As part of my daily meditation I read brief selections from various books. One of them in my current cycle is A Year with Rilke translated and edited by Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows.
This morning’s reading calls us to examine the knots of our own making. It reminded me that when we fail in our efforts to make things bend our way, when we “push out beyond what we each belong to,” it may be time to return to earth’s intelligence.
With the lengthening daylight heralding spring’s approach, the message seems timely.
How surely gravity’s law, / strong as an ocean current, takes hold of even the smallest thing / and pulls it toward the heart of the world.
Each thing – / each stone, blossom, child – / is held in place. / Only we, in our arrogance, / push out beyond what we each belong to / for some empty freedom.
If we surrendered / to earth’s intelligence / we could rise up rooted, like trees.
Instead we entangle ourselves / in knots of our own making /and struggle, lonely and confused.
So, like children, we begin again / to learn from the things, / because they are in God’s heart; / they have never left him.
The Book of Hours II, 16
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