We only have this day once. And at the end of a week, which has felt stretched, I am reminded of the need for rest. Not withdrawal from the world, but stepping aside from its immediate demands. So that this season of watching and waiting, preparing and giving, endings and beginnings, can have our attention. … Read more
Come again? Waiting isn’t the same as doing nothing. Even though every fibre of our busy-addicted being shouts no! And yet. And yet, we know it’s true. Waiting isn’t the same as doing nothing because waiting cultivates something profoundly different in us. In our whole being. A metamorphosis that cannot be speeded up produces the … Read more
Our craving for certainty is enormous. We want to know what side of the line to be. Whether something is right or wrong or that our understanding is correct. And if it will be successful, otherwise we won’t bother starting. Yet there is glorious, entangled, unknowableness in our wider world – not the little one … Read more
Sometimes, we have no words. Yet, here’s the thing about poetry: it’s not just about the words. It’s the space, too. WHEN THERE ARE NO WORDS Pause breathe sigh breathe again… It is enough. + Sue Heatherington Today is one of those times when simply pausing together makes a difference. #Pause4Peace 🌿
Yesterday, following my usual path and deep in thought, I started to cross the footbridge. Only then did I realise an unusual bird was perching on the handrail. But here’s the thing: it didn’t fly off at my approach. Sometimes, the visiting grey heron will pause there and fly away before I am near. Not … Read more
Living in this little valley full of living beings is a privilege and a joy. And even rushing to finish chores, like feeding the boys yesterday morning, I see extraordinary sights. Like this tableau of alpacas and the swan on the other side of the lake. Displaying the contours of the land, almost as if … Read more
Do you know those times when you have something to say but can’t find the words? When what you are sensing feels expansive, yet your words barely cover the edges? Like a sheet that doesn’t reach your feet. Yes. Me too. And I don’t think this concerns a lack of vocabulary. T S Eliot discerned … Read more
Yesterday, I stood for a while by the end of the lake. Just watching. The swan’s flight to land close by was so graceful. However, I’m still not sure whether this is to check me out with friendly curiosity or warn me off. And I mused on this threshold we are traversing. Real in the … Read more
I’ve watched this particular fungus for weeks and am surprised by its longevity. It seems to be just out of harm’s way… FRUITS OF AUTUMN Nestled on a mossy bed,sheltered by overhanging roots,this fungus is not alone. No nibbling feast,nor landing for feet,slow, undisturbed growth. Autumn’s abundance andthreads of connection.This fungus is not alone. + … Read more
What does a peace poet look like? And how do they sound? Are they speaking out, or is their role to reflect and draw us into a different place? One we wouldn’t approach except in their company. One thing I do suspect is that they wouldn’t sell us binary answers wrapped in simplistically charged language. … Read more