Boyertown PA
9-27-2025 4:32am

After the Rain, Rainbows: Host of "B Inspired" Surprised by Words

by Jane Stahl

It's been one of those weeks for me where I’m reminded that life holds surprises if we’re paying attention. Ups and downs included the celebration of the uplifting holiday of Rosh Hashanah and a spiral down a few rabbit holes following disappointing reactions from trusted sources along with realized threats to the nation's freedom of speech. 

Serendipitously, people appeared with words of inspiration in their own poetry, favorite music, and age-old words from the Book of Psalms and, more recently, William Faulkner's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech. 

Words are my passion, of course. In the beginning, they “were,” and there’s no doubt they have, on occasion, changed the world!

This week words brought light to my gloomy outlook. Poet Mary Anne Abdo sent her poem "The Artist's Calling" in response to a recent "B Inspired" encore episode that reflected on John Lennon's "Imagine." Mary Anne  mirrored Faulkner's speech reminding writers of their duty--in Faulkner's words--to "to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet’s voice...can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail." I was reminded of my agency. 

For no particular reason, one morning, son Jeff had me listen to the Moody Blues song "The Balance" and Don McClean's "Vincent" reminding me that wherever there is anger or fear or hurt, it is because there is no understanding; understanding extinguishes hate and fear and hurt substituting compassion and acceptance and love in their stead. Later, in sharing his own poetry, his words reiterated the music's messages. I was reminded of my purpose.

Moody Blues "The Balance"

Don McClean "Vincent"

Later, studying the Book of Psalms with new friends brought humility and faith— and inspiration—to the forefront along with reverence for the magnificence of creation and the Creator. I was reminded to pause and reflect.

In the end, crawling out of rabbit holes, I recognize that "my people" unknowingly came to my rescue with words. And I'm further reminded that there are no coincidences in our lifetimes of learning to love; with an open heart we must take the help when it  arrives.  Meanwhile, this aged hippy continues to dream--I'm not the only one! Kumbaya.

*****

The Artist’s Calling
   ~© Mary Anne Abdo

Someone shot up the world again—yesterday.
Grief, pain, and ANGUISH fill the streets.
Happening in our schools, neighborhoods,
and houses of worship.
I call upon my fellow creators to take upon
what is in your hearts to spread the message—
of hope.
Those who write the words that is sometimes
UNSPOKEN.
Hold your pen to page and enable those
words to be—SPOKEN.
Fill our drowning hearts with VERSES,
we need to read.
Verses to hear when moments we experience
are too much to bear
I call upon painters and sculptors to uncover
untouched clay, slabs of stone, and blank canvas
to create MASTERPIECES.
That our world needs to see THROUGH your eyes.
Find the BEAUTY that our world is numb to right now.
Show us the wondrous glory of this planet.
I call upon photographers to capture
stories on film.
THE dimensions, stillness, peacefulness,
and all of those MAGNIFICENT FACES within
one single frame.
I call upon all artists and creators of every genre.
To spread your messages OF LIGHT
that will dispel—the darkness.

Inspiration

   ~ JD Stahl (12/14/2020)

There is a place which cannot be hidden.
A flame never to be extinguished.
This light that shall never darken.
Reflects upon everything that you love.
Made of material that never shall perish.
A sacrifice, for which you’d be willing to die.
Birthing passion, never to be exceeded.
Exposing all of your fears into lies.
Every pain will retreat in its presence.
Hate and spite will run from its gaze.
All rivers of life stream from its balance.
Those who seek it shall always be saved.
It’s purity defines the words of the ages.
No sadness could ever match its relief.
Death, itself, even bows to reverence.
It breaks all temporal rules known in time.
A joke to anything held in your senses.
Priceless, exceeding all diamonds and gold.
Dedicated to your greatest devotion.
Heavier than the strongest hands could hold.
This gift that we were all given each birth,
Is at the root of all of creation.
The answer which all seekers will seek.
Unconditional love is our only salvation.

Love is Enough

   ~JD Stahl (12/29/2020)

I will paint my pictures with every color.
I will throw and splatter the world with my words.
Unapologetically dragging my brush,
Through the edges and valleys
Of mountains and ridges of dried memories.
I will etch these portraits over the woven fabric
Of the landscape of the universe,
Seen and unseen.
I will use every background and metaphor
To show the truest depiction
Of what I feel has been has been lost in years,
Out of necessity and salvation.
Every medium will be exploited to describe
This simple, lossless purity.
Stenciled within this reflection,
I will emboss this devotion.
I will sell every single thing I own,
Until I have wallpapered your heart
With the images of a love that never dies.
This will be my home, my gallery, and my temple.
I will be foolish in my dedication.
I will endlessly create this exhibition
Of romanticism, sacrifice, and creation,
Because I am alive to embody the message
That love is more than enough.
Love is enough.

The "B Inspired" podcast can be found on your favorite podcast platform. #BInspiredJaneStahl  #BoyertownPa #BoyertownAreaExpression #StudioBArtGallery 

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