There the penitents took off their shoes And walked barefoot the remaining mile. --Robert Lowell
Some people have to have pain. If dirt doesn't fall on their heads from the sky, they sulk in corners and hope their flesh turns to dust. They do everything the hard way, even when they know better, and often complain and accuse others for their pain. For people like this, even the song of a bird is a bother. It's better to smile when people like that accuse. It's better to wear shoes when walking on stones, better to take the shortest way. There is weeping and wailing enough in the world, dumps full of worn-out guilt and remorse. When the bird sings, it's better to look up and see that it beats its wings not to punish itself, but to fly.
Interesting post for Good Friday,,, for those that observe Good Friday. Reminds me of the verse 'to everything there is a season... a time to laugh and a time to cry.... a time to live and a time to die'. Today is a somber and penitential day for us.
God bless you,
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
Today is a joyous day for me. Today I have chosen to nourish my soul. I neglect the needs of my soul when I'm caught up in my day to day life, chosing martyrdom for attention, giving myself "quick fixes" of satisfaction. But today, I honor the soul and spirit of who I am.
"When soul is pushed right out onto a limb, we grasp at addictive things: not just substances (food, drugs) but forms of behaviour and crablike ways of living that scurry around the real need. These addictive ways of life are on their own continual loop, giving us nothing and eroding soul ever more at each turn. Addictive fixes are merely self-sabotaging. The needs of the soul are not just religious: they are cultural, creative and inspirational. When we pay attention to these, the soul is able to give scope and dynamism to our lives."
~John Moriarty
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Funny, isn't it, how friends and a Power greater than ourselves can neutralize nightmares?
