Part 5 — A Friend on the Mountain

if your heart is hurting—avoid the machines—
social media, pundits, politicos, reality TV
prophets who mold nations on indignations
painting our reality into empty wastelands
coloring our fledgling lights into inadequacy
we know technology can wound our hearts
brash opinions are the rivals of inspiration
cold conspiracies will extinguish goodness
and complication is a dark mirror of service
division remains the enduring enemy of hope
leaving us its last—obscure remnant—fear
for fear is money—and its profits are power
but as friends—we can walk a steady path
ascending tall peaks of purpose and potential

 we never give up on our inner goodness
or believe that we are not good enough
and while doing the right thing may be hard
its blessings flow in thirsts for righteousness
our mountain adventures may pound steep
streaked in spills, failures, and mistakes
but our compassionate Teacher can heal us
leading us to vast vistas of peaceful truth
inside the rocky refuge of an alpine cirque
where God’s crystal cold springs slake us
with a kind redemption of everlasting water
here—we will discover our ultimate realities
as we feed the hungered with lovingkindness
they will return to us—and we will all be filled

(Matthew 5:6)