Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Dear God,

I met you on my hands and knees just as the spiritual path turned in the woods.  It was at that vantage point I saw the glass, green, brown, and white lodged in the center of the tall Norway Maple tree.  How in the world?  I asked myself.  A closer look reminded me of the way this land was used as a dump by the former owners a hundred years ago.  Where else were they to put their trash, broken glass, and other debris?

As I sat studying the tree I was troubled.  No tree should have glass in it, I thought.  I felt pain so I took my garden tool and started hammering away in the very small inner space of the tree.  Some pieces shattered and fell into the dirt.  I picked them up and threw them in my debris bucket.  But try as I may I could not get it all.  On the one side right in the middle was a layer of glass about 1/4" deep permanently lodged. The tree had simply grown around it. Tears fell and so I quietly wept and prayed.

Although I was distressed by the condition of the tree, I realized it brought to mind one of my grandchildren who is hurting so much right now.  I thought of her and her pain.  I came to the realization suffering is part of life.  We may do our part to help but some pain is very deep and will always be with us.  However, what the tree taught me was we have the ability to adapt.  We can forge a life around our pain.  We can trust in you to  reshape us in ways perhaps we could not without the pain that has come our way.

And so I did not want the tree to be lost among the other trees.  I prayed for it and what I found just inches away was a heartstone so I put it by the site of the wound.  I went inside the house and found a wooden replica of a monk in prayer.  I carried him outside and put him by the tree.  My friend planted a bleeding heart plant nearby.  I hope some day when a pilgrim walks the spiritual path they will take comfort in their pain and know you are with them and that they will know somewhere in the world a spiritual person is praying for the cosmos and all her children and find hope and peace.

You are
a good
and loving God.
You show us
the way
to peace.
Teach us
to trust you
particularly when
we suffer.
Remind us
of our
inner ability
to renew
our life
with your help.
Help us
exchange tragedy
for renewal,
I pray.

Love, Andrea