Growth
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The Gates of Patience
I grab the rusted barsof the gates of patience–"Let me in! Let me in!I need so badly to be patient!" I continue, until,exhausted,I collapse against the ancient iron.I gasp, "I will simply wait here until they open." While I sleep,the great… Continue reading
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Great and Historic Virtue
We see our lives small:what have we accomplished, really? Yesterday I spent three hours ironing–did this heal the world?Did this advance the reign of God? From the 13th centuryechoes the voice of St. Bonaventure:"The perfection of a spiritual man [woman]is… Continue reading
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Orthodoxy
While creeds and dogma have their place,I'd rather trace a human facewith silent, slow and soft embrace. Orthodoxy's not my goal:I'd rather touch a human soul. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading
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The Spirits
The spirits assemble–the spirits of wholeness, joy and beauty,the spirits of unity, wonder and courage–and, in a circle of unbroken power and healing,their common prayersflow like streams–cool, clear, inexorablethrough the heart of humanity. We can not but be cleansed. Text… Continue reading
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Go Within
"Go within." But I am afraid. "I would be too,given what you're likely to find." That's not helping. "Go within." Hold my hand,and I shall go. "I will,but I know from experience,that you will release itat soon as you realizethat… Continue reading
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Toward the Sacred
How clear to youis your path to the sacred? For some it comeson a Sunday morningin a sunlit pew. For many of usit's an ocean voyage more obscure,with a sense of the sadnessof the long sea that pilgrims sail,not clear… Continue reading
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Fear
Emerson advises us:"Always dowhat you are afraid to do." Make a list–perhaps just five items long–of those thingsyou fear the most to do because the risk is to great, the potential ridicule too painful, the possible loss deadly. This week,do one of them: … Continue reading
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The Game, Part 2
I was tackled;no one said there would be tackling.I was chased down the field;no one said I'd be running scared.I swung bats at imaginary balls;"Whose side am I on?" I cried. "Life!""Work!""Relationships!" Something wooden whacked the back of my head.I… Continue reading
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Time
Time to write. Time for silence. Time to let God speak. Time to know who I am. Time to be grateful. Time to be human. I have all the time. I not only have the time, I have all the… Continue reading
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The Convention
Twenty-seven floors above Indianapolis:I stand at my hotel windowand soar, like a bird, over the river, across which grinds a long train of empty coal cars,over a vacant, blue-seated baseball stadium,over anonymous autos crawling the Interstate,past other tall hotels where, possibly,… Continue reading