The 60-Second Sabbath

Myth

"Myth,"
he said,
"is but the stories
that give a culture or people
its framework, its meaning.
Myth is not fable or fiction;
myth is another word for truth--
essential truth--
our essential truth,
even when embodied
in tales that some may consider,
well...improbable."

The light from the fire
softened his lined face,
danced on the bookcase behind him.

"So...not true...but true,"
I murmured,
trying to wrap myself around--
and find myself within--
his words. 

"Yes," he said,
drawing deeply on his pipe.
The smoke,
amorphous like his speech,
wound around his head
and snaked toward the ceiling,
dissipating into darkness.

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

The Truth Beyond

Jesus did not point to himself.
Jesus pointed to the Truth beyond himself.
Don't get stuck with making Jesus
    the sum and total of your faith.
This is not what he wants,
not according to the gospels.

Don't get stuck,
if you are of another faith,
worshiping the one
who pointed beyond his (her) self
to the Truth.
This person (whomever)
would be disappointed
if this is where you faith ends.

It is the Truth beyond
that is our goal.

And for all of us--
any of us--
it is the same goal:
Truth.

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

The Winds

The winds of change
blow hard,
relentlessly.
Our ship pitches and yaws,
sliding up and over the swells,
the anchor clawing at the bottom,
desperate to hold,
to lock us in place.

What if,
instead,
we hoist the anchor,
unfurl the sails
and allow this unsettling gale
to drive us onward?

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

 

At Sunset

I stand barefoot
at the balcony door,
looking out
as evening  settles the city.

Already the condo has filled
with shadows,
some gray, like memory,
others darker, like regret.

If I am king of this castle,
lord of this manor,
why do I feel like a squatter,
a pretender to some throne
meant for one mightier than I?

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

Snow, Glorious Snow!

It's snowing here in Denver.

Those of you elsewhere in the country may not realize how unusual this is. It's been a very dry winter. Today we are finally having our first significant snowfall of the season, and long overdue. Longtime Denver residents are grateful for this, because it means moisture, and moisture is a precious commodity here.

But more than that, we love the snow. Sitting inside this morning, having coffee, reading the paper, looking up to watch in wonder at the blur of white over the city--it doesn't get any better. Add in some music and the two cats twined together on the chair in the living room--it feels like we've woken up in a Norman Rockwell painting.

I tried taking a picture of the interlaced cats, but there isn't enough ambient light for the camera to focus on their single mass of black fur. If you could see them, you'd say, "Awww." They are spooning, and Willy has draped one front leg over his brother's shoulders.

The picture below will have to suffice. I took it from my balcony several winters ago, back when we could count on actually having winters. 

So, wherever you are today, I hope you are safe, warm and enjoying whatever the weather brings your way. Here, we're going to bundle up and take a walk--yes, to deliberately be out in this beautiful, quiet weather. Those of you who can't/won't enjoy this treat? Well, we'll pray for you. It is Sunday, after all.

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

The Hope of Failure

Everything outside
has to fail you,
disappoint you,
stop functioning,
no longer be true.

Then, finally,
you go inside
and find the depth of things...
grace and mercy,
God,
your uncomplicated, worthy, gently held self. 

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

Claiming Your Gift

I remember when a guest
saw a display of my photos
in my hallway at home.
He asked,
"Who's the photographer?"

And I said,
without hesitation,
"I am."

He responded,
"Good for you
for claiming your art!"
as if to suggest
that many are too timid
to do so,
when, in fact,
they have a right
to do so,
fully.

Claim your gift!

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

Boundaries

Last night
as I lay awake thinking about work,
I finally took a stand:

"Look, work," I said,
"enough is enough.
I will give you my daylight hours;
I will allow you to consume my consciousness
for ten or more hours each day,
but that is all.
You do not get my nights, too.
From sunset to sunrise,
the time is mine,
and that also means,
the time is God's.
This is when I am cradled in God's arms,
especially when, like now, I lie in bed;
there's no work to be completed here--
only release,
only exhalation,
only sinking into the blessed Abyss."

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

 

Labeling

I have good news for you,
the label-makers:

    You can stop.
    Up/down,
    good/bad,
    us/them,
    Christian/not,
    conservative/liberal...
    you hereby have permission to stop!

And what a relief
to cease the endless, unnecessary labeling!
Think of the time and energy you'll save!
Thing of the good you're now freed to do!

Hold hands with God
and you have no fingers available
with which to point in judgement.

Alleluia!

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.

The Diet

The ego hungers,
gorging itself
on what feeds its insecurity.

Why are we starving
in a world
abundant
with beauty and benevolence?

    Stop bingeing on nothing,
    and the ego dies;
    the real you
    finally lives,
    nourished by what matters.

This is a diet
to die for. 

Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.