Be The Change You Want To See

On the Anniversary of September 11, here's a thought:

When Rainbows Come

It's been an eventful summer.
For all of us.
You, and I.
You've seen my photo posts;
words are elusive of late.

I've learned a few things
as I reflect
in the heart of the canyons here...

One,
that I have missed you.
I've visited your blogs and
tasted cups of love
and the touch of your hearts.
I'm glad to walk with you
as we travel together. 

Two,
that with the many storms facing us,
we are none of us alone. 

Third,
that sometimes
after a storm
comes the most beautiful rainbow.

Sometimes
even more than one.

There may or may not be pots of gold,
but the rainbows are gratifying enough.
And riding those rainbows
have brought incredible wild joy
and....

Finding The Quiet

Credit: Photo courtesy of Aaron Penn, photographer
There are many ways to experience one's connectedness with God. The search takes you outside and eventually leads you inside. One of my most memorable church experiences of that connection was while serving as a young women's counselor while in the LDS faith as one of several stepping stones on my path to finding God.

We were at a summer camp in the pine mountains of Arizona. We held a Sunday service in a clearing in the woods reserved for spiritual gatherings. Sitting on bleachers listening to the speaker, the sun sent illuminating rays through the trees. The slight rustling of the leaves in the breeze, birds singing their own celebration of life, and an abiding peacefulness settled in my being. I felt an aliveness and deep oneness with God. Even now there is an inner cleansing, an inner exhale, whenever I re-live that moment.

It reminds me of an earlier spiritual experience while living in Germany, spending Christmas with extended family in a small town called Selbitz. On Christmas Eve we would walk to a church in the town for a sort of midnight mass. My mother was raised Lutheran, my father Methodist, and my Grandmother was a reformed Catholic living as a Jehovah's Witness. There was something about being there, with other people wanting to experience something extraordinary, and I felt a shared connectedness. I remember how it felt to watch the procession celebrating Christ's entrance into our world, and how warm and full of light the church was. Walking home afterwards, snow falling under a cold, dark sky sparkling with light reflecting off snowflakes and lamp posts, the quiet conversations around us enveloped me in a blanket of peace that resonated on a deep, deep level.

From those earlier experiences I realize why I often find myself in the mountains today, surrounded by quivering aspen leaves, under bright blue skies and the sounds of the forest. It is there where I finally hear myself, where I feel loved and accepted, and close to something greater than my insecure self; something strong and loving and kind. It is where I go to connect with my idea of God, a benevolence that strengthens.

There is a Benedictine monk, David Steindl Rast, who shares his love for God and life, and us, through a website called www.gratefulness.org. Brother David is a vibrant living example of humble humor. He makes me want to go inside, find the best of me, and offer it to the world. He inspires me to ask, "What do I have left to give?"

Here is his gentle prayer on gratitude:


And leaves me with a sense of...

Bringing People Together

It's Memorial Day here in the U.S., and my father sent me a news clip from Florida, where he is retired from the Air Force. His father also served in the military -- in the U.S. Navy.

This July 4th 2008 clip shows a flag ceremony in Siesta Keys (Tampa Bay, Florida area) honoring fallen veterans.

I love this story because retired Navy Captain Ralph Styles speaks so passionately from his heart. While I'm not normally big on patriotism when it divides people, I am aware that it can also unite, as it does here.

I love how this retired naval submarine commander--98-years old in this clip--brought his community together every evening at sunset in what became a neighborhood tradition, to honor those who gave themselves so that others could have peace. I find this very touching.

As you can see, young, old and everyone in between come together here: http://www.tbo.com/video/xml/MGB95UT79IF.html

Ralph Styles passed away in October 2008. May we remember him as he remembered his comrades and heroes.



Credit: photo courtesy of the Captain's Corner http://ezvideobizcards.com/ralphstyles/