In Holy Love, our sense of separateness dissolves, and we know ourselves as arising from the brilliant light of Divine Love that creates and sustains the universe.
Understanding the Enneagram, 62
I carry around bits and pieces of poems in my head. Today I was working with a student on the vocabulary word tempest. I said to her, “It’s in a poem or song or something. Tempest-tossed.” Right then and there I had to Google it. Ah, yes, The New Colossus:
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
Emma Lazarus
And when I read the opening quote about Divine Love, I thought:
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting-
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things. Mary Oliver, Wild Geese
I want to keep these thoughts of peace, of belonging, of being a part of the whole. I feel it most when I am in nature, but lately, I feel it when I am teaching. I was away from teaching for a long time. I thought I was doing fine without it. I was, but sometimes, a calling is unexplainable. Sometimes I feel myself unworthy of the calling. Sometimes a calling is holy.
The wild geese are my students, on screen and off. They call to me every day and announce my place in this crazy world.
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Yes, I miss the teaching…will be back soon. Hoping it’s safe. I love ‘The New Colossus.’ So much of our world needs to look toward a beacon. We used to be the beacon. I hope we can be again, soon.
I resonate with your post because I keep parts of poems and songs in my head to keep me at peace. When I was teaching, which was also too long ago, I had glimpses of student’s smiles, words, or laughter in my head, which gave me peace and happiness. This summer our enrichment classes were canceled so I didn’t teach poetry or reading. Last school year my mother passed away, I was just going to go back to substituting when we started hearing about COVID and our schools closed. I was really looking forward to this school year, but I have asthma, which makes it difficult to breathe in a mask and puts me at more risk of contacting COVID. Therefore, I totally understand that your students are your geese and I am happy they call to you everyday. Thank you for reminding me about Mary Oliver’s beautiful Wild Geese poem, sharing your post, and photo of one of your geese.
Oh Gail. I’m sorry circumstances are keeping you from teaching. I hope you can find your way back if that is what you want to do.
Me, too. Thank you, Margaret. I appreciate that.
We are all rather tempest-tossed of late … the tracing of this thread to the verse inscribed on the Statue of Liberty is so symbolic. It’s also in a hymn, “Count Your Many Blessings”:
When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
But we must remember that we are also all “in the family of things” (I love Oliver’s “Wild Geese”). The Enneagram quote could not express the holy nature of love, the creative power of it, the place of belonging one to another “in the family of things” more beautifully. And how beautifully you’ve tied these threads together. Margaret. The wild geese, your students calling, announcing your place, the calling and belonging with teaching… even from a distance…it comes together. I had a hard time reaching one little student online. Finally, she began to show; now she signs off every day with “I love you.” Sometimes we get just fleeting glimpses of the holiness of it, the divine love, the family of things, the belonging. Sometimes not feeling worthy means that we are just the person for the calling. Thank you for all of this.
Thank you for your loving response. And that student story. Without direct contact it’s so hard to know what a student is thinking or feeling. I’m glad you had a break through.
So true…we get glimpses not the whole picture at one time.
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Thanks, Margaret. Feeling a little bit like it’s all pointless today. Your words are encouraging.
Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
I just love the Mary Oliver quote. It’s so helpful now.
Margaret, thank you for hosting SJT today with a thought that led me to deeper reflection. I agree that within nature, I can find peace, belonging, and being part of something larger than me. From what I have read throughout the years, your calling as a teacher, mother, and wife is a holy calling that shines a light leading your way through a crazy world. Have a bright day of love, peace, and service.
Thank you for this wonderful post, Margaret. I think I know what you mean about the holy feeling when you are teaching. Sometimes also in music and other art forms. The calling can’t be explained… mysterious and holy. Thanks for hosting.
I missed Dot Day this year! I need to put in on my yearly calendar. I think the grand boys will be the perfect age to celebrate with me next year.
Margaret, I love knowing that you’re in the classroom, responding to your holy calling, at home with your students in whatever space you have (virtual or real).
When I think about the “brilliant light … that creates and sustains the universe,” I’m drawn to the beauty in our world. Fall is creeping forward, but today, I celebrate gorgeous blossoms from yesterday’s walk. (Especially since the neighborhood deer decimated my geraniums and the last of my cherry tomatoes.) And the joy of grandchildren! They bring light and laughter to my days.
Somehow I missed the link party when I visited before. Just added mine – better late than never! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com