Post 20

I went to Lake Bonny Park for this assignment, and I stayed there for at least 40 minutes

I had a great experience at Lake Bonny and loved having the opportunity to do it. Walking around and being able to slow life down just a bit, made me realize all the beauty that is around me. As I walked around, I realized how much I take nature for granted. I have never actually taken the time to examine all the details and wonders that are just right outside my door. Just in the grass alone, I realized that there are so many different patterns and shapes and colors of blades of grass. And I just saw again the details of the grass point to a creator. I think that was the overall message I got from my time at the park, that truly there is a creator. And those who cannot see the world and notice its maker, there eyes have been blinded. I think all the poems we have been reading, especially the ones by Mary Oliver, that have a Christian undertone show his existence. Nature, with all of its details shows a complex world that has to have a designer who could create complex things. These were the things I was thinking about when I sat in silence. That time of stillness I feel brought me before the throne of God. And in those moments I saw the awe and wonder of his hand. When I looked around not only did I see this world, but a world that glorifies God’s magnificent hand from the very dirt or the ground, to the blue of the sky. In Mary Oliver’s poem The Messenger she says her work is loving the world. I believe that loving the world, starts when we acknowledge God. Since God is the creator, the only way to truly love the world, is through God first. Loving the world doesn’t just involve nature but also the people who live there.

For as free as the wind blows

My eyes will look up to the sky

With wild abandon, my heart cries

To the God, who buried all darkness

With one swift move of his hand

There was a light that came,

and nature was brought forth

So who am I to look away?

I sit still in the moment

Forcing my self to slow my spirit

To be in tune with His spirit

The spirit that runs rampade

It crosses oceans and lakes

And as it intertwines in the vines of flowers

It intercedes for our souls

So I will live my life with a stillness,

To see the world in this new light

To live, is to see, to see, is to stop

I will stop, so I may be unveiled from the darkness

Just as the world was, in order to see the light

Post 19

The beauty in the flowers and the smell of the air is what drives some people into writing about nature in poetry. For others it is what nature represents to them and their life that is inspiring. For me, nature is everything that represents life and death. Nature, rather plants in specific go through a cycle of emitting oxygen and taking in carbon dioxide. Plants live on the what we die upon, and we live on what they die upon. I think this cycle represents literature. People write about the things that have brought them pain or a death in some form and to the readers in gives them encouragement or life. Or the writer can talk about things that give them life, and it turn it shows the reader how to conquer death. The last poem assigned for Friday was called the Uses of my Sorrow. I think the authors simplicity exemplifies the simpleness of this cycle. And although the process has two steps, and her poem was very short, it represents something much more. And it makes me wonder if maybe the most complex things that humans could ever learn, are hidden in the smallest of ways. That maybe in this great Universe of ours the secrets of life and death are hidden away by one Creator, one simple solution. We read a poem by Robert Hass who wrote about nature and the truths of evolution. Maybe if Mr. Hass could see the truth in his own literature, he would see the fallacy of evolution. If only he could realize that a simple answer always solves a complex question. He would realize a Creator is the answer to the very nature he was writing about. I think what all these poems point to is the beauty that God has placed in front of us, and even though we see all the complexity in nature it points to the simplicity of one answer, one God.

Post 18

State of the Planet is a short poem written by Robert Hass. Upon the first time reading this I noticed that their were a lot of clues that led to a deeper meaning. Words that are not used in daily vocabulary were pulled out of the closet and used in order to show further illustration. It says that the occasion in which this poem was written for the fifth anniversary of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. So I am going out on a limb to assume that Hass was at least initially writing to a scientific audience. Which gave him the time and place (as well as audience) to understand his abstract use of vocabulary. In his poem he frequently refers to Lucretius who happens to be a Roman Poet. Lucretius was not just any regular poet, he wrote on the mysteries of the Universe; much like Hass in State of the Planet. Lucretius happened to believe that the spirit and mind couldn’t survive without the body. He also believed that that there was no God and explained creation through science. And I just can’t help but to think that this poem was a response to Lucretius challenging him on his views. For example, “People have been arguing for centuries, about whether or not you thought of Venus as a metaphor. Because of the rational man they take you for.” I am not quite sure whether Hass agreed with Lucretius ideas or if he was almost mocking them; but either way it was a response. In the ending stanza, Hass talks about the earth needing a restoration. With audience in mind, maybe Hass was talking about our earth and a physical restoration. A restoration of the planet in every sense. I think this restoration included not only cleaning and protecting the earth, but a renewal of the way we think of the earth. To actual step back and reevaluate the way we look at life, and re-find the reasons we have to explain this earth that we actually live on. Maybe this poem was a call to the science world to restore their mind with reevaluation of what they hold to be true? Or than again maybe this is just me, trying to find what I hope he was talking about. =p

Post 17

This Blessed House was written by Jhumpa Lahiri. It is a short novel about two characters named Sanjeev and Twinkle. Sanjeev and Twinkle had just gotten married after only knowing each other for four short months. The character development in this novel comes from the personality clashes between both characters. Sanjeev is the very organized and detail oriented person, while Twinkle is a free spirit who cares very little about a “scheduled life”. Twinkle finds herself noticing all the differences between the two of them first when her religious relics are placed on the mantel. Although the many details described by Lahiri is important, the details set the stage for the bigger picture. This story has many points and themes that run wild throughout the novel. The two main ones that I see are about control and accepting flaws. I think control can come in many forms. People like Sanjeev try to control their life through organization. But Twinkles form of control was to actually let go, and let happen. I am not exactly sure which is right, but than again maybe there is no right. Maybe people are suppose to be able to find their form of control and interpret it how they may. I guess this is where the difference in personalities comes into play. If two people come together with two different ways of “controlling” their life, there is unavoidably going to be conflict. I think the moral Lahiri was trying to say is that maybe there is not a right or wrong way to be, but the right or thing is how you handle a clash of personalities. If we as people love the people that we are interacting with, we should be able to control the way we control in order to accept their flaw.

Special Post

Captain Jack Michael Laurent is the name I here everyday, the phrase that begins the definition of my life. What are names, anyway? Who really cares what someone’s half drugged mother decided to name her child after the bloody thing came out. No matter what were called in this useless life, in the end were all the same damn thing, dead. Oh my God! I swear one more of these days where people continue to herd right in front of the gate I need to get to, I am going to go crazy. You would think that after 15 years in the Air force, the government would be able to give me some sort of pension other than a good job medal. Anything of value would be better than that, just so I wouldn’t have been forced to fly planes all day and night to pay the bills. Maybe if I wasn’t so busy flying around these self righteous people who think they deserve the best just cause they paid $200 to see their family; I would have been able to spend more time with Molly, before she decided to go out and find another guy to – ATTENTION: Gate A2 is boarding. Now excuse me folks, I have a plane to catch, Hope you have a wonderful experience flying Delta! God If it was up to me I would just push them out of my way, but – Excuse me Captain Laurent may I see your itinerary information before you begin for boarding preparation. Really, a Jew is flying on my plane, curls and all; wow glad to know that’s what “God” does for you buddy. Captain? Oh sorry, yes ma’m here you are. Thank you, Have a great flight! Ugh finally past all those people, now I can look forward to coasting for 3 hrs in what is a 5 by 5 cubicle with my homosexual co-pilot Ricardo talking about his recent love interests. Great, just what I was looking forward to. ALL SYSTEMS GO: Flight 3367 is ready for take off. As a kid the thought of being a pilot seemed so exciting and intriguing, but this is not what I expected. I hate sitting on the runway waiting for the 6 other planes ahead of me to go, just because one stupid pilot took his dandy little time in landing holding up all the planes on the strip. It reminds me of the times when I would get home from a two or three day flight, so excited to see Molly. Just to find out that she left a not happening to schedule a hair appointment, or jut had to go to the super market right when I told her I was to be home. I can’t believe it has been three years since I found out about it, and I still can’t stop thinking about her. I mean, I guess I deserv- Captain Laurent you ready? We can move now, don’t be scared. Yeah. Does he think he’s funny or something? Honestly I wish he would just shut up already. You know Captain Jack your looking frustrated can I help in anyway? God, these gay people what was in the governments head when they decided to let them into the work force, it’s almost as bad not having anything to show for pissing away 15 years of my life with them. No Ricardo, you can’t do anything. At least we are in the air now; it’s better than sitting in a random hotel room waiting for my next flight. Why does my life always feel like I am in slow motion? Everything I seem to do is about waiting, waiting to get out of the air force, waiting for Molly to come home, waiting for people to move in the terminal, waiting on the strip, waiting to die. It feels like every day my life is filled with moments to think, yet there is never anything worth thinking about. Why are my thoughts always filled with struggles and pain and views that I formed from past experiences? Why is it that I can’t love? Even when I had love, I never knew how to love? I wish I knew what love is? Captain Jack? Yes, Ricardo? The auxiliary light is blinking, what do you think is wrong? I’m not sure probably just a miscommunication between engines, not a big deal it will fix itself. Wait the second light just flashed on that means… the engine is failing. Ok no need to panic; we still have one more engine Ricardo. Should we inform the passengers Jack? Nah lets just see what happens. Ok I guess I’ll keep an eye on the engine lights to make sure nothing else goes on. Great just what I needed to add to my list, waiting on the engine, it will probably fail me too just like my wife. Umm Jack the third light is on. And pressure is dropping fast. Are you serious? Is there anything else we can do? No. It’s over; we have to tell the crew and passengers. God is this like a joke or something? Are you punishing me for calling them self-righteous? Or maybe this is just my punishment, maybe my wait is over? ATTENTION: This is you pilot speaking Captain Jack Laurent we are experiencing engine failure and the plane we will begin to lose altitude shortly. Am I really saying this right now? Please put your air masks on and prepare for impact? I regret to inform you that there is nothing else we can do. You might want to say your last prayers. God is this really it, this is not what I wanted to wait for. Are you there? What do I do? That Jewish guy he knew you, he did everything for you down to his clothes and hair. Is that what you want my appearance? God you must be real, I can’t even think right now? The plane is going to crash and I am going to die. What am I saying there is nothing left, no God, nothing. What if I am wrong, what if God is real? God show me who you are? I am sorry.

CONTROL CENTER: ARE YOU THERE? CAPTAIN LAURENT?

FLIGHT 3367: --------------------------------------------------

Post 14

In class on Monday, we learned about a practice called lectio divina. This process of spiritual meditation and reading dates backs to the earliest of Christian monks. The idea behind lectio divina was to repeat portions of scripture in order that one may be able to understand more deeply God’s Word. This process involves reading than re-reading, reflecting, and listening for anything new that can come to mind through this method. The purpose of lectio divina is to slow down the intake of Scripture. I had tried lectio divina one time before in one of my first team meeting, but this time in class was a lot different. I think the main thing that influenced this difference was that it was not scripture. The story Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin discusses racial issues as well as the power of music. The story I thought was very moving and applied to my life a lot. I think that music is extremely powerful and has helped me to feel as though there are people in the world that can relate to me in some way. It almost gives feeling of community, like there is a bigger picture out there. The portion of text we choose to read by lectio divina I felt really helped to show the importance of music; or at least that’s what I got out of it. Music is powerful. Music I feel actually has the power to heal. Music and lyrics can touch ones soul in ways that mere words alone could never do. I believe that through music that world can be changed. Music brings down defenses and allows the message to resentant deep within our hearts. This effect directly corresponds to the effects of lectio divina. Both involve the opening of your mind in order to receive whatever the message is that your trying to find or need to hear. I guess that maybe we should all consider lectio divina in every area of our life. When our world seems to flood our lives with the chaos of humanity, maybe it would help to slow things down to open our hearts and minds for things hidden that we were to busy to see.