THE RHYTHM OF LIFE

"It is the job of poetry to clean up our word-clogged reality by creating silences around things."

~Stephen Mallarme ~

Life is poetic, but our minds have to soften and quiet enough for us to experience it that way. There is extraordinary beauty in people's faces, the sounds of traffic, the touch of clothing, the taste of sweetness, and the scent of leaves, fresh air, cut grass, and the wet earth after a rainstorm.
     Our senses are antennae for poetry, and they are always picking up delicacy and deliciousness, but we over-power them with our obsessive and incessant thoughts. We must learn to let the noise of our minds slip though our consciousness like flour through a sifter, so that we can be fully present for whatever rhythmic rhapsody there may be.

I experience the poetry of life.

BELIEVING IN WHAT'S POSSIBLE

"An acre of performance is worth a whole world of promise."

~ Willliam Dean Howells ~

There's a difference between believing in what's possible and expectations that can let us down. The one is aiming with care, precision, and faith; and the other is banking on a projected mirage.
     Let's choose to believe in what calls us. But as for counting on the delivery of expectations that are self-directed and self-imposed, we'll do better to leave them on the back porch.

I have strong faith and lots of hope, but no specific expectations.

WISHFUL THINKING: RAINSONG

"I yearn for the flowers that bend in the wind and rain."

~Tso Ssu ~

 

Rain soothes the parched August earth, and is a balm for the spirit as well as the dirt.

 

I celebrate the soaking rain!

DEALING WITH LIFE CHALLENGES

"Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies."

~Erich Fromm ~

Among the people I am close to, here is an array of situations we are dealing with: active alcoholism, stroke recovery, Alzheimer's, depression, joint replacement, grief, chronic pain, salmonella, panic attacks, nerve issues, and autism. And that's the short list. We all have our turn in the barrel.
     What helps me is knowing that I am not alone- that we are all struggling, and that we are all faced with challenges that seem impossible to face. And yet, time cycles us round as time does, and we rise and dip. One challenge passes away and then another emerges. We learn, we heal, we feel compassion, and we keep on. Humor sustains us, and community, and the common pleasures of sunlight, gentle breezes, changing seasons, and everlasting love.

I share the challenges of my life experience with others, receive theirs in kind, and together we are strengthened and comforted and strangely blessed.

THE COMING FALL

"Over everything connected with autumn there lingers some golden spell- some unseen influence that penetrates the soul with its mysterious power."

~Northern Advocate ~

I feel fall coming in the light and the air and it quickens my heart. Fall is renewal and refreshment after the long, hot summer, and I'm grateful for the hint of it that I am aware of now!

Anticipation enriches my experience.

COSTCO BUTTERFLY

"A butterfly goes wherever it pleases, and pleases wherever it goes."

~Author Unknown ~

I was shopping in Costco the other day, and there was a big butterfly flying all around the cash register area. Most people didn't seem to notice him, and on a different day, I probably wouldn't have either. But nonetheless, whether we noticed him or not, there he was.

All kinds of marvelous surprises await me each day, but I will only see them if I am looking.

THE STORIES WE SHARE

"I learned more about economics from one South Dakota dust storm that I did in all my years in college."

~ Hubert Humphrey ~

Hard times make for good stories. Stories connect us to others, and others remind us that we are not alone, and that we all have stories. They are part of the ride and part of the dance.
     But mixed in with the hard-time stories are the beautiful moments, awe-inspiring views, and delicious meals; the music, the sunshine, and the deep satisfying sleeps.

 

Life is a mix of hard times and beautiful moments and I welcome them both.