Crossing the Seas

After escaping Egypt and crossing the sea
Our ancestors sang in celebration.
They danced
In awe, gratitude and faith.

Soon afterward they were seized by fear
Overwhelmed by doubt,
And they cried, longing for what had been.

The Infinite Presence responded by giving them laws,
Rules to live by
That would help them go forward
And heal.

Our ancestors sang of faith and courage, victorious arrival.
And they stumbled in bitterness, doubt and fear.
Again and again they searched for the faith and trust
That would help them find their way
Through waves of terror
And the challenges of the unknown.

And this is the journey we inherit.
We leave the narrow places again and again.
Traveling through raging seas
Possibilities emerge, joy rises.
And then adversity returns and so does trepidation.

The Mystery calls:
Listen deeply.
Practice calming the mind and heart
So as to know that fear isn’t all there is.
Act well for the sake of each other.
Act with kindness, care and love.
Act to bring healing.

And make it a practice to pause.
Make a commitment to rest, to stop.
This is essential.

In times of urgency and travail,
Celebration and thanksgiving,
Pause.

Pause to rediscover the sacred,
Pause to receive nourishment,
Pause to see clearly.
Pause to gather the strength and courage
To step boldly
Into unknown seas.