possibilities

see … feel … hear … smell

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to see the brilliant sunlight and shadows of winter
a variety of birds at the feeder
the peace and calm in the cat’s eyes

to feel the welcome chill in the air
the cat’s soft tummy fur
the joy from laughing

to hear the purring of a happy cat
my friend’s voice on the phone
hummingbirds zooming toward the feeder

to smell pine trees
dinner in the oven
the fresh air after a rainstorm

there’s much to experience now …
even during a pandemic.

I dream a world

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I dream a world 
where everyone sees the same sunlight
that makes the leaves glitter.

I dream a world
where with that light
we see each other,
with compassion and empathy.

I dream a world
where compassion and empathy
break open our hearts
so we reach out our hands to everyone,
not just our most beloved.

I dream a world
where our hearts and hands
build a place that is safe for us all,
where we can be and become our true selves.

May we have the willingness and strength to make that world together.

Hidden beauty

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The sunlight must have been hiding before.
But in 2020, I saw it — as if for the first time.
How it brightens every leaf, the scarlet ones in particular,
shows off the tiny hummingbirds who stop by to eat,
makes the clouds glow,
illuminates the green new growth in the winter garden …
even during a pandemic.
This new year, gratefully I hope to continue to see it.

Shadows and light

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Eyes closed
under a leafy tree,
shadows and sunlight dance across my eyelids,
surprising me,
holding me steadfast in this very moment,
forcing me to see that nothing stays,
and nothing stays the same

Even this late …

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Even this late it happens:
the coming of love, the coming of light.
You wake and the candles are lit as if by themselves,
stars gather, dreams pour into your pillows,
sending up warm bouquets of air.
Even this late the bones of the body shine
and tomorrow’s dust flares into breath.
The Coming of Light
by Mark Strand

40 days of kindness

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I have not experienced Lent personally. But I understand that it is about changing one’s behavior for the 40 days before Easter in order to remember the suffering of Jesus. People have mentioned giving up a favorite food or activity during Lent.

So it was a bit of a surprise to see this Lenten sign on a church marquee I drive by regularly:  40 Days of Kindness. What a remarkable idea for a church community to focus on kindness for Lent!

First, kind acts positively benefit the actors, recipients, and witnesses—good for everyone.

Second, when a community takes on a goal, the community members are able to relate and share about their process and experiences as they pursue their common goal. In this case, the desire to be kind would give a focus to conversations, foster a greater awareness of what it is to be kind, strengthen existing ties, and create new connections to build a tighter-knit community.

I attend a weekly meditation group where we discuss open-heartedness and generosity of spirit and regularly ask for loving-kindness for ourselves and others. Doing so has helped us be more aware of kindness in our everyday lives and has brought us closer together. We say that if each of us had loving-kindness as a daily goal, the world couldn’t help but be a better place.