Tissues

There are tissues on the table,
But I let the tears stay.
I let them fall on my face,
I did not wipe them away.

There are tissues on the table,
But I don’t want to hide.
I need someone to see,
The pain I feel inside.

There are tissues on the table,
But I won’t wipe them away.
I can’t think about tomorrow,
I just think of yesterday.

There are tissues on the table,
But I left them for the rest.
I really need to feel this,
And put the feelings to rest.

There are tissues on the table,
But the tears warm my face.
I know that I’ll get through this,
With God’s unending grace.

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both"

I feel like there is a Robert Frost poem for every phase of my life.

Leaving New York, it was “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”

Currently, I have drawn much comfort from the poem “The Road Not Taken.” A beautiful and very popular (and possibly over quoted) poem, it describes something universal to human nature: facing a difficult decision in which both paths are appealing, and neither choice is “wrong.” At least, that's what it meant to me. I literally kept it up on my browser at home and work for about a week - I needed this poem!

I wonder what poem will describe the next phase of my life. Something cheerful, I hope. And since it looks like I might be in Florida for a bit, it probably won’t be “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy evening.” :-)

Shall I check out a book of Robert Frost poetry from the library? Why yes, yes I shall. Oh how I love the library, where I am able to indulge my ever changing whims without cost or judgment.

A New Hope

"Sometimes our best efforts do not go amiss;
sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow
that seemed hard frozen: may it happen for you."
-"Sometimes" by Sheenagh Pugh

This poem was the benediction for a new church I attended today, the United Church of Gainesville. I had been wanting to try it for a while and, after reluctantly getting out of bed this morning, I left with wet hair and my Dunkin Donuts travel cup o' coffee (new Christopher Bean kona blend coffee, yum) to get to the church right on time. It was lovely. I loved this poem, I loved the call to worship (another poem by Anne Sexton), and the songs we sang (including "What a Wonderful World"). The sermon was filled with humour yet insightful and relevant. I think I may have found a church home! Everyone there was so welcoming and friendly (even the pastor recognized me as new), and they even have a choir! And most importantly, when I was there, I felt the presence of God.

I think it's sort of interesting that my spiritual life is reviving right before Lent. Interesting because of where I'm at in my life right now and what I would like to change. I still have a lot to learn about what it means, but today I read this quote:

"Lent beckons us to consider what matters the most, those questions about meaning and purpose and values. So begin here: Who are you becoming? What do you need to let go of? What do you need to go toward?"
-Frederick Buechner, From Death to Life

Sounds about right.

*Special thanks to Spike TV channel for currently airing Star Wars: A New Hope and providing inspiration for this blog title. :)

Blogger's Block

I decided last weekend that I was going to start blogging again, and now I have been sitting here for about 10 minutes trying to come up with my first blog. I have some later blogs already done, that I wrote when I felt "inspired" last weekend, but I thought I should have a first blog - an intro blog, if you will. I haven't really blogged since New York, so...I don't know. Maybe this one won't be as interesting, or exciting, but I felt like I needed a place to...express myself! This way, I can purge myself of all my inner thoughts and feelings without having to bore you on the phone! Ha just kidding. But, I hope you enjoy it.