Wednesday, April 19, 2006

my feet

They're not perfect, but they have been taking me on quite the journey lately. Meditations with Monks, Sand Mandalas, Hiking in Sacred Grounds and a long soggy hike through very exciting thunder storm (with tornado warnings we found out later), in and out of hospitals in the middle of the night with children. They've been given the run around by US immigration, and are currently dancing with two lawyers and running from the IRS (sent by our husband). They took me to meet Sister Helen, and we spoke of poetry and Mary Oliver. They will take me to Long Island this summer to meet with my publisher and start another important journey.
They also walked me into my first AA meeting almost 3 months ago and have been taking me there almost everyday since. They're handy these feet. I have about 15 really good blogs in my head and might even write a few of them soon. Till then I'll be following these feet.

those who know me realize I can't post without a poem....

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.


by Mary Oliver