reflections from the interior
  • home
  • blog
  • reflections
  • poems
  • announcements
  • books & cards , etc.
  • contact me

Choose

2/16/2021

8 Comments

 
While the moon is swimming upside down under the lake
and all the fishes sprout feet to walk on the surface of the sky
and the wind, which is still, picks me up and whirls me round and round beyond earth,
I grab for the nearest branches and cling to a safe haven for now
and here I wait for Badger to fly close enough for me to hitch a ride on her back
and travel with her deep deep down to the roots at the center of home.  

               -pab 2/2021-
 
     
     Have you noticed that we’re all playing “Follow the Leader?”  The leader may run then stop suddenly, reverse direction, skip a few steps, hop, or jump sideways. We never know what he or she will do next and that’s the fun of the game. We love the unpredictable nature of it.  When we are children, the game is so innocent.
 
     But this is not such an innocent game for adults. We are now living in times of great chaos on many fronts. We eagerly consume our daily dose of the news and choose whom we will follow whether or not that leader knows the facts and tells us the truth. Then when enough followers fall in line, it’s easy to now follow the crowd at the tremendous cost of believing a leader and a crowd who may not have done their own research to uncover the truth. When we do begin to question and give no credence to others until we have discovered as much as we possibly can, we may receive harsh criticism or pointed exclusion.
 
     I am reminded of these words from the song, The Great Mandala:
             ‘ Take your place on the Great Mandala
               as it moves through your brief moment of time,
               win or lose now, you must choose now,
               and if you lose you’re only losing your life.’
 
     Are we choosing to follow the leader? Or to sort through all the chaos and confusion and be still for a minute? Can you trust your own heart, your own knowing to guide you? My answer is Yes! You can and must trust yourself! We have a long line of ancestors informing our knowing and intuition. They can be trusted to guide us “in the way of truth.”
 

8 Comments
candy
2/16/2021 11:33:23 pm

I love your poem Phyllis. Not sure why it makes my little one happy but it does and an adventure feels afoot.

The rest intrigues me and makes me wonder what specifically you are referring to. It doesn't really matter though. It could be about anything and everything or nothing at all. I appreciate your observations.

Reply
Phyllis link
2/17/2021 03:37:16 pm

Thanks for commenting, Candy. I'm glad my poem makes you happy and you feel an adventure afoot!
As for the rest, it's good to have a little mystery to ponder. Trust yourself is the real message. I know you do that!

Reply
Juliana Ellington
2/17/2021 08:08:05 am

The images of your poem are dreamy and magical. I can imagine a children's book with your lines translated into beautiful art. I love badger taking you/us home to a safe, warm, fire-lit room. As I read your questions, I thought of my grandfather, and I wondered what he thought as he navigated the chaos and horror of WWII. He had two sons in the war--one in Europe and the other in the Pacific theatre, and a daughter living in Atlanta and working on the Army base, and the news (on radio and newspaper) must have been just as confusing and biased as today's. My conclusion is that he tried to do what he thought was right, and he put one foot in front of the other on a path of caring and generosity. I'm glad your words made me remember that I have guides for this time.

Reply
Phyllis link
2/17/2021 03:53:36 pm

Thank you, Juliana, for sharing your grandfather's experience of having three children in WWII. What an example he was to carry on with caring and generosity in such uncertain times. Would that each of us have that kindly disposition in our time.
I'm glad you enjoyed the poem; specifically the imagery. A children's book? Hmmm...

Reply
Lynnette link
2/17/2021 09:59:39 am

love the Badger imagery-all very fine-and your words about the game Follow the Leader took me right back to snowy playgrounds and playing that game-never knowing what we would do next-great!

Reply
Phyllis link
2/17/2021 04:00:29 pm

Thanks, Lynn, for your comments. I love playing with images and words, as I'm sure you do. Thanks for sharing your memories of snowy playgrounds, hard for me to imagine. In my memories of St. Louis, our playgrounds were always hot and humid!

Reply
Susan Hudgens link
2/18/2021 08:35:38 am

Beautiful poem and imagery Phyllis. I love the feelings of warmth and security it evoked (for me) about home. Reminds me of conversations about 'nesting' we have had. Certainly we are all living in a time when we are able to do that, and the space we gain for inner reflection can be a very productive time. The "Follow the Leader" analogy is also apt as well, since along with additional time for self-reflection, there is also time to be bombarded by negativity which loudly clamors for attention. Thank you for the reminder to be guided by our wise hearts and inner knowings. I believe the song, The Great Mandela, was sung by Peter, Paul, and Mary and it has such a haunting yet compelling sound and words that I am struck by it each time I listen to it. I'm going to 'tune in' again while I ponder the wisdom of your words. Thank you again for these reminders.

Reply
Phyllis link
2/22/2021 09:03:17 am

Thanks, Sue. I do like nesting these days. It’s healing for the body and soul. I’m glad you found my writing speaking to you. Enjoy tuning in to PP&M. Their well crafted songs always teach me something new.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    December 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly