I recognize that I am drawn to routine and regularity. Even on holiday, I will establish a structure to the days, or carry with me, habits from home to give scaffolding to the new schedule of vacation. These last two plus months have not been vacation, but I recognize a similarity in my reaction. We’re all feeling the unease of the imposed change.

I’m trying and maybe so are you, to maintain some healthy rhythms and routines in order to hold all that is changing in some kind of understandable framework. But part of me is hoping for a return to normal. So I go on from day to day as best I can (some days better than others), reaching for the grace to accept it all AND readying myself perhaps for that which will not change back.

I’m wondering if these changes could be the seeds of new ways of being, new opportunities? Is there not so much in these days of Jesus’ words: “…unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies…” I feel pulled, drawn down, quieted.

Descent

In the stillness of early evening
seeds from the Cottonwoods
floated delicately down and down,
lit up somehow like fireflies
in the gold of the setting sun.

Slow, so slow was their descent
that I reached out to catch one
as if it were a snowflake.
But as it touched my skin
it danced like a butterfly
and I cupped my hand over
to cradle this seed gently
that was so gently stilling me.

Then, holding my breath
I released it again
and followed this little wisp of life
down, down, down
until it was safely down.

© 2020 Laurel Archer