Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

Mummy Dearest had posted this on FB and I thought it was such a lovely sentiment; it's almost a new year and as we approach it I pray for peace and happiness for all of us.  When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and the princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flocks, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among people, To make music in the heart. - Howard Thurman

"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" --Clarence, It's a Wonderful Life I love this movie. So much. I watch it every Christmas and sometimes in between if I need a pick me up. This movie is Christmas to me; you all know the story, so I'll save you the recap and just say that I pray this for each of you this Christmas: May you always feel your worth and know how you touch and affect the lives of those around you; may you always be the light for each other; may we all strive to make this world a better place for ourselves, but more importantly for one another. Merry Christmas!

You know that feeling you have when you're just not ready for things to go back to normal? When  you don't want the fun to end, and yet it has to...coming back from my lovey weekend away has been hard. So, it was sweet to find a postcard in my mailbox upon my return. My thoughtful friend, Magdalena, shared this lovely bit from Rilke: “ How could we be capable of forgetting the old myths that stand at the threshold of all mankind, myths of dragons transforming themselves at the last moment into princesses? Perhaps all dragons in our lives are really princesses just waiting to see us just once being beautiful and courageous " --R.M. Rilke, from "Letters to a Young Poet" It's the little things, no?  

Whether or not you believe in Ash Wednesday, or God, or whatever, I think this is a wonderful sentiment. A dear friend has been sending this along for close to 10 years now and I look for it every year, and I too pass it along to others who look forward to it too. Like a mantra it's worked it's way into me and is something I think of at times, especially these past few years as I've moved and struggled with feeling terribly alone--like a prayer, this has given me strength and hope.  "...It was Mr. Gold who counted time and eventually spoke first. 'Jacob, where do you find the strength to carry on in life?' 'Life is often heavy only because we attempt to carry it,' said Jacob.  'But, I do find a strength in the ashes.' 'In the ashes?' asked Mr. Gold. 'Yes,' said Jacob, with a confirmation that seemed to have traveled a great distance. 'You see, Mr. Gold, each of us is alone.  Each of us is in the g...

For all the nit picky flaws that people find with Thoreau's Walden experiment, there is still something that I love about what he was trying to do. He tried to give up some of life's conveniences so that he might better see the changing world around him, might try to appreciate nature; isolating himself for some parts of the human experience, and aiming for simpler means. When I lived at the Farm parts of the below quote were in my title box on this blog, because, like Thoreau I made the active choice to leave my conventional lifestyle and move to a very alternative place, to live in community, giving up some of the "necessities" of mainstream culture, i.e. cell reception, internet at home, privacy (in some senses). What I did gain, was the ability to see the world around me in a totally different light, to really experience life differently, becoming a stouter, heartier person in the process. And that is really what Walden is about, not ju...

Can you guess where I am? Back in Michigan just 4 days after I left, this time for a 3 day weekend of rest and relaxation, no baby showers, hopefully just lots of hanging with friends and celebrating Easter. All this traveling back and forth makes me want to move back to Michigan to just save on the damn gas! Gah! I've got some book reviews on the horizon, but until I can get those things in order, thought I would offer some lovely words on Easter from Anne Lamott--Did I mention bestie L is coming down to Cleveland next week and we're going to go see Anne Lamott lecture! I am so excited! Anne Lamott is one of our favorites. "So in Easter — and Passover too — something that happens is that we stop. This is the 'dark night of the soul' stuff that John the Divine writes about; that in that stopping we may fall into an abyss that we have been trying to outrun since we were little children ... and the American way, I think, is to trick out the abyss so it'...

"A Star"   Beauty was that Far vanished flame, Call it a star Wanting better name. And gaze and gaze Vaguely until Nothing is left Save a grey ghost-hill. Here wait I On the world's rim Stretching out hands To Seraphim .  -- Patrick Kavanagh These are the nights: cold and brutal, when the day's winds have died down and we wait for clouds to part and reveal a winter sky; often conditions could become perfect and a stillness lay thick and dark in the night, and in the sky, and on my heart--heavy and present, a hand pressing into my chest. Be still, m y child, it seemed to say. And I was. I taught statues; motionless as a child hiding in a game. I sat and numbed, my exposed skin reddening--my nose and ears. Chill would creep into my joints. The game I played at was something about stars, finding them on those perfect nights. And now I am gone from the farm and the country-quiet nights where the stillness is tangible. And tonight I am wishing for one of tho...

After the grumblings of yesterday, I am humbled today in the memory of September 11th; nothing I write or say today in the remembering will be as profound as this video and this reflection. Under One Sky Isaiah 43: 18-19 "Did you not know? Have you not heard? I am doing a new thing. I am making a way when there was no way. I am making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands." On this tenth anniversary of the invasion of American sky by attacking and suicidal airplanes, my congregation is putting up prayer flags. There will be hundreds of them across our grand interior sanctuary, each hand-calligraphed by artist Carla Shapiro on pillowcases. In the year after the attack, she wrote out 2,500 obituaries of those who died in the World Trade Towers on prayer flags. She then hung the flags over the Esopus Creek in upstate New York, where the printing weathered into what can only be called an ancient script. Now the words are blurred, like the ...

Standing in one of Irene's gifts. “Lord, it is time. The summer was very big. Lay thy shadow on the sundials, and on the meadows let the winds go loose. Command the last fruits that they shall be full; give them another two more southerly days, press them on to fulfillment and drive the last sweetness into the heavenly wine." --Rainer Maria Rilke

I was daydreaming today, back to THIS day in May. I sat on a lichen covered rock watching as strong May winds whipped and bent the barley making it waves in a sea of browns and greens. It was gorgeous. This video definitely doesn't do it justice, but I am glad I made it anyway; captured was something...maybe nothing more than my poor quality camera's take on the clouds changing the shadows over the barley. Will write again soon. Real entries. Not just videos. Tomatoes are just controlling my life these days.

"Desiderata" Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the f...