what a powerful story, thank you for sharing carrie. this reminds me of the (hard) lesson learned continously that what we want isn’t always what we need. sometimes we want to find something but need something else to find us. i agree there is a distinction between looking and seeing along with hearing and listening. may we all look and listen deeply and as you once sang, “hope your heart will know what your eyes can’t see”
“The House by the Cerulean Sea” is such a delightful marshmallow-y book. A similar book I read as a break from heavier works is “The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers” by Samuel Burr. It also speaks of the power of building community.
This story reminds me of a short story I wrote in my 20s called "The Encountering." It's about a young man who meets a young woman who he likes a lot. After they part, he starts to search for her. It becomes an obsession. She embodies something he doesn't want to lose. However, all his searching proves futile. Standing in the middle of a woods, he becomes exasperated and just gives up trying. Then a few moment later, the woman walks up to him and says something like "Where have you been? I've been looking for you." The story doesn't have a clear cut meaning. It was something I intuitively wanted to write and it turned out to be the most effective story I wrote during that time.
What a beautiful story. I'm reminded of David Wagoner's stunning poem "Lost": "Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you." Thank you, as always for bringing to us just the right words at just the right time.
Thank you for this invitation to be aware of what is. I am visiting California and, later this morning, I will be hiking in the hills here. I will be looking out for the birds in the area and, hopefully, will discover a feather that I can stick in my cap as I continue to walk, being one with where and who I am. What can be better than that?
I spent yesterday evening in the woods with a barred owl family I'd been visiting for many days. I spotted the 2 parent owls but yesterday I could not triangulate where the 2 owlets were. My white feather quest was unanswered in one way, but, of course, answered in another. I enjoyed the time spent looking with my friend. I enjoyed pointing out the parent owls to passerbys. And I was, in a way, grateful that the owlets had found safe place out of view and grateful for having seen their playful display the night before.
Owl--- expertly sees and silently flies in the darkness. Her story is clair-incidental, the Owl, the Piney mist, waiting for us to acknowledge & then wink back.
Thank you so much for posting my poem! What an honor it was to have it red on the House floor! We have our voices and our voices matter! And I can tell you that there are some heroes fighting hard in Washington!
It’s a wonderful powerful poem. It’s a gift and so encouraging to see poetry presented on the house floor. We’ve been in poetic conversation for many years and I know you have so so many beautiful poems and look forward to opportunity for folks to read more. Yes, there are still heroes in congress…and heroes in professions that heal like you!
I am very new to this offering as I just joined today. This story brings to mind lyrics Dr. John Mulder and I collaborated on writing for the song Mystery’s Door which he recorded on SoundCloud. Regretfully, John pasted away on May 1st of this year having served as the Medical Director for Trillium Institute and the Medical Director for Faith Hospice, Grand Rapids, MI.
Last week I finished a book you recently recommended: A Field Guide to Getting Lost. It was only near the end that I began to really understand how many ways Rebecca Solnit was describing the ways of being lost. I will need to read it again, but in the meantime, scenes from my distant past and not-too-distant-past have been running through my head, and I am composing an email to my "sharing group" about the different ways I've been lost...and more importantly, how I've been found or what I discovered about myself in the being lost process or experience--physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I feel like a new person with so many new understandings after reading this book. Being lost is so important. Finding something in the process is also very important--whatever that something may be.
so true. being lost is an inevitable part of the painful process of living this human experience. “welcome to the human race” as parker palmer is fond of saying. as with many opposites though, fortunately there is a beautiful balance when we feel found again. now if only we can remember this *while* we are lost!
Sounds intriguing… feeling bit lost right now. Maybe a field guide would come in handy! “Being lost is important” - taking this as encouragement… thx for sharing
I hope you find the book helpful. As Carrie said, it's a beautiful read. It was clear to me in the beginning because she was writing more about being physically lost. I got "lost" in the middle of the book because I didn't understand where she was going. While reading the last third of the book, a bunch of lightbulbs went on in my head!
One of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Not till we are lost do we begin to find ourselves and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our existence. In other words, lose the whole world—get lost in it, and find your soul."
Late last summer I was walking with my dog on a wooded trail in a local park. I was seeking only solace. I had been feeling a sense of foreboding. I stopped on the trail and turned. There watching me maybe fifteen feet away was a magnificent barred owl. She made eye contact and it was as if she looked deep into my soul.. Ever since that encounter my relationship with creation has been a much richer, spiritual, reciprocal practice. It is as if scales fell from my eyes and my heart opened..
Carrie, I Ioved your well-centered guidance, and the sanctuary you provide by helping us to focus on just one thing: when there is chaotic wind turning things upside down, try to relax and appreciate the lightness of a feather and the incredible engineering within-- (so much lift from something SO light!). Perhaps we can learn to walk more softly across virgin moss deep in a forest, trying to minimize footprints or evidence of our passage. Let others enjoy how a pristine forest looks (new growth here and there, recycling everywhere!), and enjoy the heart-lifting flight and song of birds as we also learn to look up to the light.
Yes. I am in a holy space, a holy time. I gave myself permission to ask a friend if I could come be with her so that I could see Carrie Newcomer. She said, “Come.”
I came. We found a quiet place by the waters of Olympia, Washington. The space, the time, the travels have opened up for me. Surely God is in this place. He was in my desert spaces, but the busy-ness of life makes it hard to hear and see sometimes. But the Holy Spirit welcomed our search for respite and renewal.
Today I will worship and say thank you ❤️🙏🏻. I will expand the edges when life gets too close. I will savor the rest of my time and soak up the love so that I can spill it into my desert spaces and the ones I care for so deeply.
what a powerful story, thank you for sharing carrie. this reminds me of the (hard) lesson learned continously that what we want isn’t always what we need. sometimes we want to find something but need something else to find us. i agree there is a distinction between looking and seeing along with hearing and listening. may we all look and listen deeply and as you once sang, “hope your heart will know what your eyes can’t see”
“The House by the Cerulean Sea” is such a delightful marshmallow-y book. A similar book I read as a break from heavier works is “The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers” by Samuel Burr. It also speaks of the power of building community.
This story reminds me of a short story I wrote in my 20s called "The Encountering." It's about a young man who meets a young woman who he likes a lot. After they part, he starts to search for her. It becomes an obsession. She embodies something he doesn't want to lose. However, all his searching proves futile. Standing in the middle of a woods, he becomes exasperated and just gives up trying. Then a few moment later, the woman walks up to him and says something like "Where have you been? I've been looking for you." The story doesn't have a clear cut meaning. It was something I intuitively wanted to write and it turned out to be the most effective story I wrote during that time.
Is it possible to get the printed words of “The Mathematics
of Mercy”
What a beautiful story. I'm reminded of David Wagoner's stunning poem "Lost": "Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you." Thank you, as always for bringing to us just the right words at just the right time.
Thank you for this invitation to be aware of what is. I am visiting California and, later this morning, I will be hiking in the hills here. I will be looking out for the birds in the area and, hopefully, will discover a feather that I can stick in my cap as I continue to walk, being one with where and who I am. What can be better than that?
I spent yesterday evening in the woods with a barred owl family I'd been visiting for many days. I spotted the 2 parent owls but yesterday I could not triangulate where the 2 owlets were. My white feather quest was unanswered in one way, but, of course, answered in another. I enjoyed the time spent looking with my friend. I enjoyed pointing out the parent owls to passerbys. And I was, in a way, grateful that the owlets had found safe place out of view and grateful for having seen their playful display the night before.
Here's to finding owl,
to eyes meeting in cold woods.
To surrendering.
...
To heads/hearts turning,
to educator poets.
To kind politics.
...
Here’s to Ella Bear,
to finding a true way home.
To longing love songs.
It sounds so familiar!! I've spent so much energy!!
Owl--- expertly sees and silently flies in the darkness. Her story is clair-incidental, the Owl, the Piney mist, waiting for us to acknowledge & then wink back.
Thank you so much for posting my poem! What an honor it was to have it red on the House floor! We have our voices and our voices matter! And I can tell you that there are some heroes fighting hard in Washington!
It’s a wonderful powerful poem. It’s a gift and so encouraging to see poetry presented on the house floor. We’ve been in poetic conversation for many years and I know you have so so many beautiful poems and look forward to opportunity for folks to read more. Yes, there are still heroes in congress…and heroes in professions that heal like you!
I am very new to this offering as I just joined today. This story brings to mind lyrics Dr. John Mulder and I collaborated on writing for the song Mystery’s Door which he recorded on SoundCloud. Regretfully, John pasted away on May 1st of this year having served as the Medical Director for Trillium Institute and the Medical Director for Faith Hospice, Grand Rapids, MI.
Here are the Lyrics
MYSTERY’S DOOR (Jim Wood, John Mulder)
Have we lost our sense of wonder,
Do we marvel anymore?
What if nothing would surprise us?
And we never strived for more
If we lost our amazement?
What would be resolved.
Nothing would astonish us;
Is that how we’ve evolved?
Have we become too cynical
To allow a sense of awe?
Ignoring the beauty around us
With each breath we draw
How can we inspire faith and hope,
Love and strength of will?
There’s joy in imperfection
And peace in being still
We can’t lose our fascination
With adventures to explore
May we find our inspiration
And keep knockin’ on mystery’s door
So many of life’s riddles
Hold answers we’ll never know
Our journey ought to capture
The things that help us grow
If we nurture curiosity
Blending heart and mind
We’ll find what truly moves our soul
And leave our doubt behind
We can’t lose our fascination
With adventures to explore
May we find our inspiration
And keep knockin’ on mystery’s door
No, we can’t lose our fascination
With adventures to explore
May we find our inspiration
And keep knockin’ on mystery’s door
Never stop knockin’ on mystery’s door
https://soundcloud.com/user-340804944/01-mysterys-door-2_1?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=0&si=EBA4FB9B4CC3456197A0E597DB0CDE49&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Last week I finished a book you recently recommended: A Field Guide to Getting Lost. It was only near the end that I began to really understand how many ways Rebecca Solnit was describing the ways of being lost. I will need to read it again, but in the meantime, scenes from my distant past and not-too-distant-past have been running through my head, and I am composing an email to my "sharing group" about the different ways I've been lost...and more importantly, how I've been found or what I discovered about myself in the being lost process or experience--physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I feel like a new person with so many new understandings after reading this book. Being lost is so important. Finding something in the process is also very important--whatever that something may be.
so true. being lost is an inevitable part of the painful process of living this human experience. “welcome to the human race” as parker palmer is fond of saying. as with many opposites though, fortunately there is a beautiful balance when we feel found again. now if only we can remember this *while* we are lost!
Sounds intriguing… feeling bit lost right now. Maybe a field guide would come in handy! “Being lost is important” - taking this as encouragement… thx for sharing
I hope you find the book helpful. As Carrie said, it's a beautiful read. It was clear to me in the beginning because she was writing more about being physically lost. I got "lost" in the middle of the book because I didn't understand where she was going. While reading the last third of the book, a bunch of lightbulbs went on in my head!
One of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Not till we are lost do we begin to find ourselves and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our existence. In other words, lose the whole world—get lost in it, and find your soul."
—Rebecca Solnit
Its a beautiful read. I loved it and so grateful to hear it was a meaningful book for you too.
Late last summer I was walking with my dog on a wooded trail in a local park. I was seeking only solace. I had been feeling a sense of foreboding. I stopped on the trail and turned. There watching me maybe fifteen feet away was a magnificent barred owl. She made eye contact and it was as if she looked deep into my soul.. Ever since that encounter my relationship with creation has been a much richer, spiritual, reciprocal practice. It is as if scales fell from my eyes and my heart opened..
what a powerful experience. now we need to hear from the owl how you changed her relationship with creation too :)
Yes, indeed Skott! I wonder whether she was surprised that a human actually noticed her!
There is something about owls that touches our souls.
Carrie, I Ioved your well-centered guidance, and the sanctuary you provide by helping us to focus on just one thing: when there is chaotic wind turning things upside down, try to relax and appreciate the lightness of a feather and the incredible engineering within-- (so much lift from something SO light!). Perhaps we can learn to walk more softly across virgin moss deep in a forest, trying to minimize footprints or evidence of our passage. Let others enjoy how a pristine forest looks (new growth here and there, recycling everywhere!), and enjoy the heart-lifting flight and song of birds as we also learn to look up to the light.
Yes. I am in a holy space, a holy time. I gave myself permission to ask a friend if I could come be with her so that I could see Carrie Newcomer. She said, “Come.”
I came. We found a quiet place by the waters of Olympia, Washington. The space, the time, the travels have opened up for me. Surely God is in this place. He was in my desert spaces, but the busy-ness of life makes it hard to hear and see sometimes. But the Holy Spirit welcomed our search for respite and renewal.
Today I will worship and say thank you ❤️🙏🏻. I will expand the edges when life gets too close. I will savor the rest of my time and soak up the love so that I can spill it into my desert spaces and the ones I care for so deeply.
So grateful you could come to Olympia. Its a beautiful part of the country and a beautiful community. thank you for your kinds words my friend.