September Slow Down

 

A Sabbath Poem by Wendell Berry

 

I go among trees and sit still.
All my stirring becomes quiet
around me like circles on water.
My tasks lie in their places
where I left them, asleep like cattle.

 

Then what is afraid of me comes
and lives a while in my sight.
What it fears in me leaves me,
and the fear of me leaves it.
It sings, and I hear its song.

 

Then what I am afraid of comes.
I live for a while in its sight.
What I fear in it leaves it,
and the fear of it leaves me.
It sings, and I hear its song.

 

After days of labor,
mute in my consternations,
I hear my song at last,
and I sing it. As we sing,
the day turns, the trees move.

 

What I love about this poem is the honesty that when we are still letting quiet envelop us, when we stop the hustle and bustle of our frenzied life, fear pays a visit.  Notice that Berry listens to the song that fear sings ~ both what is afraid of you and what you are afraid of.  Both are important.  Have you ever paused to consider who/what might be afraid of you?  This seems preposterous!! Who could be afraid of me?  Hold that question, let it sit with you for a while today.  I wonder, what song is fear singing right now to you?  Is it shouting or soft whispering?  Does it cause your heart to race?  It is in the hearing and listening ~ which is to say the paying attention to it, that Berry claims we begin to empty fear of its power.  Remember, Sabbath is a time to slow down and savor.  When we do, our monkey minds may decide to come over and throw a temper tantrum!  After those songs of fear, Berry, claims your life will sing.  Your shy soul will sing.  Listen!  Listen!!  Do you hear?  Amen.