In a recent Facebook post, Parker Palmer shared this poem by David Whyte. I think it is one of his finest. Sometimes it is not easy to trust the darkness, but we are reminded in Psalm 139:12 that in God even the darkness is not dark. Let us take courage and trust that whatever darkness we must journey through, enough light is there.
Yesterday I sat with a retired medical doctor who is in deep mourning. He so misses his beloved who has recently passed. He told me that the night before he had gone on an excursion with others to view Christmas lights. No, he really did not enjoy them, but he felt he needed to go out and be with others. I said I was glad he did. It then came to me that maybe mourning is like any physical illness. We take a few steps to help get our strength back. And then we must rest. It is not enjoyable, and even hurts. But we try again. We do grow stronger, but not all at once. Eventually, noticeable healing happens and joy can surface once more.
He thought for a moment, then nodded his head, and said, "Yes. That makes sense." Faith arises.
Solstice Blessings to all. Trust your light.
When your eyes are tired
the world is tired also.
When your vision has gone,
no part of the world can find you.
Time to go into the dark
where the night has eyes
to recognize its own.
There you can be sure
you are not beyond love.
The dark will be your home
tonight.
The night will give you a horizon
further than you can see.
You must learn one thing.
The world was made to be free in.
Give up all the other worlds
except the one to which you belong.
Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement of your aloneness
to learn
anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive
is too small for you.
David Whyte
Photograph was taken in Sunol in December, 2017. I love this tree. It lives by a small creek that runs behind Little Brown Church. A light shines in both.
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