#MicroPoetry|June ’21 Reflections

Each tale we read is often parsed into sections, chapters, epilogues and interludes. In the moment of reading we are there in the story and, by the end, have passed through a straight line in time to arrive at the end. The story itself, however, may not have had such linear direction.

With this in mind, what do you think of when you consider that you are creating a plot for a story you will never hear? Need alone how it ends?
What do you do with this insight that what you do now, directly affects that tale yet to be told?

We are awash in energy. From sunlight to sound waves, they make up every part of our being and the world in which walk and through which we interact. This reality, if you will, contains a simple and profound truth: #WeAreOne.

Realising this can be daunting and inspiring, anxious-making, and transformative. In all these possible paradoxical responses, the question then must be asked:

What choices shall we now make awakening to the fact that I am you and you are me?

It’s summer time and things are blooming. Some things planted well and with foresight thrive. Other times, not so much. Even with the best intentions, drought, frost or hail can change a garden from vibrant to desolation.

Our lives are not much different. Who chooses to tend us at a young age, with whom we begin to choose to surround ourselves, directly impacts our own vibrancy.

If you looked at your life to this moment, what do you need around you to be the person who you are meant to be?

The concept of appreciation is one central to my own inward and spiritual journey. How gratitude informs our choices is connected to empathy and compassion.

As I was considering this musing, I was struck by the following:

What if the act of appreciation is centred in recognising gifts in others that draw our attention?
What if we, in turn, began to seek wisdom in others so we might aspire to be more?
And if such wisdom draws us, how does such a possible practice serve to humanise the Other?

Curiosity: it pervades our youthful journey. Challenging, critiquing and wondering about everything from parent’s rules to questions of reality, they drive imagination. Sometimes, however, that Divine gift gets lost, subdued, dispelled or crushed.

How we endeavour to keep that gift vibrant in ourselves and one another requires attention. It is both an individual discipline and a collective commitment. If we are able to continue to ensure our inquisitiveness, wonder allows us to see opportunity and beauty in ourselves, one another and Creation each time our eyes open upon a new day.

Brilliant ides are truly a marvel. They sometimes take time to nurture. Other times they catch us so unaware, it can shock us with awe. The reality of these gifts, however, is not only to recognise those that have merit, but which ones to pursue. Such pursuit, the act of translating, allows us to bring our ephemeral thought gifts into a tangible reality.

I think of my grandmother’s old wired remote TV controller. It announced itself, just before the TV went on, with a loud click. That which followed was usually a news broadcast with an anchor speaking at us. The world was often framed in deficit and fear. I believe not has much changed since my youthful days, except there are a lot more ways to for words to overwhelm us. Words are good and helpful. The question is what do we do with them to bring action into the world?

Whether it’s a mannequin, a well-decorated house, or the wardrobes we wear into each day, external superficial attire often shapes what we see. We focus on the visuals we perceive and make judgements, exclude, and determine who is in and out.

There is another way to see ourselves and each other. It takes more time and commitment. It requires us to first awaken to our own blessedness, in order to recognise that the person to your left or right, are also Beloved.