Journey The mouth of the river may be beautiful. It doesn’t remember the womb of its beginning. It doesn’t look back to where it’s been or wonder who ahead of it polished the rough stones. It is following the way in its fullness, now like satin, now cresting, waters meeting, kindred to travel gathered together, all knowing it flows one way, shining or in shadows. And me, the animal I ride wants to drive forward, its longing not always my own, overrunning its banks and bounds, edgeless, pilling along the way because, as I forget, it knows everything is before

life is a garden, not a road we enter and exit through the same gate wandering, where we go matters less than what we notice -Bokonon, The Lost Book There are ways, but the Way is uncharted! -Tao Te Ching ** For the season of Advent I am posting a reflection each Sunday on a theme from the lectionary readings and then during the week offering a poem each day to highlight that theme — see this past Sunday here ** ** Visit this week’s Poetry Party on the theme of Illumination **

Wanderer, your footsteps are the road, and nothing more; wanderer, there is no road, the road is made by walking. By walking one makes the road, and upon glancing behind one sees the path that never will be trod again. Wanderer, there is no road– Only wakes upon the sea. -Antonio Machado ** For the season of Advent I am posting a reflection each Sunday on a theme from the lectionary readings and then during the week offering a poem each day to highlight that theme — see this past Sunday here ** ** Visit this week’s Poetry Party on

If you are in the Seattle area I invite you to join me for an Advent Evening of Prayer on the theme of the Annunciation.  I will be co-leading with my marvelous partner Betsey Beckman. Through storytelling, meditation, and reflection, take some time to enter into the gifts of this holy season. Thursday, December 11th from 7-9 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish Center, 732 18th Ave E, Seattle (sponsored by the Ignatian Spirituality Center, no pre-registration required, free will offering) OR Friday, December 12th from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at St. Cecelia Parish on Bainbridge Island (sponsored by St Cecelia Parish, no

door of being, dawn and wake me, allow me to see the face of this day, allow me to see the face of this night, all communicates, all is transformed, arch of blood, bridge of the pulse, take me to the other side of this night, where I am you, we are us, the kingdom where pronouns are intertwined, door of being: open your being and wake, learn to be …. -Octavio Paz

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don’t go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill Where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don’t go back to sleep. -Rumi

Beyond living and dreaming there is something more important: waking up. -Antonio Machado And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake. -Mark 13:37 The last few weeks I have been struggling with some medication I am taking. It has done a wonderful job keeping my migraines at bay but insomnia has been its worst side effect.  While it is a gift to not have the migraines regularly I have been sleep-deprived for far too many days to make it worth it.  So as I began to prepare for the Advent season and reflect on the readings I had