The Gift of Rain and Postage

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.


e. e. cummings

Positive thoughts are the most life giving gift we can give ourselves, especially when things are not going well in our lives. When we look upon nature in all its grandeur, it is hard to not believe that something all knowing, all powerful and watchful is presiding over us. As the rain finally fell upon my desperately drought ridden back yard last night, I could almost hear the trees and grass give a collective sigh of relief. Even though the sky lit up and belched a terrifying rumble that shook the very foundation of my home, I knew the corn would welcome more than a drink to cool parched and withering leaves, but an electrifying boost of creative energy as well. And so we rise to meet a new and glorious day; hopeful, renewed and longing for more insight like a rainbow outstretched on a distant horizon.



I apologize for not posting last week, but I was on a camping trip with my two boys. Unfortunately, I broke an arm while attempting to navigate a mountain bike trail and have been a bit incapacitated ever since. I hope to keep on in spite of having to be so much more patient getting dressed and performing the daily tasks that we all take for granted, like dressing and bathing ourselves. I am also reminded how much pain can affect and redirect our patience for the tiny annoyances that come along during the course of a day’s time. It is indeed a comfort to read E.E. Cumming’s quote above and to be reassured that God has all things in the palm of his hand. I thank you Aunt Jane for the simple gift of honest words and something as subtle as a postage stamp. Bless you!

Thoughts on the Lessons Learned from History

It is for each of us as citizens of the United States of America to raise the banner for which so many have fought and died to preserve. Will you be one of them, at least for today?


From the recesses of an old soul that lies within, I transcribe the thoughts and emotion of a nation’s turbulent history and the lessons learned therein. Why is it that politicians, no matter how learned or distinguished in their civilian professions, become like pawns in a game of give and take and partisan rhetoric? I am sickened to think that after more than two hundred years our republic is on the verge of ruin like the weather worn edifice of Greece or Rome. I am distraught to consider the old adage true that all great democracies built on individual freedoms and liberties are doomed to repeat the sins of ages past and crumble down upon them selves. Are the words of Founding Fathers merely an idea or theory printed on parchment to appease the riotous crowd whose cry for independence is muffled by tyranny and oppression? I call upon the highest ideals of men and women to transform this great land to its original intent and to sustain the banner “E Pluribus Unum” and “In God We trust.”

From the grave I heard my ancestor cry: "I carried the orders from our Commanding General Washington to the bloody fields where our brethren lie distraught, wounded and dying.”Don't give up the fight!" he said, "Don't give up the fight!" And the men emerged from their tents, straightened up their soiled and worn cloaks and proceeded to pursue the dream of liberty for all! I awoke in tears to the echoes of defeat from our lofty Capital's Hills.

Today, July 3, 2012, we prepare to celebrate not only the founding of a brave new continent prescribed and ordained by God to lead a floundering world towards the ideal of “All Men are Created Equal, That they are endowed by their creator certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” but also to this oath; “We pledge our fortunes, our lives and our sacred honor.” Let us remember these words and not let “politics as usual” become the epitaph for this great land of opportunity. Let the sins of the present and past not burden us any longer and let us learn from the lessons that greed, corruption and want teach us about the worldly aspirations of the flesh. Let our spirits soar with eagles and proclaim “freedom” as our battle cry once more. Peace- Witt

Foxes and Fowls

Foxes have holes

Fowls’ their nests

But no place he,

his head to rest.

- Matthew 8:18-22

I find a riddle in these words, or more importantly, a challenge. Faith has a two fold message that puts the soul, mind and body on notice that each human being, comprised of an intrinsic trinity must come to an understanding that man is a reflection of God. Perhaps this is what I have come to know as a “sacred mystery.” We must all be willing to cast off the dark outer skin of our worldly selves and leave behind the sharp jagged refuse of our sinful past and take up a higher purpose for our being. As Christ showed us when he wrote in the dirt all of the blemishes of the high priests as they condemned a woman to death, we must let the wind wipe away the traffic of the well traveled road of our past understanding and become a new creation.

Some have called for “A new world order” in which humankind transcends the selfish motives of personal gain, power and greed to work for the common good of all. For these I believe have been the greatest downfall of man. When we can put aside these pitfalls of evil and deceit, then can we fully realize the end for which we seek; full communion with God. The universe stands before us as an example of what is paraphrased from Goethe as "an order and chaos that finds meaning in the hum of planets as they orbit a blazing star to transcend space and time to find the ultimate truth about our place in the cosmos."

We must all question and pursue our own destiny within this microcosm, yet we must embrace each moment as part of a journey to a higher end. The struggle and strife of worldly cares shape and form us to conform or break away from whatever challenges us along the way. It is merely a matter of choice to follow in the footsteps of destruction or eternal life. And so, the ultimate question is posed: “How will I live my life, for selfish gain or for the goodness that pervades every living thing on earth?” Will I bury myself underground in the safety of my will to survive or will I fly amongst the fowl that rise at dawn and sing the praises of a new day found?

Disregarded and Unresolved

I drove out to my favorite hiking place last evening about and hour or so before sunset. It is sparsely wooded and kept like you would expect a state or public park to be, and it serves as both an overflow area for flood waters and a sanctuary for water fowl and other wildlife. I often go there to observe the sunset or sunrise and just mingle with my thoughts on the day or a particular event or struggle going on in my life. Last evening was not particularly special other than I needed some time to walk and clear my head. My ulterior motive was that in about a week and a half I am going to spend a week at camp with my sons’ Boy Scout troop. Our camp site is one of the farthest away from the main administration building, dining hall and chapel so we’ll be trekking a few miles during the week. I started getting prepared for this some time ago so that I would be in shape to endure the daily trips back and forth. And as the sun dipped farther and farther towards the horizon, my footsteps quickened and my mind raced towards the summit of the best spot to catch the last rays of daylight. In those moments I felt a wave of thought going back many years and a feeling of disregard and unresolved inner tension took hold of me.



I never quite knew back in high school what I wanted to do or be, but I realized that I needed discipline in order to make it on my own. The military provided just the right combination of physical, mental and daily routine that I could use to discover where I was headed in life. I often have dreams of being back in the army and packing up for deployment somewhere. I think this is my subconscious longing for the days when there were far fewer concerns on my mind to think about than today. You might find it pretty amazing that I still have not found any particular profession or career to suit me and that is probably why I have hopped from job to job many times over the years since being discharged from the military. Scouting provides a uniform and a mission that I find enjoyable, but it cannot provide everything I need today.



There have been some major turning points in my life since those carefree days when I was a younger man, like getting married and becoming a father of two boys. I never really considered doing anything else in life that could possibly bring more joy or purpose; so herein lay my quandary. As I approach my fiftieth birthday and I am only working a part time job that is barely bringing in an income to support my family; where do I go from here? In recent months I have disregarded the old approach of taking on whatever job came along just for a paycheck only to have unresolved issues about career and a secure future hit me right in the face. This is where the purpose of my hike came in to play last evening.



Watching the sun sink lower and lower on the horizon provided some answers on a spiritual level that I find difficult to describe. I was only about three quarters through my hike when a fork in the path appeared up ahead. While I was sure that taking the left would take me back to where I started, the right was not so clear and I ran the risk of hitting a dead end. After weighing both choices carefully, I took the right fork which rose slightly at first and then turned towards the direction I wanted to go in the first place. The trail took a sharp left turn and I soon found myself on the path towards the summit of a hill where the sunset was almost complete. Pausing there for a moment, I took to one knee and prayed as I had learned as a child. Then, rising to my feet, the final moments of day glowed far off to the west as the crescent moon took its place as the dominant light in an endless deep blue sky. While this provided no clear answers to my query, I found peacefulness rarely experienced in the everyday hustle and bustle of the town below. I hope you can find such peace as well. Witt.

On What Ground am I?

The following is an entry that has been in my draft file for quite some time. Because it is summer and I am in a highly relective mood tonight; please accept this as a gift. Happy Father's Day!


Today, as I consider plans that have been made for this weekend; the thoughts and words of Ralph Waldo Emerson come to mind. “When a man lives with God, his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook and the rustle of the corn.” This phrase comes from Emerson’s essay on Self Reliance written around 1841. I cannot help but relate to this as it is late July and the fields of northwest Ohio are green with the stalks of growing corn and low rows of soy beans. The wheat harvest has been gathered in for the most part and the bailing of hay has commenced. There is an anticipation of things to come and the present moment gives way to the lonesome mourning dove perched outside my window. It is the day of my birth and for now the concerns of the world seem a million miles away.

The scripture readings for today concern the Ten Commandments from Exodus and Jesus’ parable of The Sower from Matthew’s gospel. I wonder now on what ground am I? As I lie in bed earlier this morning, the image of a muddy field flashed across my mind and how my life has been much like a long rut stretching out across to the farthest horizon. There are still dreams to fulfill, chores to perform and children to raise. There have been days of great personal challenge, triumph and joy, but there have been moments of much uncertainty, sorrow and pain as well. As I wade deep into the pages that reveal my life history, I am reminded that like some stick in the mud, I have moved little towards the man God has planted in me. In the end, will I be judged for what I have done or what I have failed to do, for words spoken in anger or in actions spent in pure sacrifice for another? My hope is ever in the Lord, but my flesh speaks another tale fraught with weakness for the wonder lust that exists in the world.

As I sped off early this morning to the local BMV to have my driver’s license renewed, I thought how quickly four years had passed and the futility of finding work this past year. At the same time I savored one last kiss and a cool breeze pouring in from outside the car window. I think God would be happy to know I have grown to appreciate these small things and that I have tried my best to maintain a sense of personal integrity, though moments of despair have clouded my sight at times. In any case, I sit here needing and wanting to share my thoughts with you as the day progresses and there are, as Frost wrote, “Miles to go before I sleep.” I think it is fair to say we all progress from waste land to fertile soil on any given day, but the God who loves us will always lead the way if we keep our sights set on our better selves; especially when the world begs us to turn and succumb to its will that can lead us astray. God bless. Witt

Trekking the Great "I Am"

I awoke to the sound of my cell phone at 5:47 am on Friday morning only to find no one there as I went to answer it. I did not recognize the number and did not bother to hit redial on my phone. I guessed that if it was important enough they would call back. That is how my day began, but not after one of the shortest nights of my life. It was one of those times in which I have wrestled inside with what I call “demons of the mind and soul.” Once fully awake and over the event, I set out to a special place to watch the sun rise and gain some perspective. Christ had his Garden of Gethsemane and I have found my own place to seek refuge; if only for a short time. I call it ‘spiritual trekking.”

Trekking is defined as someone who pursues a long and arduous journey, most often on foot. It typically refers to trekking through mountainous areas by foot so that one can revel in the marvelous scenery. In the Book of Exodus Moses climbs Mount Horeb to investigate a mysterious burning bush. Once there, he finds holy ground and receives a great commission from God to rescue the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt. Though my special place is nowhere near Mount Horeb or the Middle East, it is a high place to trek, see the beauty of the countryside below and seek a different kind of perspective on life. Some people seek the sanctuary of a church, mosque or synagogue to find spiritual enlightenment or answers to the conflict of faith and the realities of life on earth. These are fine places for communal prayer and faith sharing, but sometimes a walk in the outdoors can provide the individual with the spiritual food not found behind closed doors.

I wrote a poem once titled “Forest Cathedral” in which I describe a scene along a stretch of river where I once considered doing some canoeing. What I found was an orphan cemetery from an old county home that no longer exists. I remember sitting down on a tree stump and imagining these orphan children playing and hoping for a family to come adopt them. Unfortunately, for various reasons, they died before their hopes were fulfilled. There were rocks and pennies left beside the grave markers as some form of respect or homage to the dreams of a childhood lost. Now I wonder how much more can come from trekking the great “I Am.”

In new age spirituality we find this concept of “I Am” as God living in and being a part of every human being. According to some like Wayne Dyer, we can say “I am God” and be perfectly justified in speaking as such. It is not so foreign a concept if we take a moment to realize that this is very true in a sense that we are mind, body and spirit just as God is one with Jesus his son and the Holy Spirit in which the original Disciples of Christ received at Pentecost. They traveled with Jesus on foot and learned the true meaning to the parables and stories in which their teacher used to convey his message of good news to the world. And so, Trekking the great “I Am” becomes my quest and new spiritual tool in which to find peace and meaning to life. Peace. Witt

Outside Action

 

Outside Action

I always try to incorporate the out of doors in my weekly blog. I hope you visit often and feel free to share your thoughts. Many thanks.