The 60-Second Sabbath

Current Affairs

  • The Monkey and the Tree

    Your thoughtschatter like a monkey. You are not the monkey. You are themagnificent,stately,ancient tree,reaching to the clouds,rooted in the earth,offering shade,silent,strongand wise, through whose branchesraces the monkey. Shrug your massive branches,and let the monkey fall to the forest floor.He is… Continue reading

  • Sermon in the Park, Part 1

    "That whole eye-for-an-eye,    tooth-for-a-tooth thing?That's crap–    always has been.It never was a part of the plan." He speaks,    as he loves to do,to friends and supporters    gathered at the parkon a warm summer evening    close… Continue reading

  • Divergence

    In the center of the village    seven dusty paths diverge. An old woman lives    in a cottage that stands    just to the East.She watches and listens    as each traveler    begins the journey.Old as the sea,    wise as the mountains,    beautiful as songbirds at sunrise,she watches and listens.… Continue reading

  • On the Loss of a Friend

    I take stockof sadness. How is itmeasured? At timesit fills this chipped cup. At timesit fills the sea. Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Lacking Scarcity

    There isenough. I amenough. I live as ifthere isn't enough:    not enough time,    not enough money,    not enough sleep,    not enough room,    not enough accomplished… But there is alwaysenough. And I am alwaysenough. Text and… Continue reading

  • The New Question

    For a very long time,the question of spiritual identityhas been,"Who are you?" Now is the time for a new question:"Whose are you?" We are God's.We belong to one another. As Desmund Tutu said,"I am because you are." Text and image… Continue reading

  • Your Opinions

    Why do you insiston judging every circumstanceas good or bad? Circumstances just are. Imagine the freedomof not evaluating,not formulating yet another opinion.* You exhaust me. You exhaust yourself. *unnecessary, unsolicited Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.… Continue reading

  • Let Go. Let Go. Let Go.

    Part 1 "What will you takefrom our time together?"asked the therapist,as he always didwhen drawing a session to a close.  "That I can continueto let things be what they are,to release,to relinquish control. Let go.Let go.Let go." Part 2 What… Continue reading

  • Grace Waits

    They are the golden children,the ones for whom doors open,the ones who face few obstacles.And obstacles–when they do appear–can be stepped over or pushed aside,and turn out to be mere annoyancesthat barely impede their progress. And then, one day,the earth… Continue reading

  • Beyond Structure

    We remainimprisoned by the structure(of culture, of religion)until we encounterthe One-beyond-Structure. We call this OneGod. Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading