Author: alwaysbridging

In Response to a Poem by Rumi

Jerusalem, O Jerusalem…

Reminded of the first time I heard the bells of Holy Sepulchre chime during Holy Prayers to Allah.

I fell to my knees, metaphorically that is.

My hands were flat against the Wall surrounded by ancient Jewish women.

All of us fragile and wrinkled in some way, sheltered under our shawls, begging for Grace, knowing it was there. That’s why we’d come.

We had braved the young soldiers with the giant machine guns. Bared our souls and pocketbooks and bodies before the TSA-like scrutiny.

And on those ancient stones, I noticed the unending hum of humanity mingling with the gargantuan sounds of at least two worldwide traditions.

And the feeling of My Note rising from deep within:

To encourage this diversity.

And do whatever I could in my giant minuteness: To Be Loved and To Love.

And now here at home…

All fragile, in pain

Some hospitalized

Judy,

Chris,

Melissa

The healing I beg for, doubting it’s on this plane.

And yet

Hearing the stories read on the very same day, Ezekiel’s dry bones and Jesus raising Lazarus from the stench of death, no less.

Then seeing Juan,

Alan,

Pat

parade in, one after another. Who am I to doubt?

Knowing they had each been bodily to this plane’s edge.

Do they know they came back to encourage me?

Their’s is the Grace of healing I seek.

Reflecting on Sunday

The sweetest giggle yesterday was when 4-and-a-half-year-old Miriam skipped up to say, “Guess what? We’ve been reading your blobs.” My blobs, eh? Gotta love it! From the mouths of babes.

So Monday in Lent is back and I am recognizing the wisdom of those interspersed Sundays. For one thing, I don’t post. And if you’ve been reading along, you know feasting and fasting for me have little to do with food.

The fact that the community gathers on those days around God’s Table has been just down-right fun, er, with all the appropriate Lenten solemnity that is. That’s the best feast.

Another March Birth

Recently we celebrated Chef Carolina—whose birthday was while I was away. We also raised a toast to the arrival of Quarter Ton Events, LLC.

As grandmother, I couldn’t be more proud.

Happy Birthday, Rob Reid!

I’m glad I got up before Rob this morning because it’s his birthday and I was the one who found the leak. Our house is almost 100 years old so this kind of thing happens. Still, the whole time I was mopping up, I was bemoaning that he’d need to spend any time on his actual birthday on plumbing.

I should have known better. He likes projects especially when I help with the prep and clean-up. And just like during the lockdown, I took the time to watch him assess the damage, correct it in no time flat and leave me to my part of setting things straight.

We are different in many ways, this being one of them. I am feeling super warm and grateful to be his teammate—past, present and future.

Thanks Be.

Glad to be home

Ready to lead Thursday Morning Prayer via Zoom. Grateful to be in this particular circle again.