Quieting, Unsorted

A New Kind of Thought

Sometimes there were no words. And then somehow, mysteriously, worlds began to well up from somewhere beyond. A new kind of thought from a gentler place began to transform all that seemed unreachable. Gentle prayers began to take form out of the resolve to surrender everything  — just to remember this place for a moment.

There came a desire to remain in this place within — just a little longer — no matter what appeared on the surface or how big the challenges seemed.

Unsorted

Transformation into Tenderness

I found it worked best

to connect with parts of me

that needed attention.

I learned I could hold these parts

without needing them to change.

The first time I noticed I could, in fact,

affect my experience in the world

in a gentle way —

without analyzing or retraumatizing —

without a desperate search,

I had no more need for

less effective ways of coping

that had served to carry me

to a safer place.

Whatever appeared as a reflection

to this safe place within

would be enough.

And when the the outer experience

didn’t match what was felt in my heart,

I held my ground.

It wasn’t always comfortable,

but it was a continuous,

delicate and sacred transformation

into tenderness.

Continuing On

Always

Sometimes the only thing

I knew to do

was to keep going,

which undoubtedly meant

surrendering to the creative flow

of life.

And so there was the

painful dropping of pieces

I had held so carefully

and an understanding

I seemed to have with God

that I would sometimes

hold on a little longer,

push ahead,

lose my center,

and struggle to find any

resemblance of grace.

But I would always keep going.

Continuing On

Keep Going

Each time another challenge arose,

I was reminded of how

it could have been —

had I not allowed the process

of expanding to happen

so freely.

There was frustration as old

patterns and emotions were

brought to the surface,

and I was tempted to retreat–

just a little.

I learned to turn

inward and hold my ground —

refusing to quit before

the next tender place

was reached.

Sometimes my prayer sounded

more like a tired scream through

swallowed tears

than a comforting whisper.

But there was always

tenderness close by —

as I dared to keep going.

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