“How long has this tree been around and what all has it lived through?”, I wonder.
I heard of someone who would process difficult things in life by going outside. There in the presence of creation, he’d talk through things out loud. No humans could hear. Instead, his audience was the hills or the lake. He felt free to stomp on the ground when upset or scream with his head lifted to the sky. “I knew the earth could handle it”, he said. I find this image so beautiful. Like a loving parent or friend, the earth’s strength and beauty is found in part by the ways she holds us.
Below is a video I hope you’ll take the time to listen to and watch. It provides visuals that accompany Andrea Gibson’s reading of their poem “Homesick: A Plea for Our Planet.” The poem contains prophetic words: “We need so much less than we take. We owe so much more than we give.” It contains tender and precious words: “Do you know sometimes when gathering nectar, bees fall asleep in flowers? Do you know sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don’t drift apart? Do you know whales will follow their injured friends to shore, often taking their own lives so to not let a loved one be alone when he dies?” I promise you’ll be touched by this poem’s beauty and poignancy. And if you’re into podcasts, I offer one below about climate change and the book of Genesis.
However you find yourself this day, I pray you know yourself to be held by the God of all creation.
What a joy to be your pastor!
Teresa
