One person
priceless
connecting to another
It’s a gift
and a guard
against loneliness
We are fully alive
when connected
three ways
God, another, ourselves
We are not made
to live
in isolation
A delicate dance
space and solitude
with
community and unity
We each have
our own unique steps
still learning my part in the Reel
© 2014 Julie Clark
It looked like a crow was raiding a robin’s nest in the big plum-tree at the end of the yard. All the robins and chickadees were stirred up flapping and shrieking. It’s gone now. What damage did it do?
World events and ones closer to home keep me thinking of injustice. The powerful rule the weak. The unjust prey on those they can trample and oppress. Guns can be had easily by young mad men bent on destruction leaving beloved ones dead in the street. Who will stop this lunacy? How many have to say enough is enough?
The inexpensive jam I bought got to me yesterday. I normally read the labels, but it was late and I was in a hurry. Why are companies still making jam with high fructose corn syrup? I know it must be the cheapest way, the biggest profit margin to be gained. In the meantime, the rich get richer and the poor get fatter and sicker.
The crow came back. Was it for another mouthful? When will enough be enough? What can one person do? I can’t climb that tree and keep shooing away the crow today or everyday. How do I live in this perplexing world where there is still so much beauty, yet evil runs rampant?
I read today: “Evil may still be a four letter word, but so, thank God, is love.” (Evil and the Justice of God, N.T. Wright)
I am reminded of the holy words: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) It does no one any good for me to despair, in other words be overcome by evil. It does many much good if I continue to do good and continue to hope. The choice is there, harder on some days than others.
© 2014 Julie Clark
Usually our 10 pound Dachshund is pretty obedient. That is if he perceives we are close enough to grab him. If he is more than five feet away all bets are off on his obedience. He reckons if we can’t grab him, he is a free agent. It was kind of like that today. Although we had not noticed him slipping silently away when we were looking out across the Puget Sound.
It was such a beautiful, freakishly summer-like spring day in the Northwest. We had walked along the beach towards the pier. The tide was coming in but there was still plenty of time to get back to the part of the beach that does not disappear when the tide comes in. The part we were standing on would slowly get smaller and smaller and the water would eventually come all the way up to the rocky embankment.
When we did notice that Archie was not right beside us, it was too late. He was already madly swimming after a Mama duck. We, of course, called and whistled but he completely ignored us. Pure instinct had taken over. All loyalty to his Master and Mistress thrown to the wind with the scent of that duck in his nostrils. The mama duck swam back a little closer to the shore to be joined by her six chicks. They kept up a steady chatter of cheeps as they swam after her. Now Archie was chasing her and her 6 chicks. She took him deeper and deeper. He didn’t think twice about the frigid temperatures of the Puget Sound or the angry fowl he was chasing. She kept zigging and zagging and taking him deeper and deeper. Finally she flew over his head flapping and took him in the opposite direction of her chicks. They must have had a brief pow-wow. Something like: “OK duckies, I’m going to distract this crazy dog and you guys swim that way and I will swim this way.” It worked for a while but Mama couldn’t ignore her chicks bleating cheeps for too long, so she swam back across Archie to make sure they were OK.
By this time Bill was taking his shirt off, emptying his pockets and heading out to the shore across from where this drama was being played out. All the while, I was praying that Mama duck would lead Archie a little closer to the shore so Bill could grab him. She eventually did start coming close to shore and Bill jumped into the frigid waters. He swam close enough to Archie to almost grab him. Archie finally came to his senses and let Bill separate him from his prey. The two of them came back to shore. Rescue completed. I am sure that Mama Duck would thank us if she could, or maybe not. Maybe she would scold us for our poor obedience training. We hurried back along the ever disappearing shoreline picking our way through the rocks in time to get to the non-disappearing part of the beach. When we came home Archie, planted himself in his favorite chair and slept the rest of the afternoon away.
The earth had been defiled. A young couple had attempted suicide in the park on a dark winter night. A few old growth cedar stumps anchored the path reminding us that ancient forces of life have been here a lot longer than we and our people. Our ranger friend lead us up the path and then off the path, bushwhacking down to a spot under a cedar tree. He had asked earlier if we would come and help cleanse the area.
That dark winter night one person had second thoughts, and called 911 on a cell phone with a fading battery. It was enough for the first responders to know generally where they were. Attempts to return the call failed, but they set out with a Search and Rescue dog. One group came in from the top of the park and another from the bottom. The rangers house was at the bottom. They knocked on the door and were able to get the Ranger couple’s help since they are the caretakers of this land and know it better than anyone else. Eventually the couple was found, thanks to the efforts of all, including the dog who was able to locate them. They were evacuated and taken to a local hospital with life threatening wounds. Later, word got back to the rangers that they survived.
When we got to the spot, Psalm 24:1 was read: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. The world and all it’s people belong to him.”
We prayed for the young people who came to this place so desperate. We gave thanks that their lives were spared, that the forces of life were stronger than those of death that night. We understood that because they came to the park, they were able to be rescued. If they had gone somewhere else that may not have been the case.
We took pure water from a spring that bubbles up near the path then joins the creek that runs through the park. We poured the water out as a symbol of life and cleansing. We prayed the water would be cleansing to the earth and renew it along with the gentle rain and our prayers.
We ended the ceremony with this Celtic prayer:
In time of sorrow:
May you see God’s light on the path ahead,
when the road you walk is dark
May you always hear, even in your hours of sorrow
the gently singing of the lark
When times are hard may hardness never
turn your heart to stone
May you always remember when the shadows fall
you are not alone
Walking back to the bottom of the trail where our cars were parked we noticed the sun’s setting light in the tops of the trees and remembered the first stanza of the prayer: “May you see God’s light on the path ahead, when the road you walk is dark”. We talked about the Japanese and Korean custom of “Forest Bathing”. It is a walk in a forest as a way of relaxing and managing stress, while breathing in the healing aromas of the forest. This whole experience was indeed cleansing for both the land and our souls.
I am paying close attention
to the birdsong
this spring.
They stop me at the window
in the yard
on a walk or
on the way to the car.
“We have something to say to you!”
“Are you listening?”
As a small girl
I would lie down in the cool
shaded grass
looking up into the green leaves
deciphering the birdsong
code –
the chattering, whistling,
singing from one branch
to another:
“Come to tea!”
“Don’t forget to feed your babies!”
Now they are singing
sweet reminders:
“Slow down,
no need to rush.”
“Don’t take life
so seriously.”
“Enjoy this moment with us.”
“We have a secret
we want to sing to you.”
© 2014 Julie Clark
Backfromtheborderlands's Blog 