June 24, 2002 - Printable Version

Beliefs (In Situ)
A poem/essay
by Tito Alba

I believe that there is so much more to this life than we can ever know that it’s entirely pointless to try to know much at all. Know your letters, your colors, your numbers. Be able to recognize the faces of a few caring people and that’s about it.

I believe that the creature pleasures are generally the best pleasures. If a lizard or a frog or an ocelot or a spider monkey wouldn’t enjoy it, it’s probably too complicated and not worth the trouble.

I believe in the union of apparent opposites. Female and male. East and west. Good and bad. Us and them.

I believe in the holy flow of the liquid universe.

I believe in light and sight and insight and uncertainty.

I believe that the best poems are never written. They are happening to each and every one of us all day long. The most finely crafted poem pales before a single moment of mindful human experience.

I believe that art does nothing more and nothing less than to remind us of the sacred places inside.

I believe in questions without answers and answers without questions.

I believe that we can choose gratitude, innocence, and reverence.

I believe that we are all much, much more than we think we are, and that we’ll all realize that, in or out of time.

I believe that it doesn’t matter what we do, but that what we do matters.

I believe that we see with other eyes and hear with other ears.

I believe that joy is inevitable.

I believe that everything important is available to us right now.

I believe that just being here is more amazing than anything I can think of.

May we all recognize peace and light and love, now and forever.