Eclectia

Eclectia1a, a photo by paynehollow on Flickr.

“The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them”

~Thomas Merton

(Happy Birthday to Saint Thomas of Kentucky)

Prayer Dance

PrayerDance3, a photo by paynehollow on Flickr.

When I see the sun
and feel her warm embrace
I am always grateful

But when the days have been cool
and the winter, long and gray,
on those days when the sun
breaks through and embraces me warmly,
On those days,
I dance like a whale breaching,
for joy like no other joy.

A faded and imperfect reflection

TreeReflection1a, a photo by paynehollow on Flickr.

For now, we see as through a glass, darkly
but on our dark days, that seems such a small comfort
We hope for that which is not a dim reflection
but the original, whole, perfect, known fully,
even as we are fully known

In the end, we find no options but waiting, powerless.

But at least in this
this darkness,
this uncertainty
this dim reflection
at least in this
we try to take comfort that
we do not have to wait alone.

Greetings, New Year

Glory Statue #Flickr12Days, a photo by paynehollow on Flickr.

One resolution for this blog, only one:

Be it resolved to end "debate."

I will almost certainly continue to offer an occasional opinion here, some of my ponderings and considerations and meditations on important and unimportant matters alike. But, I have simply lost the appetite for the back and forth sniping that happens to often in this ol' world.

If I offer an opinion, that is what it is. Take it for what it's worth. If you want to offer an opinion, please do so, AS an opinion, kindly offered for what it's worth.

If you have a different opinion than mine, you are still welcome to offer it, but I insist on respect and kindness and suggestions, not insistence. That is, if you disagree on matters of opinion, feel free to offer an alternative opinion, but begin it with, "...Interesting point, but have you considered..." or, "I see... but what about..."

Unless it is a verifiable fact, do not bother with posts that begin like, "You're WRONG. Here's the FACTS..."

That is, if I offer an opinion about Ben Franklin's birthday or how many years MASH was on TV or the molecular difference between blue birds and blue jays, at a species level (not likely to happen, since that is probably gibberish...), you can correct facts.

But if it's an opinion about your interpretation of a biblical passage or your hunch about what God wants or the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin or ANY opinion, do not proffer declarative statements when you are stating your opinion. You are always welcome to say, "It seems to me..." or "My opinion on that question is..." but not, "GOD SAYS you are wrong..."

If you are unclear as if your post that you'd like to make is opinion rather than fact, feel free to email me or consult a dictionary and ask.

I just don't think back and forth bickering about debatable (even IMPORTANT debatable) matters helps more than it harms. This is my opinion, to be sure, and I'm going to try to write and comment this year keeping that opinion in mind. If you'd like to post here, I'd kindly ask the same from you.

Have a wonderful new year.

May your feet walk (or "wheelchair roll...") many pleasant and thought-provoking miles and may we all live together in peace.

~Dan