There is love to be done

“Run my dear, from anything that may not strengthen your precious budding wings.

Run like hell my dear, from anyone likely to put a sharp knife into the sacred,

tender vision of your beautiful heart.”

                                             Hafiz

____________________________________________

There are many thing that can destroy us

Many things that do not support life

We sink our roots deeply

Into what does not nourish

16 years ago I planted three sets of clump birches

One set was planted in imported top soil

The other in one of the few spots with some soil

And the other, into the sandy gravel that covers the space I call home

One set is intact, three beautiful trees, clumped together, soaring 30 feet into the air

Of one set only one remains, finally beginning to flourish, but still small

And one set is dead

It took those trees 12 years to die, a slow death

No amount of nourishment, no number of fertilizer spikes could save them

For their roots were sunk in poverty

Let’s hear it for good soil!

For those people who make us flourish

For those thoughts that expand our soul

For those activities that exercise our physical and spiritual hearts

Let’s hear it for generosity, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, and love

And let us be aware of that soil that does not feed us

But instead, robs us of nutriments

Slowly, secretly erodes our soul

Sometimes looking, at first

As if it will support life

Watch out for those who would promise us that which is not food

And slowly starve us to death morally and spiritually

Watch out for the gravelly soil of lies, and hate

Prejudice and greed

Misused power

Underused love

It is almost invisible

This wasting away

But the signs are there

When we are angrier than we should be

When we can listen to lies, and justify them

When we can look upon in justice, and rationalize it

When we can see that people are being left behind,

Without food, clothing, shelter, healthcare

And because we ourselves are not affected , just walk away

The signs are there

Help us, O Sacred One

To sink our roots deep into the good soil

Help us to find the wellspring of living water

Help us to flourish

Blessing our little hearts

And make them less small

There is love to be done

There are people who need to rest

In the shade of our compassion and caring