THE MORE YOU COUNT THE STARS, THE MORE YOU GIVE UP
By Rado Gatchalian
The revolution of the mind:
evolving like a little piece of chalk
which serves no purpose —
and all those dust become remnants
of consumed effort,
days and nights of attempts
to change the world.
But to what end?
How would logic
become a mentor of fortitude —
when it won’t be able to supply
the last amount of oxygen you need?
But shall you just oblige to faith
and surrender to a cause or purpose
you can’t even fathom?
You read the books — and want to find
answers to all your questions;
but endless nights of erudition
can still not satisfy the hunger of your mind:
the more you know, the more you give up.
Then, you try to quiet your mind,
silence covers your whole being,
you walk in the forest:
count the flowers, leaves, and rocks,
the trees, and those beautiful stars;
then you stop counting —
because the more you count,
the more you give up.
Then, you surrender to peace
which is called by many names:
Joy
Beauty
Contentment
Now
Love.
Here: you stop counting
but you become part of those beautiful stars.
Because you are.
You become what you are
when you let what is in you shine:
not because you know more
but because you believe.
