The Deception Of Reality

To the tune of The Sound of Silence by Paul Simon

Hello journal my old friend

I've come to write in you again

Because a truth softly thought

Left its meaning while I was waking

And the reality that was shown

In my mind still remains

Within the deception of reality



In a crowded room, I worked alone

Round cubicles with muted tones

Under the glare of fluorescent lamps

I threw my trash to old and oppressed

When my eye was blinded by the flash

Of the computer crash that spilled the truth

And found the deception of reality



And in the dim image I saw

Ten million I.P.'s, maybe more

People texting without thinking

People blogging without reason

People making reality shows that

Were preplanned and no one dared

Disturb the deception of reality



"Blind," said I, "you cannot see

Deception like a shadow grows

Hear the truth so you might see reality

Turn around and see the light behind you."

But truth, like melting snowflakes fell

And drown in the wells of deception



And the people friended and updated

To the deceptive god they made

And the truth flashed out its warning

In the reality it was revealing

And insight said, "The words of truth are written

on the humble minds and loving hearts

not whispered by deceivers of reality.

Matthew S.

Different point of view

Today is a snow day for many people. No school or
work starting late. Not so for me, work goes on
as normal, marching forward at the pace it always
does. I'm not complaining, it's what I signed up
for and it's the job I am doing.



The snow though does provide for some interesting
visuals. Things look different with that "warm"
blanket on them. I headed out the door for a few
minutes at the beginning of my lunchtime with the
camera to just take a couple pictures. Things I
see hundreds of times a year, going past them
almost daily, look different today.



So, time to look at things from a different angle,
a different perspective. They are still the same
things but I learn a little more about them and
how the world interacts with them. I see a hidden
beauty that isn't present most of the year when
the snow isn't neatly piled up with ripples
from the wind trailing across the drifts.



All these unique patterns and shapes and solid
white colors. Smaller details become important.
It is important we don't lose sight of them as we
are faced with this larger overcast of white that
is seemingly all the same. Let us remember to not
waste those things that are unique in the time we
have with them. My wife reminded me of that one
and I love her for doing that.

Matthew S.

A Little More Faith, A Little Less Me?

2011-02-08 Tue 18:10

The past weekend has given me some extra time to
be reminded of some important truths of living
life. First, I must remember that my family has
to be an integral part of my everyday activity and
focus. A driving force in determining my
priorities in life. The determining factor is God
and my family is what I am called to be a steward
over, caring for my wife and children, ensuring
their well-being.

Another thing I have learned is that I have to
take time for myself, I have to make sure that I
am emotionally taking care of myself and
acknowledge my feelings, not control them. If I
am not functioning I can't do anything for my
family.

I am trying to be more creative and write more.
To that end hopefully more things will start
appearing on my blogs and some of projects in my
main file will start to get filled out. Right
now my main focus, and for much of this week is
going to be editing my narrative essay due on the
14th of February. If anyone wants to read and
review it, let me know and I will send a copy your
way. After I turn it in I will be posting it up
here.

I am writing some more on confession and other
things doing with truth and goodness. These are
things I am running across as I work in preparing
a group of students for their First Communion.
These students are very challenging for me as they
aren't traditional students. Hopefully they have
been studying across these snow days we have been
getting around lately.

I was reminded today of an important truth that
two people, both are now bishops, work to convey
in their being and way of life. Truth is not a
thing but a person. As a Christian that is
something important I need to remember.

Matthew S.