There was a time when you were almost content
with what you were taught;
a time you could almost believe
the popular deception
of creating your own unfading haven;
a time you were almost persuaded, through Sunday’s
cheerful affirmations, to claim a helium hope,
blaming any leakage on the weakness
of your faith.
But when that which is precious
is leaving,
and you stand at midnight’s window,
watching, listening,
there is nothing to do but be,
in the weight, breadth, and depth,
of your emotion;
there is nothing to do but suffer that love
to pierce you, to
let the harsh sorrows of the world defeat you,
courageously shape you,
mysteriously prepare you —
for this is what it means to be still and alive
and be true.
Beautiful
Thank you, Ananda!
poignant simplicity
Thank you, Adela! Lovely to see you here again.
“nothing to do but be” …and become! (the same verb)
Thanks, Ike. Is this the melding of future and present?
This poem is a testament to the open heart.
Thank you so much, Lorraine!
Falling in love with Jesus, is the best thing I’ve ever done.
Richard, I can understand that.
Well – my heart is here today, standing right at midnight’s window.
Thank you for giving it words.
And thank you, Dave, for letting me know. It means a lot.
Poetry therapy!
Paul Tillich’s in “The Courage to Be” defines courage as the self-affirmation of one’s being in spite of a threat of nonbeing.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is not elimination of difficult feelings; rather, it is to be present with what life brings and to “move toward valued behavior”. Acceptance and commitment therapy invites people to open up to unpleasant feelings, learn not to overreact to them, and not avoid situations where they are invoked. (Wikipedia)
Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) posits that the mind is made up of multiple parts, and underlying them is a person’s core or true Self. Like members of a family, a person’s inner parts can take on extreme roles or subpersonalities. Each part has its own perspective, interests, memories, and viewpoint. A core tenet of IFS is that every part has a positive intent, even if its actions are counterproductive and/or cause dysfunction. There is no need to fight with, coerce, or eliminate parts; the IFS method promotes internal connection and harmony to bring the mind back into balance. (Wikipedia)
Thanks, Steve – your words evoke a thousand picures!
Thank you, Sam! Enjoyed your comparisons. Grateful to be included in your list of therapies.