When I was on retreat a few weeks ago, my spiritual director introduced me to the poetry of Naomi Shihab Nye. Nye is a Palestinian American and her poetry is a mystery of accessibility and nuance. Her poems leave me pondering deep questions long after I've read the last word.
I’m a bit short on my own words at the moment. I’m straddling spiritual direction sessions, unpacking a house and planning for a trip. I fear I’m not doing any of these three things particularly well, so I just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Instead of offering my own thoughts today, I have a poem and some questions.
“Famous” Naomi Shihab Nye
The river is famous to the fish.
The loud voice is famous to silence, which knew it would inherit the earth before anybody said so.
The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds watching him from the birdhouse.
The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek.
The idea you carry close to your bosom is famous to your bosom.
The boot is famous to the earth, more famous than the dress shoe, which is famous only to floors.
The bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it and not at all famous to the one who is pictured.
I want to be famous to shuffling men who smile while crossing streets, sticky children in grocery lines, famous as the one who smiled back.
I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous, or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular, but because it never forgot what it could do.
A Few Questions to Ponder:
What do you long to be famous for? What is the unspectacular thing you are made to do?
Imagine God has a bent photograph of you in his pocket. What’s the image?
Imagine you’re sitting around the family table with Jesus and talk turns to favorite family stories. What are his favorite stories of you? What does each story say about who you are or who you used to be?
Listen for the wind in the trees and imagine the Holy Spirit taking flight. Can you smile back as the poet famously does in this poem? What are the little ways the Spirit makes you smile?
Book Corner:
What I’ve Been Reading Lately
via eBook:
Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray
Meh. This book was only so-so. The characters weren’t as witty or oddball as in some other book series. And taking the characters as face value left things lacking as well. Overall a bit disappointing.
Love at 350 Degrees by Lisa Peers
My eldest daughter is a huge Great British Bake Show fan and she recommended this book to me. It’s delightful. Tori is a contestant on a baking show and Kendra is one of the judges. Sparks fly, but there’s a unique tension because they’ve signed contracts that keep them apart. Thoroughly enjoyable!
As the days get longer, may more light be shed on God’s tender love for you. May you be famous for being exactly who you were made to be.
Love,
Shannon
"Imagine God has a bent photograph of you in his pocket. What’s the image?
Imagine you’re sitting around the family table with Jesus and talk turns to favorite family stories. What are his favorite stories of you? What does each story say about who you are or who you used to be?"
~These words brought me to joyful tears. Thank you.
This is a a great idea for a regular (maybe once a month?) newsletter-a chosen poem with some thoughtful questions.
Also, I'm feeling short on words myself this summer.