Friday, December 31, 2021

A New Year’s Blessing


May your year to come be blessed 
With both mystery and hope: 
May your challenges always carry gifts, 
And may you find it in your heart to sow 
Compassion and forgiveness 
 Into a world desperate for listening ears, 
 For kindness, for mercy, and for grace.

Thursday, December 30, 2021

The returning light


And now, as the year draws to a close, 
We begin again to catch glimpses 
 Of the light that we’ve been missing; 
The light that feeds our souls, 
And, like those who’ve been briefly dead 
But returned to life, we are more grateful; 
More appreciative of what light we find; 
More eager to share…

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Those moments of connection


Our hearts; our generosity is fueled 
By those moments of connection we feel, 
When time stands still, and we know ourselves 
 To be part of something greater, 
Suddenly more attuned to the needs of others 
Than our own: the tangible experience 
Of Love.

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Looking ahead


You know yourself: your weaknesses, 
Your strengths; what trips you up, 
What you rely on to recover. 
As we wind up another year, 
And gaze into the future, 
Start thinking about what you might want 
To work on, or improve; what habits 
You might want to build or break; 
What challenges may loom, 
And how you’ll rise to meet them…

Monday, December 27, 2021

Let the season’s pleasures linger


Christmas has passed, 
But the decorations still remain; 
Reminders of anticipation felt, 
Of hopes dashed and seasons past 
And present joys that lift our hearts; 
Lights that still brighten dreary days 
And help to make more bearable 
What cold and emptiness remains 
Ere winter turns to spring again. 
Don’t rush to take them down: 
Instead rejoice, delight; let the season’s pleasures 
Linger in your heart a little longer…

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Hidden storms


Though it seems calm, this picture 
 Fails to show the snow that’s blowing 
Horizontally across its face. 
Appearances — especially this time of year — 
Can often prove deceptive: 
 Apparent calm and goodwill may mask 
Strong underlying storms of emotion. 
Be kind. Forgive. Be generous in your thoughts 
 And try to assume folks act with best intentions.

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Christmas blessings


However it is that you celebrate; 
 Whatever it is you remember, 
And whatever artifacts you resurrect 
From the past, year after year, on this day,
 I hope they bring you joy, 
Either in fond memories of the past 
Or in gratitude for improved circumstances. 
Wishing each of you a blessed holiday season.

Friday, December 24, 2021

Time to be sharing


As this year’s parade of gifts begins, 
I pray that some of the bounty that ensues 
Will be spent feeding the hungry, 
Clothing the naked and healing the sick...

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Remembering Presence


Peering through the mist of memories, 
We can detect a few crisp moments; 
Times when we knew, beyond all doubt, 
That we were wrapped in the arms 
Of a loving Presence. Let that brief clarity 
Color all your actions and your thoughts, 
And you will never go far wrong…

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Learn to bend


To continue on this path, 
You may need to bow your head: 
Whether in humility or apology 
Or simply in acknowledgment 
 Of something greater than yourself 
May only be known to you, 
But still, you’ll need to learn to bend — 
The exercise will be good for you.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Your gift is enough


"Dinna fash yersel,” the Scottish say: 
Because we cannot heal the world, 
But only offer solace to a few, 
It’s all too easy for us to grow discouraged. 
Grow quiet instead; breathe deep, and ask 
What small task you might do today 
To bring a bit more light to someone’s world, 
And let that be your gift, and be enough, 
And trust you’re being all that you can be.

Monday, December 20, 2021

What lies beneath


Though you are masked, 
I still can see your essential beauty, 
And I applaud your determination 
To protect that which you value, 
But I look forward to the day 
When I can finally see what lies beneath…

Sunday, December 19, 2021

A beacon in the night


Peering out from behind the clouds, 
The moon ignites the night sky, 
Sending beams of reflected light, 
Reminding us: we, too, can serve as beacons, 
Even when times are dark. Don’t be afraid: 
Whatever glow you can muster up 
Might help to light the way for someone else.

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Reach across the gap


Come, stand with me in this tragic gap;
This wound that’s been created 
In our families, communities, and nations. 
Ache for all the division: 
For those who’ve lost their trust 
And for all the lies that feed distrust;
For those who chose and others who still choose 
Self interest over truth. 
Stand with me in the gap, and cast your eyes 
Upon the connections, both above and below, 
That still unite us. 
Reach across and stitch us back together, 
That this gaping wound might heal.

Friday, December 17, 2021

Join the flow into Oneness


Follow the River of Soul to its source, 
High in the mountains of hurt and remorse, 
Melting from snows of events and experience, 
Bubbling up from the depths; hidden springs 
 Join the flow into oneness 
 And know you are loved.

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Look for the heart


So curious: my camera took a picture 
Without me: I have no idea where I was standing 
At the time it was taken. 
But having found myself 
At one of those small crossroads in life,
 It seems totally appropriate to open my file 
And discover this photo at its front. 
The world continues working 
In quite mysterious ways, 
And there may be shadows lurking, 
But I still see there’s a heart at its center.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Trusting in the heart


The human heart is so much more complex 
Than we imagined: 
Not simply pumping blood, or feeling love, 
But layered over many times 
With memories of tears and joy, 
Assumptions and associations 
 That color our responses in ways 
We barely understand, yet still 
 We listen to its promptings 
And trust it to guide us safely 
Through the challenges we face.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

A winter’s walk


So great to get out in the woods for a bit; 
To walk the paths others have set for us; 
To fill our eyes with winter’s greenery,
 Our ears with the sound of the river’s rush, 
And our hearts with the fragrance 
Of evergreens, lichen, and love…

Monday, December 13, 2021

Unity in diversity


In praise of those who understand 
That every piece and person, 
 Each experience, 
 Has something to contribute 
 To the larger whole; 
That differences add spice and charm, 
And there can be a glorious unity in diversity.

Sunday, December 12, 2021

Finding our strength


Whatever our intentions, 
The world will continue 
To crash against our shores 
And challenge our defenses. 
Our strength lies, not in resistance, 
But in a softening of edges, 
A willingness to learn, balanced 
With an ever-deepening understanding 
Of the serene and wise consciousness 
 That lies at the root of our being.

Saturday, December 11, 2021

Reflections


We just have to trust 
That whatever light we send into the world 
Will be reflected back and magnified; 
Softened, perhaps; 
 More inclusive, less defined, 
That it might spread more broadly…

Friday, December 10, 2021

Read between the lines


Become adept at reading between the lines.
The connections and assumptions 
 From which we draw conclusions 
May prove thin and insubstantial 
 When compared with the mountains 
Of experience, evidence, and truth 
 That ground our deeper understanding.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

Worrisome clouds


Though this moment is sunny, 
The clouds loom like mountains in the distance. 
Help me to be present to the warmth that is now, 
And to not be too distracted by my worries 
About possible challenges that lie in wait…

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Dealing with the rot


The signs were all there: 
We knew there must be rot, 
We just had no idea how much, 
Or how many times 
Folks had just covered it up. 
Because we care, and because we are 
Determined to preserve, 
We ripped it out; even replaced the studs: 
A metaphor? It could be, I suspect…

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Leaving the nest


As parents, we do our best 
 To teach our children the skills they’ll need 
To find their way into a world 
 We’ll never fully know or understand. 
But inevitably that day comes 
When we must turn them loose 
And watch them swim away, 
Trusting they’ll have the courage, 
The strength, endurance, and good fortune 
To arrive safely at their chosen shore…

Monday, December 6, 2021

Wholly ordinary


Make time today to appreciate 
 The beauty in the ordinary; 
The holiness that light brings 
To the most mundane surroundings: 
There are gifts everywhere— 
We have only to open our eyes to see them.

Sunday, December 5, 2021

Greater forces at work


Our hopes and dreams, 
What we set out to achieve, 
May bear little resemblance 
 To what we actually accomplish. 
Don’t view that discrepancy as failure, 
But rather as proof 
 That we are not working alone, 
 But rather in concert with Being, 
Bringing life to larger objectives 
 Than we may understand or comprehend.

Saturday, December 4, 2021

Clarity in stillness


Nature has a way of reminding us: 
The best way to process a difficult experience 
 Is to wait until those turbulent emotions subside. 
Our reflections will be much clearer 
When the heart and mind are calm and still.

Friday, December 3, 2021

Selective focus


We always have the opportunity 
To choose what we will focus on: 
Will it be the thorny edges of things, 
The textures and colors that surround us, 
The budding potential of new growth, 
All the rain that’s fallen, 
The dark that looms in the background, 
Or the light that illuminates 
And clarifies our vision?

Thursday, December 2, 2021

The vastness of possibility


Help me to remember the vastness 
Of possibility; to honor your experience, 
No matter how it differs from my own; 
To bow to you and still bow to myself, 
 Knowing that each is but a tiny piece 
Of an infinitely larger whole; 
 That somewhere, despite our differences 
 There must be some connection.

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Late bloomers


And now a word in praise of late bloomers, 
Who brighten the world with their message 
Of hope and possibility 
 Just when things are looking their darkest.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Outpouring


Each life a cup of spirit, born to pour 
Compassion, love, respect onto 
 A world in need of healing…

Monday, November 29, 2021

In times of loss


Though our lives no longer touch, 
Our spirits reach across the rivers of time, 
Surrounded by the echoes 
 Of shared love and laughter. 
Those whom we have lost remain, 
Engraved upon the chambers of our hearts…

Sunday, November 28, 2021

A quiet place


Whatever your temple, I hope you find 
A place of quiet to breathe in today, 
And a taste of light in the cold and gray.

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Friday, November 26, 2021

Peace be with you


How can we avoid getting caught 
In the whirlwind that Christmas has become? 
How can we protect what quiet time we have 
From the thoughts of preparations 
 That insist upon intruding? 
Let peace and silence be your oxygen mask, 
And keep breathing…

Thursday, November 25, 2021

In gratitude


Looking back along the road 
We’ve walked so far this year, 
Hearts overflow with gratitude 
 To see how far we’ve come, 
And that we have survived, and found 
New ways to cope and bless the world 
Around us. And, looking forward, 
 We can dream of finding ways 
 To bridge the gap between 
 Our neighbors and ourselves; 
To open hearts, dismantle walls, 
And build community.

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Those golden moments


Like the sun, 
The spotlight of spiritual well-being 
 Is always moving. 
For every day the light seems to hit just right; 
For every day we know we’re in the zone, 
Following the path we were born to follow, 
There will be many more where we feel 
Lost or confused, 
 Abandoned by the very hope 
That brought us to this place, 
Yet still we bow our heads 
And lean into that silent space, 
Knowing those golden moments 
Are worth the wait.

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

The roots are more complex


When the roots of our issues are exposed, 
We find they’re often far more complex 
Than we might have anticipated; 
Complexities often triggered 
By a determination to survive 
Despite overwhelming obstacles…

Monday, November 22, 2021

For all who travel alone


In a week designed to celebrate 
 Community and family and survival, 
We remember all of those who travel alone…

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Make time for silence


Make time today for silence. 
Set aside your phone and your computer, 
Turn off your tv, 
Lay down the books that you’ve been using 
To distract, explain, or justify, 
And listen for the quiet peace 
From which all earth has sprung.

Saturday, November 20, 2021

Good times and bad


I know I’ve said this before, 
But just as it takes a mix 
Of dark and light to make a pleasing image, 
It takes all sorts of good and bad days 
To make a life rich and vibrant. 
The bleak periods we experience help us 
To appreciate the good times more, 
And a moment or memory 
 Of sweetness or kindness, given or received — 
Even a small taste of joy and laughter — 
Can brighten our gloomiest days.

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Beautiful world


Some days, 
The beauty of this world 
Just overwhelms me….

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Creatively responding


I realized I could complain 
About my missing windows 
And the view I cannot see,
 Or I could create some reflections of my own— 
Which teaches me: how often 
Do I whine instead calling forth 
Creative responses to trying situations?

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Insulated from the truth


Seeing the world from a safe enclosure 
Is not the same as being in the world: 
We may be blessed with a certain objectivity, 
But if we don’t engage, 
If we never step outside the insulated 
Walls that we’ve erected; 
Never engage in dialog with the Other, 
We will never fully understand 
The challenges of being human, 
Nor can we dare to proclaim 
 We know the Truth.

Monday, November 15, 2021

To burn or to enlighten


Though your fire of your anger 
 Or your venom may be small, 
The smoke it generates 
Can pollute an entire community — 
 And yet — 
 Your acts of kindness may be small, 
But they, too, can inspire 
 A whole community to love: 
 You get to choose whether to burn 
Or to enlighten…

Sunday, November 14, 2021

We gather together


We gather together, despite our differences, 
To share, not only hopes and dreams, 
But our differing perspectives. 
In peace we fold our wings and bow our heads 
And contemplate the tasks that lie before us.

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Chugging along


And then there are the days 
Where we’re just chugging along, 
Carrying what we’ve been asked or told to carry; 
Gray days, when the colors of our lives 
Have been leached out 
 And everything’s dominated by routine — 
And yet, there is still air, and light, 
And as we work we breathe, and breathe again, 
And look around us and within; 
Seek out what light there is and know 
This,too, shall pass, 
 And tomorrow will be new again.

Friday, November 12, 2021

Compassionate listening


Worried about our country’s divisions? 
Confrontation rarely results in transformation: 
Compassionate listening may well be 
The only choice we have left. 
Perhaps in the silence offered by another 
We will finally be able to hear 
The waves of truth lapping 
At each other’s souls…

Thursday, November 11, 2021

More than one way


No matter how powerful the voices 
 That tell you there is only one way, 
Know that there are always alternatives; 
Other ways of being and believing, 
Ways that are equally acceptable, 
 Generous and respectful.