I think I could have built a little house to live in
with the single cord-half seasoned, half not-trucked into the driveway and
tumbled down. But, instead, friends came and together we stacked it for the long, cold days
that are-maybe the only sure thing in the world-coming soon. How to keep warm
is always a problem, isn't it? Of course, there's love. And there's prayer.
I don't belittle them, and they have warmed me, but differently, from the heart outwards.
Imagine what swirls of frost will cling to the windows, what white lawns I will look out on
as I rise from morning prayers, as I remember love, that leaves yet never leaves, as I go out into the yard and bring the wood in
with struggling steps, with struggling thoughts, bundle by bundle, to be burned.
Is winter really coming? Perhaps so as we are only getting up to 90 degrees each day and it falls below 70 in the night. Heading to Mississippi tomorrow though where the temperatures will rise to 95 each day, I wonder about having confidence in sure things. Somewhere on this planet it is always not winter. Children sip soup with sweat drops formed on their lips every day, hands swatting flies and holding spoons. They will not ever know coolness and might not even perceive change in their lives. I imagine though that love hovers in their lives, the constant being the paradox that it is both fleeting and permanent, alighting to tickle the soul, drink of our sweat, and fly away.
How does love burn in your life?
I can compare the way love burns in my life to the way a log containing many elements burns. As you watch a log burn if you watch carefully you will see different colors of flames, depending on the elements that are burning. For example if phosphorous is burning, a blueish green flame appears. This would remind me of the sea and water. Love of the water and it's esential part of all things connects me to the universe. If I am feeling a bit blue, a blue flame would indicate copper is present. Copper can be shined to a bright luster and perhaps it is time to shine up myself by loving myself enough to move past the blue mood. A purple flame produced by potassium reminds me to love and treat others like royalty as it is through loving others that I bring love back to myself. Most of a burning log produces yellow, orange, or red flames because of the common elements of sodium and calcium. It is the sustained love of the universe including the sun that warms me and allows me to share the love of the universe and be renewed each day. To create a little excitement in life it is fun to throw a little borax on a burning log and watch the burning of boron produce a bright green flame. Life needs to be punctuated from time to time with excitement to remind us to appreciate all of our love connections.
ReplyDelete