Be Better Than Mr. Rogers

October 15, 2024 AinaBalagtas1 Comment

What makes a good neighbor?

Start with a smile, a wave, or hello—
A small act of kindness helps friendships grow.
It costs not a penny to ask, “How are you?”
A neighborly bond begins there, fresh and new.

Lend a hand when they need, without keeping score,
Whether moving a couch or holding a door.
When storms leave a mess, pitch in and sweep,
It’s these little gestures that make roots run deep.

Keep the noise down when the clock strikes late,
And if hosting a party, communicate.
Respect makes a neighborhood peaceful and bright,
With each person valued, the vibe just feels right.

Share what you can—like cookies or tools—
Generosity strengthens community rules.
An open hand or a listening ear,
Can lighten a load or quiet a fear.

Why does it matter to be good and kind?
Because in our neighbors, we refuge find.
When illness knocks or life gets tough,
It’s neighbors who show love is enough.

A good neighbor isn’t just one who’s polite—
They shine through in darkness, a guiding light.
In kindness, compassion, and deeds we share,
We build a community beyond mere repair.

At the end of the day, when help’s ever near,
We thrive knowing neighbors will always appear.
So be that friend, that shelter, that guide—
Together we flourish, together we stride.

Pickle Ball Prep: A Grand Illusion

October 14, 2024 AinaBalagtasLeave a comment

What could you try for the first time?

I’ve made up my mind—this is the year,
Pickleball mastery is finally near!
I’ll be agile, precise, quick on my feet,
Dodging that wiffleball, light and elite.

First step: I’ll need the right pickleball gear,
(Though, let’s be real—just shorts and a beer).
Google says paddles come in all sorts,
Do I need one for pros? Or just casual sports?

Next up: I’ll study the rules, nice and slow,
“The kitchen?” What kitchen? Do I bring dough?
It’s all sounding strange—but hey, I’ll adapt!
Who knew a sport could leave me so trapped?

I’ll pencil in workouts to build up my game,
(Though Netflix might call me—those workouts feel lame).
I’ll practice my footwork and swinging technique,
In my living room first, at least twice a week.

I can already see it—my dazzling debut!
Crowds will cheer when I score—maybe one or two.
I’ll high-five my teammates and grin ear to ear,
“Natural talent!” They’ll shout—wait, what’s that? A tear?

But truth be told, plans don’t always get done,
And my coordination might make folks run.
Still, even if I flub it and can’t hit the ball,
It’s learning that counts—win, lose, or fall!

So here’s to my humble intentions, half-baked as they seem,
To pickleball dreams and my couch-bound regime.
I may not be ready quite yet for the court,
But soon—probably—just probably—I’ll dominate the sport!

Non-Fiction

To live beyond the numbers

October 13, 2024 AinaBalagtasLeave a comment

What principles define how you live?

They’ll tally your worth in lines and rows,
Mark your successes by how high they go.
A grade on a paper, a figure on scales,
The numbers scream loudly, but they tell only tales.

But I refuse to be boxed, defined, or confined,
By digits that cage the expanse of my mind.
The heart I pour into each uphill fight,
Speaks volumes beyond what’s seen in plain sight.

For it’s not the score but the spark in your stride,
The fire that flickers though storms may collide.
Diligence carved in the creases of toil,
Tenacity grown from the depths of the soil.

You press through the night when the world seems asleep,
Sowing seeds of a promise you’re destined to reap.
Not measured in sums or pinned to a chart,
But written in love and the will of your heart.

Compassion shapes every act you embrace,
A quiet strength that time cannot erase.
For kindness endures when numbers decay,
And perseverance will carry the weary halfway.

When the road gets steep, and failure is near,
Remember the courage that conquered your fear.
It’s the journey endured, not the points in the race,
That carve out the legacy time won’t replace.

At the close of it all, when the curtain must fall,
No weight can be placed on the worth of your call.
No scale can hold what your soul gave away,
No sum can define what your heart chose to say.

In the end, it’s not measures but meaning that shows,
For the seeds of your best are the ones that will grow.
And though victory bends to the winds of the unknown,
When you give it your all, the best is your own.

Writing True

Hate

October 12, 2024 AinaBalagtasLeave a comment

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

A big no-no

Me and my index finger

Say so.

No regret though.

Inspirational · Non-Fiction · Poetry · Quotes

The Weight of Kindness

October 12, 2024October 12, 2024 AinaBalagtas4 Comments

“Kindness costs none
but has the power to change everything and everyone —one act at a time, it creates the world we all wish to live in, and for love to rule all the time,” just me.

Kindness has no size, no grand parade,
It’s tucked in a smile, in words softly made.
It slips through the cracks of the busiest day,
A gesture so small—but it paves the way.

Though it fits in a whisper, a glance, or a hand,
It’s heavier still than most understand.
More weighty than iron, six hundred pounds strong,
It anchors the heart where it’s carried along.

A present unwrapped by both giver and guest,
It nourishes souls, leaves both feeling blessed.
In giving, we find that we also receive—
A spark that reminds us how deeply we breathe.

Peace is no dream, not too distant to find,
If only we’d carry this truth in our mind:
The world could be healed with one simple call—
To think and do kindness, and give it our all.

Non-Fiction · Ponderings

The Most Sacred of them All

October 11, 2024October 12, 2024 AinaBalagtasLeave a comment

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.13.4.NIV

Like a bride walking down the aisle

with grace,

in white laces,

in pearls,

and in veil,

ready to give her entirety

to her groom who’s all smiling, standing in front the Holy Grail . . . .

. . . . such a bittersweet moment for a sobbing dad who is giving her away.

Like a nation’s flag,

to which we sing the Anthem that always brings out silent tears;

to which we stand in honor of our beloved country’s pride and glory;

to which we lay our hands

on our chest. . . .

. . . on loyalty and patriotism,

the vets are the best.

Like a prayer,

during which we say contrition with fervor:

Be aloud or in silence,

We clothe ourselves with humility.

We strip ourselves of pride.

We ask for deliverance and provision.

We give thanks and praise—

Amen is a potent affirmation.

Truer than gold;

Purer than spring water;

Prettier than May flowers;

Sweeter than honey,

Is humanity’s greatest legacy:

Love is the most sacred of them all.

It’s sanctity lies on its very essence,

conquering us, all.

YouTube/Kenny Rankin/What Matters Most

Gratitude · Writing True

Give Thanks

October 10, 2024October 12, 2024 AinaBalagtasLeave a comment

Revised 3:08 HST, 11/11/2022

Admit it, try

Or deny:

But fortune cookies aside,

At some point in our lives,

We missed thanking

Someone’s kind thing. . .

. . . generosity, courtesy,

Loyalty, empathy,

Devotion and affection.

Take it literally,

But better yet spiritually:

It would be nice to have a Bible on the side;

Read Genesis and you’ll get it right,

Who created the air we breathe?

Are we entitled to all the endowments and gifts,

Even the benefits and privileges we received?

Is reciprocity given?

Truth,

Plain truth:

Thank you can bring sunshine

To one’s cloudy day.

To a call center rep,

It’s a jackpot

To hear a customer say.

Thank you when receives,

Is a recognition of good deeds,

Of hard work,

Of goin’ the extra mile,

Of gifts and pleasant things, bringing smiles

And music to ears.

Thank you when spoken,

Is a testament of a character,

Of an attitude,

Even of a fortitude.

It may sound so common;

so rudimentary;

But when we earnestly say,

“Thank you;”

We experience divinity.

Personal: Thank you WordPress! For your gracious visits, generous likes, and kind comments—I am so humbled to have your amazing support. And I hope to return the favor soon. Take care y’all. I love you! God bless always.

YouTube/When the Morning Comes/Kalapana