Petty's Island

Where the wind whispers
on the pirate island,
we hide our ill-content,
a few bad decisions, and dreams.

And the green tells me
life wants to be living -
to push through the topsoil,
and come to this, our path.

There we may walk carefully,
in wonder, worry, and want.
We walk and wake the secrets below,
Every old thing bound to new.

 Fauna plodding forward,
plundering the sky and seas,
fiercely forging a breath -
the space to cry 'sanctuary'.

Where we had thought

The Hero Path 

We have not even to risk the adventure alone

for the heroes of all time have gone before us. 

The labyrinth is thoroughly known... 

we have only to follow the thread of the hero path. 

And where we had thought to find an abomination

we shall find a God. 

And where we had thought to slay another 

we shall slay ourselves. 

Where we had thought to travel outwards 

we shall come to the center of our own existence. 

And where we had thought to be alone 

we shall be with all the world.

 ― Joseph Campbell

Mahalia.

The world can be lean, 

Thinly-lived, breathing in

like scraping a bowl's edge. 

The world can be rich, 

brimming with cornflower, compromise, 

and all that is running toward the Good. 

I wish for you, 

the whole story - 

that you might know the beauty 

of finding your own way.

From here.

The ache in my bones

I forget

because we are too busy

playing

And going every way

feeling

the sunlight and sounds

of every step.

Time, trickling by

into the river

and if you sit a while

the quiet is loud.

Forget the din

of the city,

Cross ridges without

looking both ways.

Here, I will dress

lightly,

Letting go of a few things

there and there.

I walk in Love,

this way and that,

to greet the breeze on my cheek,

every color a gift.

If we were made for Longing,

then tell me,

which way is it to

a clear path to run?

The thing is...

The thing about real life is that important events don't announce themselves. Trumpets don't blow, drums don't beat to let you know you are going to meet the most important person you've ever met, or read the most important thing you are ever going to read, or have the most important conversation you are ever going to have, or spend the most important week you are ever going to spend. Usually something that is going to change your whole life is a memory before you can stop and be impressed about it. You don't usually have a chance to get excited about that sort of thing... ahead of time!

-Edith Schaeffer, L'Abri