Wednesday, May 30, 2007

dawn moment

Death is not the lamp that is extinguished
It is the coming of dawn
Tagore

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

anguish moment

there are no real answers
and that is why
I do not have the question

asking why
is simply the wrong question
because I cannot reverse the outcome

to overcome a saturating sadness
I must first face it
feel it
and find a unity deep within

the anguish of another
often awakens our own anguish

am I prepared to sacrifice the prize
for unity

I was frightened because I was naked and I hid
Gen 3:9-10

all of us know the place of fear within us and we are frightened
because we are so vulnerable
vulnerable to pain
vulnerable to failure
to rejection
to death

Adam was naked - Adam was vulnerable
Adam did not know what to do and so he hid

this is our ongoing history

we hide behind walls
behind gossip
behind groups
behind culture
behind religion

only when we have a real sense
a deep understanding
of who the human person is
of the sacred reality of each person
a deep awareness of the beauty of each one
a belief that each one carries the mystery of God
in a capacity to be
to love
and be loved
can we escape our fear

we need to come together
to listen to one another's story
it is in the listening where it all begins
the belief that another is important

we need to grow a listening heart
to live in a sacred space of listening

there is a time to be silent
and a time to talk
but the talk
must always come from a place of silence

peace to you
peace to me
peace

iris moment


it is never too late

for someone

to sing you a lullabye

spring moment


there is a song

when sung

spring dances


Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Morrie's moment

as long as we can love each other
and remember the feeling of love we had
we can die without ever really going away

all the love you created is still there

all the memories are still there

you live on
in the hearts of everyone you have touched
and nurtured
while you were here

death ends a life
not a relationship

forgive yourself before you die
then forgive others

Morrie Schwartz

sacred moment


we must learn to be still
and silent
so as not to miss
sacred moments
that nurture our soul
and fertilize the soil
of our hearts
to see
truly see
the sober solemnity
of simple dignified beauty

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

illusion moment

a day of mourning
grieving

learning how to grieve
something that was never there
merely an illusion
a hope
a desire

a truth
that turned out to be not so true

seems appropriate it is raining
the heavens weeping
at what we have become

no longer living stones
simply scrabbling rocks

in the midst of the grieving
I know there is a need to fight
and thus not give up

but I am tired of this fight
tired of needing to fight this fight

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

words moment

words

letters strung together
making a sound
or a combination of sounds

words can create
words can kill

can be whispered
or shouted

can be true
or completely false

can be spoken with care
or spilled hastily

can sound great
and yet be venomous

I forget who said this but:
it is not the words of our enemies that we will remember
but the silence of our friends

unspoken words can hurt too

and there is the old sticks and stones saying
which is so not true

words do hurt
words can leave bruises that last for a lifetime
words can draw blood
words can slice and dice with extreme precision

it all depends on the heart
the heart that speaks
the heart that hears

I heard much today
and am bruised in the hearing

and deeply sorrowed

and somewhat frightened

just being honest here

am I willing
am I even willing to be willing

am I able


hearing moment

God does not hear us as humans hear.
Unless you shout with your lungs and chest and lips,
a mere man does not hear;
whereas to God
your very thoughts shout.
Augustine

Monday, May 14, 2007

present moment


the last few weeks have been a torrent of activity
and I am desperate to recover the rhythm in my heart
that moves my body first and my mind second
that allows my soul to catch up with me
and take a sacred pause
as if I were a sun-warmed rock
in the center of rushing river
to stand in the deep brooding silence
when all wilderness seems motionless
as if the work of creation were done

for it is
when I walk with God
on the sacred ground of the present moment
I always find Him in an unexpected place

Sunday, May 13, 2007

outside the gates moments











seven days
outside the gates of the city
by the water
where people had gathered to pray
highly visible
yet hidden
at the bottom of a long hill
by the water's edge
seven nations represented
listening
waiting
watching
a seventy year-old
a five week old
and the rest of us inbetween
loons calling
eagles soaring
ducks and geese honking
deer hesitantly standing
we were guests on this land
and so tread very carefully
in the spiritual
in the natural
so many tender things
easily crushed
if you did not consider
where you were placing your feet
gathering as strangers
parting as friends
enlarged
by simply being together

Friday, May 04, 2007

friday moments

the oak sleeps in the acorn
the bird awaits in the egg
dreams are the seedlings of realities

trees can grow well in rocky soil
but they only do this by finding crevices in the rocks
where the roots are able to penetrate deeply

take me by the hand and lead me
not where I would wish to go
but where it is best for me to be
speak to me in the garden of Your word

our visible wealth is like a weed
suffocating the delicate shoot
that contains the very Presence of God

I must always create free space
where a stranger can enter in
and become a friend

cemetery moment


went to the cemetery today
to plant some flowers
in memory of my family .......
this is a very old formal cemetery
with huge stones
and memorial carvings .......
while walking about
I came across a simple cross
bearing a skateboard
with a candle standing guard
I was deeply moved
Tavis has some beautiful friends
I hope he knew he was loved

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

retreat moments

today was rare
and stunning

on retreat
with some friends

in the quiet of the woods

sharing the luxury of silence
and simply being

each in our own space for four hours
and then together
sharing
touching
loving
for another two hours

the woods were hot with life
deer
rabbits
turkeys
grouse
birds birds and more birds

even a snake tidily crossing the road
heading to the stream
and the burping frogs

stumbled onto a poustinia snuggled in the woods
and immediately felt at home

God spoke
and we were each very very careful
not to let one single word
fall to the ground

I had no real expectations for the day
which was good
because this day was so rare
I could never have imagined it

and the contrast with tomorrow is huge
the pomp and circumstance
of the annual prayer breakfast on Parliament Hill

suits, ties
shoes and purses ........

and always
always
the surprise of heart of the invited speaker

rich start to this month of May

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

tuesday moment

eternal One
revealed in waves
and in waiting stillness
teach me to rest
content in your love
let my life be a poem that tells of your care
always ready to rise up on trusting wings
and risk the wind
amen
amen