An excellent post which ends with a series of questions. These questions should spark conversations, internal and external, about peace in all its manifestations. First, I need to find peace with my self and be grounded in that peace. Then, I offer something to the world and others.
Monthly Archives: April 2013
For the Raindrop, Joy Is Entering the River
It was a long day with lousy weather, but I wore sandals without socks. I was an optimist today and felt the warm weather, just around the corner, will be more joyfully experienced. A student asked why I wore sandals and I answered him that way. I want to be hopeful about what is coming. There is enough unhappiness in the world without adding to the weight of it. Weather is a small thing, but small things add up and I can begin that thinking here. I lighten the weight of the larger things in life. I appreciate the richness of life as Ghalib writes about in this poem.
For the raindrop, joy is in entering the river –
Unbearable pain becomes it’s own cure.
Travel far enough into sorrow,
Tears turn to sighing;
In this way
We can learn how water can die into air.
When, after heavy rain,
The storm clouds disperse,
It is not that they’ve wept themselves
Clear to the end?
If you want to know the miracle,
How wind can polish a mirror,
Look:
The shining grass grows green in spring.
It’s the rose’s unfolding, Ghalib,
The creates the desire to see –
In every color and circumstance,
May the eyes be open for what comes.
Life Has Carved Her Callouses
We have an unpleasant day again with snow and cold weather. Spring in Alberta changes quickly and springtime’s timely rays will re-appear by Wednesday with warm weather. My response is a little toughening up and accepting what today is.
Life has carved her callouses
upon my tender heart,
my response was toughening
the epidermis part –
so soften me, oh Holy Son,
with springtime’s timely rays,
that roughened edges would not keep
my soul from grasping grace.
Only on Special Days
We changed the tires on my car today. An acquaintance has a mobile tire service and comes over each season. I opened the big garage door to retrieve the tires. When I closed the door, Kathy moved a bag out-of-the-way and retrieved a book from it by Leonard Nimoy called Will I Think of You. Nimoy writes poetry and this is one of his books of poetry.
I chose this poem, because it reminded me that each day is special when I am with those who care for and love me. It reminded me that I sometimes take those people for granted, but they make each day special.
Only on special days
Birthdays, Holidays
And other days….
When those who
Give to each other
And live for each other
Travel
For hours or day
Or for an instant
To hold
Or dream-hold
Each other
To exchange
Heart-warmth
And body-warmth
When we commemorate
And celebrate
The Special days
Of a life of love
Then and especially then
Because the day is special
As your glorious being
Is special
I will think of you
Only when we’re together
And I can think of nothing else
And everything else
Because we together
Are everything
And our togetherness is
All things
Then as always
And forever
I will think of you
Divine Look
I often think that when things are not quite going my way that is a challenge. As this quote indicates, it is those times I should most look for the small lights that peer through and find me. Those stars help me navigate my life.
Splendor
“More often than not splendor is the star we orbit without a second thought, especially as it arrives and departs.” Thomas Centolella offered that line in the poem Splendor. I stop occasionally and recall what is good about this life; family, a fulfilling vocation, and friends found along the journey. Most days, I travel this orbit rather mindlessly and I need a momentary and mindful pause which brings my world into sharper focus.
Be mindful, weary traveler, be mindful of what you have and hold it close while you can.
One day it’s the clouds,
one day the mountains.
One day the latest bloom
of roses – the pure monochromes,
the dazzling hybrids – inspiration
for the cathedral’s round windows.
Every now and then
there’s the splendor
of thought: the singular
idea and its brilliant retinue –
words, cadence, point of view,
little gold arrows flitting
between the lines.
And too the splendor
of no thought at all:
hands lying calmly
in the lap, or swinging
a six iron with effortless
tempo. More often than not
splendor is the star we orbit
without a second thought,
especially as it arrives
and departs. One day
it’s the blue glassy bay,
one day the night
and its array of jewels,
visible and invisible.
Sometimes it’s the warm clarity
of a face that finds your face
and doesn’t turn away.
Sometimes a kindness, unexpected,
that will radiate farther
than you might imagine.
One day it’s the entire day
itself, each hour foregoing
its number and name,
its cumbersome clothes, a day
that says come as you are,
large enough for fear and doubt,
with room to spare: the most secret
wish, the deepest, the darkest,
turned inside out.
There is some of most of what the poet refers to in that picture.
Neach Coiala hits again…
Paulo Coehlo is one of the few fictional authors I still read on a regular basis. OK I read old westerns and mystery stories. This is a quote we need to take to heart. Do I only hear what I want to hear? Or, am I open to the possibility of something new?
Ripples And Sunbeams
It is National Poetry Month and several of the blogs I follow are sharing poems from various sources. Paul offered this one this morning about the impacts of our smiles and kindness. Just ripple today and influence others.
Enjoy!
Influence
Drop a pebble in the water,
And its ripples reach out far;
And the sunbeams dancing on them
May reflect them to a star.
Give a smile to someone passing,
Thereby making his morning glad;
It may greet you in the evening
When your own heart may be sad.
Do a deed of simple kindness;
Though its end you may not see,
It may reach, like widening ripples,
Down a long eternity.
—Joseph Norris
photo credit: Colin70 fotocommunity
Cutting Loose
Only four students attended today. These students struggle with school for various reasons. I think it is because they are cast aside by adults. They want adults in their lives to set boundaries and be real. I asked a student what he had learned after we completed a Math question together. He responded you are always right, meaning me. I made a mistake in my calculations. We laughed. I told another student I did not like Math when I went to school either. When adults lighten up and are genuine they make an impact on children who need help.
William Stafford reminded us to be genuinely human, cut loose, and have fun. Parker Palmer suggested: “Teachers live on the most vulnerable intersection of public and private life.” Yes, we are vulnerable , but children and adolescents smell the disingenuous when we are not authentic.
Sometimes from sorrow, for no reason,
you sing. For no reason, you accept
the way of being lost, cutting loose
from all else and electing a world
where you go where you want to.
Arbitrary, a sound comes, a reminder
that a steady center is holding
all else. If you listen, that sound
will tell you where it is and you
can slide your way past trouble.
Certain twisted monsters
always bar the path — but that’s when
you get going best, glad to be lost,
learning how real it is
here on earth, again and again.
its good to have
What a great sentiment to begin the day. Sometimes finding the humour in one’s life and laughing along with it is important. Smile and enjoy your day.
its good to have the power
to laugh at small things
to have those make you laugh
around you
to make you laugh
when the world is really gloomy
or truly painful
its good to have
beautiful things around you
to charm you
when darkness creeps in
trying to paint world black
its good to have
habits that make you happy
to pull you out of quagmire
of boredom or pain
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 