Monday, March 31, 2008

Prayer as Response to Poetry - by Sondra Samuels


The following arrived this morning in my email inbox, and I received it as a delightful gift to begin my day. It's a response from Sondra Samuels to yesterday's blog on the William Carlos Williams' poem. Sondra writes poetically. I'm happy to share this from a woman who is my spiritual-friend, sister -friend, anchored- in-love-and- prayer- friend in North Minneapolis. Sondra heads up the Peace Foundation, and is gloriously partnered with City Councilman Don Samuels. I have the privilege of attending Visitation Companion Retreats with her.

I share this email and prayer with her permission, and great joy.

Peace!
Melissa

***

Hey Melissa. Thanks for the poem. Thanks for getting me out of the anxiety of what today will demand of me.

I love the poem! It reminds me of the same type of awakening that is possible with our consciousness. I'm reading Eckhart Tolle's new book, "A New Earth," and my understanding of, "springtime," is expanding. My prayer today:
O God, Our God! How Majestic is your name, is all the earth! Today may our minds, our thoughts, no longer have dominion over us, our relationships, or our understanding of the world. Father help us to stand apart from our thoughts- almost always dominated by ego- and know that there is more to ourselves, the other person and thing, or the situation at hand, than we could ever fathom. Help us to know that when we are judging today- that is ego. When we are defending ourselves to others- that is ego. When we become insecure by another's brilliance, beauty or power- that is ego. When we judge ourselves insufficient or too important- that is ego. As day on to day speaks to us and night on to night reveals wisdom, may we simply, "be" today. "Be still," and know what springtime teaches us about ourselves.

In your Son's name I pray.

Amen.

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