"Walk your walk of lament on a path of praise."
Rainer
Maria Rilke
"we live with a wondrous mixture of well and
woe"
Julian of
Norwich
_____________________________
it seems surreal at times
how this world is such a much
of beauty and ugliness
kindness and cruelty
well and woe
at home, I sit nestled in the snow-covered mountains
far from the maddening crowd
protected
on this day I sit among palms
in a place where fantasy is celebrated
in vacation mode
and yet somewhere war is happening
tanks rolls
aggressors attack
a country is threatened
somewhere dark children starve
winds blow
fires rage
even under the surface
of our skins
this struggle exists
joy and pain intermingle
in our hearts, our souls
our minds are conflicted
and yet despite the struggle
we walk through each day
left foot, right foot, left foot, breathe
do we feel guilty about our safety
it is wrong that we simply go through the motions
each day?
we are asked to walk our lament
on the path of praise
to have lament
to be aware
not closed off to the pain of the world,
but also not unaware of blessing
not closed to joy
for our ability to lament
and act
to work for change
to stand and speak
must come out of praise
must come out of a profound connection with Sacred
and a fierce belief in Love
and a willingness to live love fiercely
most every day
mirth and mourning go together
this day I will enjoy the beauty around me
and I will all my heart to hurt at the war in Ukraine
this day I will celebrate my children’s and
grandchildren’s safety
and mourn the threats to those children
caught in the midst of war
struggling in a world of drought and famine
trapped in abusive homes
I cannot close my eyes
but neither can I allow myself to
be overwhelmed by the grief
for grief and mourning by themselves
defeat us
we need to hear the promise
“you will not be overcome”
and know that we can trust Love
in well and woe
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