poem: love machine

i wish i could be a love machine
instead i am just a mere human
puttering away at life
full of fear and anxiety
hoping against hope to make it out alive
in this great pandemic

if i was a love machine
than maybe i would write better god damn poetry
maybe i would actually write instead of being paralyzed
but you know what
i am a god damn love machine incased in a human body
my heart beats to love and to grow
my heart beats so I can cry and laugh
and my heart bests so i can write these words of love

Poem: the path

boddhisattva of the ages has vowed
to ease the suffering of others.

i am no saint, yet just for today,
i vow to freely share what has
been freely given to me.

may all beings be happy.
may all beings be at ease.
may all beings be free of suffering.

poem: waking up

my mind is waking up,
being present to what is.

Poem: pandemic blues

i know i am not the only one that feels this way,
but i am done with this pandemic.
i am done being surrounded by death,
i am done being surrounded by loss.

grief is so thick in the air,
and part of me wants to run away.
i want to run into something, anything that
is better than the reality of this pain.

and yet i remain, my practices have taught me
to breathe and sit with my pain.
i settle into my meditation cushion,
and i rage at the
loss of friendships,
loss of jobs, and
loss of possibilities yet to be.

my heart aches and yearns for a reality that
is only in my mind.

i sit with my suffering.

i sit with the loss and
accept that death is part of life,
and yet i rage inside and say
“this shit ain’t normal.”

But what can i do?
i am just a laid off chaplain seeking
purpose.

i got the pandemic blues.
But shit, i ain’t hopeless.
i will bear my suffering,
and walk through it
like a fearless boddhisattva
to embrace life and death
as one.

Poem: 엄마 (momma in Korean)

you showed me love, even when I was not at my best.
you loved me, even when I did not love myself.
thank you for giving me life, and loving me.

i will try to love others like you loved and still love me,
a love that nurtures even those that are lost.
a love that guided me home to the seat of my own heart.

Poem: Love and Hope Still Connects Us

Love and hope still connects us,
even now as we have to stay away from
another 6 feet apart.

We can connect through a welcoming smile,
and with an open heart of a child instead of giving into fear.

Don’t give up,
love and hope still connects us.

Supporting Care Dementia Givers

I wanted to stray from my usual posts and share resources especially to those caring for someone with Dementia. Here is a link to Teepa Snow, expert in dementia care, on managing dementia care int he time of covid-19:

Teepa Snow: Managing Dementia Care in the Time of COVID-19

I am a chaplain by profession and also was running the operations of a dementia care area in a retirement community, so please let me know how I can support you at this difficult time. I am happy to share more resources.

Poem: Life and Death

Each mine is precious and
never the same.

Each moment is a gift, and
yet I squander my moments away.

Grief and Loss: Blessings and Prayers Project

Dear Readers,

I have walked with a lot of people through loss in my work as a chaplain, and I have my own set of losses. I want to compile a set of my own prayers and blessings for different moments of grief and loss. I wanted to share my blessings and prayers with others, in case it might be helpful to others. I am posting them here as part of a larger project of compiling a book of prayers and blessings that I can give to family and friends. Thank you for taking the time to read my humble words.

In the Light,

EunSung

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Blessing for Someone going through Separation and Divorce

May your steps be guided by the Divine.
As the weight and depth of your pain grow,
may the Spirit give you unknown strength to keep going.

May you let go of the dreams yet to be fulfilled,
and be at peace to uncover a new wild adventure.

May you be blessed to forgive yourself and love yourself,
and let regret and sorrow turn to light and love.