Trust trust in God and tie your camel—old Sufi saying Faith and trust are not enough—you are asked to greet your end of the contract, the earthly end Tend the farm pay your bills love one another Remember to be kind you have no idea what’s going on in that rude driver’s day
I love your poem, its gentle reminder to greet each happening in your day with love and understanding. Of course, our soul's warrior must be ready just in case, don't you think? (To tie our camel). To differentiate between what might be trusted and what must be encountered? But leading with trust.
You offer such an interesting question, thank you. I have never thought of having my warrior ready. Perhaps that is Freya, the wolf always at my left side. In one of my poems in the new manuscript about raising my son, the Goddess Artemis showed up when I had to face a particular doctor. A soul's warrior, for sure. As I would put it in the vernacular, "I don't take no shit."
But that doesn't mean I would engage. Rather find a way to stop and walk away, a prayer in my heart that however they have been harmed that incited this current behavior, that it be soothed, metabolized, something. It is their life, so I have no idea what they have been through. But I do know I will not allow it in my life. And I will not lash out, adding harm to harm. Not even if it means I lose my own life. That doesn't mean I won't speak up on my behalf. And back in the day, I took karate for three years. I still have a strong elbow and could stomp someone's arch! Probably not much more than that.
And yes, leading with trust, always. But not ungrounded, airy-fairy trust. The trust that has grown from being molested and learning to read people intuitively. Tying my camel.
Thank you for your question. It took me deep, Mare.
Oh, and I really like your response. Thoughtful and personal.
I was raised afraid to show anger, and it wasn't until in my 30s when I knew an Italian man who deliberately stoked my fire with his anti-feminist rant. One day, I let it go - the first time in my life I had expressed anger. Strangely (to me), he improved and didn't hurt me or abandon me. So properly placed, anger or a karate chop might be just the thing that brings peace.
"You do mot know what wars are going on down there where the spirit meets the bone," I have never heard that line, and wow, it’s a showstopper. Who is Miller Williams, and is Compassion a poem, essay, book? Please educate me!
Stanley Miller Williams (1930 - 2015) was born in Hoxie, Arkansas, the son of an itinerant Methodist minister. He attended college planning to study English and foreign languages, but switched to biology after a school psychologist told him he showed no verbal aptitude and, ultimately, earned a graduate degree in zoology. He taught at several universities and helped found the University of Arkansas Press, where he served as director for nearly 20 years. Father of singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams, Miller published a total of 37 books of poetry and prose and served as a mentor to many aspiring writers, including Billy Collins. Miller's own mentor was his good friend, Flannery O?Conner.
This is one of those small poems with an outsized effect that I heard years ago and keep on remembering https://lenleatherwood.com/2015/03/23/compassion-by-miller-and-lucinda-williams/ Didn't know the larger story til I looked it up to send you. xoxo
Thank you! You are the second person who brought Miller to my attention!
with love,
Amrita
I love your poem, its gentle reminder to greet each happening in your day with love and understanding. Of course, our soul's warrior must be ready just in case, don't you think? (To tie our camel). To differentiate between what might be trusted and what must be encountered? But leading with trust.
You offer such an interesting question, thank you. I have never thought of having my warrior ready. Perhaps that is Freya, the wolf always at my left side. In one of my poems in the new manuscript about raising my son, the Goddess Artemis showed up when I had to face a particular doctor. A soul's warrior, for sure. As I would put it in the vernacular, "I don't take no shit."
But that doesn't mean I would engage. Rather find a way to stop and walk away, a prayer in my heart that however they have been harmed that incited this current behavior, that it be soothed, metabolized, something. It is their life, so I have no idea what they have been through. But I do know I will not allow it in my life. And I will not lash out, adding harm to harm. Not even if it means I lose my own life. That doesn't mean I won't speak up on my behalf. And back in the day, I took karate for three years. I still have a strong elbow and could stomp someone's arch! Probably not much more than that.
And yes, leading with trust, always. But not ungrounded, airy-fairy trust. The trust that has grown from being molested and learning to read people intuitively. Tying my camel.
Thank you for your question. It took me deep, Mare.
Oh, and I really like your response. Thoughtful and personal.
I was raised afraid to show anger, and it wasn't until in my 30s when I knew an Italian man who deliberately stoked my fire with his anti-feminist rant. One day, I let it go - the first time in my life I had expressed anger. Strangely (to me), he improved and didn't hurt me or abandon me. So properly placed, anger or a karate chop might be just the thing that brings peace.
Yes!
No time to write more now; time to walk the dog--my one 15 minutes right now, with my cane, and with great care.
Reminds me of MIller Williams advice in Compassion: You do not know what wars are going on
down there where the spirit meets the bone. I can never be reminded too often.
I think I responded to the wrong person! Yikes! I was not familiar with Miller Williams. Thank you, and forgive my typos!
with love,
Amrita
"You do mot know what wars are going on down there where the spirit meets the bone," I have never heard that line, and wow, it’s a showstopper. Who is Miller Williams, and is Compassion a poem, essay, book? Please educate me!
Have compassion for everyone you meet,
even if they don't want it. What seems conceit,
bad manners, or cynicism is always a sign
of things no ears have heard, no eyes have seen.
You do not know what wars are going on
down there where the spirit meets the bone.
Stanley Miller Williams (1930 - 2015) was born in Hoxie, Arkansas, the son of an itinerant Methodist minister. He attended college planning to study English and foreign languages, but switched to biology after a school psychologist told him he showed no verbal aptitude and, ultimately, earned a graduate degree in zoology. He taught at several universities and helped found the University of Arkansas Press, where he served as director for nearly 20 years. Father of singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams, Miller published a total of 37 books of poetry and prose and served as a mentor to many aspiring writers, including Billy Collins. Miller's own mentor was his good friend, Flannery O?Conner.
A school psychologist told him he showed no verbal aptitude, and he published 37 books of poetry? Wow!!! LOVE that!