Solitude

  • Silence

    Silenceis an invitationto go deep. Try it now. Text and image © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.    Continue reading

  • Day of Rest

    A headline in last weekend's Denver Post read, "Day of Rest Good for Soul, Even to the Nonreligious." Turns out the constant flow of information and our endless busyness is actually making us sick, physically, emotionally and mentally. It interferes… Continue reading

  • Abandonment

    Many of us find great comfortin the assurance that God will never abandon us,but let's examine the record here:she did abandon her only Child,whose chillingly anguished cryfrom the cross to which she was nailed–"My God, my God, why have you… Continue reading

  • The Well

    In the corner of your gardenovergrown with weeds and grasseshides a well so long abandonedthat your spirit daily passesinches from its massive stoneworkclueless that its rusting bucketand the rope that's close to breakingcould in fact provide the waterthat your face… Continue reading

  • Misplacing My Heart

    Once again,I have misplaced my heart.Did I leave it on the bar at the Tipsy Parson?in the pew at church?in the hotel room on my last business trip? I risk it for greed,for the possibility of love,for the need to… Continue reading

  • The Dresser

    The dresser(in which reside my underwear and socks)is an antique,formerly owned by my sister(now deceased). Sometimes at night,with only a candle burning,I wish with all my heartto see her in the flecked, speckled mirror,to observe her pulling back her hair,putting… Continue reading

  • Credo

    I do not believe in hell, nor in the efficacy of war. I believe greed destroys and fear creates monsters where none exist. I believe in humility, the resilience of the human heart, and the revelatory nature of our nightly… Continue reading

  • Try Getting Lost

    Searching for a spiritual discipline?Try getting lost:visit a strange city,leave your baggage at your hotel and start walking.Drift left, veer right,turn toward what distracts you.Nod at people you pass;imagine their lives–as rich and confusing as your own.Say, "Hey, pup!" to curious… Continue reading

  • The Small

    Why so much comfortin my cat's jawjammed with intention, affection against mine? Why so much comfortin the squawking, congregating of crowsin the crowns of evening trees? Why so much comfortin the noise of my partner prepping pizza in the kitchenwhile… Continue reading

  • Always Home

    In frustration,I jam the wrinkled, unfolded mapinto the back seat,crank the key in the ignition,and jerk back onto the highway. "I'm lost," I mutter."Hopelessly…" From the passenger seat comes the response,"With me, you're always home." Text and image © 2011… Continue reading