Today I thought I would share a couple of my Lenten poems. Clearly, there is a theme here…perhaps one with which you are familiar…. I invite you to ponder what rises for you as you read, and let it lead you into prayer….
Running in the Present Moment
Lent is booked
Solid
With activities:
Family visits
Travels for work
Travels for pleasure
Travels for “rest”
Oh, and home renovations
No time for stillness
Except in “stolen” moments
How does the Dalai Lama do it?
I imagine his schedule
Must be just as crazy
I remember reading somewhere
Sometime
About his ability
To pay attention
To respond to you
As if you were
The only person in the universe
That is truly
Living in the present moment.
I also imagine
That he can do this
Because
He has handlers
Who pay the bills
Organize the tax paperwork
Book the plane flights
Cook dinner.
Is it possible
For an ordinary person
To imitate the Dalai Lama?
I can only try.
I can wake each day
With the goal of
Running in the present moment
And keep an eye out
In my peripheral vision
For the Spirit
Who runs alongside.
Of Shoulds and Oughts and Crazy Talk
I am not a robot
But some days I struggle
To resist societal definitions
Of work
And rest
And the forbidden fruit
Of lying in the winter sun
Like a cat
Letting myself release
My human doing.
Internal messages
Deeply ingrained
Then projected outward
On loved ones
Who worry.
I wonder
How life would be
As a modern monk;
A different set
Of shoulds and oughts
Entwined around a rhythm
Of prayer
And work
And rest
And recognition
Of human being…
Come,
Spirit whispers.
Lie in the sun
With me.
