The 60-Second Sabbath

healing

  • The Forest

    Lost in the forest,alone, afraid, abandoned,I fall to my knees,bury my face in my hands,and weep. When my tears have ended,when I have exhausted my grief,I open my eyes and look around:trees have gathered,forming a protective circle,arms joining above, sheltering… Continue reading

  • Hymn

    Lay down in stillness.Lay down in stillness.Lay down in stillness,    the stillness of God. Surrender to sorrow.Surrender to sorrow.Surrender to sorrow,     the sorrow of God. Rise up in wholeness.Rise up in wholeness.Rise up in wholeness,    the wholeness of God.… Continue reading

  • Grief

    In that moment–that split second of inexpressible loss–she felt herself both diminish and expand. And while her mind yet reeledat the harsh actuality of it,something shifted deep within,reoriented in the direction of truthand therefore freedom. She would not understand this… Continue reading

  • Two Types of People

    I've come to believethere are two types of people,the divisiveand the unifying. Pay attention to those around you–    what they say,    how they act:do you conclude your interactionswith a greater sense    of common struggle,    of essential… Continue reading

  • Aurora, CO, July 20, 2012

    Take nothing you lovefor granted. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Dependence Day

    Let's celebrate Dependence Day! Let's acknowledge how desperately we need one another;    our interconnection;    how our lack of unity grieves God;    how healing only happens when we own our fear and need;     how division slowly consumes the… Continue reading

  • Ten-Thousand Poems

    Today, around the globe,ten-thousand poems shall be written,one, perhaps, by me.  Each begins with an ache,likely echoing another's ache–answering, enflaming, soothing… But most(this one?)may never be sent beyond these few, ruled lines,never find life beyond this page,lost to all but… Continue reading

  • Brother Juniper

    Br. Juniper came upon a beggar,lying legless by the city gate;the man held out his cap for alms,crusted with filth and fleas. Juniper stretched himself on the ground beside the manand pulled on his own right leg,pulled and pulled until… Continue reading

  • Senior Cats

    They are now eight.How can a creature of eight yearsbe "senior"?They eat "senior" food.They go for annual "senior" exams. My other cat(companion of my adult life)lived to be nineteen.If eight means "senior,"what was she? I am fifty-eight,a week from fifty-nine.What… Continue reading

  • Kingdom of Heaven

    We need not run from the future,    need not abandon ourselves    to the doomsayers and apocalyptic prophets,    those who read scripture    as an end-time move script    filled with CGI firestorms and floods,    with the righteous floating… Continue reading