My reply to a holy troll

I received a message this week from an old acquaintance who stated my writing has them concerned about my "spot in heaven".

This person also asked if I had given any thought to how I will be remembered if I continue to use my Facebook Page to promote the "weakening of men" and the "abhorrent way I blaspheme."

To be honest, I wasn't sure how to respond to any of that. I’m not very good at solving riddles.

So, instead, I wrote them the following unedited poem:

I don’t write to be remembered

I write to remember

what I already knew on

my first day on Earth

this is all magic

we can’t control our legacy

when we give up our bodies

and become air and light

but we can control our love affair with

life while we are still wearing our skin

I know so many people who are hyper-focused on their afterlife reservations

And yes, of course, I’m also a bit curious about what happens next

but the thing is,

it’s just that I’m more interested with

this moment right now

and how the morning breeze is moving

through the field of dandelions, I’ve

allowed to overtake my backyard

than I am in what might possibly

happen after my coffin clicks shut

I think if I spend my life

fretting over if I will get

keycard to hotel paradise

I will miss the nirvana

that reveals itself to me

whenever I see two strangers

being kind to each other

so, no, I’m not intrigued

by the pursuit of securing my legacy

or in worrying over

my admittance into

your country club heaven

because both of those will be decided for me

by people or beings far smarter than I could ever pretend to be

I’m much more attracted to

making sure the next breath I take

is my “make or break moment” where

I forgive you for your judgment

I'm grateful for your questions

and they have caused me to come up with

a new morning prayer that I will offer

up to the rising sun that greets me

“Oh, Spirit -

please help me keep

all my verbs in the present tense

~to love now

~to honor life now

~to forgive now

~to concern myself with now

and let me untie myself

from the anchor of

everything else that is

outside of my control”

---

COME AND JOIN ME AT KRIPALU!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

I am so excited to finally announce the details about my Unafraid Storyteller retreat experience that I will be offering in Massachusetts at the legendary Kripalu Center this upcoming November!

We exist in a world where our photos are expected to be perfectly edited and our social media posts have to be carefully crafted to prevent us from accidentally showing the “real” person inside. However, life is meant to be messy, adventurous, and a bit chaotic. This is exactly what makes being alive the best game in the universe.

Join poet, writer, and comedian John Roedel for a high-energy program that guides you to tell the authentic story of your life.

Through journaling, group interaction, creative exercises, physical movement and hands-on activities, you will let people see past your Instagram filter and straight into your often untidy heart

~Learn to give people a chance to witness the wildness of your existence

~Appreciate the own miracle of your uneven adventure

~Gain tools to tell your own story without fear of what the world will think of you.

As storytellers, it’s not our job to impress people with the story of our lives, it’s about giving the reader the opportunity to embrace the highs and lows of their own journey.

Note This program is suitable for all writers, storytellers, or humans who want to live and share their stories with more authenticity.

Register here!