My days are no longer numbered. That’s one thing I’ve noticed.
And I feel okay about being up this creek without a paddle. I’m even starting to think whatever it is I don’t know is probably the best part, and always will be.
Today, I must confess, the full moon cracked me like a nut, and I wasn’t the only one. For a while we were floundering. All of us. Working up a righteous indignation there in the conference room. Awakening is realizing Hafiz is there the whole time, standing just outside the frame with his stopwatch and kazoo, counting down until real forgiveness strikes–that breath that says, what’s all this about?
I admit, I inhaled. The wounds we receive are never what they seem. Those are where the sweetness resides. We tunnel through them into glory. Most of the time I’m ignorant of what’s happening and I have to look back to see what it really meant. I have to dig down until I strike the nectar of who we are. Then I understand. I was thinking the whole episode meant something pretty good while I was driving home, realizing I wouldn’t have it any other way, while overhead the sky was splitting open into colors.
You realize at some point you have a secret inside you that you’ll probably never finish telling. But it’s sure fun to try. I listened to a podcast last week by some philosophers who were saying living forever wouldn’t actually be good, because we’d run out of new experiences to try, and then we’d get bored. It would be best if we could control when and how we died. Then we could maximize. I think that’s how I felt before I read Rumi, before I cried alone in the forest, before I realized everyone has the same secret inside of them and no clue how to tell it. Somewhere along the way you realize we’re already endless, and that all these different faces we’re bumping into are the Answer to the problem of eternity.
So can you really be awakened and have a day job?
Yes, of course.
In fact, that’s pretty much how it works. The ocean works all the time. The plants. The microbes. The stars. We need breaks, of course. During one of them you swat a fly and suddenly you realize: it’s all just being the thing you don’t know how to be. Now you have perspective. It does get easier.
Underneath the continuous rant of dissatisfaction we call a world, there is always light gathering. The world is a tree laden with ever-ripening fruit. It’s easy to say it’s something else. Something stifling and hot. Something to be wary of, at least.
Get as wary as you’d like. It’s okay, the moon will come along and crack you open. That’s what I learned…
Many thanks to Barbara for inviting me to participate in the next leg of this collective journey of discovery…
Embracing Forever 
Underneath the continuous rant of dissatisfaction we call a world, there is always light gathering. The world is a tree laden with ever-ripening fruit.
Yes! I love how your gift of poetry teases out the nuances of Grace. As long as there is ever-ripening fruit, it is ok and all is well.
So glad Mike to be part of this awakening journey with you ,Rumi, and Hafiz.
blessings, Linda
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Thank you, Linda! Glad to be sharing this journey with you, too. Last week was super busy for me and I had no idea how I’d get this challenge onto paper, but in the end that pressure was kind of good. I was tired by the time I sat down to wrote–cleaned out of concepts and just able to go with it. This one was fun for sure!
Peace
Michael
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Oh this is so beautiful. It cracked me open. Every day there are tings that crack me open, more and more. This morning I was suddenly prompted to read something from Adya I’ve been saving on my desk top – so throughout the day I’ve been asking myself if love is not already here. And every time I look there it is. It cracks me open. I love this: The world is a tree laden with ever-ripening fruit. Aren’t we lucky!
Alison xox
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Thank you so much, Alison. Yes, it is kind of continuous, more and more, without end I think. What a great question from Adya… It’s just that little shift in how we look and receive that opens up so much sky above us. We’re less hemmed in when we see how little remains to be accomplished… We’re so lucky!
Peace
Michael
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What a wonderful way to describe life, awakening, and the continual cycles of mystery, cracking open, insights, darkness and more. Thank you for sharing your beautifully poetic perspective Michael.
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Gracias, Brad. Much appreciated, my friend. Yes, I tried to settle into it a bit and let the words carry me away. Had a nice moment of contemplation and discovery. Hopefully in the sharing it resounds with others, too… Awakening is who we are. Pass it along… 🙂
Blessings
Michael
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Yes it resounds and delights with the experience of awakening and light-heartedness. I’ll do my best to share! 🙂
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“Now you have perspective.” That statement speaks volumes. Significantly. Awakening is beautiful when we recognize and embrace it. Lovely viewpoints, Michael.
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Thank you, Eric. For me that perspective is just so important. Someone close to me has been wrestling with chronic pain, and the uncertainty that comes with it. Then when this person realized the pain didn’t mean what she thought it might, everything changed! I find that in just about anything. The context in which we look upon things means everything…
Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Eric.
Michael
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Oh how I enjoyed reading your beautiful poetic writing… a love story of sorts… allowing your perspective to expand to include so much more truth AND enjoy each day awakening to the mystery… never bored however cause you know deep within there is so much NEW to experience and just maybe one day you realise, it’s done and you choose to turn back to dust😘 Thankyou so much Michael for sharing your most sacred journey with us all❤️ Much love Barbara x
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Thank you, Barbara! You’re right, definitely a love story. In love with what is. It’s such a joy to touch that well of inspiration within us… My pleasure and thanks for inviting me to participate. It’s always fun to take a moment and explore these things, and share them…
With Love
Michael
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I just about cried reading this, feeling it through to my very soul and even let out a small giggle, as if a light turned on in the dark and I thought YES! I can see what you see because we are truly threads connected in this big old world that will keep on spinning with or without us, spreading joy and embracing each experience, good or bad as a lesson we can tuck in our history book of our life. Kudos Michael, a lovely write that made my day🌎🌕💫
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Hi Kim,
I just about cried writing it, so you tuned right in, my friend. We are indeed connected, and I needed this as much as anyone–the feeling of writing it, of merging with a knowing that follows us around, just outside of time. Part of awakening has been the growing comprehension these places are never far… Just a breath away. Many thanks for sharing your beautiful heart here with us!
Peace
Michael
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Michael, I so enjoy and appreciate your beautiful way with words. Thank you for this post…it spoke to my heart and made me smile contentedly. Aleya
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My pleasure, Aleya. I take great joy from knowing it spoke to your heart, and reached through those layers of concept. Even reading takes time, as I’ve found much to my chagrin… so thanks for taking the time to be contacted, and to resonate with this deep knowing we share together… This for me, is true prayer… This heart-sharing.
Peace
Michael
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Hi Michael,
This part made me smile the most, especially the part about the fly. “…suddenly you realize: it’s all just being the thing you don’t know how to be.”
“So can you really be awakened and have a day job?
Yes, of course.
In fact, that’s pretty much how it works. The ocean works all the time. The plants. The microbes. The stars. We need breaks, of course. During one of them you swat a fly and suddenly you realize: it’s all just being the thing you don’t know how to be. Now you have perspective. It does get easier.“
I have to confess, it gets easier, then growth happens and more adjustments can become challenging again. It’s like that, unless you’re done. Then you’re done, I guess. As for me, I’m growing again and forging a whole new everything, or molting….sort of- both.
Thank you for being you.
Ka
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Hello, Ka! I’m not sure we’re ever done, but I do think realizing we are not inspired to create in order to prevent ourselves from sliding into non-existence, but to expand the essence and joy of who we are, is helpful. Welcoming more light seems to soften the edges for me, even as I pass through different waves of unexpected difficulty. Even those waves start to feel familiar. Like friends, maybe. I am looking forward to your new wings, Ka. They always amaze and inspire me!
Thank you for being you, too.
Michael
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I’m really touched by your words, Michael. They help expand the essence and joy of who we are 🙂 Have a great week!
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Wonderful to read your post Michael, This journey is indeed ‘Endless’ and I loved what you said here
“…..before I cried alone in the forest, before I realized everyone has the same secret inside of them and no clue how to tell it. Somewhere along the way you realize we’re already endless, and that all these different faces we’re bumping into are the Answer to the problem of eternity.”
Our Learning, growing, evolving never stops, and when you said ” …The wounds we receive are never what they seem”….. So true, each an experience that enables us to learn from and grow, ..
A profound read..
Thank you Michael. 🙂
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Thank you, Sue! I appreciate your kind words. When we can place what is occurring in the context of a truly open-ended process, I think changes a great deal. There is only us (inasmuch as we enfold everything in our being, and everything enfolds us), and there is only now and forever. We are awakening to the good, I am sure of it! As you say, each experience aids in that accomplishment…
Peace
Michael
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Sigh. Thank you. I have missed you! You reach into the only part of me that’s real.
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I’ve missed you, too, Shailie! So nice to see you here! And thank you for the lovely note, which made my day. Hope all is well…
Peace
Michael
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You so beautifully capture the experience of awakening. The mystery and delight and pain. The unfolding of our true existence. The full moon was indeed intense, it has been an intense few weeks. So many things shifting and settling. The cracking open and releasing. Then the emptiness inside, the silence before we receive. It just keeps getting more and more awe-inspiring, doesn’t it.
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Yes it does. The river keeps flowing, picking up boulders and trees, cutting new channels into the land, spilling over into the fields… Renewal is such a beautiful concept I think. The movement from darkness to light and back again. The rhythm of life and beginning and ending and the presence we hold that weaves through all of it. Thank you for all the ways you remind us of that true unfolding…
Peace
Michael
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missed your posts Michael and also love Mazzy….sending you all good things ~ smiles hedy
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I found you again!!! But I was already following you. Perhaps I have missed your posts as I read blogs very rarely. Perhaps you aren’t writing as much. I still have little of significance to say except your posts are always exceptional and hard for me. I am too concrete.
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Hi Ellen!
I’ve not been posting for a while, but I do aim to get re-engaged here soon. It is great to hear from you and I hope you are well. It will be nice to emerge from this winter and into spring in the near future. 🙂
Peace
Michael
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‘…the full moon cracked me like a nut…’, a gem if there was ever a gem. Regards, Sir
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