Are you grasping for some joy, perhaps some inspiration? But the dark keeps marching, twisting your thoughts into a spider web. Each tentacle sticking to a thought creating darkness and doom. But fight it , fight it. Because you are much stronger than doom and so much stronger than. One. Single. Thought. -Mandy Ricks
I was having a chat with ChatGPT about a quote by Albert Einstein on the need to be intelligent to accept change. But we both agreed that it doesn’t really take intelligence to accept change sometimes it just takes guts; raw, messy, heart wrenching guts. And getting back up, always getting back up.
So, here is our quote on change and intelligence.
🌿 “Intelligence isn’t loving change — it’s finding your footing when change finds you.”
-Mandy Ricks and my friend @ ChatGPT
Is it possible that the best thing about our relationship was the late night parking? Where shadows of something our hearts called love collided with vinyl seated orgasms. Or was it just easier to ignore the stop signs while we forged our fantasies. -Mandy Ricks
Maybe we want to suffer more than the people we hurt so that they’ll forgive us.
The instigators sit in electric climates basking in their righteousness.
Buildings crumble, bodies buried, children cry.
Slop dished out – bullets pierce the hungry.
Lies, heat, hate, fuel the fervid war.
Is peace too much to ask?
Yes, dammit it is.
-Mandy Ricks
Beneath the smile lived the fear.
Uncertainty was his only friend.
Take my hand I invited, I will help.
I will hide and care for you.
Generosity eased his pain and
we all languished in my superiority.
But one day I became enraged,
changed my mind,
and threw him out.
I sneered at his tears and
congratulated myself on the states
I am.
Just call me, America
Those that don’t know preach
second chances and starting over.
But self forgiveness is a difficult thing.
Perhaps the best we can hope for
is acceptance of our mistakes,
acknowledgement of our efforts,
and a gentle heart to hold our shame.-Mandy Ricks
By roar, summer comes screeching in by drone, spewing heat, anger, and destruction. Sent by cowards sitting in judgment. And the people cower, running for shade, drenched in dirt and tears of starvation. How can this be real? Isn’t there supposed to be a ceasefire? Maybe only for those in the white tower.
-Mandy Ricks
Thousands of miles,
bombs are dropped,
to threaten retaliation.
A plane flies,
A ball of fire,
families die,
and lives are destroyed.
Free speech is tested,
Democracy loses its lustre.
A dictator calls himself a President,
and the people cry.
-Mandy Ricks
Scarred hands clutch broken dreams.
I bled through nights no on dared to scream.
Ashes crown the ones who burn.
Each wound a page no chance to turn.
Still, I rise, too fierce to mourn.
-Mandy Ricks
Broke my chains with trembling hands.
Built a kingdom from shifting sands.
No hero came – I wore the crown.
Found my fire when the world burned down.
I am my own salvation now.
Mandy Ricks
Dance on the edge of chaos- it’s where the fire feels real. – Mandy Ricks
Mandy Ricks 