Story Line

 

"Story Line"

 News stories breaking every second,

Fragmented with words mixed messages,

Story fake, fiction, functional, trifecta themes,

Real life stories, sensational reality life stories,

Spiritual stories,

Secular stories,

Autobiographical, historic biographical words well defined,

Seeking story of truth with meaning,

Breaking news recycled,

Let the story-line speak,

The End!

[These thoughts come from mentoring diaconal postulants to write and share their ministry as story; from a “story” reflection by Brian O’Leary, SJ.; and, from watching too much BREAKING news on CNN and MSNBC]

Doughy Bread Body

 

"Bread’s Doughy Body"

 Dough needed kneading for aliveness,

Yeast raises dough’s fleshy bread’s heavenly manna,

Living bread heavenly baked faith.

 

[This haiku is after many weeks of Gospel readings about “bread” from the Gospel of John.]

 

One Comes From!

 

"One Comes From!"

I come FROM,

Seeds birthed to produce multi-grain bread,

USAF with salutes to the Stars and Stripes,

The bold and brown faced sunflower,

Global areas of Asia and West Africa,

Adoptive hearts of Elizabeth and George,

Gentle cautious perseverance then move on,

Military Protestant feeling comfort from Monks and Nuns to Episcopalian,

Fujiyama-san with taste buds of rice and fish then to black-eyed peas and greens,

Elizabeth understands how Santa’s elves opened gift paint,

Photos lost over time yet now few are on walls and some within shelved fames,

Soil created from dust,

Dust to be returned!

[This reflection comes after a two week break from weekly uploads to my blog. This contents of this prose evolved from a “Spiritual Autobiography” exercise from the “Where I’m From” poem by George Ella Lyon. The ending lines are my reality of the frailty of my life, and that’s okay.]

Soft School Lockers

 

"Soft School Lockers"

 

Primary colors hold shoulder straps,

Unicorn’s horn points the way,

Zippered pocket flips secures secrets of youthful mind,

Spiderman’s web protects the contents,

Netted pocket holds water bottle,

Lego colors build the future,

Backpack contents holds creative tools,

Paper of woven threads not touch screen,

Pens with real ink not a stylus,

Glue not chewing gum to hold creative art together,

Soft lockers of the twenty first century,

Contents bless the youthful mind,

While God blesses the youth.

[This belated “Monday” reflection comes from observing school backpacks collected and stuffed with school supplies for the Garfield Elementary school, by Cathedral parishioners; and blessed by Cathedral clergy on Sunday July 25, 2021. And, whose Gospel was another feeding story; enough for ALL.]

Task at Hand

 

”Task at Hand”

Oatmeal fills the bowl,

Numbers fill the screen,

In tandem multitasking occurs,

NOT,

Eating in the moment,

Numbers being viewed in the moment,

Cranium can not handle both at the same time,

Living in the moment,

Tasking in the moment,

Be present in the moment,

Task at hand.

[This reflection comes from my participation in an exercise with Deacon postulants; inviting them to live moment-by-moment through the Examen. My "ah ah" moment to think about multi-tasking was while I was eating breakfast and reviewing home banking accounts!]

This Land

 

"Haec Terra"

This Land is your land,

This Land is my land,

This Land is God's creative land,

Land of color,

Yet bleached by summer heat,

Easily torched by a match,

Easily inflamed by lightning,

Marred among sprinkled green bushes,

Bushes finely dotted,

Almost invisible across the mesa,

Atmospheric causation unknown,

What is known,

This Land is God's creative land!

[These thoughts come from driving from Phoenix to Flagstaff in AZ. Looking at scorched land from extreme summer heat and draught. Barren yet sparks of life sprinkled throughout the mesa]

 

Open unto Me

 "Open unto Me"

Open unto me — light for my darkness.

Open unto me — courage for my fear.

Open unto me — hope for my despair.

Open unto me — peace for my turmoil.

Open unto me — joy for my sorrow.

Open unto me — strength for my weakness.

Open unto me — wisdom for my confusion.

Open unto me — forgiveness for my sins.

Open unto me — love for my hates.

Open unto me — thy Self for my self.

Lord, Lord, open unto me! Amen.

Written by Dr. (Pastor) Howard Thurman

[These words are taken from a FB post by Priest Holly, as she prepares for the Bishop walk-abouts in Nevada.  They speak to me as I discern myS.E.L.F. and face my inner being to move forward; it is part of my Spiral renewal.]

Senses Awaken

 

“Senses Awaken”

 

Coffee taste tingles the tongue,

Assignment says to walk to walk to walk,

Feet movement over loose gravel,

Dry leaves on gravel offer unsound harmony,

Sight catches rabbit crossing the path,

Rabbit hopes to not be seen,

Listening to someone practice prayer chant,

Chant, yes its Sunday,

Under arch crossing with breeze of touch,

Eye contact with human being generates a bow,

Coffee taste continues to tingle the tongue.

 

[Reflection is based upon a retreat assignment of walking (strolling) to awaken the senses]

Alphabet Soup

 

“Alphabet Soup”

 

A bowl with alphabet noodles,

Alphabet letters float to make Titles,

PHD clumped pass a distorted REV,

RN in bowl corner opposite INTERN,

Titles of labeled meanings,

Titles come with professions,

Titles come with honors,

A slurp from soup spoon,

Digests floating alphabet noodles,

Titles dissolve in soup juice,

Titles come and titles go,

Alphabet noodles now form a Name not a Title,

At the bottom of the bowl a Name surfaces,

The Name is cryptic,

Hue-man is the name floating in the noodles,

That is You,

That is Me,

God only calls Hue-mans by Name not Title.

 

[Reflection based upon personal selfish insight of not seeing my name with title among other titled clergy. Yet during a meditation the phrase “God calls us by name” was my awaking.]

Milk Mop

 

“Milk Mop”

 

White liquid gushed gallon stream,

Bucket yellow with mop squeezing collected liquid,

Stream flows quicker [than] floor absorbs.

[This haiku comes from a recent Food Pantry experience of a gallon of milk that fell from a food produce box and cracked open; the milk flowed across the floor quicker than it could be mopped]

Hunger Pains

 

“Hungry vs. Hunger Pains”

 

Travel interrupts mealtimes,

Different time zones leave nourishment empty,

Hunger between layovers,

Different global regions,

Hunger with different tastes buds,

Undefined body aches,

Empty digestion,

Abdomen muscles contort seeking food,

Discomfort like glass panes that shattered inside,

Hunger in the bones,

Hunger fatigue,

Hunger pains,

Body calls for nourishment,

Malnutrition does not compare,

Cultures traveling miles by foot for food,

Accepting crumbles of bread,

Nothing suffices for food as malnutrition seeps through the pores,

Travel interrupts mealtimes,

 

[This reflection is based upon a recent travel adventure by air (4 hour flight) and into a different time zone; and, finding myself very hungry while staying in a 5-Star hotel and wondering about those outside the hotel complex earning just enough, or not enough, to eat]

The Holy Visit

“Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.” --Eleanor Roosevelt, 1960

[Reflection quote from Priest Holly Herring on the "Feast of the Visitation" May 30, 2021]

Helping Hands Lead On

 

“Helping Hands Lead On”

 

Professor in leadership curriculum,

Two decades ago pushed skills that were boxed in,

Offering the helping hand to looked out of the box,

Into a future profession,

Fast forward as a name is called out,

Called out in a familiar voice,

Not a classroom but the lobby of a Food Pantry,

Greetings of reunion,

Why you are here is the question,

To get a food box,

Food box for the professor by the helping hand.

[Reflection from a personal story told by a staff person in a Food Pantry]

Ages Ago

 “It Was Ages Ago”

To the close of the age,

Biblical wording used for Ascension Day,

Age to the end of time,

Time shifts with Age,

It was ages ago,

Age enters cultural shifts,

Pandemic closed an Age,

9/11 closed an Age,

Wars close an Age,

Hue-man measurements of young, of old, close an Age,

New Age begins with New Normal,

New Change, New Transition, New Growth,

That was ages ago,

No time to close the Age,

Time for transformation.

[This reflection is based upon a conversation with a friend about the Morning Prayer Gospel on Ascension Day: “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age”.  The thought process would then continue with words from Sunday’s sermon: Change + Transition + Growth = Transformation. And, then looking back at one's life or events, the expression of "that was ages ago", now says let's move on. ]

Chains of Connection

 

"Chains of Connection"

 

Spokes branch out into rounded metal,

Secured by rubber treads,

Times two,

Rubber hits the road,

A dusty chain directs movement,

Youth sized feet will push the dusty chain,

Dust from storage does not hide the gleeful effervescent color of green,

Horizontal hand bars with a patterned seat

The bicycle seeks to be ridden,

A new home would help,

Chains of connection start to move,

From a far west Phoenix garage for donation,

To a central Phoenix garage for donation,

Donation chain stops,

Youth sized feet are found,

With safety helmet on,

With a grand smile,

Youth sized feet peddle into the future of Life and Joy.

[This reflection is based upon an experience of a youth sized bicycle being donated. The first site for donation was requested to go to Nogales Sonora to an asylum seeker’s temporary housing; rationale was not good. The bicycle was offered for donation to a warehouse of items for foster children. Maybe! The connection person offered to take it directly o a foster child “in need” and not the warehouse. YES!]

Writer's Buzz

 “Writer’s Block Buzz”

 

Thoughtful words drafted on lined paper,

Words that reflect like a photo,

Words that the are essence of the story,

Words that do not flow,

Words that penetrate now and forward,

Just Words,

A writer’s mind flows and falls,

Composition lacks form,

Alphabetic collection interrupted by mind block,

Hardening block glued by wine.

Thoughtful but no form,

Writer’s Block,

Writer’s Buzz.

[Reflection based upon a conversation with myself.  SELF [Soul Evolves (a) Life Flow] missed a Monday upload to it’s personal blog. Although these may read as empty words; they are words that can lead the soul to look at a personal addiction.]

 

Butterfly Mulch

 

“Cocoon Mulch”

Fine wood chips,

Chunky wood chips,

Discarded trees being repurposed,

Wood chips now mulch,

Shoveling and collection mulch,

Spread over flowering beds,

Dirt to be kept cool,

Starting plants with color,

Cocoons well fed of mulch,

Mulch to direct butterflies toward the floral colors!

[This reflection is based upon a work day at Grant Community Garden; a morning of shoveling and spreading mulch to call the butterflies; the photo is Swiss Chard from the NourishPhx plant bed]

Easter Week - Simon the Wanderer

 

“Simon the Wanderer”

 

Cyrene is my home in the countryside,

I am a wanderer,

Jerusalem called me away from this place,

There was a Teacher, who healed the body and heart,

The populous of the surrounding towns and countryside flooded into Jerusalem,

I moved with the crowds,

A soldier pulled me from the crowd to help the Teacher walk to his death,

The Teacher, a simple man with a simple message of love, was crucified,

For wrongs I do not know or understand,

At Golgatha, women weep and wail,

I watched as an unspoken sadness filled my soul,

But I did not weep, just stared into the midday darkness,

The body of the Teacher is taken down from the cross to be buried,

I follow the women and followers of the Teacher from distance,

The Teacher is buried and the tomb is sealed,

Now the followers of the teacher scattered

There is not place for me to scatter to,

I sit at the tomb,

There is comfort here,

Different from my home in Cyrene,

For, I am a wanderer.

[This reflection is a scenario of Simon of Cyrene, the Fifth Station of the Cross, or is it me]

Holy Week Walk with My Friend

 "Holy Week Walk with My Friend"

My Friend, a Teacher, is carried into a festival crowd on a colt,

This Teacher is deemed a hero who has words of Hope, and actions of Love,

Time for one-on-one conversation with My Friend will not occur,

My Friend, the Teacher is busy outlining to the students what is needed for Passover,

Two students are challenged by the Teacher concerning trust of friendship,

One will deny the friendship,

One will betray the friendship,

The broken friendships will be painful,

Chief Priests and Clerics feel that the Teacher’s talks are blasphemy,

Yet, My Friend puts political unrest aside by sharing a meal for Passover,

Cultural custom of feet to be washed from the dusty road,

Not just individually but by the Teacher, out of Love, to all who will share the meal,

Following the meal, the My Friend wanders off to pray,

Again, time for one-on-one conversation with My Friend will not occur,

My Friend, the Teacher has been arrested,

My Friend will be crucified,

An angry crowd now taunts My Friend,

I am asked to carry the cross as My Friend stumbles, at least three times,

At Golgotha, I hear the sounds of ropes tightening, as My Friend’s body is raised onto a cross,

An earthly silence occurs with darkness throughout the horizon,

My Friend has died,

I am sad but I do not weep,

It is Friday and Sabbath will soon begin, so My Friend’s body must be buried,

A Tomb has been donated with a large stone to enclose it,

My Friend is at rest, yet very much ALIVE,

That is the mystery of Holy Week,

It does not matter, now I will sit and wait, and let S.E.L.F. talk to My Friend.

[This reflection is based upon my own struggle of Holy Week (2021). Everything from alone-ness to feeling "out of place". Realizing that I seek a Friend, but who was that Friend; the Sacred Space book talks about "Jesus standing and sitting beside me. . .speaking as one friend to another." It is time to open myS.E.L.F. (Soul Evolves (a) Life Flow) and be ready to talk to Jesus. The Icon is Jesus and Abbot Menas ]

Holy Saturday Discovery

 "Discovered"

Winding Wandering Labyrinth's Holy Journey,

Stones aged from steps over timely years,

Greenery Flower Feather Opening the Tomb.

 

[This haiku reflection evolved while walking the Labyrinth at Trinity Cathedral on Holy Saturday I struggled to connect with Holy week. The walk helped me to "Be Still" and LOOK around]

Thorns to Rose

 

“Thorn to Rose”

 

Dried thorns form twisted crown,

Waved palm fronds signal colt judgment entry,

Hosanna, [a] rose grows from thorns!

[Reflection from a Palm Sunday observation; the rose was left by someone [unknown, but to God, by the Great doors]; the frond was mine after Palm Sunday 8 a.m. Service]

New not Used

 

"New Not Used"

 

Threads of Thing1 and Thing2 weave into newness fabric,

Cotton comfort of red-orange and blue splattered colors,

Top-hat hello to youth,

Flying fish with flying candled birthday cake grasp the moment,

Laughter brings cotton comfort to new T-Shirt,

Garment new not used within plastic wrap,

Freshness of Seuss-ism in youthful growth!

[Reflection based upon mindless unwrapping of new T-shirts with Dr. Seuss images]

 

Zazen Purr

 

"Zazen Purr"

 

Sit on cushion lotus style,

Elbow nudge purr breathe inhale mantra exhale,

Meow bridges meditation silent stillness.

[Reflection (Haiku) comes as a guest cat joins me during my meditation; image is Asian art calligraphy]

Whirling Wheels

 "Whirling Wheels"

Tire wheels in motion,

Van rolling through a gate,

Brakes go into action near a ramp for warehouse entry,

Driver appears while the motor running,

Running motor allows levers to interact with each other,

Lever lowers door platform outward,

Lever moves wheelchair bound humanoid onto platform,

Wheelchair brakes on,

Yellow straps holding humanoid gently loosened,

Driver moves wheelchair into warehouse,

Van wheels,

Chair wheels,

Whirling wheels of care.

[Reflection based upon an observation as a Phoenix public “Dial a Ride" unloads a wheelchair bound volunteer at the NourishPhx “warehouse” with precision, gentleness and care. The symbol represents the Dharma (Buddhist) Prayer Wheel; a revolving and whirling message.]

Serve the Mind

 "Serve the Mind"

The three and half pounds of muscle within a boney helmet,

A helmet holding cells that create, die and recreate,

The poundage is the brain,

The essence of creation is the mind,

In the Beginning was the mind of Yahweh,

We serve the mind without choice,

With the pulse of the Brain,

Peace serves the Mind.

[Reflection from How to Solve Our Human Problems by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. The word "peace" equates to meditation; the brain image represents the thinking gears.]

Yielding Three-fold

 

"Yielding Three-fold" 

Rooted growth yields nourished earth,

Justice yields roots toward silent peaceful reasoning,

Right way yields your turn!

[This  Haiku thought evolves from the SSJE Community of  it's daily "Give Us a Word"]

Living the Spiral Spin

 "Living the Spiral Spin"

Shuffling steps move with curve flow,

Every curve is a minute, a day, a year,

The widening or tightening curves with interruptions,

Cultural impact of matching with whether SELF is fitting in,

Living the secular call,

Hearing the vocation call,

Years move along with 50 years plus,

Years past while mirroring SELF,

Longing for SELF of the past,

Walking backward in time in a good way,

Not reliving the past,

Walking while pausing with comforting stops,

Living the Spiral Spin with the curve of time!

SELF = Soul Evolves [a] Life Flow