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Oct 25

Faith, Trust, with a Side of Pixie Dust

“All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.”― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”― Theodore Roosevelt

Many start lines.
Running and life.
5 marathons, first one at 39 years old.
(Never too late to start.)
Dozens of half marathons and 10-milers.
Rarely taking one for granted or with disregard borne of familiarity.
Each day can take a twist or turn.

The next half marathon in a few hours has a different “twist”
On October 1, I broke my wrist
Surgery to “untwist”, put in a plate.
Cast off, stitches out last week.
Temporary cast for 6 more weeks.

Today, I am not sure what will happen.
Other that that I am showing up and starting.
One step at a time, prayer too.
In the arena, daring the best I can.
With faith, trust, side of pixie dust.
Keep swinging, stay in the game.

“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.”― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Oct 24

Long Smiles and Hammocks

“Breathe Deep – Smile Long.”― Anthony T. Hincks

“Sit now very quietly in some lovely wild place, and listen to the silence. And I say that this, too, is a poem.” – Mary Oliver

Long smiles
Deep breath
Extended exhale
In the slowing
Respite
In play
Restoration
In the silence
Poetry

“Just breathing can be such a luxury sometimes.”― Walter Kirn, Up in the Air

Oct 23

Moon Blossom

“The moon in her chariot of pearl”― Oscar Wilde, The Nightingale and the Rose

“For the Earth itself is a blossom, she says,
on the star tree,
pale with luminous
ocean leaves.”
― Rolf Jacobsen

Sunrise to sunset.
Pearls, diamonds, gold.
Behold.

“It is a beautiful and delightful sight to behold the body of the Moon.”― Galileo Galilei, The Starry Messenger

 

 

Oct 22

Heavenly Oils

“A flower will always grow in the direction of the sun because beauty recognises beauty.”― Matshona Dhliwayo

The Sun by Mary Oliver

“Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful

than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone–
and how it slides again

out of the blackness,
every morning,
on the other side of the world,
like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,
say, on a morning in early summer,
at its perfect imperial distance–
and have you ever felt for anything
such wild love–
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure

that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you

as you stand there,
empty-handed–
or have you too
turned from this world–

or have you too
gone crazy
for power,
for things?”

to never grow weary
take for granted
bypass without noticing
restoration in awe and wonder
found in a sunset, flower, a poem
billowing, reaching, streaming
joy, peace, love

“The attempt to develop a sense of humor and to see things in a humorous light is some kind of a trick learned while mastering the art of living.”― Viktor Emil Frankl

Oct 21

Color and Rhythm of Slow Time

“You have traveled too fast over false ground;
Now your soul has come to take you back.
Take refuge in your senses, open up
To all the small miracles you rushed through.
Become inclined to watch the way of rain
When it falls slow and free.
Imitate the habit of twilight,
Taking time to open the well of color
That fostered the brightness of day.” – John O’Donohue

“When the rhythm of the heart becomes hectic,
Time takes on the strain until it breaks;
Then all the unattended stress falls in
On the mind like an endless, increasing weight.

The light in the mind becomes dim.
Things you could take in your stride before
Now become laborsome events of will.” – John O’Donohue

Restoration in slowing down, pulling over
Reckoning that more speed, doing, busyness are futile, false ground
Breaking open to awakened senses
Where colors dance
Partake in the small miracles woven in each day
Claimed by calm
Be held in joy
Linger in slow time.

“Draw alongside the silence of stone
Until its calmness can claim you.
Be excessively gentle with yourself.

Stay clear of those vexed in spirit.
Learn to linger around someone of ease
Who feels they have all the time in the world.

Gradually, you will return to yourself,
Having learned a new respect for your heart
And the joy that dwells far within slow time.” – John O’Donohue

Oct 20

Compass and Gravity

“The meaning of life is to give life meaning.”― Viktor E. Frankl

“Man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become the next moment. By the same token, every human being has the freedom to change at any instant.”― Viktor Emil Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

When I enter where I already am, fully
Temporal becomes transcendent
Beauty refreshes and restores
Presence deepens and delights
Partaking and embracing
Rooting and rising
In reflection, meaning takes shape
Compass and gravity
Yesterday bridge to today
No need to circle back to repeat
New path, fresh legs, freedom to choose
Grace and gratitude
Abase and abound

“Our greatest freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude.”― Victor Frankl

Oct 19

October Grace

“October, baptize me with leaves! Swaddle me in corduroy and nurse me with split pea soup. October, tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets and carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins. O autumn! O teakettle! O grace!”
― Rainbow Rowell , Attachments

“Let misty autumn be our part!
The twilight of the year is sweet:
Where shadow and the darkness meet
Our love, a twilight of the heart
Eludes a little time’s deceit.

Are we not better and at home
In dreamful Autumn, we who deem
No harvest joy is worth a dream?
A little while and night shall come,
A little while, then, let us dream.”
― Ernest Dowson, The Poems and Prose of Ernest Dowson

Harvest to be found in each season
Seeding and tending too
Invitation and attention
Abiding and presence
The path
Straight, winding, detours, delays
On ramps and rest stops
Slow and fast
Points of distance and reflection, where meaning is made
Grace for this day
May joy find you on today’s leg of the journey.

“For even the very wise cannot see all ends.”― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Oct 18

Go to the Field

“Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.”― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

“When loneliness comes stalking, go into the fields, consider
the orderliness of the world. Notice
something you have never noticed before,

like the tambourine sound of the snow-cricket
whose pale green body is no longer than your thumb.

Stare hard at the hummingbird, in the summer rain,
shaking the water-sparks from its wings.” – Mary Oliver

To noticing what’s been in the forefront all along
Pulling over often to praise and ponder
Sitting with gratitude in imperfect days

Present and eager
Grateful and gentle
Go to the fields, look, notice.

“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say”― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Oct 17

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Reflecting Hope, Color, Light

“Reflection is noblest wisdom.” – Confucius

“So throw away your baggage and go forward.
There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet,
trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair.
That’s why you must walk so lightly.
Lightly my darling,
on tiptoes and no luggage,
not even a sponge bag,
completely unencumbered.”― Aldous Huxley, Island

Walk lightly
As if on water
Move forward
With ease
Rest in hope
Rise in love
Letting the seeds break open, unfold, unfurl, breakthrough
Unencumbered.

“The seed is in the ground. Now may we rest in hope. While darkness does its work.” Wendell Berry

Oct 16

Secret Gate

“Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate
And though I oft have passed them by
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien

“Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.”― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again

Onward
Enter this day
Anew
Blank canvas
Fresh start
Awe, wonder, beauty
Secret gate
Love, the journey
To be given
To be received
Cast light

“Love is the beauty of the soul”― Saint Augustine of Hippo

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