look up
at that diamond in the sky
stare at it
feel warmed by it
draw inspiration from it
be guided by it
have faith in it.
let the distractions fall away
let the small hurts heal
let forgiveness work its magic
let anger transform into creative action
let fear inform instinctive change.
may you find your heart
may you discover kindness at the core of your being
may your spirit ignite
may your love overflow and nourish the world.
feeling something as a child would
beginner’s heart ~
being present is that, yes
feeling the warmth as we notice a blooming flower, smell its flavor
but how about something beyond, deeper than that?
when a child encounters a butterfly for the first time
they want to share their delight
“look ___ [mom, dad, Susie, Rover]!”
untangling the knots in our old, tired hearts
notice, feel
share
I long to rest in peace
now
while I’m still alive.
not all day—
I don’t want to lose my internal debates over challenges and conflicts.
but also, I want to be able to pause
and rest
in peace ~
rest in the divine presence
of the everyday.
There was a period in my life filled with hard work and hard play. In the midst of that, my mother died.
While I was surrounded by friends, marriage, loneliness, my mother died.
As I confronted numerous tangles and potholes, my mother died.
My mother lived 35 years before she met me. I have lived 35 years since she left me.
What have I learned (or learned more deeply) in these 35 years on my own?
Life works better when I can let go of my feeble attempts to control things.
Time filled with substance is preferable to time filled with substances.
Humility and honesty are essential.
My shadow is an interesting friend.
Time spent dancing, constructing poetry, and dabbling with various forms of art is fulfilling and enlightening. These activities allow me to express ALL my emotions. Emotions no longer scare me.
The ocean enables me to breathe.
Dogs are the best.
Bits of joy and simple contentment enhance each day. I look in the corners to be sure I don’t miss any of it.
I learned how to untangle some of the tangles.
I learned how to face and fill some of the potholes.
My mother was kind and wise. I hear her gentle guidance through the silence. Perhaps she (proudly?) witnesses what I continue to learn on my own. There is comfort in my vision of our infinite alliance—our shared peace.
May I cultivate patience, humility, stillness, and kindness. May I pay attention to my inner truth. May I keep my focus wide and soft so that I never lose sight of the big picture. May I nourish my hope and gently soothe my despair. May I keep my anticipatory dread at bay and just do the work.
the iris bulbs are planted
and your burdens can blow away.
may I remind you to let go?
may we rest in the faith that the irises will bloom when they are ready?
Resilience is a trait I have always been grateful to have in my repertoire. It keeps me going, keeps me “strong.”
Resilience is also a trait that encourages me to put my sadness, my vulnerabilities aside. Even when I acknowledge and think I “sit with” those uncomfortable feelings, I still put them in a box and add them to a “past stuff” pile very quickly. Of course there will still be a charge to those boxes and they are not filled with “past stuff” at all. I would like to open those boxes and welcome that stuff back in.
Instead of being the victor, perhaps resilience can be the companion to my sadness when I have lost someone or something. Perhaps resilience can be the protector of my tender vulnerabilities. I can keep my precious human feelings with me as gateways to the sacred.
no tools for this
be with what is
feel it fully, and then feel it deeper
and then rest there for a bit.
hold hands with God and take refuge in that.
let that hand gently guide me into the boat
the boat that will carry me down the river
the river that welcomes my tears.
butterflies emerge gently ~
transformation is magical
and arduous work .
emerging, butterflies struggle to figure out their footing.
they make tiny flights to figure out their wings.
the miraculous, mesmerizing flights take a minute.
emerge gently
Wood Wind & Water 