Parker J. Palmer and I hope you’ll join us as we explore the poem Thanks, Robert Frost"by David Ray. Inspired by the poem, we revisit parts of our history and talk about reframing the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what has shaped us. Staying true to the facts as best we can, we explore ways of holding our experiences with greater compassion for others and ourselves, valuing all that we can learn when we’re able to befriend our own and others’ mistakes.
I am touched by the casual compassion in this poem. There have been times in my life when I got stuck in what happened or didn’t happen in my life. This is a limiting thing, a closed circuit that keeps going over the same ground. But if I can allow myself to see my life and experiences for what they were, as my best intentions with what I knew at the time, I am less likely to get stuck and and see a way forward that is more expanding. Compassion creates an open space, perspective and the ability to resource our own histories.
There is hope not just for the future, but also for the past .
Question:
Is there a line in the poem that stands out for you? What does it mean to have hope for the “future, yes, and even for the past”?
Practice
This is a moment of self compassion. Breathe deeply for a few moments. Lay your hand on your heart. Feel the warmth and weight of your hand. Remind yourself that there is not just hope for the future, but also for the past, that what was beautiful is still beautiful, what was hard can be held with loving kindness, compassion and perspective. breathe and see if you can feel a little bit of open space, a little loosening and opening of your heart.
UPCOMING CONCERTS & EVENTS (IN-PERSON & ONLINE
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The Growing Edge Podcast - Thoughts About Cultivating Hope For The Future & The Past