Poetry Lovers by B.Demaere

We each fight our own battles, I guess.  They just come with different intensity.  Most of us though don't fight the battle almost to the point of death when you have to decide between life and death. I believe my mental illness did not start when it was detected and identified as a mental illness.  Mental illness was unheard of in my days.  In the 1960's I didn't hear a word about it.  Just my mother repeating the words of the teachers to her, "Your child is very slow in school" or "Your child is so quiet", which is probably abnormal to a teacher, I understand.  I went to countless EEG, that were a lot more painful and longer than they are now let me tell you.  A lot more torturous, imagine having little blocks of metal (it felt like metal) press against your cranium with a rubber helmet for 40 min.  As a child it is painful!  I had those supposedly imaginary epilepsy and convulsion.  The real one happened at birth and according to my m...

Some of you may not be aware of this, but some medications for blood pressure and depression may make you more sensitive to the hot weather we have and make it almost intolerable.  Don't do what I do and run around in the sun unprotected because you might get very dizzy.  Drink lots of water on a daily basis. Check the information of all your medications and take it easy in hot weather. Here is a couple links that might help you to Centers for disease Control and Prevention in the United States. http://cdc.gov https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrUimRwUB9fthMAqRoPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTByNWU4cGh1BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--/RV=2/RE=1595916528/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cdc.gov%2fclimateandhealth%2feffects%2fmental_health_disorders.htm%23%3a~%3atext%3dMental%2520Health%2520and%2520Stress-Related%2520Disorders.%2520Dementia%2520is%2520a%2cwith%2520temperature%2520regulation%2520or%2520even%2520directly%2520cause%2520hyperthermia./RK=2/RS=4umC3NNZipKu1BtrW5uwuxy8k_Y- Thank you...

I don't know if my mental illness has anything to do with it or just the fact that I am human,  I have always struggled with changes in my life.  I also have a tendency to get fixated on a certain pattern of doing things and I am not so willing to give it up. I have found over the years with the events of life that life is to be expected to be filled with changes.  With lots of changes. I do have a lot of concerns for a lot of things and my environment affects me a lot.  Lately, I have really been concerned with the rise of violence and rage in our countries, Canada and USA and other countries as well which could be linked to mental illness unchecked and undiagnosed.  It's alarming too.  Plus the drop in sales of deodorants really bothers me.  Who wants to be in a stinky house with a bunch of adults...and teenagers sweating.  I am sorry I didn't want to include teenagers because they get picked on all the time. I feel sorry for them.  Also th...

A Fly Bernard Demaere   A fly, Coming through the open window, Uninvited, winged monster, Darkly clothed, And landing on my paper. Its legs, thin and crossed, Become linked And, inked, To the page. As I write a story About elements, Seemingly, Unnecessary, In all creation, Like the fly, And the mosquito, Touching, The dead, And the living, And leaving, In the end, A bloody mess, Of scraps and bones. A Scene at Sunset Bernard Demaere   The Sun, I couldn’t see, Was behind the mountains. The dark silhouettes were cutting. The sky was still blue like the sea. But over yonder were clouds of rain.   The shining Sun was confounding, Left a glance on clouds already pink. Floating high above, they overlooked, That scene and that’s all it took, And that was the miracle, just like a painting. This was the ending. A Simple Act Put on by a Cat Bernard Demaere (Ziggy)   A friend of mine had a cat that I sa...

You know! There is a silent rule in our home. I must be the one assigned to wash windows around here. I like to do it for the simple reason that after doing them I can just sit back and enjoy the satisfaction of having them done. What an improvement it does to the house you live in.  Having clean windows!  We need all to do that in our life. To sit back after we have done a good job and rejoice. God did it at creation and he does it with you. He sits back and says what a good job I did. I put all these qualities in and gifts and he checks each one of us to see what will be our reaction to him. Will we be thankful or ungrateful for what he has given us? Amazed, but not Surprised Bernard Demaere   I am amazed, But not surprised, Because you can use one, Such as me.   Joy unspeakable, And full of glory, Grips my soul, With deep yearnings,   I am amazed, But not surprised, By your glory so full, And free for sinners such as me. ...

I have just been looking on the inside of myself, 'introspection' which is sometimes necessary for personal growth.  I have questions: Some people throughout history have approached the human psyche from different angles and myself for one am very fascinated with humans.  I like to know what makes them react to certain things and I like to observe myself and how I react, rather than to cancel out any discoveries. Ought we to shut down any individual who think differently than we do? Can we leave them room to grow in their own "dark moments" without interfering?   Is it also caring to leave people to find their own answer for themselves?  The simple answer is to judge them without understanding them and their problems. We sometimes need to make a difficult decision.  Are we to react or care enough to let them grow? We sometimes need to pause and enjoy life.  I was just talking to a friend about the French phrase: "La joie de vivre" which they believe fu...

I am retired and run two blogs from here, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The first one is a spiritual one and this one, the second is one with various interesting topics. Today I chose to talk with you about a typical week in Western Canada.  Here in the North, in Chetwynd, BC we have lumber mills and coal mines and other industries.  Chetwynd was quiet during Covid-19 but has picked up again an dis busier now.  People usually have a hobby or two like fishing and hunting. Deer and Moose are hunted with regulations and fishing as well.  People like also camping, boating and hiking as well. The number one sport in Canada is still hockey but for families it is still the most expensive.  There is also baseball and tennis or golf. Usually, we have jobs to go to.  There is a large population of retired people and a growing need for young people to fill in the gap in jobs as the working population is retiring.  Life can be very stressful in the ...

This is supposed to be a humorous post about us Canadians. As Canadians, we have to realize that we are not the only one in the world and there are other people who come in contact with us.  We are very much becoming a global community.  Mixed in different cultures. I have heard pretty good comments made by Canadians regarding their opinions of what is happening in Europe for example.  They have as much knowledge of Europe as Europeans have of Canada. For a start: To all Europeans and Americans, no Canadians in Northern Canada don't live in igloos.  I live there, I should know. Now about Canadian knowing Europeans, sorry I can't speak for the rest of the world.  Now about Europeans in general and particular Belgium they eat most of their foods with a fork and a knife.  This include hamburgers and fries and yes even pizza. This is a funny story about my dad first time in Canada,  as we were traveling through US and Canada by car, we found ourselves in t...

It was in 1977 6 months after my 20th Birthday, that I followed my parents and two of my youngest brothers along on our last trip to Canada.  Let me tell you! What a trip! It took 30 hours from Brussels to our BC location.  By train from Brussels, waving goodbyes to our Grandparents and uncle and aunt.  Boy it was hard! on our way to Oostende.  Taking the ferry to England and the train again to London.  Finally on our way to Calgary, Alberta in Canada and then to a location in BC and by car from there for an hour with some friends to our final destination.  We were all very tired and now we just had to settle in our new country.  It was the hardest part, we felt lost.  The country that welcomed us as tourist had changed but still welcoming somehow.  I found out on my part that the bakery I had worked at as a landed immigrant had shut down and I had to do what I hated most, looking for a job not only in a different language but in a different ...

Canada is a big, nice country and it's also very beautiful but maybe as I did think it was, it's not as nice to live here as in your dreams.  Life is hard for immigrant and Canadians living here.  The winters in the North are long with short days, meaning, it gets dark early.  I live in the North of British Columbia and the temperatures go down to at least -30 C in the winter and sometimes colder. Right now the economy is not that great because of Covid-19.  When other countries will be able to travel into Canada it will be better. Where I am right now, this summer has been very rainy and we have had rivers overflowing and highways being flooded. We have all kind of industries, like lumber mills, coal mines. The highways are long between towns and for me the closest big city is about 1hour away.  We like driving here and we drive long distances often as planes and trains are expensive to use.  Because our highways are long they get resurfaced every summer o...

Here is a link to an article that I found on the  Canadian Broadcasting Corporation https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/andean-condor-flapping-1.5648657 I thought it was very interesting and a marvel in engineering.  That is why I still believe in Creation as any other views don't hold water for me.  I am convinced that no amount of luck would come closer to come up with the ingenuity behind this bird.  It's a miracle. Sure planes fly, but they have powerful big motors to propel them.  But this Condor only rely on wind currents to carry it over 160 km without flapping its wings.  Just amazing in my opinion.  What do you think of that? Please leave a comment!   God’s Kind of Math Bernard Demaere   God’s Math, Doesn’t make sense. When you give a tenth, He multiplies it. Your cup runs over. When you give Your tithes. All you have to do is trust, And soon or later, You will find it. Over many waters, Multiplied to hundr...

This post is directed to a group of very special people, It is close to my heart because I do understand what people who think of suicide or are 'pushed' by their own thought and desires to suicide go through.  So I want to help you now by providing for you this page as a reference if you need it. Suicide Prevention in Canada Call 9-1-1 or get support from a local crisis centre. There is also the Kids Help Phone, the First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line, 1 866 APPELLE (Quebec residents) and the Canada Suicide Prevention Service ( 1-833-456-4566 ), that all offer 24/7 support. It's important to get help if you or someone you know is going through a crisis or thinking about suicide. Suicide prevention resources for the United States and the rest of the word If you are in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, use the contact information below to get help. United States: Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (the Lifeline) at  1-800-273-TALK  (8255)...

           Deep Space           Bernard Demaere                 I am hanging, Over empty space, Without anything Holding me, but A gentle hand, Steady, Throughout my life, Leading purposefully    Space is unavoidable.  Space is everywhere and everyone needs it.  Space is a mystery.  Never mind space just consider your body, a mystery in itself dependent of gravity. Gravity and space are two opposites and still very dependent on each other.  We need space and we need gravity in order to survive. Man's fascination with space is not new.  He has been searching since the beginning of time.  We have plenty of it and still looking for more.  The Moon and now Mars, in my lifetime man has investigated the possibility to dwell on both.  When I was a child, I remember watching man's first steps on the Moon from a black and white television somewhere...

Marriage is a wonderful institution originated in the mind of God.  I think when you look at it with the right perspective of an unselfish vision and desires.  It's a teachable experience and very sharpening at the same time. I am a different person than I used to be. Having now been married 32 years to the same woman.  I can tell you that it has been very rocky at times but we kept our priority in check and made through the first 10 years which were the hardest. I hear a lot of divorces are taking place in the lives of everyone and all walks of life and all beliefs.  It is sad to see. It would have just taken a little more patience and endurance on both parts and a little bit more give and take to make it work.  Unfortunately, there is the problem of infidelity which is rampant. If you are going to embrace the idea of being together in marriage meaning a man and a woman loving each other until death parts them.  You are going to have to have that mindset o...

It important sometimes to reflect on the things pertaining to life.  We seems to not have a problem thinking about the things we spend our money on, but it's quite another to meditate and appreciate the things and people that are free but nevertheless priceless.  What would happen if in one breath those thing or people were taken from us?  Would our lives be quite different?  Would we mind? I believe we would all be hurting terribly.  There is no price on anything that is free in this world.  We should all be thankful for the air we breath since we were first on the earth.  Those things we desperately need in order to survive like water which is included in all our meals.  What would we do without it? What about relationship?  You reap what you sow, really.  There is no substitute for love, if you give love you will receive love.  It's the law of investment.  You get out what you put in. Sometimes though I understand that ...