Raymond Ahles Poetry
“It is not what happens to us, but how we respond to it that defines us. That is what we can choose and control.” – Raymond Ahles.
The poems contained within this site is about one man’s journey through a particularly difficult time in his life. What is inspirational is the way in which he has chosen to look at those difficulties with an eye towards peace, acceptance and holding strong to the belief that “we cannot know how long the darkness will last, only that there is light somewhere down the road. Yin and yang follow each other”.
Again in his own words Ahles further explains, “The optimist always believes that the sun will come out tomorrow. This creates a more positive inner feeling – a far healthier state of mind that only contributes to one’s ability to persevere through whatever darkness is being experienced. This reminds me of the quote by Winston Churchill: ‘When going through hell, keep going.’
Where the pessimist believes he is the realist, he will create the perpetual darkness (even if only in his mind) through a poor attitude, lack of effort, blame of circumstance (on everything from his parents to the government to the Gods), etc., leading to the inevitable giving up. The only way to lose is by giving up. Never give up, never quit on yourself. The tide always turns; it’s just a matter of when.”
Indeed these are words to live by when experiencing the dark and seeking peace within the chaos. This philosophy is evident in the poems written by Raymond Ahles which are reprinted on this site with his permission.
For those interested in learning more about the author of these poems, visit www.raymondahles.com.
You can read the series of poems including the first of the series “The Face of Peace” by clicking the pages at right.
