Still Life

Life then, is not a vignette,
not a still life
of carefully arranged perfection.

It is messy, every changing,
ever challenging,
too often raw,

struggling
to make sense of it all,
struggling,

most of all
to accept the loves
we don’t believe we deserve.

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About the Poem

This is the eleventh in a Lenten series of poems and photographs. The topic for today was “live.” My mind went in so many directions with this one, but in the end settled out how so many of us struggle to accept the love that is offered to us, from God, from other people, from all around us, because we somehow don’t feel worthy. We can’t get past ourselves to accept the Grace of love that we crave at the deepest levels.

The picture was taken at the Bennington Potters, in Bennington, Vermont. You can click on it for a larger version.

Tom

About these Lenten Poems

My friend Cathy Benson is on to something. Instead of doing without for Lent, she is doing MORE with a prayer project that is thoughtful and caring.

Giving up something for Lent is a church tradition, not a biblical command. It was designed to get our minds and hearts right as we approach the holy week and Easter. It’s a good spiritual discipline.

But I think a spiritual discipline of doing something more is also a powerful way to prepare our hearts for Easter. The Methodists, through their “Rethink Church” initiative have come up with a photographic way to do this (see below). I am going to add a poem with each image for the lent season to help prepare myself. Feel free to glom on to the idea, visit the blog and read, or share your thoughts and prayers.