The cycle of remorse

The cycle of remorse -- the incident that hurts,
the anger in response and then the guilt for feeling angry --
is such an elaborate construct,  all concocted in our heads;
so many layers, all rooted in the fear we'll never get
the love, respect, or sustenance we crave...

Perfectly designed

Like ferries, people come in lots of different shapes and sizes.

Instead of bemoaning your own particular size or shape,

why not assume you were perfectly designed

for the task you're meant to do?

Temptations everywhere

Just because you appreciate it;

just because it makes your heart sing --

that doesn't necessarily mean you need

to purchase, own, or maintain it...

Before the blossoming returns

Everything, even friendship, has its seasons --

a time to bud and flower, a time to shed illusions,

a time of quiet reminiscence and reflection

before the blossoming returns...

Paddling together

We find our joy in connection,

in paddling together as life takes us through the light

and into darkness, and then back to light again.

the beauty that surrounds us

 

When we learn to see the beauty that surrounds us,

even a simple blue reflection

 in a ditch in a field

can bring us joy.

Community

We may come in all shapes and sizes,

and have lots of different roles to play,

but this is our shared home; it's where we rest:

a community, content to float together in this space.

Gratitude

Rejoice, rejoice, in simple things:

the way the mountains glow as you head home,

the arc of clouds, the blue of sky,

the friends who keep us company as we roam.

The dogwood and the rose

Listen to the music of the dogwood and the rose;

let them teach you what it means to deeply love...

Prayer as a mixed message

Prayer is often a bit of a mixed message --

we open our hearts, yet keep their contents hidden;

hang our thoughts and worries out to dry, 

but fail to welcome in the presence that enlightens...

At the core of every heart

At the core of every heart -- even your own --

there lies a prayer.

Grounded in innocence and wisdom, it calls out,

seeks out the truth, speaks like to like in love.

The absence and return

Life comes in waves, and circles round,

the seasons come and wash upon the shore

to slide away and then roll in again. 

Revel in the splash, the swell; the absence and return.

What we value

What is it that you value most?

What's golden to you may just be something 

someone else would just describe as yellow.

Don't let that make it less valuable to you.

The arc of time

In the course of any given day, some part of life 

will be fully lit while others are still in shadow,

hands cupped, and waiting for the light. Be patient: 

in the arc of time that radiance will come again to you.

What bright truth?

What is it that you see that no one else observes?

What bright truth is visible to your eyes alone,

and how will you share that understanding with the world?

Never ordinary

You may think of yourself as ordinary, 

But in my eyes you are glowing

with life and beauty.

A narrow viewpoint

Watching from the safety 

of our own unique perspectives,

we might assume we're seeing 

everything there is to see..

All that you've been given

May the fog of indecision lift,

and the day spread out before you

with an open invitation to appreciate 

all that you've been given, here and now.

Sometimes the dark

Sometimes it takes the dark 

to make you appreciate the light...

Safe Travels

Safe Travels today, wherever your path may take you...

In the shade of trust

Come sit a while in this quiet place with me.

Set aside the heat of all those resentments and irritations,

and linger in the shade of trust,

the cool of knowing we're watched over, and loved.

Lift your hearts

We lift our hearts to the light,

welcoming the dawn of a new day.

Wisdom of the birds

Let us listen to the wisdom of the birds:

alert, watchful, and ever present,

undistracted by the machinations of the mind,

they know first hand their oneness with all being.

Home to joy

And then at last, at the end of the day,

we run home to joy and love...

The call of desire

For those of us who long to feel safe,

It takes courage to heed the call of desire;

To bloom when everything in us

Seems eager to stay curled in a bud...

Beauty in balance

The dark, the light, the in-between --

It takes a balance of them all

To bring out the beauty in each.

Moving toward the light

The obstacles ahead all seem to shrink

as we move inexorably toward the light...

Closing the gap

Born into oneness, we chose our separate ways

and yet at heart are still so much alike.

When will we find a way

to reduce the gap between us?

Distractions

Each of us, distracted,

on our way to other places, other tasks,

Might see that brief moment of connection 

As a reminder: the world is so much larger

Than we know or comprehend...

Rising to the light

... and that's the hope, isn't it --

that, whatever we encounter along the way,

we're always, always, rising to the light...