Thoughts of Life: Yesterday.. Today.. Tomorrow..

By Steve Soto

This book is a conglomeration of poems and quotations I’ve written over the last fifty years. I also included some arguable essays I’ve written. I think some are on point and others are confrontational, hence the name.

I have always enjoyed poems, and I find quotations very inspiring for the succinct manner in which you can relay thoughts, and hopefully inspiration.

I included what I call arguable essays. I call them arguable because I’m sure some people won’t agree with me on my reasoning and conclusions.

I hope you enjoy my writings.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781796087802

Steve Soto

Steve is a retired municipal government employee. He has a degree in Law and worked 30 years as a Redevelopment/Economic Development Manager for four different cities. After retirement, Steve coached high school baseball, he is an avid Los Angeles Dodgers fan. Steve has been married 32 years to his wife Yolanda and has three kids, Lesley, Randi and Steven. He also has four grand children, Samantha, Matthew Jake and Lauren. Steve is the author of three other published books, “Are You Ethical”, My Journey Through Life With Multiple Sclerosis” and “Quotations”. His newest book “Thoughts of Life, Yesterday Today and Tomorrow” is a conglomeration of past and present writings of poems, essays and quotations.

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Copyright © 2020 by Steve Soto.

ISBN:                Softcover                    978-1-7960-8781-9

                          eBook                         978-1-7960-8780-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 02/14/2020

Xlibris

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DEDICATION

I want to dedicate this book to my beautiful wife Yolanda.

She accepted me, my two kids and my disease thirty two years ago. She encourages my self expression, and has taught me patience and tolerance.

I can’t imagine my life without her.

CONTENTS

YESTERDAY

Cruel

ALMOST

Cherish The Day

Fatal Attraction

Gift

I Didn’t Know

Oneness

Someone I Knew

Unrequited

Timing

Too Young

Unrequited Love

TODAY

How Do You Bug Me, Let Me Count The Ways

Inevitable

Simple Words

Steve’s Song

Little League

Last Thought

Thankful

The Roaring 20’s

The Greatest Game

Times of Our Lives

Twilight

TOMORROW

A Question Of Entitlement

Nice

Pick A Soul Mate

The Appropriation Of Facebook

The Existence Of God?

The Fault Of Religion

The Reality Of Education

What Is The Meaning Of Life?

What Is The Ultimate Fate Of Humanity?

Belief in God?

Is Man Inherently Good, or Inherently Bad?

Man’s Search for Relevance

The Seduction of Reason

Hypocrisy Of Man

QUOTATIONS

YESTERDAY

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"I wrote these poems over the last fifty years. They weren’t inspired by anyone in particular. I just wrote about different scenarios and possible circumstances a person may find himself, or herself in.

At this time a lot of friends use to tease me about writing poems. They use to follow me around singing, roses are red, violets are blue. But down the road, a few of them asked me to write something for their girlfriend.

CRUEL

How could life be so cruel,

I’ve waited years to be with you.

Now we’re near confusion reigns,

And when we touch, there’s inner pain.

Let me hold you one more time,

Let me feel your arms in mine.

I know our time has come and gone,

but one more time, let’s sing our song.

Why bring beauty to this world of mine,

why bring hope when it’s not our time.

We both knew that we shouldn’t start,

We both knew it would break our hearts.

Life is cruel to bring us near,

with struggled feelings through the years.

Please call my name just one more time,

just for me, say all is fine.

To and about no one.

ALMOST

In troubled times she came to me, with love and laughter she’d comfort me.

We took these times, these cherished times, and built a story for all to see.

Forbidden love they called it that, but for us it seemed much more than that.

Quiet whispers from all around, our lives became the talk of town.

As time passed we stayed as one, surprising almost everyone.

We didn’t hide our love or touch, no guilt or shame, love not lust.

We grew much closer as years went by, our inner circle became her and I.

Our lives were great, our lives were free, our lives were filled, such ectasy.

Bad timing fell one fateful night, we didn’t yell we didn’t fight.

We knew the ride was through, though sad, we almost made it, my what we had.

Another blurb to no one special, just to the thought of love.

CHERISH THE DAY

You’ve touched my life in ways untold, you’re my reason to live, my reason to grow.

I live for your touch, your words and your being, you’re my life and my soul, you’re my everything.

You’ve brought peace to my heart, my life my soul too, I cherish your thought, and the day I met you.

Thank you for you, thank you for love, I thank God for sending you to me from above.

This is about a special high school girlfriend I saw years later.

FATAL ATTRACTION

I was but twenty she was eighteen, the attraction was awesome, almost obscene.

We partied we laughed, our fun was no crime, I don’t quite remember a much better time.

She was so special, so important to me, to live life without her, I just couldn’t see.

I was so proud that she spent time with me, a prettier girl, there just couldn’t be.

Twenty two years, only a second it seems, and many of times she has been in my dreams.

I’ve never forgotten what she meant to my life, but for twenty two years, she’s been another man’s wife.

Just recently though, our paths they did cross, and after twenty two years, no magic was lost.

Maybe by chance or maybe it’s fate, but for the rest of my life, she’ll be my special soul mate.

GIFT

"When the presence of love moves in your direction, do not shirk from the responsibilities it presents.

Bathe in its wonder and light, for it will challenge your spirit, lift up your soul and fill up your heart with an unselfish purpose.

Embrace the moment that may unknowingly flee, for it is a gift.

I DIDN’T KNOW

"I remember the warmth that lived in her eyes,

I long for her touch as she embraces me tight.

She brought light to my life with a laugh from so deep.

Without her I laugh but there’s more that I keep.

But how could I know this was the love that was sent.

How could I know this was the love that was meant.

This love sent before,

I did not heed the warmth that it brought.

If it came once so I thought,

It would again… it did not.

Now no one could measure

no one could be,

the sweet you that I treasure

who once gave love to me.

ONENESS

I know the you within your mind,

my thoughts are yours, and yours are mine.

Two separate beings who think as one,

two separate beings who love like none.

I know the songs that warm your heart,

I know the songs that make you you.

Your words are mine but spoke by one,

two hearts have joined, denied by none.

A certain