singer as far as I am concerned and this song is just one of the songs that features as my all time favourite and I could not ignore its inclusion. 27 down, 1 to go!

Someday when I'm awfully low
When the world is cold
I will feel a glow
Just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight

O but you're lovely
With your smile so warm
And your cheeks so soft
There is nothing for me to love you
Just the way you look tonight

With each word, your tenderness grows
Tearing my fear apart
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose
Touches my foolish heart

Lovely never never change
Keep that breathless change
Won't you please arrange it
Cause I, I love you
Just the way you look tonight

Just the way you look tonight

When We Two Parted

When we two parted
In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted
To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
Sorrow to this.

The dew of the morning
Sunk chill on my brow—
It felt like the warning
Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame;
I hear thy name spoken,
And share in its shame.

They name thee before me,
A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me—
Why wert thou so dear?
They know not I knew thee,
Who knew thee too well:—
Long, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell.

In secret we met—
In silence I grieve
That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.
If I should meet thee
After long years,
How should I greet thee?—
With silence and tears.

By George Gordon, Lord Byron

Hopelessly Devoted To You

Grease was a phenomenon and John Travolta and Olivia Newton John became the sweethearts for generations to come. Olivia Newton John the original Australian beauty has the most beautiful voice and this song from Grease is one of my favourite ballets!

Guess mine is not the first heart broken,
My eyes are not the first to cry
I'm not the first to know,
There's just no gettin' over you

I'm just a fool who's willing
To sit around and wait for you
But baby can't you see,
There's nothin' else for me to do
I'm hopelessly devoted to you

But now there's nowhere to hide,
Since you pushed my love aside
I'm not in my head,
Hopelessly devoted to you
Hopelessly devoted to you,

My head is saying "fool, forget him",
My heart is saying "don't let go"
Hold on to the end,
That's what I intend to do
I'm hopelessly devoted to you

But now there's nowhere to hide,
Since you pushed my love aside
I'm not in my head,
Hopelessly devoted to you

The Night Has a Thousand Eyes

The night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet the light of the bright world dies
With the dying sun.

The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies
When love is done.

By Francis William Bourdillon

Crazy For You

I think Madonna is like a phoenix, her image changes with each song and each year and she manages to look awesome and has aged so gracefully. Her transformation from punk star – Marilyn wannabe – style icon – controversy personified – doting mum (have to be Brit here) to countless other titles makes Madonna truly an Icon. And the lady can sing; granted she does not have the best vocal range, but she knows how to grab a fan and anyone addicted to her cannot really fall out of her trance. Actually to write things for Madonna sound really stupid, because Madonna is beyond all clichés. She has sung so many beautiful ballets that I think I can just make another collage of her ballets alone. But this song is one of my all time favourites and it had to appear on my Blog.

Swaying room as the music starts
Strangers making the most of the dark
Two by two their bodies become one

I see you through the smokey air
Can't you feel the weight of my stare
You're so close but still a world away
What I'm dying to say, is that

I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new, you'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you, crazy for you

Trying hard to control my heart
I walk over to where you are
Eye to eye we need no words at all

Slowly now we begin to move
Every breath I'm deeper into you
Soon we two are standing still in time
If you read my mind, you'll see

I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new, you'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you, crazy for you

It's all brand new, I'm crazy for you
And you know it's true
I'm crazy, crazy for you