Ripe Gardens, The Moon & Peace

In this region, this Moon has been called the Sturgeon Moon, because in the Great Lakes, they are most easily caught during this Moon. It’s also called the Green Corn Moon or the Grain Moon.

But most of us are not Grain gatherers, although I’m sure some of us are. Many people are gardeners. Even if, like me, you aren’t, you can’t escape the wild bounty that’s happening (she says, munching on a French breakfast radish purloined from my landlady’s bounty. Yum.). So Ripe Garden Moon seemed like a great descriptor. I sure hope it stops clouding up long enough to see this Moon!

Let’s celebrate the sheer lunatic abundance of this time. Do it by eating something wonderful from gardens currently going crazy with good. Do it under the light of a slyly shining moon — Why not?

“One is nearer God’s heart in a garden, than anywhere else on Earth.” (Dorothy Frances Gurney). Sweet Summer Peace, Folks!

Ah, The Peace of the First Swim!

At last! I finally got it together to get to the pool and buy my membership. It’s cheeeeep when you’re over 55. Set up my locker. Settled in for the long haul! Sooooo happy.

And the water was delicious. It’s a great pool. It was about 6:30 and there were lots of parents there with their toddlers for a postprandial swim to get them tired out for bed.

Only sore point? The music. It has a great beat for water zumba which is mostly what i was doing, but the language was all about sex and oooh pretty explicit… and also demeaning of women. So I’ll have to pull on my curmudgeon outfit and talk to the very young staff about why a) babies don’t need to listen to any of that shit and b) it’s really sort of anti-feminist if you listen to it, and that they might not want to give those messages either… gagh.

But really, it was heavenly… There is nothing sweeter for me. There are so many memories. love, love, love it. Peace of a whole summer’s swimming to you. But oh, i’ll miss my swimming buddies…

Community Peace in the Berry Moon

Overcast or not it was a lovely June day in the Berry Moon. Perfect for fêting two wonderful people who had done so much for the community.

Doug and Margie Sturm were extraordinary, but they were also very ordinary folk. They were both teachers, she taught countless high school kids to love literature; he taught religion and poli sci… and hurrah for that combo! Depression kids, they knew the value of hard work and had the knack of finding ways to get things done.

They believed strongly in the value of community, starting an organization entitled Community Alliance for Respect and Equality. They were warm and witty and engaging and people participated, sometimes just to hang out with them… and why not?

It was so fitting that the day in their honor was a day for soliciting volunteers fueled by fun music. The community gathered and a good time was had by all…

Peace is Possible… but you have to step up to do the work. Doug and Margie stood up and stepped up to the task. They loved broadly and boldly. And oh, they had great kids and left a trail of disciples behind them. Let us give thanks… and go and do likewise. Peace. Your community needs you!

Patchwork Souls for Peace

Some of us, and I think it’s more of a what is thing than a good or bad thing, have what I think of as patchwork souls. We have walked many paths, sat in many kitchens drinking tea or beer or whatever the local brew is, talked in many languages, whether they were of a nation or a clan…

And there is for us, particularly as we begin to understand it, a great joy.

However, it also means that there are paths and kitchens and languages that are lost or abandoned. And then there are pockets of remembered joy, sealed perhaps with some scar tissue of grief. Because there are some places, for so many reasons, to which you can never return.

I do think it helps us, as we come to the Peace-making process, to understand how many different hearts with their own languages of Love need to be engaged and how much space needs to be made for different approaches… May we be Peace and Possibility.

More Peace in the Full Berry Moon?

Oh, it’s an amazing time of year. Or rather it’s the start to an amazing time of year.

So much fresh food at the peak of freshness and nutrition.

It’s a wonderful balance of good for you and just plain good.

And it’s the kind of bounty you can over indulge with few side effects!

I remember sitting at dinner at my Swedish Mama’s house with my parents. Mama came out with a big, big bowl of strawberries and an equally gigantic one of whipped cream.

Indulgence in Summer! Indulgence in Bounty! and sharing it out among the friends. There is no greater delight. Sweet Peace in the Berry Moon to you, my dears!

The Fullness of Peace

I’ve been exhausted. I was chalking it up to how incredibly busy I was and not really paying a lot of attention to what I was very busy doing — mostly because i was just so busy doing what needed to be done next.

This past month, I have been more deeply… more immediately… involved in people’s lives than normal, working to be present to people at the place where life begins and the place where it ends and some of the magnificent places in between. When it comes in a wave as it has recently, it’s demanding. When you’re needed, you show up. I lean on the Lady, others lead on the Lord, others just the great gift of Life. But you lean, because you’re never enough alone. (and yes, i lean on my community.)

And while it is tiring to be that present to people’s lives, it’s the most exhilarating thing in the world.

As a priestess, I think a lot about the prophetic claims of the job: the need to speak about the many ways life is denied by the institutions to those cast as outsiders and to the most vulnerable. It is a privilege.

But what brought me to this whole priestessing thing was ritual. I love the celebrations. I love being asked to attend at moments of great importance and to lend the reminder that Love and Life are what matters. I love the time spent talking to the people involved, conceiving what will respond to their needs, crafting the vessel and the words and performing the ritual.

I enjoy the weaving together of community. I am pleased when I can help their Joy emerge and grateful beyond belief when I can give voice to their sadness and sometimes comfort and Peace in the midst of their loss.

It is also wonderful when these periods end and you can sink into your favorite chair, or pool or a meal with some friends. Or as I got to do last night, walking the labyrinth and a ritual celebrating the Full Berry Moon… Part of this work is not just the leaning, it’s the privilege and the demand of pouring out of self. I am grateful. and today? I’m tired.

Luckily, the Joy and the Peace will slowly, slowly fill me back to the rim with Life and Love. I just need to give them a chance. And until there’s a little more of me, I’ll quietly give thanks. And as the very wise Jack Kornfield said, “After the ecstasy, the laundry.” or as Buddha’s mother said, “chop wood, carry water.” The first of many loads is churning in the washing machine and I’ve got a day full of little chores to make my little paradise lovely again. A little peace and quiet to recharge the batteries. Peace be with us all…

This and That Peace

I don’t know that what I’m working at has a lot to do with the Berry Moon, although if you saw it go down yesterday evening, you were thrilled. Jupiter was bright and beautiful and the tiny, tiny sliver of moon was orange… ahhhhhh.

But there’s a lot going on out here in the world, and much of what’s touching my life right now is sad. People are having a hard time, and my job, or at least part of my job, is showing up when life is hard for others.

And this kind of job is challenging because it seems that things come in waves. You boogie along and everything’s great and then all of sudden people need you to talk to them about hard things. Life and death things. Because that’s a big part of what ministers do. I’ve always done that with people, but now it’s official.

It’s an incredible privilege to be with people in the midst of their challenges. And it’s hard work. Presence is something to practice. And when they’re people you know, that you’re with on a regular basis, it can be very challenging.

And the day after a young woman died, my friend’s kids had a baby. The circle, the cycle, of Life is sweet. Life giveth and Life taketh away…

And we find a way to make Peace, not only with the journey but also with the beginnings and endings.

Flower Moon Rainbows of Peace

Is it a bad thing that I love thinking up goofy titles? I figure if I’m writing at 8:30 in the morning, you’ll just have to put up with my giggling.

But really, the changing seasons make differences we don’t expect… and in my case don’t remember from year to year… I know the Flower Moon doesn’t bring the flowers, it’s called that because the changing Sun makes it warm and bountiful and spring rains delight.

It was such a lovely thing to have rainbows appear on my Mother’s paintings. Around Mother’s Day, we might add. It was crazy making, because at first i couldn’t understand whether or not it was something I’d missed and how was that possible? And then, it moved to another painting… and another rainbow. wow. (I can only blame the allergens for my slow understanding.)

But then I realized, right it’s summer. The sun is higher and it’s pouring through my pretty crystal hanging in my window. It happens every year. And every year I am surprised by Joy.

And that? is a good thing. Joy is out there. Peace is out there. I believe that. I try to live that. And I’m thrilled when I’m surprised by it.

Going Home Peace

Families. They need tending. And the rewards are phenomenal. And at the end of it I find myself delighted, exhausted and confused.

Delighted because it is good to be together.

Exhausted because it’s all on all the time. “I haven’t seen you, how are you?” “Oh, we have to go here? let’s go!” So rich. and tiring.

And Confused… how can all this love not be connected to all the other love?

Where are our kids? Where’s my sweet village? Where’s beloved Sweden? I find it fascinating that I, who never had kids, gets the most excitement over watching my niece Sarrah’s littles find their place in the greater family. When Naim (that face) walked over to see his Aunt Grancy, lay his head on her belly and wander away… heaven! And yet, hunger at the same time.

Love on the borderlines, it’s a lovely thing. and for far flung family, maybe it’s always this intense.

But I confess, I’m glad to be traveling home today… quiet time writing in an airport, a familiar drive home, and tomorrow, a walk along the (my!) river to ease me back into the day and life!

The Flower Moon rose full and beautiful as we sat around the fire. Wayne reminded me that it used to be the hot tub. shhhhhhhh.

And Peace was right there in all the chaos. And when the chaos is simply Love and Joy and a lot of activities, I give thanks! And Sally laughed!

Families, Flowers and Peace

I’m a very lucky woman. I have a very interesting family and I like them.

Yesterday, at one event after another, I walked into the arms of family members. Children scoring soccer goals, children reading all 41 books on the Maine reads, children loving bubbles. Cousins delighted to see one another.

My nieces and nephews.

My cousins and my brother.

We didn’t know one another well, growing up. Now we’re sharing stories and lives and food and laughter. And swimming. well of course swimming. Even though the pool is outside and even the Maine kids are whiny because it’s so cold.

And then all the others at the wedding. Interesting people with interesting stories.

And the Flower Moon on the river? and the hopping town? just lovely.

It’s important to weave yourself into your tapestry every once in a while, make sure the threads are still attached. It’s a whole different kind of Peace than I work on most of the time. But I’ll take it.

So Peace to you, my friends. and go fall in Love with Love. and Joy. and Family.

And if we’re going to talk about Peace, remember, if you will that the local synagogue was defaced this week. Hold them in your hearts and let’s figure out how to step up and step in in these moments. Because it’s so not ok. More on that later this week.

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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