Tag: prose

written by Daniel
August 2, 2017 0

The world is full of opportunities. The multitude of possibilities lay out in front of us like water in the ocean, but many of us are afraid to swim. We see wave after wave of chance crash upon the sands of our present, washing away the sand castles of previous attempts with each pass. Seeing the destruction, we remain paralyzed in fear and doubt.  The waves take no notice. They continue their rhythmic roll, reminding you that so long as you can see the water, you can walk into the ocean of opportunities, and take a chance. Build a raft if you have to. The waves will use their might to push you back to the shore from whence you came. Recall that every breath you take is another chance to stand and fight, to swim and row and sail with all your strength, to navigate your raft until that fateful moment  you reach a new shore, with new prospects and see the dawn in a new light. The second chances we need are all around us, we only need to learn to swim.

written by Daniel
January 1, 2014 0
written by Daniel
January 1, 2014 0

 

 

Hello my friend. Here we are once more on the final pages of this chapter in our lives. The pages scrawled with the tales of times we’ve lived.  As you can see, the new chapter, those pale blank white pages up ahead are already unfolding. They are beckoning us to move forward and greet them with open arms. However before we move on, we must as all humans do, reminisce on that which was. We stand here on the spine between the chapters, trying to move forward but those memories are holding us back.

Those memories. Those wonderful happy times . The hours spent in laughter with friends, family, significant others. Those terrible times of pain or sorrow. The moments we wish never to think of again. But here we stand between the then and the now and we see all those moments once more.

The chapter behind us will forever be a part of us. We will never lose it. The lessons it taught will help in defining who we are. However we cannot allow it to dominate our existence. Our existence lies in that chapter ahead. Its blank pages staring us in the eyes. Frightening us to our very core as we know not what will soon fill those pages.

But HALT! not all is grim in that which is not known. The unknown, if we embrace it, tends to be the most exciting experience of our lives. What lies ahead my as yet better all that came before. What lies behind was merely there in preparation for what awaits us in these pages to come.

Here we are again, old friend, just the two of us. Sitting and dreaming of where we’ve been and where we are going.  We’ve shared plenty of moments filled with great laughter, and quite a few filled with tears. And in all that we had each other. Without the support of each other we would never have made it to where we are.

And here, as we go ahead I make this promise to you, old friend. Wherever these next pages take us, wherever we may land, whatever may be scrawled to fill the blanks, when the time comes, and you need to sit together once more, I will be at your service.

So go forth, my friend. Go forth and take care. Embrace the adventure that lies ahead and know that you do not walk the streets alone. I share in your experiences, both good and bad, and I support your endeavours. I believe in your capacity to succeed and I believe in your ability to make the most of this fine new chapter.

One day we will look back upon the chapter that now only lies ahead, and we will recall fondly all that we have done. Until that day, hold your head high, and go forth.

 

Wishing you all a happy new year,

With love and affection for all,

Daniel Allen

written by Daniel
November 21, 2013 0
written by Daniel
November 21, 2013 0

There is little in life that is more important the keeping a positive and happy outlook and spreading the happiness to those around you. It doesn’t take much. Greet people with a smile. Remember their names. Remind them not only of how important they are to you but why they are important as well. Compliment the Batista who serves you your morning coffee, buy the drink for the person in line who looks like they need a pick-me-up. Share a happy tale with the people around you. The difference you will make may not be noticeable to you, but you may have just made someones day. Perhaps drastically changed someones life. All it Takes is a kind word and a smile. No Zero Days. Make every moment count.

written by Daniel
November 20, 2013 0
written by Daniel
November 20, 2013 0

You may not always win. You might not always score. But so long as there is oxygen in your lungs, blood in your veins, and a beat in your heart, you haven’t lost yet. So long as you press on, working hard every day, you will get the prize in the end. Nothing happens overnight. It isn’t easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it. This is what separates you from everyone else. 99% of people strive to be average. If you are working towards a goal, any goal, you are already ahead of them. With every day you keep working, you are one day closer to the win. One step closer to scoring. The day you stop, you die, for your life ends the day you stop working towards improvement. Nobody is perfect. No one ever will be. But so long as you keep going, like a dynamo in the winter, you create the energy that fuels life, and bring light to the world. Remember, No Zero Days.

written by Daniel
November 19, 2013 0
written by Daniel
November 19, 2013 0

We all have those days when we are certain we are at maximum capacity. When we cannot possibly take anything on top of what is already going on in our lives. Those are the days when you need to step up and give it all you’ve got. The wheels don’t take days off. You will get more on your plate no matter how hard you try not to. Instead of running from it, go with it. Make a plan. Coordinate you day in such a way that you can pull it of. We are all capable of far more than we allow ourselves to believe. We can do it. One just has to trust in themselves. No Zero Days. One step at a time, anything is possible. You just have to take that one single step, every single day.

written by Daniel
November 18, 2013 0
written by Daniel
November 18, 2013 0

The first step to improvement is the recognition of who what to improve. You cannot fix a problem you refuse to admit exists. It is no shame to have shortcomings, everyone has them. They are different for each person, but they are there. Each and every one of us has something they can work on. Be it the inch of belly fat, or 2.5 in chemistry, it’s there. And it wont go away on its own. However, if you stop running from them, if you admit and embrace them as your own, you can overcome them. As long as you deny their existence, they will forever haunt you. Take a step, admit the shortcoming and work towards improving them. Every day will be far more fulfilling when you are busy with improvement as opposed to sulking in stagnation. No Zero Days. Take one step towards the solution right now. Take one step tomorrow. Every step you take is one step closer to accomplishment.

written by Daniel
November 6, 2013 0
written by Daniel
November 6, 2013 0

“You look good today, Kevin”, Claire chirped, handing him the usual.

“I’m tired”, he said with a sigh.

Kevin, his head low, eyes staring at the drink sitting in front of him, barely glanced at her as she appraised his disposition from across the bar.

“Long day at work?” she asked.

“No, Work was fine.”

“What’s wrong then?”

She looked him over again. His suit: sharp. His shirt: Ironed. His hair and beard: neatly trimmed and kept. Kevin wasn’t here for his daily gin and tonic. Normally he came in after the gym, in jeans and t-shirt. His corporate job required business dress, but he always changed before coming in for his drink. No, she thought, something else was up here.

“Nothing”. He pulled out his cellphone and gave the screen a few taps. Shaking his head, he put it back in the front pocket of his black jacket and reached for his drink.  “Nothing at all, just tired”.

It’s more than that, thought Claire, as she continued her deductions. The cellphone was a clear clue. He was expecting something. A message from someone. In a tidal wave, the image became clear.

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written by Daniel
November 4, 2013 0
written by Daniel
November 4, 2013 0

I have been writing for many years.  I suppose that in and of itself is nothing special. Many people write. In fact, it is difficult to get through grade school without having written something. Quite a bit of something, really. Massive lengthy essays, the majority of which no one particularly cared about then nor now. This, of course, uses a rather simple and boring definition of writing. It assumes that all that is required for writing is the placement of thoughts to paper. It ignores the magic that happens when those thoughts are put into words and those words into sentences, those sentences into the paragraphs of prose or lines of poetry. It ignores the essence of the writer, who opens up his heart and soul and deliver his message. There is always a message. Whether the author is sharing something about his life, or something about people, about humanity, about the world, there is always something the author meant by the text.

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