To know reality, I must feel it
To know depravity, I must drown in it
To know flesh, I must touch it
To know grief, we meet.
To know humility, I must bow to it
To know fear, I must be it
To know sorrow, I must be lost in it
To know violence, we embrace.
To know weakness, I am broken
To know loneliness, I am born
To know futility, I am faithless
To know freedom, I submit.
To know a language, I speak it
To know falsehoods, I lie
To know truth, I am silent
To love, I forgive.
23rd January 2020, Somerset, England.
Conquerers
Our peace in this present life should not depend on absence of adversity but on humble acceptance. Those who accept suffering will enjoy peace. Such a person is a conqueror of the self, a ruler of the world, a friend of Christ and an inheritor of heaven.
Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
For the love of robins
Whatever happens (in 2021)
A poem from Rumi to open the new year, with love to all who read these words.
whatever happens to the world around show me your purpose show me your source even if the world is Godless and in chaos show me your anchor show me your love if there is hunger if there is famine show me your harvest show me your resource if life is bitter everywhere snakes everywhere poison show me your garden show me your meadow if the sun and the moon fall if darkness rules the world show me your light show me your flame if I have no mouth or tongue to utter words of your secrets show me your fountain I'll keep silence how can I express your life when mine still is untold. Rumi
Being a walking question mark 