Lightness of Being

For me the sense of being is partly perceived mindfully and felt actually from the context in the best poetry in the world.  Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a favorite of mine in much of her poetry, as is also felt in the poetry of excellent writers – religious or pagan.  I am currently touched by the poetry of Maya Angelou, an African-American in biographical background.  I pause in whatever else I might be doing to listen to her voice quoting her own poetry.  Her presence and voice add nuance to the words that inspire thoughts to agreement above the partitions of nationalities, races, genders, languages and cultures.  There is usually a sense of peace, breadth, healing, furtherance and the future.  There is a mystery in it that covers both individuality and togetherness, respecting both but finding elevation even when in life either the one or the many are put down, sometimes when one puts down or elevates the other.  These poets are celebrating (some seem unaware that they are) the one thing (regardless of human differences) we all have in common – life.  Life is the evidence of God, which belief (faith) I often express in these Pages.  The researchers are looking for one thing, in particular, in space – life.  They haven’t found it.  Every planet and asteroid appears barren.  However, if they find it such a discovery would not change for me the view that God has given to the seemingly dead solar system a planet teaming with life.  Those dealing with life in the course of their occupations or preoccupations seem to feel something they sometimes express, that they have touched the hem of the garment of a reality that seems spiritual, likely giving us a human scripture.

Christian ministry deals with life.  This does not deny that other religions and philosophies deal with life, and the interest expands with the meaning of the context in which the participants are engaged.  Business deals with life, as do family, science, government, hospitals, schools, even recreations.  There appear distortions in all, but we do not measure entities by their distortions if we are sensible and seeking truth, to understanding, to wisdom.  The best leaders in society point beyond the sloughs, jungles, brambles and take us upward to see unimaginable mountaintop vistas pointing to forever.  That vision feature ought to be found in the best literature, music, art, speech, and personal aspirations for self, family, community, country, world – and heaven.  We may become so bogged down in the environment of living in an imperfect context that we forget the mystery of life.  Life is our most precious personal possession.  Without it we have no possessions.  Life like a springtime plant can grow out of the environment (soil) that could soil it – as sometimes happens.  Life with the help of the creator who gave it can triumph.  I will never forget the story of the young man who, in the concentration camp, given his slice of bread in the morning, spread his handkerchief across his knees, broke his bread into small bite sizes, prayed, and ate the bread as though he was seated at the king’s table.  The prisoners and the guards were silenced as they walked by him.  They knew there was something in him that rose above the squalor, ugliness, death, of the concentration camp.  He was the representative of someone not seen and somewhere not experienced – unless one’s soul reflected the vision.  It was seen in Jesus at the cross, with the thief taking the cue.  It was seen in Stephen praying for the persons stoning him to death.  We do not know if any of the executioners caught the vision.  I wonder about the girl who was stoned to death during the past week of this writing in a far country from mine – stoned by her family members and witnessed by a crowd of persons for some violation of the family belief.  I seek my own recovery in such a death.

PostScript: During early morning, May 28, 2014, I wrote the above.  Taking a break, I turned to the news. Maya Angelou died this morning at age 86.  I have been solemnized by the number of times a near immediate double experience of a person or event in my life accentuating the point I wanted to make and live occurred that particular day – feelings that seem beyond coincidence.  Her highly acclaimed autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, led to participation in President Clinton’s Inauguration in 1993, where she read her poem, On the Pulse of Morning.  In 2005 she read, Amazing Peace, for Christmas at the White House.  Some critics may not have known what she meant to do within herself to rise from squalor, unbelievable mistreatment, abuse, and some poor choices for living to overcome shame and become a heroine for life, especially for women.  In this person we are aware of all persons, devout or not, who recognize the evidence of life.  Moving more toward spirituality Angelou studied the meaning of prayer.  She embraced humility as a meaningful tool for the cultivation of a fulfilling life.  Here we are embracing life on this Page as evidence of God.  The evidence of life points to God.  The Christian rejoices in Jesus Christ, in sacred humor for life.  (John 1:4)