Twin 2: “You’re walking through the itch weed.”
Twin 1: “I don’t even care. I’m already all itch.”
Twin 2: “You’ll be itchy forever!”
Kid Moment
Alphabet Meditation Verses: V
Volcano-like day–
my insides are lava.
Ego seeks
to make sense of the drama.
But calm comes faster
when I set my scopes down
and let it all be fuzzy,
except for the now.
Alphabet Meditation Verses: U
Universe of time
with complicated flow–
one vantage point that’s mine–
so little that I know–
a child pointing blame
for events far beyond,
I writhe in ego’s game,
curse pretend magic wands.
These pains, not my fault,
nor others’: we are
all wounded children,
descendants of stars.
May I look with compassion
on others and me
and tend my small ration
of eternity.
Alphabet Meditation Verses: T
Try–that is all you can do, little soul;
the outcome is not in your hands.
Accept, as soon as possible,
the wrecking of your plans,
and then you can proceed to try
with calm instead of hope.
Either x will happen, or it won’t.
But all that’s in your scope
is just to try. With each next thing,
check your facts and choose a move;
then try, with heart at rest, little soul—
for that’s all you have to do.
Kid Moment
Twin 1: “My river—my favorite.”
— Twins, age 2 (while riding in the car, on a bridge over the Kanawha river)
Twin 2: “Yes, that’s your favorite.”
Alphabet Meditation Verses: S
So be a watcher on the rock,
not flailing in the swash,
drowning when I try to swim.
Sit still, apart; just watch.
Even when the current’s rough
and splashes, slaps, and stings,
watch what happens, only watch,
whatever the river brings.
And be a watcher on the wall
of what is my domain.
Tend my needs and mind my words
to carefully contain
the mindless spills of ego aches.
Alert, alone, aground,
step up to see my facts and say,
“This is my watch right now.”
Alphabet Meditation Verses: R
Respecting what is,
what each moment brings,
whatever’s the case
of my facts and feelings—
this is my rock,
the place I can stay
and not be shaken,
come what may.
Kid Moment
“Mommy, I like your robe. It’s so beautiful. Except I don’t like the stain on it.”
– twin 1, age 4
Alphabet Meditation Verses: Q
Quiet like the water’s edge
receding with the tide,
let ego slip away, my soul;
let all its plans subside.
Melancholy like the moon
in its dark solitude,
accept what’s hard and lonely
in your path, and end your feud.
Gentle like the soft sand,
yielding without cease,
keep yielding to what comes, my soul,
so you may dwell in peace.
~~~
This is one of my favorites, and I have given it a title as a standalone poem (and song, when set to music): “Moonlight Elegy”
Alphabet Meditation Verses: P
People depend on me, and I
can often do a lot
to meet their needs and wishes;
but sometimes I cannot–
and then it hurts. I stress and strain
against reality.
I must let what is be what is
for them as well as me.
Kid Moment
Since I’ve now got a handful of picture book manuscripts ready to go and I’m gearing up to start querying agents (to hopefully get published or at least learn all I can through the process), I thought it would be fitting and also fun to occasionally share some of my kids’ art (with their permission, of course) along with some of the funniest stuff they’ve said (I keep a running document of their zingers!).
So here’s the first one, from one of the twins at age 5 (last year):
“Mommy, I would like bananas better if they were made out of chocolate.”
Alphabet Meditation Verses: O
Once ego finally subsides
to acceptance of what’s real,
letting go of its delusions,
gripes, and ambitious zeal,
there’s sadness, from closing the door on those dreams
and letting real suffering in–
a melancholy soul-sigh–
then stillness can begin.
Whatever the River Brings 