Along the coast
the sweet smell of the sea
blends with forest green.
The sounds of tide and wind
and shore birds mixing
with woodpeckers thump,
the rustle of madrone leaves
and sigh of tall firs
swaying in the breeze.
With our cities upset, disease
and painful issues stressing
the fabric that holds us together,
I sit apart, letting the peace
of the holy world settle in me.
I offer my thoughts as prayers
on the altar of the earth,
sent out on the invisible
as quiet reminders
of the everyday miracle.
photograph by Louis MacKenzie
Reading of “Everyday Miracle” by the author with music by Tom Kenyon
~ Amen Brother ~ 🙏🙏🙏 ~ Amen ~
Don, we’re sailing the same course this morning, blessings brother!
Letting the peace of the holy world settle in….ah,….yes………
Don, the phrase “everyday miracle” alone is a fine reflection. You put quite a poem around it. And how about last week’s work “May these words find you?” I just read it and am very glad I caught up with something so good. May you have good effect from the words you sent to all of us.
A beautiful reflection, pointing us in the direction of solemn refuge. It would serve me well to read it everyday during these times. Thanks, as always, Don.
Exquisite!
Oh what a good “pointing out” instruction. I am hoping to find my way there…”to the peace of the holy world”. I seem to have lost my way a bit recently but with this poem, I am once again pointed in the right direction, Blessings on you for being a guide, Don.
So poignant! The ultimate directional balm for these challenging times.
Peaceful, and perfect for these times. Your own city has been much in the news the last while. I think of you often, being there in Portland.
Don, I know I said part of this to you in a text. I had a friend ask me what was the best part of going through hurricane Laura and what was the worst part. Here is how I answered him about the best part. Everyone reading this should know that Don sent this poem to me on Wednesday evening before the storm hit. “I had a friend in Oregon send me a poem that he wrote and sent to me before the storm. (You are going to think this is so nerdy), I decided to read the poem to the storm. I went outside in my carport and stood right at the edge where the rain didn’t hit me but I could still feel the roaring wind, and I read the poem to the storm and by the time I was done with the poem I was in tears and could barely speak, it was so powerful. Sorry, but you had to be there, it was cool. Now I know how Moses felt standing with the Red Sea in front of him, storms and chaos all around, people saying what do we do now, and so you speak calming words to the chaos, so powerful.”
This poem emerges from the substance that holds us together — and they catalyzed a mighty Word of calm through David Waskom, and the sharing of his glorious experience here. Thank you Don — and thank you David. I suspect similar things are happening through many other prople now, as the whole world approaches an epic Red Sea moment. In these words and in these times, I feel the presence of that which Moses represents now.
Don,
Just what’s needed at this time. Thanks.
Beautiful Don. I can so relate. The place of quiet beauty is always there. You’re the best! Tom