• Shining Star lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Shining Star lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Cast about in loneliness Stumbling in the dark Wondering who you are You have lost yourself Pretending to be who you’re not When will the game get flipped around When will you turn on your light You are the mystery revealed The secret’s now been told You are worth so much more Than all your…

  • Still Breath lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Still Breath lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    It’s only through creation That I can still breath A lifetime of following Has made me want to lead What would I lead in That I’ve been wondering Where is my spark, my unique gift That I can unwrap, unveil, reveal It surely is time, finally by now I call out into the void I…

  • The Rest Best lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    The Rest Best lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Swirling in a symphony Of luxury and regret Surrounded by the prizes Of wealth and largesse Sinking in this feeling Of empty and meaningless Thinking of the miseries Inflicted upon myself Trying to navigate Into a crystal clarity Toiling away in the fields Of mind-numbing obscurity Stop the world I wanna get off This isn’t…

  • Giant Within lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Giant Within lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Another love poem Looking to take form What will this one turn out to be There’s only one way to see I have disappointed you I have let you down I have not lived up to The best you’ve seen in me Is there still a way forward Is there still something left I’ve seen…

  • Superpower lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Superpower lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Flotsam floating on the tides of life No home to call my own Searching for some distant shores Been on the water for so long I end up wondering what went wrong Where is my usefulness What is my superpower I long to belong I want to contribute In ways that only I can Where…

  • Free to Be lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Free to Be lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    I’ve gone to the depths of despair Wasn’t sure what I would find there I’ve seen myself as worthless and hopeless With nothing to give With nothing left I’ve thought the worst of myself As if I’m somehow a villain As if there’s no redemption for me But even in the pit, I wasn’t alone…

  • Value lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Value lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    I look at my life I see what I could be, do, and have And it’s so much greater Than where I’m at right now I know my why And I wonder if that’s enough To transform myself and my experience I’m alive for a reason Maybe more than one I’m looking for a bridge…

  • My Why Is Freedom lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    My Why Is Freedom lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Stuck like a rat in a maze Don’t know if I can make further progress I feel so helpless Is there someone who can save me Someone who has made it further I seek a millionaire mentor Someone who will genuinely help And I would provide them value Give and receive proportionally I’m not simply…

  • Higher and Closer lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Higher and Closer lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Carving out innovation from somewhere Creating from nothing All things have a source Random letters strung together For a DNA sequence called life The same building blocks Diverse applications Countless different creatures With so much in common Ever wonder how we all got here Ever wonder what it’s all about To ponder the mysteries The…

  • Space for Gladness lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Space for Gladness lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Wrapped up in my sadness Where’s the space for gladness I’ve spent too long letting myself down I could be known for being joyful I have the capacity for that I’ve even been called the life of the party Oh, how long has it been since then What excuses have I fed my mind To…

  • Another Today lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Another Today lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Starting with a familiar tune I wake up to tomorrow But tomorrow never arrives It only becomes another today Got on my feet Stomping on the ground Trying to catch some fun Another time around Oh, what is it that makes the difference What is it that gets me dancing again Laughter was illusive Smiles…

  • Life of Wisdom lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Life of Wisdom lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    I’ve been locked in my fortress Where I’ve had solitude I may not be from Krypton But I still have had to get away I’ve had much time to think And much time to pray What would you have me do, oh God What path is my life to take What glory do I live…

  • Want and Will lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Want and Will lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Is there ever any other way To separate shame from anything And everything I say I want to speak I want to talk I want to express myself If you’d rather hear me or not I want to sing I want to dance Express myself complete with every chance I want to live I want…

  • Ultimate Way lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Ultimate Way lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    I keep on falling down Can’t seem to keep on standing I feel so trapped down here Buried beneath tons of rubble Don’t see a way out From my own mental handicaps So used to thinking That it’s all impossible Especially what I want the most I don’t know what to do to escape this…

  • Inner Child lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Inner Child lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Imagine what it’s like to be a child again Before you had to go to school Before you had to dress up and act cool You simply got to play That was the highest aim of each day You had nothing to lose You could make a fool of yourself Because that’s what fun Is…

  • The Forgiveness Song lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    The Forgiveness Song lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    I wrote a song of forgiveness I showed that I can let go I gave the gift to myself The gift of freedom at long last As surely as the wind blows As surely as the sun shines The scales fell off my eyes I once was lost, but now I’m found I once was…

  • Longest Distance lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Longest Distance lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    An idiot genius trapped in his own mind A mental playground A whirly go merry go round An exhaustion of options Caught up with thinking too much Where is my heart in all this Could it be I’ve given up The longest distance to travel Is traversing from head to heart The greatest leap of…

  • Meaning of Life lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Meaning of Life lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    I’ve been searching for something real For oh so long I end up wondering if I’ll ever find it When I was a boy I thought that it was possible To find what I’m searching for But somewhere along the way I got so tired I had to rest As the years stretched into decades…

  • Always There lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Always There lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Where is the connection That I used to have Where is the connection That I used to feel Did it gradually fade away Or did it disappear all at once If I look beneath the surface I could find that The connection is always there Has loneliness been my friend I’ve been by myself Among…

  • Fall, Giants, Flood lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Fall, Giants, Flood lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    What forbidden knowledge did I seek As I went to the basement I was only two years old I couldn’t keep my balance Like Humpty Dumpty, I took a great fall There was no gate to stop me I kept on rolling and hitting my head On seemingly every step on the way down Getting…

  • Gratitude in All Things lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Gratitude in All Things lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    For so many years I’ve looked at what’s lacking Could it be something Could it be me Didn’t know where to start With counting my blessings That only seemed like a useless cliché Be careful what you wish for You just might get it I kept wishing for what I didn’t want In my powerlessness…

  • Place of Acceptance lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Place of Acceptance lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    What is there to say Some grand, sweeping statement That sums up all of life Oh, sure, there’s been pressure to perform I’ve got much to give Then why do I withhold That goes back to days of old When what I had to give wasn’t wanted Why wasn’t it wanted Do people have a…

  • H.O.P.E. lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    H.O.P.E. lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    What lights you up What keeps you awake at night In a good way Too excited to sleep Found in the arms of God’s embrace A whole new world awaits you Like when you were younger And everything seemed possible A magical wonderland Where your dreams come true You may have been naïve back then…

  • Unwasted Youth lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Unwasted Youth lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Is youth really wasted on the young What would I do if I was younger again Would I go jumping out of planes Would I do all the things I didn’t do Back when I had the chance Would I have a life free of regrets Would I catch up with the wisdom And knowledge…

  • Heaven Through Your Eyes lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    Heaven Through Your Eyes lyrics / poem by James Barnett

    I see heaven through your eyes You communicate paradise to me With the patience of an angel You keep setting me free You help build me up to be a better man And I keep doing the best that I can You enhance my dream Strengthen my will And stimulate my creativity For you, I…

  • What Does It Take to Bring About Lasting Change?

    What Does It Take to Bring About Lasting Change?

    What does it take to bring about lasting change? I don’t have the answer. I’m genuinely asking. If anybody has some great ideas to share or some stories to tell about what it takes to bring about lasting change, then please let me know in the comments section below. I’d really like to know. “Change”…

  • Who Is Humanity? We Are I Am

    Who Is Humanity? We Are I Am

    Why doesn’t everyone get along? It can look as if we’re designed not to get along, and it can be all too easy to give up and be cynical about our chances of ultimately living together in harmony. Thankfully, hope doesn’t die. It doesn’t even fade away. Hope is ever present and a cure for…

  • What the Ultimate Solution Has Always Been

    What the Ultimate Solution Has Always Been

    Sometimes when I think of the challenges that humanity faces, I wonder how we could possibly be strong enough to handle all of that. Seriously, there’s one epidemic after other. And we don’t get to handle them one at a time. No, that would be too easy. Instead, we’re faced with them typically all at…

  • Life Is a Dream That I’m Awake for

    Life Is a Dream That I’m Awake for

    It’s interesting to see what’s going on with current events. So much of humanity is experiencing the same thing at the same time. Movements are restricted. Life certainly isn’t how it was. It’s like we have a prison sentence, but we don’t know how long it’s for. Reminds me of various experiences I’ve lived through.…

  • Allow Your Greatness to Shine Through

    Allow Your Greatness to Shine Through

    Life is a dream that I’m awake for. Life is a pleasant dream come true. Yes, I choose to see life that way. I choose to see the good in everything, including the things that look to be horrific. For me, adopting that mindset makes the most sense. I’ve heard others, including David Bayer and…

  • Child-free by Choice. Another Option to Go With in Life

    Child-free by Choice. Another Option to Go With in Life

    In my previous post, “Pollock Clinics Vasectomy Review: Permanent Birth Control for Men,” I talked about my vasectomy experience and recommended that any man who wants to get a vasectomy either go to Pollock Clinics or somewhere else that uses the same method. I have found that people who want to have children tend to put…

  • Our Common Bond Speaks Forth and Cries Out to Be Remembered

    Our Common Bond Speaks Forth and Cries Out to Be Remembered

    What is enlightenment? Is it sustainable? And can these questions even be answered in this lifetime? Sometimes, there are no easy answers. Sometimes, the strength is found in the struggling. Thrown into the world of adult problems, life can look a lot more complex and difficult than back when you and I were children. Remember…

  • Life Has No Meaning Except What I Give It. It’s a Freeing Limit

    Life Has No Meaning Except What I Give It. It’s a Freeing Limit

    I don’t talk much, so it helps to have a healthy outlet of some kind. Enter writing. Writing is a very important factor in my mental health. I don’t know what I would do without it. Writing allows me the chance to organize my thoughts and express them in a clearer way than I’ve typically…

  • The Song of Acceptance for You and for Me

    The Song of Acceptance for You and for Me

    What is acceptance about? Acceptance brings a certain peace with it. Acceptance heals and brings together. Acceptance is the name of the song shared below in this post, which is post #50 on the website. Thank you to everyone who has read the website and everyone who will read it. Thank you to everyone who has…

  • One Race. Human Race. The Differences Are Only Skin Deep

    One Race. Human Race. The Differences Are Only Skin Deep

    Perhaps you’ve seen this phrase before: “One Race. Human Race. One Blood. Red Blood.” Or this phrase that shortens it further: “One Race. One Blood.” These phrases are excellent reminders that humans aren’t so different after all. Divided we fall. United we stand. We’re stronger together. One race with many, many ethnicities. One race with…

  • My Parents Got Together Even If It Made No Sense

    My Parents Got Together Even If It Made No Sense

    I’ve heard of couples who have only stayed together for the sake of their children. My parents were not one of those couples. I was the only child that my parents had together. If my dad had his way, I wouldn’t have been born. So, faced with the choice of no husband or no child,…

  • We’re Still Here to Live Another Day

    We’re Still Here to Live Another Day

    The lyrics below tell a true story that happened to me years ago. Back when I was much too naive and far too trusting. Trust needs to be earned, and it’s something that I gave to those who didn’t deserve it. I met a man who could have been a friend. He was going to…

  • When You Beckon the Brightness and Turn Off the Dark

    When You Beckon the Brightness and Turn Off the Dark

    “Gratitude.” That’s my word of the year. When I find myself in a foul mood, I remember “gratitude,” and my mood shifts to something positive. When I see and consider the blessings that I have in my life, I think of “gratitude,” and I know that I’m safe wherever I am. I am provided for. I am freedom. I am…

  • Flip the Script of Your Life to Something Positive

    Flip the Script of Your Life to Something Positive

    The world is a reflection of your thoughts. I’ve experienced the reality of that countless times. If I’ve expected people to yell at me, they yell at me. If I’ve expected them to be cruel to me, they live down to my expectations. It goes the other way, too, of course. If I expect people…

  • When You’re Still Stuck in That Moment in Time

    When You’re Still Stuck in That Moment in Time

    I’ve had those moments. Moments that are bittersweet and gone now. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve had those moments, too. It can be tricky to let go of them and move on with life. Thankfully, it is possible to let go and move on. Be grateful for those moments. They helped make you who…

  • You Deserve to Be Here — Alive and Strong

    You Deserve to Be Here — Alive and Strong

    Have you ever been discouraged? Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? Have you ever wondered why you’re here? Of course, you have. Those are universal experiences to go through. It’s painful to experience discouragement, isolation, and not knowing your purpose. Yet somehow it looks to be necessary to have those difficult moments in…

  • When Would Now Be the Time to Free Your Voice

    When Would Now Be the Time to Free Your Voice

    You have more to give than you realize. You are more than you realize. The energy contained within you fuels the universe. “The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies, were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of…

  • Here’s to a New Year. You’ve Got This

    Here’s to a New Year. You’ve Got This

    2019 went by so fast. Still, some great things happened last year. I started GiantsWithin.com, and I traveled to Portugal and Spain. In 2020, I’ll keep building GiantsWithin.com, I’ll write a book, and I’ll keep traveling. What are 2 or 3 things that you did last year? And what are 2 or 3 things that…

  • What’s Stronger Than Plastic and Larger Than Life

    What’s Stronger Than Plastic and Larger Than Life

    Too many people suffer in silence. You might be one of them. Even if you’re not, it’s guaranteed you know at least one person who is suffering in silence. They’re not sharing about their struggles. But they have them. And it’s weighing them down. Their situation looks hopeless to them. “Who would care about me?…

  • When to Let the Words Dance in Your Mind

    When to Let the Words Dance in Your Mind

    Perhaps people have told you that you overthink things. In that case, if they’re right, then less thinking and more action is required. Maybe they’ve said that you’re stuck in your head. It can be better to live from your heart. As a qualified overthinker, I’ve seen that the distance between my head and my…

  • What Places Are You Going to in Your Life?

    What Places Are You Going to in Your Life?

    Dear Traveller, You’re always going places, even if you’re spinning in circles. Think over your own life as you read these song lyrics. What places are you going to in your life? What patterns, both healthy and unhealthy, have you got? What needs to change, and what are you already doing well? “Going Places” lyrics…

  • Three Statements to Tell Yourself Each Day

    Three Statements to Tell Yourself Each Day

    Dear Neighbor, In this post, I’m sharing with you three positive statements that I’ve used to help brighten up my day. What positive statements do you tell yourself each day? “Three Statements” lyrics / poem by James Barnett I tell myself three statements To help me get through the day They’re a reminder That there’s…

  • There Are Always More Higher Levels in the Game of Life

    There Are Always More Higher Levels in the Game of Life

    The idea behind the title of this post can be expressed in other ways as well. As you make your progress up a mountain, the mountain keeps getting taller and the top of it keeps getting further away. Each problem solved reveals another problem to solve. It’s never-ending. There are always more higher levels in…

  • What’s Your City’s Anthem — A Song, A Sound, or Something Else?

    What’s Your City’s Anthem — A Song, A Sound, or Something Else?

    I’ve written at least a few dozen songs, and the vast majority of them I haven’t shown to anyone, including “City’s Anthem.” This isn’t one of my positive songs. I wrote it from the perspective of a little boy who got yelled at and pushed around 30 years ago. I might tell that story publicly…