Today I was
stopped in my tracks by the sweet earthy smell of rotting leaves. Heaven on earth! A tree's offering to the soil. This scent tells the curious truth: death can be achingly, exquisitely, lovely. Death is not a final ending, it is a transformation, a continuum, an outpouring of love. - Wendy Janzen
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Thoughts for heading into municipal elections.
How do we measure progress? We’ve gone off track, lost our way following stats for economic growth, quarterly profits, housing starts, and GDP. Why not measure a city’s success through counting how many species of insects we have, how many people are not hungry, how many different birds children can name, how many stars can be seen at night, how many green spaces there are, how easy public transit is to access, and how healthy the waterways are… Let’s exchange our lawn mowers for native plant gardens. Dim our insecurity lights. Talk to our neigbours. Park our cars. Be happy with enough, and no more. Draw the circle wide. Care for the least. Measure compassion, not consumption. - Wendy Janzen Last Sunday I went
to bird church, or maybe it was river church. Either way, I was greeted by gulls, mallards, heron, cedar wax wings, and approached by Mystery. There were flowers offering praise and beauty in purples and gold. The sky opened space for us, the constant flow of the river whispered ageless truths. I wandered prayerfully then returned and waited, wondering who would offer the benediction. I suspected it might be gull, perched proudly on a rock in the center of the river. But, no. Soundlessly, a single yellow leaf spun down from above, swirling to a resting place in front of my feet: Go in peace. - Wendy Janzen To breathe the fresh morning air,
To observe the variety of tracks in the snow, To greet the crow flying overhead, To hear the joyful chirping of birds, To admire the silhouette of an old tree in front of the rising sun, To feel the bright, warm sun on my cold skin: This is to be alive and to remember I am not alone. - Wendy Janzen Sometimes grandeur is great -
mountains and sunsets and oceans and such... But sometimes all I need is simplicity - a wildflower, a birdsong, a bit of blue sky, my feet connected to the good earth, the colour green, not much to do, someone to sit with, a cup of coffee, a prayer on the breeze - simple sabbath gifts to fill my soul and remind me that ordinary, everyday moments are holy too. - Wendy Janzen Sinking...
I dive beneath dark water, immersed and held briefly in another world. Surfacing, I breathe deeply. Floating face to the sky, with each exhale I sink slightly. I align my body to the sinking sun in the hazy sky; a brilliant orange path glistens across the water, reflects fires burning in the northwest, points right to my feet. My heart sinks with the knowledge we are all sinking, burning, melting choking. God, save us from ourselves. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on the Earth, on the trees, sky, glaciers, communities, and creatures… Save us from this path of self destruction. Save us from sinking into oblivion. You are our bright light, fresh air, quenching rain, enduring solace, solid ground, our hope beyond hope. - Wendy Janzen Sometimes I see the world in poetry...
words shimmering like light just behind or within everything I see. But neither word nor image do justice to the beauty, the wonder, the deeper meaning. To simply witness is enough. To feel in my bones something more is going on. To trust this sacred moment and say thank you. - Wendy Janzen Poised as for prayer, spring ephemerals call out gently from the forest floor, inviting reverence and reflection. I offer my attention, recognizing the holiness in the moment - too soon they will be gone. Meanwhile, the sound of traffic in the near distance reminds me of the world that never stops. Stop what you are doing right now. Stop and step out of the climate-controlled box. Step away from the mediated world of screens. Step into the world where rain might soak your skin, where smells of Earth can fill your lungs, where birds freely and joyfully offer the soundtrack of a life where you get lost in the beauty and glory of spring flowers, where you feel fully alive, a re- membered part of the community of creation. - Wendy Janzen Less than perfect.
These pandemic days, weeks, months... have left me feeling off. Floundering at times for focus, for energy, for direction, for peace. But when I go out and walk, or poke around in the garden, or sit for a bit and just be in the presence of flowers, I breathe deeply and let the worries slip away. I catch glimpses of the freedom they have to be less than perfect and still beautifully, uncomplicatedly, offering themselves to the world as gift freely given and received. That is enough. - Wendy Janzen |
AuthorReflections, poetry, prayers, and resources written by Wendy Janzen unless otherwise noted. Archives
December 2022
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