“Recalling” copyright 2005 John J. Rigo “Roses Amidst Thorns”

In all the things

thou are to me,

I remember now,

then recall latter

the twinkle of your laughter

as you followed me quietly,

as I ran from you in anger

over some silly thing.

There you stood

as I turned,

with the biggest

of our smiles.

It was your way

of saying,

“I am sorry.”

As I remembered now,

you knew more than anyone,

the many ways

one can say

“I Love you.”

Did I remember also to let

you know this in my heart,

at a time when it was

important to tell you

that I also love you,

oh, so very deeply. 

“Dreams” copyright 2005 John J. Rigo “Roses Amidst Thorns”

Dreams, dreams,

I step into the world of my dreams.

Dreams of you.

Your lips touching mine,

my arms around your waist.

I am holding you close.

We are breathing as one.

Kissing as one.

Is this real or is it not?

Let me not awake,

from this place,

where there is only,

you and me,

just,

dreaming,

dreaming.

“Us” copyright 2005 John J. Rigo “Rainbows Amidst Thorns”

I am only for you.

A kiss given here

or a caress there.

Together, our lives are a bouquet

marked by each petal of love

gently falling away

to our time together.

“An Earthbound Angel” copyright 2008 John J. Rigo upcoming “Passion Amidst Apathy”

She spoke of death, matter factually.

She told me what the afterlife was.

The detail was clear and without doubt.

An earthbound angel returned,

to quiet my fears and give me peaceful assurance.

Who was this creature that gave me this gift,

with such authority?

I had known her for over thirty-five years.

We have been together over eighteen years.

She is the wife of my dreams.

A true “Giver of Life” is my bride.

How blessed, am I, this day,

to have time shared with her.

Thank you God,

for this gift of life to me.  

“If I Were God” copyright 2005 John J. Rigo “Roses Amidst Thorns”

If I were God,

would I have done things any differently?

In the mist of my creation,

would I have made beings,

who would worship me,

built into their souls?

I think not,

for love is only love,

when given freely.

Is it not said,

that we are made in His image?

Would not His Love be the ultimate,

universal love?

If we would give our life for the one we loved,

would God render any less,

in giving His life for us?

In God’s love for us,

would enduring a day of pain,

be a fair exchange to insure that all those He loved,

would be with Him?

If you were God,

would you have done the same for me?  

“A Special Prayer” copyright 2008 John J. Rigo upcoming book “Passion Amidst Apathy”

Lord, Bless this day.

Bless me,

and weaken my enemies,

so that I may be pleasing to You,

in rendering Your Word to others.

“But It Has Always Has Been Done That Way” copyright 2008 by John J. Rigo “A Point of View of a McKinney Texas Resident”

How often have we all heard this statement from those who serve us in city services, or in the political arena in our local communities.  Change for the better involves effort, thought, time and sometimes, just plain work.  Such is the case with our local government at the city level of our community in McKinney, Texas.

A good example of this inability for change is the way our current system works in electing council personnel at city levels.  Today, in McKinney, there are several city council seats where the one person who filed for that seat is running “unopposed.”  To me, as a McKinney resident of thirty eight years, there is a huge “Red Flag” up regarding this situation.

In the majority of city elections of the last several decades, “Apathy” has played a huge role in who has won these all important seats on our city council.  Whether a opportunity for a new mayor or council person, generally as little as a thousand vote difference, determines the winner in these elections.  Of course, this is the case when there is more than one candidate running for the same position.  These margins are no longer acceptable for the “best person winning” in today’s political climate at our city level.  This is especially true with a city quickly approaching the One Hundred and Fifty Thousand mark in population.

I propose that the system we have been so familiar with, for many years be changed to a “Best Citizen Server” for our city council seats.  No longer, will the first rule of “The one with the most signs on the landscape, Wins” in these local elections.  First the responsibility for showcasing candidates should be become the responsibility of the city, in which the candidate for office is running.  Filing procedures would remain the same.

The first major change would be no form of advertising, on the part of the individual candidate in any form or shape.  That means no signs, no websites, no mail outs, no TV, no radio and no personal appearances at various public functions to speak on their reasons for running for office.  All appearances, would be in a public debate forum, with a setting furnished by the city, and at totally, at the cities’ expense.  From the date of filing, till the actual voting day, there would be a “series” of debates, with a question and answer period from the public citizens attending such debates.  The next major change would be that all terms of service would be for one term only in any city council seat opening.  No exceptions…no loopholes.

The result all of this would be first, we would have a higher quality of individuals willing to serve our communities.  The reason, no huge investment in the need to gather and spend campaign funds, no obligations to those who financially sponsored such candidates. Other benefits would be the element “of self interests for personal gain” on the part of candidates would disappear from the landscape.  This would be because of the larger field of candidates running for each office.  Additionally, a clearer undertanding of what an individual candidate stood for, accomplished by the series of public debates before the citizen public.  Fresh ideas, fresh approaches to old problems would be common place in city government, since the new candidates are now limited to one term.

If you, as a tax-paying citizen of McKinney, feel that these suggestions for changing our way of approaching city government has value, please contact me via the WordPress program and together, let us make this idea, a reality.

 

 

    

“The Blessings of Our Love” copyright 2005 John J. Rigo “Rainbows Amidst Storms”

To take what we have for granted

is a human thing.

Only when it is gone,

do we finally come to realize

how important little things in our life,

really are.

Death can be so final.

No longer is there a chance to do things better.

We now have the chance to live life a greater

and more wonderful way.

How blessed you and I are

in this point in our lives.

We have finally found the best things about

our life together is about the most simple of things.

Moments like touching each other for no reason at all,

in the quiet of our time together.

Warmly remembered times,

like the kiss,

when not expected,

“I love you,”

when not expected

It is not grand that we have this chance

to be together.

A chance to share what is really is important,

the sharing of just being together and most importantly,

knowing that everything is as it should be,

in our life together.

We were meant to be with each other and

that is a good thing.

Most wonderfully, within the beauty of this life,

that us sharing this life is in God’s plan for us,

through this life,

and our everlasting eternity together. 

“Our Day” copyright 2005 John J. Rigo “Roses Amidst Thorns”

A bright blue sky day.

Water, with a spray of diamonds.

Rays of warmth upon my face.

You at my side,

with that special smile

that I love above all expressions,

that pass over your face each day.

Let us hold this close to us,

in what seems not enough time for

just the two of us.

Cherish this day,

love this day,

with all we have.

For we will never know,

how many,

if any,

of these days are before us.

We have each other,

with our love for one another.

What could be worth

more than just this day?

“Why Did It Take This Long?” copyright 2005 John J. Rigo “Roses Amidst Thorns”

Why did it take this long

to discover how much I love you?

All those days and nights are gone now.

I could have shared that time with you more deeply than I did.

Kisses rendered with soul, instead of obligation.

Why did not share my fears with you?

Had I gotten to the place, that fear of being a fool,

was more important, than sharing my soul with you?

I say to you, my friend, remember this,

“If love sits next to you each day,

render to that love,

praise and appreciation each day.”

In so doing,

your days will not be filled with regrets,

as my days are now filled,

with spent sorrow.