Becoming Peace
Becoming Peace
Sometimes, when the house breathes
on its own, and I stare out the window
without purpose, in love with loneliness,
all of my moments—past, present,
and future—merge into one. And I see
among hummingbirds, moths and bees
a pair of goldfinches, each of which
rests on the bobbing head of a zinnia,
tiny feet clinging as they peck away petals
to get at the center of the flower, where
they must sense some sweetness
waits just for them.
Sweetness waits for each of us when we agree to be right where we are, no matter the outer circumstances, no matter our worry, stress, or elation. So often, in those seemingly rare moments when we can pause and drop fully into our experience, we feel all the moments of our life converging into one. But how do we do this? This poem was born out of the simple act of standing at one of my favorite windows in the house that overlooks the backyard. Everything is in bloom here right now—bee balm, mint, black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, and so much more. The whole garden is a riotous neighborhood of pollinators whose flights I love to trace, feeling the pleasure of helping to create a safe space for them. But on this evening, after days and weeks of following “breaking news,” I found the news that most drew me in was this pair of goldfinches, male and female, balanced on the bobbing head of a zinnia, and pecking away the petals to reach the seeds inside. This seemed the way of our lives and spiritual practice, too. It takes a delicate balance to recognize and appreciate an instant of beauty when it comes. Then we stay there on the swaying stem of the moment, breathing in and out, going deeper into ourselves, until we find the seeds of peace that are always waiting for us beneath the surface of daily life. The more we practice, we see that the same seeds wait at the center of difficult times as well, and not just when things feel easy or pleasant. It takes a wild patience, and deep trust to keep harvesting such sweetness, to make our own breaking news right here at home.
Invitation for Writing & Reflection: Describe a time when you felt that full-circle sensation of all your moments merging into one. How did this happen for you; what sparked the feeling of fuller presence? Perhaps there’s some practice of pausing and seeing that you already have, or some favorite place where this often happens for you. What brings you peace these days?