Steve Taylor writes very simple poems with a powerful message, reminding us of what is important. This recent one is about what others have called monkey mind.
Your Restless Mind
All is well
until your restless mind
wakes up and starts to wonder
whether all is well.
Nothing is wrong
until your restless mind
stirs to life and starts to suspect
that something might be wrong.
Like an overpaid manager trying to justify his role
your mind finds problems that never existed before
and persuades you to make changes
even though your life is running smoothly.
Like a detective who always suspects foul play
your mind keeps questioning reality
going over the evidence and the sequence of events
until situations turn into crimes.
Like a soldier patrolling the streets at night
your mind is always in a state of vigilance
scanning the darkness and silence
for signs of unrest and danger.
But you can reassure your restless mind
that life is only hard if you struggle against it
that the world is only an enemy if you fight against it
and that the natural state of life is peace.