hourglass moment

for several years now
I have been "seeing" an hourglass in the spirit
all of life contained in this hourglass

it is a lovely hourglass
pure crystal
and pure gold

I can almost hear it singing at times

and these days
I am seeing
feeling
touching
its crystal again

this has been a tremendous year
a tremulous year
a tenuous year
a tender year

traveling in the valley for so many months
feeling the touch of the shadow
while feeling the strength in the pierced hand that gripped me tight

being separated from friends
and joined together with new friends

losing a community
in the midst of finding a new community

letting go of so much
while gaining immeasurably more

and as the grains of the sand of 2009
slip through the crystal neck
I am acutely aware of those who have stood with me
sat with me
sang to me
prayed for me
held me
cried with me
laughed with me
and loved me

some near by
some on the other side of the mountains
some across the waters

each one so unique

each one enriching my life
enlarging my spirit

each one adding a harmonizing note
to the song of me

my clay bears many fingerprints
some have pressed deep
some have gently touched
some simply brushed alongside
but I am a far better shaped piece of clay
because of each one

I am filled with thanks
for the gift of friendship

the ribbon of relationships

the privilege of being loved
and of loving

I know some of you read this blog
and I am always so touched that you do
and then take the time to write
to encourage
or simply to laugh with me
and sometimes to cry with me

this blog is bookended by two Davids

David D who got me started in all this
gave me the courage to believe there was value in my words
loved me enough to want to be connected to my daily moments

and David M
whom I met through this blog
and who now is a most precious brother
a poustinia dweller like me

and I think of so many others in between
some I have met
and some not

but I want you to know I appreciate you
and I value your journeys
each one

none of us know how many grains of sand are in our hourglass
but all of us know
the grains slip
one by one
through the crystal neck

at times they seem to slip faster
and at times slower

but they slip through nonetheless

and I am grateful

and thankful

and peaceful

and filled with love

and my heart overflows with joy

I am blessed