Words From A Desert Heart

I happened upon you   as I was walking.I…   in part…      was looking for         the labyrinth            that I had been told of…      but I also         was soaking in…            basking in…         silently rejoicing in…      the sacredness   of this space.There you were…   unpretentious,      yet undeniably         present…      on the side of the path. Your massive trunk   has an elegance     …

As a clay urn   expertly crafted…      beautifully made…   lovingly formed…are we.Strong   and resilient…yet   fragile…      delicate…         prone to injury.We are perfectly made,   with our imperfections…      our weaknesses…   our flaws.We hold within us   beauty and treasures.We are filled   with the wonders      that our Creator         has chosen –      unique to each of us.Many times   our treasures      go unnoticed.They…

Lord,on this glorious dayof change,of renovation,of celebration,I want to thank Youfor not leaving mein darkness,for guiding mealong the waywhen I had doubts,for being my Lightand my strength. The shining sun,the birdsthat sing tirelessly,the cloudsthat hug the mountains,the trees and flowersthat vibrate with lifeaccompany mein my joy.And You, who aremy reason for livingand for my celebration,have…

If I could do it over again,I would be carefree and I wouldn’t take life so seriously.I’d take more walks in the rain,build more snowmen in winter,make more sandcastles on sunny beaches,and I’d enjoy the changing leaves in fall. I would appreciate waterfalls and rainbowsinstead of complaining that the river endedor the rain ruined a…

The bunny   on the side of the path      looks at me…         unmoving…      as if to return         my early morning greeting,            “Buenos días, Chiquitchu Hermochu!”            (“Good morning, Beautiful Little One!”).Two hawks…   in different trees…      perch,         unmoving…      facing eastward…   in anticipation.As I continue to ride,   the glow over the Rincon mountains      becomes more intense.I hear the deep…

Today   I mourn.Today   I mourn      my child-poet self.Today   I mourn      the love-filled,      the pain-filled,      the awe-filled,      the joy-filled,      the question-filled         poems   written      on scraps of paper,      in notebooks,      on napkins,      on envelopes   by me…      as a child,      as a teenager,      as a college student,      as a Peace Corps Volunteer.Today   I mourn      the ashes         that they…

I’m thankful for food to eat, clothes to wear,a family to live with and people who care. I’m thankful for my parents because they care when I’m sad,when the going gets rough, with them it’s not as bad. I’m thankful for both my sisters too,they think of other people no matter what they do. I’m…

The darkness of the tomb.   The darkness of the womb.The tomb is   scary,      cold,         solitary,            painful.The womb is   all we have known,      warm,         shared,            comforting.The darkness of the tomb   seems like      a destination.The darkness of the womb   seems like      a journey.But…   The darkness      is one.   The hope      is one…if we are willing   to breathe      and…

As I dry your feet   to anoint them,      you weep.Each tear   is a pain…      a fear…         a wound…            a memory.Without a word,   you share      this intimate         suffering            with me.Without a word,   I accompany you      in your pain,   knowing      I could never walk         where your feet have been.As the tears fall,   a place      full of pain        …

The hole in my heart   where grief resides      has opened up again.The wound   is raw,my soul   aches,the ceaseless tears   flow.I have been   tryingto fit   the shape      of my griefinto the space   that      she occupied         in my heart.It doesn’t work….It doesn’t fit….The space   that      she occupiedcontains   both the      immeasurable holeand the expansiveness   of my love for…