It was haiku week last week. The week once a month when Michael, Davin, and I each share a haiku and our haibun (written response) to each haiku. Michael's haiku this week featured a simple, ordinary phrase that invited me to deeper reflection and continues to sparkle and offer me wisdom. His haiku featured the simple, familiar, often-used phrase, and yet.
And, yet, is…
Hopeful
Expectant
Playful
Tantalizing
And, yet, evokes…
Curiosity
Investment in what comes next
Longing
And, yet, is a phrase that reminds me that things are this way now, and yet, change is happening.
The simple word and is a bridge. It's a word of connection and linking together.
And is a creative word. We use the conjunction and to make new associations and connections.
And can also remind us of meaningful, well-known partnerships (bread and butter, toast and jam, peaches and cream.) And highlights connections, partnerships, and relationships.
And is a simple, powerful word.
While and is a word of connection and relationship, yet restrains.
Yet, says, it's been this way so far, but a change can (and will) happen.
Yet, also reminds us even more that might still arrive: It's snowing, yet more snow is coming.
Yet invites a pause; maybe a pause of expectation, sometimes a pause for relief, and other times yet is a pause that brings a ping of sadness, longing, or grief.
And, yet, what do these simple words, together, mean for you in the quotidian of your life? It’s been helpful for me this week to think about the and yet parts of my life.
I’ve found just completing these simple and yet sentences helpful and hope-full.
I'm feeling __________ and yet __________________.
My family is struggling with ______________________ and yet __________________.
When___________ happened it felt_____________________ and yet ____________.
And yet is a bridge that links us to hope, no matter how slender the string.
And yet, A Blessing:
May we all be and yet people. People who act with intentional grace, knowing that what is now is not what will be soon. May the and yet invitation to pause, with eager anticipation, reshape our automatic reactions from fear and despair to hope and expectation. May you find grace, peace, and love in the and yet places in your own life.
I'm excited to share Advent 2023 with you. I love the season of Advent.1 It's a way to slow down the busyness of the holiday season. It's also been a way to build intentionality and light into these days of less and less sunlight.
I had several goals when thinking about a smaller and deeper advent. First, I wanted it to be simple. Simple for me to manage and simple for those who wish to participate to participate and not overwhelm readers who are just here for the once-a-week-Sunday newsletter.
The other primary goal is for it to be smaller and deeper.
Smaller means small, easy to engage with, and something that won't take any more time out of your busy day than it needs to…but also deeper, something that would be worth five or ten minutes each day.
Here's what I'm planning…
A {Hope, Peace, Joy, Love} FULL Advent.
Sunday starts with a short reflective essay on the theme.
On Monday each week, a poem reflecting the traditional theme's essence (Hope, peace, etc.)
Tuesday will be another round with the poem with the addition of a photo visio divina for you to engage with.2
Wednesday, a new poem.
Thursday, review the poem again and visio-divina
Friday is an invitation to a simple, easy poetry exercise.3
Saturday will be a day for reflection or catching up (or not!)4
If you want to join me this Advent, after lots of internal debating and research, the simplest way (for you and me) is to enable paid subscriptions on this platform.
So, if you want to join me, you can get a one-month subscription to Smaller & Deeper for $6.00. (You can also send me a quick email and say, can you add me..and I will, no $6.00 needed.)
You can cancel at the end of December, or you may want to continue.
Enabling paid subscriptions gives me some room to play and create smaller and deeper content!
About paid smaller & deeper subscriptions:
First things first, THIS Sunday evening newsletter stays the same. You don't need to do anything. Nothing changes.
If you'd like to become a paid member... Here are the details:
Monthly
Investment is $6.00 (this means you pay each month and can cancel anytime for any reason.)
For that investment in my writing, you will get:
A daily email in December for Advent 2023 and maybe other special events. (a short series on collect writing and/or haiku writing)
A weekly Smaller & Deeper Sightings email. This will be a short list of the places, readings, poetry, and conversations where I experienced a smaller and deeper moment.
And at least four times a year, I'll invite you to:
Group Lectio Divina with Poetry Zoom call. It will be about an hour. I'll share a poem, and we will slowly and intentionally listen to what invitations might arise for each person on the call.
Annual
Investment is$60.00
For that investment in my writing, you'll get:
All of the above, AND
A 30-45 minute one-on-one lectio divina with poetry session. (If you want, no pressure if it's not for you. These will be scheduled in late spring 2024.)
To review, there is nothing to do if you want to keep getting this Sunday evening newsletter.
If you would like to journey through Advent with me using poetry, you can upgrade to a monthly subscription, which is $6.00 a month. (cancel at the end of December or continue; there will be new, additional content each month!)
Any questions, just reply to this message in your inbox. Your message comes straight to my inbox. I’m happy to clarify!
I hope you'll check out Michael’s and yet haiku here at his excellent blog Profound Living(I chose one phrase: the whole haiku is fantastic!) Each month, our three haiku find a beautiful synchronicity. You can read them here and watch our conversation below.
I love (love, love, love) children’s Christmas/Advent books. These are four of my favorites. I’ve added links to Amazon, so you can read more about these books. Just click on the title, and it will take you there.
Advent Storybook: 24 Stories to Share Before Christmas by Antonie Schneider
We have read this every night in December for years. It’s the story of Benjamin Bear following the star of Christmas. The stories are short but wonderful.
All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings by Gayle Boss
We added this book to our collection and daily readings last year. I have thought about this book often over the past year. It’s daily readings in December about how animals prepare for winter. It’s educational and sneakily profound.
Follow the Star by Rachel W.N. Brown
This is the story of Small Camel, who journeys with his mother (a big camel) to carry the wise men to Bethlehem. It’s such a sweet story.
Humphrey’s First Christmas by Carol Heyer.
This is the story of Humphrey (another camel) and his journey with the wise men. The illustrations are wonderful. The story is sweet and funny.
The following quotes are from NPR in a recent piece on Advent. It’s easy to think lectio divina resides in the realm of poetry, scripture, and inspirational quotes, and yet (see what I did there?) sometimes we can find meaningful words that invite new insights and invitations in the most unexpected places. Read the following quotes slowly and expectantly. Notice if a word, phrase, or concept stands out to you.
“The real emphasis of this season is on the pursuit of justice and peace. And in the world we live in right now, you can't get more relevant than that.”
“Maybe Advent has an integrity of its own, and it's not just a ramp-up to Christmas or countdown.”
Bill Peterson
“Humans formed to persevere through the sorrow of violence and rejoice in the hope of peace.”
“Advent, in its dwelling in the already and the not yet, can ground and strengthen us in all of that uncertainty and help give us a sense from out of that grounding and ability to connect.”
Cameron Partridge
This NPR article on Advent is fantastic.
Visio-divina is gazing with invention and anticipation at art
Over the past few months, I've started using poetry prompts in spiritual direction. What happens is profound, and I promise it's approachable and accessible. You will surprise yourself with what you write over the weeks of Advent.
I’m focusing on the universal themes of Advent, not the religious aspects of Advent; if churchy things aren’t for you right now, you’ll find a safe place with the poetry and practices I’ve selected.
“May we all be and yet people.”
Indeed.