I’m sharing a few things that caught my eyes or ears this week. Things that feel, in essence, smaller and deeper. Ideas, words, poetry, and prayers which invited me to a new understanding or deeper reflection. (and hopefully you too!)
A Poem: Simple Things
In the hurry,
in the rush,
simple things missed,
blessings denied,
beauties ignore.
In the calm,
in the quiet,
simple things received,
mystery unfolds,
happiness blooms.
In the peace,
in the harmony,
I taste with love
all that is good.
-Joyce Rupp in Anchors for the SoulAn Essay:
This guest essay in the New York Times by the Inauguration Poet Amanda Gorman is excellent. Her way with words is inspiring. I’ve re-read it several times.
“And now more than ever; we have every right to be affected, affiliated, affronted. If you’re alive, you’re afraid. If you’re not afraid, then you’re not paying attention. The only thing we have to fear is having no fear itself-having no feeling on behalf of whom and what we’ve lost, whom and what we love.”
A Podcast:
The official description of this podcast is: John Green reviews facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale.
John Green is a YA author. You’ll have to listen to understand! My son and I listened to the episode on Orbital Sunrises, which resulted in google searches and continued conversations for the following twenty-four hours. I listened to the episode on Plague (spoiler plagues get a one-star rating. . . I tend to agree with that…). I love quirky ideas (rating sunrises and plagues on a five-star scale?) I also love dives into history, which provide context and grounding for our current realities. I’m looking forward to adding the rest of these episodes to my listening list and the book to my reading list!
A Prayer:
THE LORD’S PRAYER
From Theatre in Your Life by Robert Barton and Annie McGregor
O cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration. Soften the ground of our being and carve out a space within us where your Presence can abide.
Fill us with your creativity so that we may be empowered to bear the fruit of your mission.
Let each of our actions bear fruit in accordance with our desire.
Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share what each being needs to grow and flourish.
Untie the tangled threads of destiny that bind us, as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.
Do not let us be seduced by that which would divert us from our true purpose, but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.
For you are the ground and the fruitful vision, the birth, power and fulfillment, as all is gathered and made whole once again.
Amen.
May, you in your reading, listening, watching, and living, be a discoverer of words, ideas, and verses that bring wisdom, delight, joy, and pause.
May you savor what you find and gather the blessings, insights, and peace from the words and creative insight you discover.
May you be a super spreader of joy, wisdom, and simple delight.
Read, listen, look for wisdom, delight and joy this week.
Does changing the purpose of your consumption change what or how you consume?
When you find something that sparks wisdom, joy, delight or pause…who can you share it with?
Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton
I listened to this book. Dolly is the narrator, it felt less like a book and more like a podcast, she was just telling the stories of her songs. It was a really (really, really) fun listen. Dolly is a kick. She shared the story of maybe fifty songs and EVERY. SINGLE. ONE she said at some point, “this is my very favorite song” or “this was the best song I’ve ever written.” I can’t speak for the book, but the audiobook is wonderful!
Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
This is #2 in the Amgash series (Lucy Barton). I read them completely out of order, 3,1,2. This book instead of being narrated by Lucy was a collection of short stories of Lucy adjacent characters. In the author's notes at the end of the book, Elizabeth Strout said she wrote these short stories as she was writing the first Lucy Barton book (My Name is Lucy Barton). She said when she finished the first book she realized she almost had a second book in a completely different format almost done. I loved this series, very quirky, very heartfelt. Very good.
“To listen to a person is not passive.”
― Elizabeth Strout, Anything Is Possible
I try and pay attention to words or phrases that stand out to me in my reading and listening. There is a spiritual practice called Florliledgium that collects short, interesting pieces {words that “sparkle” up} and put them together. This is kind of like that. Watching for things that sparkle. Gathering them and seeing how they work together and what message, mantra, or new idea might arise.)
A Practice:
Read slowly.
Notice if a word or phrase stands out to you.
How do the words make you feel?
Is there an invitation?
(I’m sharing in italics the lines that stand out to me in these passages. Maybe it’s the same, or maybe it’s different, there is much food for thought in each of these passages)
“When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you
don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not
doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or
less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have
problems with our friends or family, we blame the other
person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will
grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive
effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason
and argument. That is my experience. No blame, no
reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you
understand, and you show that you understand, you can
love, and the situation will change”
― Thich Nhat Hanh
A soul flare is what happens when someone shines (his or her) light no matter what it is. In a song, a smile, or a well-made soup; they send out a flare of light that inspires others to shine their own. Soul flares make this world better.
-Annie O’Shaughnessy
“Anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you.”
― David Whyte
"The hard thing when you get old is to keep your horizons open. The first part of your life everything is in front of you, all your potential and promise. But over the years, you make decisions, you carve yourself into a given shape. Then the challenge is to keep discovering the green growing edge."
— Howard Thurman
