About a difficult situation

Here is something I wrote a few days ago about a difficult situation that's been weighing on me:

Recently there have been some ugly developments in my extended family (not involving me directly), having to do with money. In the grand scheme, I know that this is nothing new, as it has been demonstrated many times, on small and large scales, that money and power have the power to sway people in such a way that they will betray their most fundamental values: their families, communities, and the earth that sustains them.

After doing my cow chores tonight I sat on a rock at the edge of the field with LT, the cat, and we watched the cows graze. The peaceful atmosphere brought me comfort, but I also felt sad about this situation in my family. I found it especially sad to think about people who live in relative abundance and affluence and yet are driven in such a way that they allow their family ties and other close relationship to be torn up by money.

It is easy / tempting to get bitter and self righteous with all this, but I thought that it would be more useful to pray for those who are misled, be it by money or anything else. I learned from my own experiences that it is out of confusion, fear, insecurity, anger and hurt that people end up hurting each other and themselves in the end. So I pray that they wake up and heal from whatever is driving them to act in these ways.

Today, I was still thinking about this situation as I drove in my car, while at the same time looking outside and taking in the sunny autumn day. I wrote this little poem:

Overcome
 
Overcome by the beauty of this day in autumn;
The trees hanging their branches,
Letting their colorful leaves fall,
Carelessly, on the wind, one by one.

World, throw what you will at me
Tempt me with anger, envy, greed or jealousy,
Cheap trinkets all, by comparison...

This peace in my heart,
The lessons that I've learned,
The infinite gift of another day, here, to be a part and contemplate all this,
These you cannot take away from me,
Nor will I trade them for any of your ways.