A Poem For Troubled Times by Alexander McCall Smith

I am not a big poetry fan, but these words from Alexander McCall Smith (author of the "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" book series) touched my heart and soul. I am sharing this to encourage others during these dark and lonely times. Thank you

@McCallSmith

for this heartfelt poem.

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A. McCall Smith

 

@McCallSmith

· Mar 19

These are very difficult times for so many. I have written a poem especially for this moment. It comes to you with my warmest wishes, and my hope that you are keeping well. AMcS http://alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/news/poem/ http://alexandermccallsmith.com/news/poem/

 

 

 

 

These are very difficult times for so many. I have been very touched by the messages that I have received from readers, many of whom are isolated now and are renewing their friendship with Mma Ramotswe and the others. I have written a poem especially for this moment, and the text is below. It comes to you with my warmest wishes, and my hope that you are keeping well. AMcS

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In a time of distance

The unexpected always happens in the way

The unexpected has always occurred:

While we are doing something else,

While we are thinking of altogether

Different things – matters that events

Then show to be every bit as unimportant

As our human concerns so often are;

And then, with the unexpected upon us,

We look at one another with a sort of surprise;

How could things possibly turn out this way

When we are so competent, so pleased

With the elaborate systems we’ve created –

Networks and satellites, intelligent machines,

Pills for every eventuality – except this one?

And so we turn again to face one another

And discover those things

We had almost forgotten,

But that, mercifully, are still there:

Love and friendship, not just for those

To whom we are closest, but also for those

Whom we do not know and of whom

Perhaps we have in the past been frightened;

The words brother and sister, powerful still,

Are brought out, dusted down,

Found to be still capable of expressing

What we feel for others, that precise concern;

Joined together in adversity

We discover things we had put aside:

Old board games with obscure rules,

Books we had been meaning to read,

Letters we had intended to write,

Things we had thought we might say

But for which we never found the time;

And from these discoveries of self, of time,

There comes a new realisation

That we have been in too much of hurry,

That we have misused our fragile world,

That we have forgotten the claims of others

Who have been left behind;

We find that out in our seclusion,

In our silence; we commit ourselves afresh,

We look for a few bars of song

That we used to sing together,

A long time ago; we give what we can,

We wait, knowing that when this is over

A lot of us – not all perhaps – but most,

Will be slightly different people,

And our world, though diminished,

Will be much bigger, its beauty revealed afresh.

Aloha & God Bless You, 

 

Michelle C. Carr-Crowe and the Get Results Team . Real Estate Agent . Author . Coach . DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985	P: Just Call ... 408-252-8900 F: 408-947-1585 E: GetResultsTeam@gmail.com	Altas Realty . DRE#01526983 1190 S. Bascom, Suite #118, San Jose, CA 95128 www.MichelleJudyCarr.com
Michelle C. Carr-Crowe and the Get Results Team (established by the late legendary Silicon Valley super agent Judy Carr) are known as the "Lynbrook and Cupertino Schools Experts." Coaching clients to success is Michelle's passion, making her and her team creative catalysts for positive change in people's lives. She is a Silicon Valley-based multi-million dollar real estate consultant, author, coach and trainer who works by referral only. Her designations have included: Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), Accredited Consultant of Real Estate (ACRE), Accredited Luxury Home Specialist (ALHS), Accredited Staging Professional (ASP), Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE),  Property Marketing Expert (PME), Real Estate CyberSpace Specialist (RECS), and Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES). Michelle is an internationally-published freelance writer with over 1,200 traditional articles in print and online, co-author of two books on Silicon Valley-specific real estate as well as over 68,000 blog posts on Blogger, ActiveRain, Examiner, FaceBook, Realtor, Trulia, RealBird and others. She enjoys reading, traveling, animals, nature, family, dancing, staging, consulting, coaching and praying. Check out her blog at www.activerain.com/results or visit her online at www.michellejudycarr.com. For RE$ult$ ... Just Call ... (408) 252-8900.