The Only Thing We Can Know For Sure

"attend not to what has arrived but what is being stitched."

This caught my attention immediately as "following threads"

has been a current running through my mind recently.

I love the idea of attending to what is being stitched.

I confess fear is giant in my bones right now, fear and disbelief.

That is why I was glad to run across this helpful thread:

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. 

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. 

I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. 

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. 

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” 

Frank Herbert, Dune

It does feel as if all this turmoil and nastiness has the potential of

creating something extraordinary as happens inside the oyster or clam.

Pearls are made "as a natural defence against an irritant

 such as a parasite entering their shell or damage to their fragile body." 

I can attest to the fact that it feels like a parasite has entered my shell!

Let's stitch together our many threads of pearls 

into a garment of dignity, decency 

and the continual reaching toward a true democracy.

Namaste'

.

 

On A Deep and Very Private Level

"Nature is our lifelong caregiver."

I know this has been true for me in my lifetime.

Of course, she has her moments...

nature can be furious as we all well know.

But even then, her resilience is remarkable.

She is "a mirror here to help us

when we have lost sight of ourselves."

How often has a walk in the woods or the garden

restored equilibrium to my spirit?

I cannot count the times.

May she bring us all to our senses...

our best senses...our innate goodness.

Namaste'

 

In Times Of Great Darkness

I send this with bone deep gratitude to Rosemerry

for her gift of words, 

her ability to articulate feelings I'm unable to describe.

Every line enchants.

I want to square, triple and quadruple each one infinitely.

Let us chew on this, slowly and thoughtfully.

Let us swallow with delight and vigorous hope.

Let its substance lodge in our hearts and

live in our minds no matter what occurs.

Let it soften our hard emotions

and bring us consolation.

Let it fill us to overflowing with joy.

Namaste'

 

Be Wild

This is quite a manifesto about creating.

"let loose, to stream, initially censoring nothing."

I'm struck by the thought that...

"The river does not flow in polluted, we manage that.

The river does not dry up, we block it.'

Using the river as a metaphor for creativity in this way is provocative 

given the real-life impacts rivers impose on our region right now.

I confess, my metaphorical river would never cause such violent devastation.

Yet, I ponder what lessons can be gleaned from it.

I'm also meditating on "being willing to be stone stupid"in order to create. 

I feel this whenever I encounter the blank screen or the blank page 

or the empty canvas.

And it settles deeper in following less-than-satisfactory experiments.

Nonetheless, I will continue to

"sit upon the throne on top of the jackass", 

because for better or worse, I believe in the river.

Namaste'

 

When You Wrap Your Arms

This brings to mind the "fragile" hummingbird.

Imagine our heart sipping nectar from every flower it encounters.

Imagine our "fragile" heart flying forward and backward.

Imagine our "fragile" heart covering over 500 miles,

 flying for 20 hours without rest during migration.

Don't you love the thought of a wildflower blooming in concrete?

That's the kind of love we each merit, each and every day.

It's no small wonder to bloom in concrete.

Namaste'

 

The Home Meant To Be Yours

When it feels as if we are deep in

"the shadows of our journey".

it's a comfort to consider 

the home meant to be ours 

is here waiting through all of it.

I believe goodness is our home

and goodness is where we find ourselves.

Namaste'

 

The World Feels A Little Less Lonely

I trust you know who you are.

If not, this is your reminder.

Your "ripples of kindness" matter.

You matter in ways you probably take for granted.

Please know how deeply you are regarded, 

how much you are loved.

What a treasure you are to this world.

Namaste"