It occurs to me…

Continuing my Mary Oliver-a-thon. A two-fer with the whole poem and a portion, photo taken in Galveston recently.

A couple of (the last two) stanzas from Mary Oliver’s Mysteries, Yes poem stuck with me this morning:

“Let me keep my distance, always, from those

who think they have the answers.

Let me keep company always with those who say

‘Look!’ and laugh in astonishment,

and bow their heads.”

The word that comes to mind here is “reverence,” which Webster defines as “profound adoring awed respect.” Reverence doesn’t allow us to think “we have all the answers.” Instead, it causes us to “look,” to “laugh in astonishment.” There is much to look at, much to be astonished by.

In looking at my folder of completed photo and text offerings, I realize that they are heavily skewed to Mary Oliver poetry, which makes sense as I am working my way through her collection of poems — Devotions. Here is one (another) of those. Photo taken in Portland some years back.

As has been/will be reflected in my posts for a while, I am working my way through Devotions, a compendium of Mary Oliver’s work over the years — most excellent! Today is a two-fer from her poem, Don’t Hesitate. it didn’t seem right o provide only a slice of this pie. Photo 1 is a Galveston sunrise taken a few months back. Photo 2 is one of the mystery photos that appear on my camera roll from time to time.

It seems the perfect send off to my friend Fr. Sid Gervais who passed away this weekend — this, today’s entry in Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest which Chambers titles “Undaunted Radiance”:

“Nay, in all things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”  Romans 8:37

Chambers writes: “Undaunted radiance is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can alter.  The experiences of life, terrible or monotonous, are impotent to touch the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That pretty much sums up how Sid lived, what he believed, and was a, perhaps the, basis for his interminably positive attitude, and it is his legacy he leaves for me, for us — “Nay, in all things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”  Romans 8:37

This short in stature, yet a giant in every other way, man – Sid, the conqueror. 

This Sunday’s offering in honor of Fr. Sid Gervais, a friend of mine who passed away in his sleep Saturday night (so Sid-like!). The text is from Mary Oliver, but Sid certainly lived by these principles.

Photo taken in Kona, Hawaii a couple of months back.

From Mary Oliver’s The World I Live In:

“You wouldn’t believe what once or

twice I have seen.  I’ll just

     tell you this:

Only if there are angels in your head will you

     ever, possibly, see one.”

Here’s to making room in the head for angels and countless other blessings that may, possibly, appear if we just keep them in our heads.

Photo taken of the Austin skyline a few years back. Text inspired, in part, by Mary Oliver’s Bazougey, and in particular, her phrase, “world of particulars.”

I am rereading The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. His first agreement —

“Be impeccable with your word.”  

Ruiz calls this the most important and most difficult of the agreements.  I’ll have to ponder that, but it may also be the best 5-word bit of advice ever given.  I looked up “impeccable” and its  synonym is “faultless.”  That faultlessness is (in my experience) an unattainable goal is beside the point, or maybe that is his point.  That is, we all need to be impeccable with our word because none of us can be.