Image: George Mendoza
A friend posted a poem* on FaceBook
and these lines in particular struck a chord in my heart
I am learningto be worthy of timeand robust with memoryin a sanctuary of silencewhere the loves of my long lifewalk the shadows with me,where we embrace,where we sing…
Good morning, good God!
Things are slowing down for me, Lord,
and for that I am so very grateful!
Too many years on the merry-go-round,
too many over-scheduled days and nights,
too many years when I never ever felt caught-up!
But things are slowing down, Lord,
and I want to be worthy of the time that’s now mine,
to be worthy of the sane pace, the freedom,
the respite I enjoy without waiting
for Monday holidays, snow days, vacation and days off…
I still have a ways to go on time management
but I’m surely graced, Lord, by robust memories
of family, people, times and places
embedded in my heart but more and more
floating to the surface for my discovery,
my pleasure, my peace and consolation…
And, indeed, my sanctuary of silence,
my time for reflection and prayer,
the many clearings in the forest,
alfresco chapels for our meeting
one on one, face to face, heart to heart:
all this, too, is the gift of slowing down…
Day by day, night by night, season by season
I walk right by your side, Lord,
but we are not alone:
I walk with you and all the loves of my whole life,
some still with me, some long gone,
all of us together, embracing, heart to heart,
as your strong arms draw us in, into the silence
where rises up the joyful song
of slowing down and finding peace
in you, Lord, in your grace…
I offer you this Monday morning, Lord
my time:
teach me to use, share and pray it well;
my memories:
may they refresh, sustain and delight me;
your embrace:
may it hold and keep me close
to you and all you promise…
* Slowing Down
After hurrying through days
of busy occasions dutifully noted
on calendars with fast-turning pages,
I hear whispers around me,
talk of how I’m slowing down
as if something’s wrong with that
and I should be sorry to be my age,
mournful about the changes.
But for now I have to say
how welcome the changes are,
that it’s good sometimes
to live within a smaller compass,
no longer in charge of anything
more than daily necessities,
that I am learning
to be worthy of time
and robust with memory
in a sanctuary of silence
where the loves of my long life
walk the shadows with me
where we embrace,
where we sing
