The Art of Disappearing
April 11, 2007 · by Christine
Tomorrow I head off to the Spiritual Directors International Conference being held this year in Vancouver, BC. I am especially looking forward to my workshops on First Nations cosmology and one on animal companionship and spirituality.
When I return Sunday I have two projects I really need to focus some time and energy on, so I am going to take a blogging break until the end of next week just to clear some space for myself.
Feel free to continue placing orders for notecards or prayer cards while I am on break, I will still be answering email and those are all ready to slip into envelopes and ship out right away.
I read this poem at Antony’s blog the other day and it resonated so deeply I knew I had to take notice:
The Art of Disappearing
When they say Don’t I know you?
say no. When they invite you to the party
remember what parties are like
before answering.
Someone telling you in a loud voice
they once wrote a poem.
Greasy sausage balls on a paper plate.
Then reply. If they say We should get together
say why? It’s not that you don’t love them anymore.
You’re trying to remember something
too important to forget.
Trees. The monastery bell at twilight.
Tell them you have a new project.
It will never be finished.
When someone recognizes you in a
grocery store
nod briefly and become a cabbage.
When someone you haven’t seen in ten years
appears at the door,
don’t start singing him all your new songs.
You will never catch up.
Walk around feeling like a leaf.
Know you could tumble any second.
Then decide what to do with your time.
Poem: “The Art of Disappearing” by Naomi Shihab Nye from Words Under the Words: Selected Poems
In addition to the important projects I am also “trying to remember something / too important to forget.” Not exactly sure what it is just yet, but I am sure I will share more about it when I return.
*You can still vote daily at the Best of Blogs here until April 14th (Inspirational is the fourth category down). I am very grateful to all of you who have taken the time to vote for my blog.*
-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts
Posted in Poetry |
April 11th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
oh Christine - i hope you enjoy your Conference which sounds wonderful and very interesting! will miss your presence but we will live. i will just mope around here with a big sad bottom lip hanging down, waiting for you to return
I will continue to vote for you!!!
this Disappearing poem is unusual, but i am warming up to it. (to me) it seems there is some hidden humour in it? makes me think of what a few other blogging friends of mine have been talking about lately . . .something to do with having to weed-out friends who are no longer “healthy” for our spiritual life.
anyways, girl…..be well and have FUN!
HUGS
April 12th, 2007 at 8:00 am
Oh I do wish I lived in Seattle - I’d love to do your workshop on animal companionship and spirituality.
Enjoy Vancouver, look forward to more of your writings when you get back.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Thanks Bette, there is definitely humor to the poem. I’ll be back very soon!
Thank you so much Tess!
April 12th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Your conference sounds wonderful and I, along with many others I’m sure, will look forward to all that will come forth from your time there. And like Bette said, we will miss your “presence” but I wish you good health while you’re away and all the riches the conference has to offer. Blessings!
April 13th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Christine…
I so wanted to go…it filled up very quickly. Several of the grads from my spiritual direction program tired to get a presentation together (as our program was largely based on cosmology and the universe story). Alas, we never got it together!
I hope you are having a wonderful and enlightening time…what a great place to be!
I am still very serious about your program in the fall…just overwhelmed with things right now!
April 15th, 2007 at 6:01 am
Congratulations Christine…I just looked at the Best of Blog results.
April 15th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Thank you Cathleen and Suz! Suz, it would be great to have you join us in November, I got to promote that program a lot at the conference with folks so I am excited about the group that will be formed for that.
Thanks so much chartreuseova! I am very honored.