Discovering Light

 Yesterday I definitely hit a low ebb. The weather is getting hotter, and may stay hot for a while. The national news is worrisome and deeply disappointing. Yet, in the midst of languishing in my boggy   malaise, I thought of a note that a friend and colleague sent me a few weeks ago about a course being offered by the Center for Spirituality in Nature. I was interested at the time, but my computer was not working, and then I simply forgot. Yesterday, I signed up for the self-paced course.

The creators of the course recommended that I find some natural spot close to where I live, and visit it every day and simply sit. I will keep my eye out for such a spot. Yet, for now, while they may not be completely natural, it is my garden, and some of the gardens around me that give me a sense of the sacred. So yesterday, I took my flute and sat in the backyard and simply played my prayer of thanks. Today, I walked in the neighborhood. This, as most of you know, I have done for years.
I was making my way home when I spotted some flowers aglow in light. I had to look closer. While I knew the blossoms were actually reflecting light, the light appeared to be shining from within the plant. The air was alive with the sound of bees. I knew I was seeing and hearing creation, and yes, creation is still good, even "supremely good" (Genesis 1:31 Common English Bible).

As I sit and ponder this photograph, I feel a longing to be part of the song of light of this time. For that, I am grateful. I will try to continue on, with eyes wide open, reflecting as best I can.    


Something Big is Coming

Something big is coming.
It’s still a secret, but arriving everywhere.
The atmosphere is charged with longing and searching.
The pilgrims and the mystery-lovers know.
They are gathering now
The sound of prayer drifts across the dawn.
It’s Muslim, Jew, Christian
All mingled
All religions
All this singing
One Song.
The differences are just illusion and vanity.
The sunlight looks a little different on this wall
Than it does on that.
And a lot different on this other one.
But it’s still one light.
We have borrowed these clothes
These time and place personalities
From a Light.
And when we praise,
We’re pouring them back in.

Rumi