Important Things (or, of things holy)

It is important to skip small rocks across a pond, to climb a hill on all four, stand up tall and sing a song.  It is important to plant hydrangeas and pansies, and in a meadow pick daisies.  It is important to drink the sun in a raspberry patch, to scoop into your mouth red or black.  It is important to barefoot tread in cool mud, along laughing, gurgling streams; to climb a tree, rough skinned, it is important to scrape your knee.  It is important to heal the skin, important for the sin.  It is important to take some time, important to be well, important to hear it is okay, and important to believe. It is important to gather a happy toddler into your arms, and important to hold a crying daughter.   It is important to rub the back of a sleeping boy and hug him still when he’s a man.  It is important to bake biscotti and serve iced tea, to care for the elderly; to swab a brow with furrows tilled on aged face and heart. It is important to gently touch her traveled feet, to massage with love, with lightest balm and richest lavender, what toil calloused, to gaze into her face, to watch silent words spill like flickering sunbeams from blue eyes, to know a grandmother at the end.  It is important to dig a grave for your dog when he is done, and it is important to snuggle a kitten who was born. It is important to bow in worship, important to fall in adoration, prone upon the dirt. It is important to let yourself be gathered up like a basket of blossoms and held near, treasured for being, for simply being.  It is important to feel the brush of friendship upon your cheek, it is important to let it touch your heart.  It is important to sit with a friend, for hours immeasurable and meandering talks, until long shadows from a retiring sun gather like piles of quilts, reminding we are snug and warm, and tomorrow’s hope will come again.   It is important to write to live well; it is important to breathe to sing the anthem well, to sing what is worth singing.  It is important to dance with hair unfurled, to twirl amidst the holy.  It is important to embrace the person embracing, to know you touch the image of God, in part.  So many things important, so many things holy, so much to ponder, for which to give thanks. Oh, come with me, we'll pull up a bit of earth and lie down flat and worship a little while longer.

On Culture and Being Nerdy

I am thinking about how culture is created, specifically the "culture" of a home, and even more specifically, the "culture" of our own home. Also, how broader "culture" becomes a reflection of home-life, even many homes, and how homes absorb and reflect the broader culture, for better or for worse; of our daily habits cultivated over time, habits set like stone and attitudes, and of the things we intentionally absorb and those we absorb by default or complacency, or tiredness; and of the skills and potential contained within a single family unit for the betterment of society, of the things we give ourselves to, collectively and in solitude. Am also thinking about my role, as mother, as example and creator of "culture" that holds a great potential to become either a positive or negative influence within our home, and within culture. I think that I think too much, and my children would call this nerdy. LOL ;)