Poetry 164: A Prayer for Emptiness

A Prayer for Emptiness

(photo by me from New England woods)

Each step I take
allows another layer
of protection to
fall away.

And the more I lose,
carves a deeper, more
luxurious space inside.

(Maybe, one day,
the whole world can 
drop in.)

Adversity builds character.
So they say.
But does it, 
really?

I’ve seen character harden
into habit that 
becomes impenetrable-
for life.

Perhaps though, with intention,
adversity can actually deconstruct
character instead.

Like the sharp edges
of sea glass smoothed
out after decades in an
unsympathetic ocean,
all of our unhelpful thoughts
patterns and behaviors 
that once kept us in 
an invisible prison,
might disintegrate into
mere specks of sand;
leaving a majestic internal canyon 
just large enough to 
feel the whole entire thing-
with a smile.

My dear Mother, 
please empty me out entirely.
I want to taste the freedom & joy
of a free-wheeling generosity and compassion
that comes when I no longer
need to maintain
that compelling story of Me.

Please, 
let Me go.

Let me fly.

-Me