thursday morning rambling thoughts

When I look up at the night sky, and I know that, yes, we are part of this universe; we are in this universe, but perhaps more important than both of those facts, is that the universe is in us. Many people feel small because they're small and the universe is big, but I feel big because my atoms came from those stars. There's a level of connectivity.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Hanuka, Kwanzaa, Christmas,

our rituals 

the pegs that move us along from moment to moment 

lifting us from our ordinary days to remind us of the wonder of being part of that which is bigger than ourselves and all the while

giving us an anchor to the other humans in the universe. 

Wonder upon Wonder

comes 

in the midst of ordinary mundane days,

Lights on the trees twinkle and the presents are almost wrapped,

dreidels swirl and twirl while latkes simmer in hot oil,

the zawadi gifts are spread beneath the candles in hopes of umoja (building community that lasts).

In the past few days, I've felt small, helpless and a bit overwhelmed.  

I look to sky

searching for a bright star to lead me 

to lead all of us.

The world feels especially heavy but yet for some reason

I feel so connected to those around me--even the strangers whose names I don't know--all the while we go about our busy days,

shopping and baking and being

all the while

mothers watch their children dwindle due to lack of food,

little girls are shot for pronouncing that they deserve and education,

countries threaten each other 

with poison and nuclear arms and war

and

humans harm each other for no rhyme or reason apparent to us other humans---we just don't understand.

I stand

look to the sky

seek some magic, some mystery, some wonder

the whole world needs something 

....healing of sorts....

Mercy,

Lord have Mercy,

....

what are we humans doing?

I look to my own story of faith...

pregnant girl, older carpenter, angels and shepherds and magi,

all find themselves in a place

under the same 

level of worry and fear and darkness

all headed someplace

anyplace

unsure of where they are going. 

....

and

suddenly

in the midst of turmoil

in the midst of the craziness of life,

LOVE

arrives

in the most ordinary of places

hay and straw

manger and swaddling

darkness of night

cows mooing and sheep baaing

mice

standing still 

in awe

dark sky illuminated

light 

bright shining light leads the way

to 

the place

the ordinary place

filled with 

great love

and

mystery 

and

wonder.

and

I 

once again look to the sky

and

I wait

for the wonder

to 

connect us all

fill us all

heal us all.

May it be so

during this holiday time

especially during this holiday season.

and

I look to the left

and

I see him

look to the right

and

I see her

I look to the sky

and

all around 

all of us

lights glimmer,

stars flash

atoms swirl

in and out and all around

in you then in me and

back out into the atmosphere

waiting for some other

to pull it into them and the push it out

binding us

in 

an

invisible

connection of the human and extraordinary kind of manner.

all of us

connected

held together

bound together

under sky of universe

and

LOVE

continues to arrive daily

in each of us

just like it did long ago.

if we

open our eyes

look to the sky

and

wait....

if we wait...

IT

love that is...

always shows us the way....

wishing each of you

love

and

laughter

and

wonder

as the season 

arrives.

Blessings on this rainy Thursday morning!

The radical Rambler having a ramble....