The 60-Second Sabbath

kindness

  • Haiku

    words like winter windspirit-piercing shards of icearrows to the heart Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Toward Healing

    I peeled back the bandage."This is my wound,"I said. "It looks like it's healing,"he said. "Yes, it is.It still hurts some,but nothing like before." "What's made the difference?" "I stopped pretendingit didn't exist,stopped telling myselfI shouldn't be hurt that badly.I… Continue reading

  • Transmutation

    The ancient alchemistslong soughtthe philosopher's stone,which could transmutelead into gold. I have found it.It is simply this:kindness. Text and image © 2013 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Through Me

    Life, live through me,    not shame,        for shame drives us        to cut ourselves,    not fear,        for fear drives us        to cut others,    not perfection,        for perfection drives us        to… Continue reading

  • Kindness

    She exhales kindness.It chills me like a whisper,    close by my ear,    unexpected in the dark. Only later do I know itfor what it is:    a light giving,    needed, welcomed,but so gentleit took awhilebefore it dawned: "Ah,that was a subtle… Continue reading

  • Preachers and Poets

    I know a womanwho writes beautiful words,words of healing and encouragement.Her meditations inspire.Her reflections open closed hearts. But in daily life,she speaks with harshness and cruelty,slashing and burning.She spews verbal napalmthat strips the foliagefrom human hearts. This is a dangerfor… Continue reading

  • Hanukkah Wish #5

    May you love yourself…exactly as you are. Do not expect more of yourselfthan you expect of others. If you are kind to anyone this seasonlet it be you. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.   Continue reading

  • PB&J

    We make 100 PB&J sandwiches,gently spreading crunchy peanut butteron donated white bread(which tears easily given the fragility of the breadand the stiffness of the peanut butter). The other slice of breadwe coat with squeezable grape jelly(squeezability speeds up the process).… Continue reading

  • Write Your Own Blog! (Part 2)

    I'm on a personal retreat for a few days, so I'm inviting you, the reader, to write the blog yourself. You might consider what Jewel sings in her moving song "Hands" (by Jewel Kilcher and Patrick Leonard):     "In the end, only kindness matters.    In… Continue reading