#MicroPoetry|December ’23 Reflections

There are countless distractions—advertisements, videos, and sound bites—that divert our attention. Amidst this chaos, pause. Take a leisurely walk, gaze out the window, and listen to those nearby. Patience is key; revelation unfolds in due time. The civility we crave, the care we long for ourselves and one another, becomes clear when exemplified by gratitude that we experience as compassion. Amid constant stimuli, a moment of intention offers space to reflect on the profound connexions we seek.

However you are reading this and the accompanying #MicroPoetry #Verse, likely you are awash in various bits and bytes that we call algorithms. A source code that often is shaped by appealing to fears and anxiety. These creatures intend to cage us in silos in which all we hear are reinforcing echoes of judgement and isolation. But this is not our story. More than ever, a practice of seeing beauty is required of us. Just as we are Beloved, nature itself sings joy when we attune to that Universal chorus.

In life’s journey, it’s common to embrace mistakes as learning opportunities. Stumbling isn’t a sign of failure but a reminder that discipline and commitment entail persistent attempts until mastery is achieved.

A parallel lesson can be gleaned from the metaphor of writing. Crafting a compelling tale involves revisiting, reflecting, and frequent editing. Through this process of refinement, a story transforms from mere words into a rich and accessible world. Just as in life, acknowledging and learning from missteps is central to the refining of both our personal narratives and the tales we collectively create.

We are the doers of dreams. We do not simply create ethereal holograms that dissipate the moment we touch them. Nay – we are those, when at our collective best, see the horizon upon which a new thing beckons. Once we see it, dream it, imagine it, our sacred duty is fulfilled when we grab trowel and mortar, paint and brush, pen and paper, and nail and hammer. It is in the long journey of doing that we begin to fashion that world in which all shall dwell as diversely beautiful beings meant to sing the Universe’s harmony: Love.

The Christian Holy Seasons beckon us to deliberate moments of reflection and meditation. These intentional periods invite us to an intentional use of words during these sacred times, encouraging us to extend such mindfulness beyond these spiritual moments.

Recognising ourselves as word-weavers, who are entrusted with the ability to formulate reality, underscores the significance of our language choices. Our words shape our collective experience. Embracing this ancient wisdom prompts us to contemplate the words we employ to describe a world where diversity is celebrated, and every individual is valued. In these considerations, we possess a profound responsibility to craft narratives that foster inclusivity and appreciation for life’s myriad expressions.

The Holy Season of Advent invites us to practice a discipline of gratitude that affords us resilience yearlong. As long as people of faith journey in the tension of our collective choices that lead to harm, it is important to embrace our collective call to mend the world.

A distinctive aspect of this Season of preparation involves holding the paradox of gratitude amid adversity. Connecting with Creator’s radical abundance can take various forms, with silence being a particularly revealing conduit. Sacred Silence becomes a means to ready ourselves, enabling a grateful journey into the world, where we can offer care rooted in a logic distinct from violence and oppression.

Let us not deceive ourselves with the illusion that wisdom simply arrives with access to information and data. We sit at a pinnacle of time when the human corpus of knowledge is, literally, a search away. Such accessibility, however, does not lead to insight or humility.

As we walk through life’s unfolding experiences, the inner journey invites us to reflect on each opportunity. This reflexive commitment propels us beyond preconceived notions and the interpretations of our respective tribes regarding righteousness or truth. Only by delving beneath those recurring and ingrained narratives can we transition towards an awareness of the beauty in Ambiguity, distancing ourselves from the sterility of Certainty.

We may experience time flowing from Then to Now to Tomorrow, but we are not bound to Time’s straight line. The moment you share a memory, when you parse the words, smell the textures, feel each taste vividly, we have travelled from Now to then. When we are asked to imagine a future where all thrive in a community in which diversity is celebrated and defended, we have left Now to Tomorrow. The question isn’t whether now determines where we go, it is where we decide where we want to start.