The Law of the Harvest

by Cheryl Merrick

So many times,
reading about
sowing and reaping, 
I bravely reached out
creating new friendships.

But there is more to this law.
Now, sensing of the justness
of the Law of the Harvest,
I no longer surrender
my harvest to another.

Suppressed Feelings

by Cheryl Merrick

I’m tired of stressful relationships
I’m tired of trying to please unpleaseable people
I’m tired of our talents and resources being used
 to achieve other people’s goals
I’m tired of seeing our retirement money being consumed by a business
which has never given us any return
I’m tired of my husband working to support other’s comfortable lifestyle
I’m tired of living frugally so others can enjoy luxuries we can’t
I’m tired of giving all our extra time, energies, and resources to people who just use us
I’m tired of exhausting myself to provide unappreciated
and unneeded help to others
I’m tired of supporting people who need to stand on their own feet
I want to step back and allow our grown children
to solve their own problems
I’m tired of waiting for a turn which never comes.

Ruled by Emotion

by Cheryl Merrick

Feeling
I had to choose,
I suppressed my needs
to meet theirs.

Accepting
that study, thinking, and writing
are mere recreation
to be indulged in only when
ALL “my work” was finished,
I spent my days diligently doing
one detail after another.

Enough

by Cheryl Merrick

Enough of experiments,
intended to improve my health,
which don’t.

Enough of poking tests,
which leave me only with bruised arms,
and tell nothing.

Enough of instructions
given by people who see me for five minutes,
and think they understand all.

The Time for Ending

by Cheryl Merrick

My heart breaks,
longing for close relationships 
that can never be.

Day after day,
I tried to offer them love and support,
but all they could see was manipulation.

A gift freely given was seen as an attempt
to grasp control of their life, 
or as unconditional surrender to their will.