Today's reflection is by Thea Keith-Lucas
Episcopal Chaplain at MIT
Honesty is hard work. I remember riding my bike home from school and trying out twelve
different ways I could tell my parents the story of some mistake. Which
one would let me slide right by the truth of my failure? Telling the simple hard truth still isn't easy. There are countless opportunities in every day to smooth things over, go with the flow, put the best spin on something. Most dangerous are the stories we tell ourselves, when we put on a brave face and pretend that everything is just fine.
I recently discovered this poem by Galway Kinnell. It's no good, the poet says, to experience our emotions only halfway. We won't get anywhere if we only let ourselves have feelings that are appropriate and under control. In its gentle, comic way, this poem invites us to be "true of heart". When we are honest right down to our hearts, we can find true happiness, for then we can touch the endlessly loving heart of God.
Crying
Crying only a little bit
is no use. You must cry
until your pillow is soaked!
Then you can get up and laugh.
Then you can jump in the shower
and splash-splash-splash!
Then you can throw open your window
and, "Ha ha! ha ha!"
And if people say, "Hey
what's going on up there?"
"Ha ha!" sing back, "Happiness
was hiding in the last tear!
I wept it! Ha ha!"
No comments:
Post a Comment