wounds

A broken heart, I think,

sometimes shields itself

under the guise of anger,

resentment, and bluster.

It’s easier

and maybe feels safer

to harden

instead of soften,

to shield

instead of bare itself,

to try to control

instead of letting go.

That truly may be the wise path

until wounds turn to scars,

until we stop collecting thorns to

shore up that shield

and instead

gather for ourselves the healing herbs

of goodness and mercy

until peace settles so deeply in us

that we realize

that from now on,

thorns may prick,

but only scratch-deep.

They will no longer embed themselves

as splinters in our heart.

For we know who we are—

scarred but

whole and holy.

We are those who not only

gather goodness

but give it away freely,

even—maybe especially—

to those still collecting thorns,

still shielding their hearts.

Peace, love,

goodness and grace.

Gather and give.

-kh-

Nurture peace, cultivate kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week:

Shadow of the week:

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“With malice toward none; with charity for all;

with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right,

let us strive on to finish the work we are in:

to bind up the nation’s wounds;

to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan,

to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves,

and with all nations.”

– Abraham Lincoln, second inaugural address, 1865 –

Nurture peace, cultivate loving-kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week – celebrating the summer solstice in Norway:

Shadow of the Week:

If you want me to send these thoughts to your email each Sunday, simply sign up on the right.

For my posts on life, faith, and the mystery we call God, link here.

Carry the Calm

Karyn Henley

Until Peace Settles Deeply

To Cherish a Just and Lasting Peace