Miriel
Okay, I have been rather silent, but that is because I have been home doing…home things. Gavin (3 in August) was spending the night and since my flight was very late I had to wait till the morning to … change his poopy diaper. The last three days have included lots of kids and grand-kids, yard work including buying a load of organic compost (I was told that was redundant), trying to catch up on some emails and such, not writing the blog obviously, attending a track meet with the entire family to watch Matthew and his team, cleaning house because people were coming over…all the normal stuff of life. I actually packed for the trip for Chico, CA before I finished unpacking from the last one.
Part of the sadness of the week was the falling asleep of sweet Luke Jensen. Amy, who has been very involved with the Jensen family, had a meltdown at work and came home a bit early. Such a mixed bag, this life here on this planet. Against the darkest backdrop of evil and suffering we see scattered radiant diamonds, the litter of grace. I look into Miriel’s eyes (born Feb 2010) and I got lost in the depths. What universe within those portals lies beyond my comprehension? This is an eternal being and we have been given the honor of caring for her, even if only for such a short time. And then I look and see this magnificence everywhere, especially in sounds of laughter, the wiping of tears from the cheek, the growls of desperate prayer, and deep in the eyes; windows of the soul.
Reminds me of a Cockburn song, “In the Falling Dark”
And the lights lie tumbled out like gems
The moon is nothing but a toothless grin
Floating out on the evening wind
The smell of sweat and lube oil pervades the night
And the rush of life in flight at the speed of light
A million footsteps whispering
A guitar sounds — some voices sing
Smoke on the breeze — eyes that sting
Far in the east a yellow cloud bank climbs
Stretching away to be part of tomorrow’s time
Earthbound while everything expands
So many grains of sand
Slipping from hand to hand
Catching the light and falling into dark
The world fades out like an overheard remark
In the falling dark
Light pours from a million radiant lives
Off of kids and dogs and the hard-shelled husbands and wives
All that glory shining around and we’re all caught taking a dive
And all the beasts of the hills around shout, “such a waste!
Don’t you know that from the first to the last we’re all one in the gift of grace!?“