We are
floating in Mystery. With each exhalation released we do not know if another
inhalation will follow. I spent this week at the hospital bedside of two
friends dwelling in the liminal space between exhalation and inhalation,
between life and death. T and B, floating in Mystery, their families courageously
riding the river with them; counting breaths with the shush of ventilators. T
was taken off her ventilator, everyone praying that she would be able to
breathe on her own, not knowing, not knowing. In a day or so she woke up,
opened her eyes and told her daughter “This is a Chanukah miracle!” Truly it
is.
B was
hit by a car crossing the street as T was journeying back to consciousness. B remains
in critical care, in a coma. Her two beautiful daughters, her extended family
and friends, all of us are floating in Mystery with her, hope and surrender a
flickering dance as tonight we light the first candle of Chanukah.
This
week in my meditation classes, I offered the words below to my students, as a part of a pre-Chanukah teaching, not knowing if T would survive, inspired by her will
to live, her family’s strength and courage. This was before B was so tragically
injured:
I have seen the spiritual quality of Ometz lev (courageous heart) used to describe the
Macabees fighting a much greater army and prevailing, and certainly faith and
trust in God inspired them with courage, but ometz lev is less about acts of
courage that take form in the power and might of soldiers in battle—than it is
about who we are, living and acting from love. Ometz lev is the kind of courage
that is aligned with surrender rather than fighting, letting go into the
Mystery precisely when we are vulnerable and afraid. It is the strength of
heart we don’t realize we have until we are plunged into the darkness of our
life’s most difficult moments. It is courage nurtured and sustained by faith
and trust in God, LOVE, the expansiveness of Being, the Compassionate
Source of Life Unfolding.
We are fragile, hanging by a thin stem, whether we know it or not. Be a light in this world. Reach out to others who need your support, maybe a smile, a hug, a phone call, text or email. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture. Say I love you more often to all of your beloveds. Make every breath you’ve been given count. Please join me and a world wide community in creating this year's Gratitude Quilt (info at the top of the page)… We all have so much to be thankful for, no matter how dark life feels.
ps. If I don't respond to your messages it is because I am spending time at the hospital in Boston with B and her daughters. She is stable, but not improving.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Welcome to Week 118
I Heart Macro
"Pure
awareness transcends thinking... It allows you to look at the world once again
with open eyes. And when you do so, a sense of wonder and quiet contentment
begins to reappear in your life."~Mark Williams and Danny Pennman, from Mindfulness An
Eight-Week Plan For Finding Peace In A Frantic World
It is time for YOU to share the love up-close with YOUR
I Heart Macro offerings!
Enjoy slowing down with your
camera, paying full attention, observing beauty and curiosities many people
pass right by. Your generosity of spirit and keen eyes may open the door to
miniscule miracles and mirth others would not have access to otherwise. Feel
free to include poetry, prose and thoughts your macro photo or series
inspire(s) in you. Writing is completely optional for participation.
Straight out of the camera (SOC), edited, color, black and white, anything goes
as long as you bring the viewer near to whatever it is that drew your heart's
attention and "woke you up" to full presence.
Please
link back to my blog either by copying and pasting the button provided
above on your post, or by linking the words "I Heart Macro" back to
my blog with this link:
By
sharing the link, visitors to your blog will learn about this meme and have a
chance to participate as well if they so choose.
Visit each other...
S p r
e a d the LOVE. Thanks :-)
linking to:
I can fully sense the emotion in your words, even if i don't know some of them. I am sending my positive energies for you and the 2 friends who are still in mystery. May the best be with them. More power to you.
ReplyDeleteI will keep your friends in my thoughts.... Michelle
ReplyDeletethis is just beautiful. I have found myself in that space between exhaling + inhaling before... I had a post-partum haemorrhage after my twin girls were born and only woke up about 9 days (and 4 surgeries) later. but the fierce love I felt for my family carried me through. your words are incredibly beautiful + inspiring. this year both my Dad + my husband's Dad + my gran have been in that space and come out of it. unfortunately my husband's Dad is back on a ventilator.
ReplyDeleteyes ! it works !
ReplyDeleteIt is good to have you back and share with you the joy and the pain of this mysterious existence.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful story of divine hope and miracles for the season....
ReplyDeleteLife is fragile. I love the photo of the leaf with the hole shaped like a heart! Cool!
ReplyDeleteI hope T and B can have good outcomes in their health struggles. I'm thankful that I have my feet on the Rock, a firm foundation and sure helper.
ReplyDeleteThe water droplet within the heart is absolutely exquisite !
ReplyDeleteA lovely heart-felt post. I like your macros which seem to illustrate your words about the fragility of life.
ReplyDeleteWonderfully exquisite shots!
ReplyDeletelovely post, lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, what a lovely post and beautiful inspiring words. This is a season of miracles. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!
ReplyDeletePrayers and warm thoughts for you and your friends, Laura. Thank you for your always inspiring words.
ReplyDeleteOh Laura. I am so sorry . May your friends be well and may you be well for yourself and strong for them.
ReplyDeleteYou are back! I kept checking and checking. So, so sorry to read of the two mystery watches in your world. I salute your bravery in even writing about this. A profound experience, usually hidden. My heart is with you and them as well.
ReplyDelete