Walking Journey

 

Mother and Child in Motion

Feet moving without body motion,
Toes steady within shoes but no muscle action,
Escalator controls the motion,
Guatemalan refugees seeking asylum,
With feet running from abuse,
Now walking roads toward freedom,
Up and down with rocky terrain,
Walking on mechanical device,
Walking a top clouds by airplane,
New freedom,
Nogales Sonora Mexico,
Tucson AZ to Seattle WA,
"Oh Say Can You See",
The American dream!

[This reflection comes from an experience that Kathleen had while escorting a woman and her daughter from Tucson AZ, via Nogales (Sonora), to Seattle WA at the beginning of May 2022. This type of travel would be NEW to this woman and her daughter.]

Chirping with Senses

 "Chirping with Senses"

Audio senses awakened with chirping sounds before open doors,

Morning has broken,

Door opens,

Walk in motion begins,

Cool air refreshes skin of exposed face and arms,

Caffeine to the lips,

Thorns in the way of fragrant roses,

Step into the temple of brightly colored glass of sacred images,

Kneel before “I AM WHO I AM”,

Coffee hidden then cleaned away,

Labored sacred actions for temple readied to smile with YHWH,

Legs in motion as body heat rises,

Footing on gravel penetrate shoes,

Big gravel form sitting on Camelback mountain,

Senses are chirped through walk rhythm.

[Reflection is based upon a retreat exercise for Deacon postulants. The assignment was to walk the grounds of "The Franciscan Renewal Center" to awaken the senses in a morning walk on June 26, 2022. The "Big gravel form" is the praying monk. The rose is from the garden at the retreat center, who at one time was full of roses, and now is mixed with roses and other garden beauties.]