The key phrase is ‘But here I am now.’ The realization that nature keeps us in the eternal now is echoed in an interesting interpretation of Jesus’ term ‘kingdom of God’ by Stephen Mitchell, a poet who has prepared new translations of biblical texts. He writes: ‘Jesus was talking about a state of being, a way of living at ease among the joys and sorrows of our world. It is possible, he said, to be as simple and beautiful as the birds of the sky or the lilies of the field, who are always within the eternal now.’ The Japanese haiku form is perfectly suited to showcase this kind of presence. It focuses on one image but from it arises a multitude of associations…..Frederic & Mary Ann Brussat
consider the incredible improbability of being here…..maybe turning water into wine is as difficult as sitting quietly….go back to the forest, go back to the sea….settle in please….bring back hope…..and beauty…..
The spring sea rising
and falling, rising
and falling all day.
….Buson
Summer night-
even the stars
are whispering to each other.
….Issa
Seed. There are so many beginnings. In Japan, I recall, there were wildflowers that grew in the far, cool region of mountains. The bricks of Hiroshima, down below, were formed of clay from these mountains, and so the walls of houses and shops held the dormant trumpet flower seeds. But after one group of humans killed another with the explosive power of life’s smallest elements split wide apart, the mountain flowers began to grow. Out of destruction and bomb heat and the falling of walls, the seeds opened up and grew. What a horrible beauty, the world going its own way, growing without us. But perhaps this, too, speaks of survival, of hope beyond our time……Linda Hogan
Hiroshima (and Nagasaki) are particularly disturbing to the psyche … The argument for and against will go on for all time, none the less the truth is what happened there … I never heard that about the mountain flowers, I am touched by their grace, that perhaps there was a flower for every soul, and yes, hope beyond our time …
Vanished in the light
Creations hand releasing
Flowers from the storm …
countless graces shine
countless torments hang heavy
from choice may we learn
Reminds me of a favorite movie – Kingdom of Heaven. It is a lesson in understanding of both grace and the divine, understanding that Jeruselem is not a place on the map – but a place within the soul. When choosing whether to battle over the temples, the ‘default’ leader chose based on an understanding that what mattered was the people; not the temple (one that had been built over time and again). The true temple is the soul ~ the only language, that of heart. Love this, Blue. ~ Bobbie
we could learn more deeply with this shift in awareness…..to enjoy the flowers as gifts from the universe to be shared with one another…..your never-ever choice invites us all to reach for our highest self….may the temples radiate light….have a sweet day Bobbie….