VISIBLE HOLINESS

Mary Oliver writes in her poem 'Drifting', "I didn't intend to start thinking about God, it just happened.  How God, or the gods, are invisible, quite understandable.  But holiness is visible, entirely."  That passage reminded me once again, that it is how we see that governs what we see.  Mary Oliver died on January 17, 2019; she created verses that revealed "her love for the physical world and the powerful bonds among all living things".   I'm reading her final published book as morning devotions - it seems fitting that the title of the book is "Devotions".

For much of my waking hours, I move through the world essentially blind to the holiness that Mary Oliver says is entirely visible.  If only I had eyes to see.  It makes me reflect on the things that get in the way of me seeing what is holy in everyday life: the self-inflicted busy-ness that consumes and ties me to a desk and computer;  the attraction of various social media feeds ever ready at my finger tips; or, a riveting story from a treasured book - a good thing actually, but not holy.  We all live with blinkers on of some sort, lenses that filter or block the entirely visible holiness that is around us.

Early in the morning, if you walk through the trails at Inglis Falls, you will hear wood thrushes singing to each other.  My ear picks up their song as 'lee-oh-lay-oh-lee'  with variations and extra trills thrown in...or so it seems to me.  On my morning walk along SR 23, the redwing blackbirds are everywhere, signalling from the power lines.  Their song isn't melodic - but have you ever watched them sing?  At the very end of its call, a redwing gives special emphasis to the final note by flicking his tail up into the air, a rude salute to me, the object of their scold. 

These simple birdsongs in my own backyard, are the holiness that Mary Oliver was seeing as she walked and thought about an invisible God.

May you see the holiness surrounding you.  Blessings and peace to all.

Pat

Take This Thought Away With You

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful,

for beauty is God's handwriting."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

A Week's Worth of Gratitude

Saturday ~ Georgia

Sunday ~ Mel & Don Knight

Monday ~ Alan Baer

Tuesday ~ O Canada

Wednesday ~ wood thrushes

Thursday ~ reading on the deck

Friday ~ watering the garden