During the closing worship gathering at the Glen, each year there is an anointing. Consecrated oil is handed to a few de facto elders of the group, who stand in the front, as at stations, and the assembly lines up as they choose. It’s the tools of art-making that receive the anointing: hands, mostly, but throats […]
(with apologies to composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach—no slight meant to the classic “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes!”) In all unfairness to B, who reads this blog, today’s fifteen-minute piece will be How I ended up with Lapsang Souchong, –or– Tea-picking must be taught So: B comes back to live at Fawn Run […]
As in, “caught flatfooted.” I’d thought the morning held enough time to blog, but I wasn’t feeling it, so I worked on my homework. After class I was going to blog, but I connected with another student — classmate in both my classes, as it works out — and by the time I’d strolled with […]
I love swimming, but I have crappy breath control. When I was training regularly, it embarrassed me: I breathe every third arm-motion, which for a swimmer is like panting hard when strolling around your block. With focus and intention, I could get up towards five strokes, but real swimmers breathe once a length. Pay attention […]
Today is in the process of being a long day. -and- This term, Tuesdays have shaped up to be the present-progressive of long days. Yesterday, as I was looping through the house all evening—housekeepers came today, plus the ripples from the Big Rock of Vacation Aftermath hadn’t yet subsided—I noticed that my insides were […]
“It was difficult; it was hard, and I wanted to quit, but I’m glad I did it anyway.” —Austin Goldberg, on Productive Flourishing’s episode on the Wayfinding Academy) I have done this. I have felt this. But not in a while. Well, there’s hiking the Harding Ice Field trail two weeks ago, but the glad […]
I know what you planned, what you meant to do, teaching me to love the world, making it impossible to turn away completely, to shut it out completely ever again— it is everywhere; when I close my eyes, birdsong, scent of lilac in early spring, scent of summer roses: you mean to take it away, […]
(translated by Jeannine Hensley) O thou Most High who rulest all And hear’st the prayers of thine, O hearken, Lord, unto my suit And my petition sign. Into Thy everlasting arms Of mercy I commend Thy servant, Lord. Keep and preserve My husband, my dear friend. At Thy command, O Lord, he went, Nor nought […]
O, beginning, daughters of the earth await the sons of heaven, and vice versa. They all practice trigger-happiness and chicken scratch. They practice duration and meltdown. They primp in your glass. You think that’s funny? Never mind. It’s getting really cold in here. Who makes the introductions if not you? Who initiates the bliss, I […]
Lord, dost Thou look on me and will not I Launch out my heart to Heaven to look on Thee? Here if one loved me I should turn to see, And often think on him and often sigh, And by a tender friendship make reply To love gratuitous poured forth on me, And nurse a […]
