A Secret Discerned

Joe Mangano has invited me to attend a writers' group here at McKendree Village tomorrow. Their assignment is to write a short story or other writing on an attitude you changed that improved your life. As a visitor or first time attender, I do not have to bring a writing. But I want to and this is it. I started out writing about how positive thinking was the attitude that changed my life but ended up focusing on yielding my life to God. If I get serious about this writing stuff, I might re-write and maybe make two poems, one on positive thinking and one on letting God take charge. But then, it was my reliance on God that gave me the positive thinking in youth, so maybe this is okay. We'll see!  Or maybe I should stick with prose!  :-)   Here's the May 10 draft:

A Secret Discerned

A teen boy who was poor and shy,

Though in life, determined to try!

No success in sports, fame or girl,

I added activities, living in a whirl!

Mom gave me a nice new book,

Norman Vincent Peale’s ideas I took.

Bible verses and fun stories he told,

As I was learning in life to be bold.

“Change your thoughts - you change your world.”

As my petulant young life unfurled!

“This is the day the Lord hath made . . .”

A simple thought I carefully weighed.

God’s in charge, not me I learned;

That’s the secret I discerned.

Live simple and give much,

Scatter sunshine, love and such.

Words learned when I was young,

For a lifetime on my tongue!

Let go and let God have His way!

This attitude must not sway!

Charlie Doggett

May 10, 2013