Over the Years

Natural impulses arise in the human psyche leading toward growth and healthy development. For the author, these impulses led to a personal journey of self discovery and creative expression. Dreams also became a resource on this important journey. They led inward to the unconscious, the source of intuition where ultimately freedom is found for a rich and creative life. Donald Mathews' serious inner journey began in 1965 at age 35, but it was another nine years after his parents death before dream work at Esalen Institute released deeply held grief. Upon retirement from the Navy in 1975, he formally continued studying psychology and fine arts exploring as many different creative expressions as he could find, including poetry. This collection of poetry written over a 27 year period after reaching mid-life reveals the many different twists and turns found on the inner journey. It is a search for meaning in life. It explores some of the important emotional life themes of love, pain, grief and death-themes one must encounter on the way to becoming fully human. Ultimately, life is an act of pure faith. By trusting deep transforming insights and life's mysterious beauty, it can be lived without fear- including finally, death itself. This book is an invitation to share a personal journey through poetry.