A Martha Kind of Day

Another long day.  Got up early and worked late.  Ran multiple errands afterwards and made two batches of brownies for tomorrow's small group.  Some dishes and tidying.  Dinner at 8 (not as glamorous as it sounds).  Then more work-work and a spirited chat with the Amazon.com help desk.  And ironing. 

It's days like this where I wonder how I keep up with anything.  But it's better to have work to do and to be able to do it, I suppose.  The good news is at least some of it was stuff in line with one proportional goal or another.   Bad news is, I didn't leave any time for any thinking or relaxing or praying tonight.  When I finally got to sit down and work on this a little while ago, I made the mistake of reading and lost track of the little bit of time I had left in the day.  Overall, I was a poor steward of my time.  So I'm going to share one of the poems I read tonight and go to bed.  I can pray there before I sleep.

Maybe I should have been less Martha and more Mary today. 

(And yes, I know it's after midnight now but I'm still counting this for Tuesday.)

You Are There -- Rumi

You’re inside every kindness.  When a sick

person feels better, you’re that,

and the onset of disease too.  You’re sudden,

terrible screaming.  Some problems require

we go for help.  When we knock on a stranger’s

door, you sent us. Nobody answers. It’s

you!  When work feels necessary, you

are the way workers move in rhythm.

You are what is:  the field, the players,
the ball, those watching.  Someone claims to

have evidence that you do not exist.
You’re the one who brings the evidence in,

and the evidence itself.  You are inside

the soul’s great fear, every natural

pleasure, every vicious cruelty.  Someone

loves something, someone else hates

the same.  There you are.  Whatever anyone

wants or not:  political power, injustice,

material possessions, those are your script,
the handwriting we study.  Body, soul,

shadow.  Whether reckless or careful,
you are what we do.  It’s absurd to ask

your pardon.  You’re inside repentance,

and sin!  The wonder of various jewels,

agate, emerald.  How we are during a day,

then at night, you are those moods and

the pure compassion we feel for each

other.  Every encampment has a tent

where the leader is, and also the wide
truth of your imperial tent overall.