Each
friend
represents
a world
in us,
a world
possibly
not born
until
he or she
arrives.
I have a bouquet
of friends,
each one
different.
I find
myself
revealing-
sometimes
discovering-
different
aspects
of myself
with each
of them.
livinglinesreflections.com
Yesterday
sunny.
Spring snow lingered
on the upper branches
of the evergreens.
As I lay on the floor
readying
for my exercises,
I paused
and cherished
the beauty.
Today,
another April snow
built during the whole day,
walking became
slippery
even with my boots
which had been
still poised at my door.
Time for the floor again.
Exercises
help me center,
program my body and brain
to help me
navigate
whatever
territory
I travel.
Inner and outer
steps.
Lying on the floor,
I pause,
meditating
on the beauty
of the laden trees.
The skylights
are snow covered,
blocking light,
adding their own beauty.
Lying on the floor
is different
than my soft bed.
The view
is child-like
not high above
where
I may not
notice things.
I pause,
take deep breaths,
savoring these moments.
The daffodils
will survive
enriched by the
water
from the melting snow.
Maybe tomorrow.
Pictures remind
Easter finery.
New bonnet,
Spring coat, perhaps
passed down
through
sisters and cousin.
New dress,
polished shoes
or new
patent leather!
Small flower corsage
from Daddy.
Some may still
dress this way
for Easter services,
I may admit to
a little envy.
We looked our best
or so it seemed.
The best outside dress-up
cannot cover up
the violence of
terror or the
insulting language
in the political campaign.
Steady reams of
news
proclaim
more crucifixion
than resurrection.
There are many
moments
of love and caring,
even random
acts of kindness.
What will it take
to dress up
ourselves,
our families and friends,
our neighborhoods
and our world
with sincere conversion
from the inside out.
Real love and kindness
generate
warmth and smiles.
How can we
dress
ourselves
with the
realization
that
we are all
in this world together?
Respect
for
each and every other,
dressed in finery
or clothes unfamiliar.
Garments given away
clothe
those without anything.
Respect
is the best
place
to begin.
We all
can dress ourselves best
caring for
each other.
Amen.
At this time of the year
when
shorter days of light,
holidays
and holydays
combine,
many people,
maybe most,
wear
a mixed
rainbow of feelings.
Sadness
from past
and
present,
pleasure,
joy
sometimes
collide
with outer
appearances,
sparkling lights,
jingle bells,
and our own selves.
How to reconcile
the different streams?
A dear friend
in the theater
told me
about
preparing for a role.
“Put on a rehearsal skirt.”
This season
as I dress to go out,
I put on
my rehearsal skirt.
I am not
playing a role
other than myself.
I am tuning into the
joy
which lives
in my heart
next to the
sadder feelings.
Each time
I return home,
I realize
the rehearsal skirt
helped me
BE
in the happier self.
I am reminded that
dark
and light
are part of the
seasons
and living
as a human being
in a world
where
living
in each moment
is the gift
of Being.
Cold
No snow yet.
The bird feeder
put out
yesterday.
Now a ballet
of swirling birds
discovering
with delight.
A rogue squirrel
discovering
dropped seed.
More birds
than before
a lovely neighbor
offered an array
of feeders and suet.
She moved
before last winter.
Her son said
she had feeders
outside the window
and new birds
feasted.
Before she went
to sleep one evening,
she e-mailed him:
“I made the
best of my day.”
Those were her
last words.
I smile,
remembering her.
Our days
are made of
moments,
each
a little seed
of our twenty-four hours.
Some moments
are sad,
others
happy,
even joyful.
Being in
each moment,
living
the best we can.
Making the
best
of our
day.
As
I
Get
Older,
birthdays
feel
more
poignant.
When
friends and family
share their
kindness and love,
I think
it feels
that
I am
more open
to receiving
and being
nourished.
That
sometimes brings
some
tearing
and
reflection
on how
each
has traveled
with me
in my life.
I am grateful.
Tomorrow
is
my birthday.
Decades declare milestones.
At certain ages
there can be
the realization
that there are fewer
years ahead
than
already lived.
Mid-life
it is called.
Demographers
and cultural observers
now offer
more gradations than
young,
middle aged
and old.
Early middle age,
middle age
late middle age.
At what point
does your category
become early old age?
Are you in
middle old age
and when
really old age?
For some,
lifespans
extend into the ninth and
even tenth decade.
When Social Security
was made available
at 65,
people weren’t
expected to live
much beyond that.
For some,
there can be
many decades
beyond
that mark.
How to live
these years,
whatever they are called?
Wisdom
offers
the suggestion
to shed
as we age.
Things,
images of ourself,
expectations,
hopes,
dreams,
disappointments.
Shedding
seems to say
that
growth stops
at some point.
Adults
we are.
Approaching
this birthday,
I am beginning
to understand
that letting go
is a better perspective
of what no longer
serves me.
Traveling
lighter,
I
hope
I
am
Growing
Into
Older
Age.
Learning,
growing.
Shifting gears,
slows me
to follow
the Inner Light
to savor
each moment,
each friend,
loved one
and stranger.
Sometimes the
Light
offers
a clear path.
Sometimes
intuition
brings
me on the path
I cannot
see
in this moment.
Two inches
of mail
awaited
after time away.
Standing by the trash bin,
catalog after catalog,
three of the same,
campaign
requests,
no idea how
my address and name
on their lists.
Snail mail
names and addresses
are sold.
Annoying
and wasteful,
all of it!
A few bills,
still paid by check,
marketing circulars,
trash, trash,
Trees
wasted
in making the paper.
Nestled
in the pile
was a small envelope
hand-printed.
Smiling,
excited,
I opened it
gently.
Inside
a thank you
note,
from
our newly
nine year old
grandchild.
Treasure.
Thank you words
by e-mail
or snail mail,
so rare
these days.
I keep
these special
thoughts,
sometimes displayed
perhaps tucked in
my top drawer
for discovery,
in a week,
months later,
or
when the year
has passed and
the next
arrives.
Always
grateful.
Treasures of gratitude.
Thank you.
Look at Gratefulness.org
Of all the gatherings,
prayers spoken,
during Pope Francis’s visit to Cuba and the United States,
the 9//1 Interfaith Service
lingers
as the most memorable.
Pope Francis
asked God to
“look on us,
people of all faiths and religious traditions,
who gather today
on this hallowed ground,
the scene of unspeakable
violence and pain.”
During the
interfaith service,
Iman Khalid Latif
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove
alternated words of peace.
More pairs followed
two Hindu women,
two Buddhists,
two Muslims,
a Sikh father and daughter
and a Protestant
and Orthodox Christian.
The Pope sat in the middle.
and followed in the program.
“God judges us according
to our deeds,
not the coat we wear”
were the words
in Punjabi and English
by daughter and father Sikhs.
Cantor Azi Schwartz chanted in Hebrew
a prayer to honor
the 9/11 dead.
The Eight Beatitudes
were read in the the
ancient Greek
and then in English.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
The service was
finished with the Pope
offering a gesture of peace-
a handshake,
an embrace
or a bow.
The Young People’s Chorus of New York City
more than 60 teenage
boys and girls
wearing different colored scarves-
sang
“Let There Be Peace on Earth”.
Glancing around the room,
several members of the
interfaith audience
suggested the faith leaders
stay in the room.
“Lock the doors”, said one, “until the
group
figures out how
to achieve world peace.”
Thought Leaders
are especially
important
during times of
Disruptive Innovation,
a concept
used in
this time
when things
aren’t working
and ways of thinking and doing
must be changed.
Since Pope Francis was chosen,
he has become a
powerful
THOUGHT LEADER.
From his first moments
Pope Francis
showed his
humility
asking for us
to pray for him.
He chose
simple garments,
comfortable black shoes,
paid his own hotel bill,
moved into a
simple apartment.
During Holy Week,
he washed the feet of the poor,
not all Catholics.
He told priests
to be merciful and compassionate
towards those who are divorced
women who have had
abortions.
When asked about homosexuals,
he replied,
“Who am I to judge?”
Smiling,
he loves everyone
and in return,
he is loved.
The rules have not necessarily changed,
but the
TONE
has completely.
This change in tone is
Francis’
greatest achievement,
and it is HUGE!
In this
political season,
candidates
could learn
because Pope Francis
is an astute politician
in the best sense of the word.
As a South American
he sees the entrenched Vatican
as needing to be cleaned up,
finances and favoritism,
swept out.
Reflecting
compassion.
the tone,
the message
is that God is a God
of LOVE,
not JUDGMENT.
The Church’s role
is to make God
accessible.
Coming to the United States,
his first trip to North America,
he will speak
at the United Nations,
address Congress,
say Mass in Madison Square Garden.
Popular entertainers will
engage people,
using their words and music
to
open up people’s senses
to the music of their hearts.
Disruptive Innovation.
Bring it on!
Living Lines Moment by Moment 