A lovely crimson symbol of his love.
"So, tulips bloom this time of year?" I marvelled.
"Of course," he said, "for you, they'd grow -
a little greenhouse miracle."
And so it was - a brilliant splash of spring
When there was snow.
In time, the petals fell.
But bulbs were stored; then planted in the fall.
When spring arrived, no tulip showed its face.
"I'll bet," he teased, "you set them upside down."
"Not funny," I retorted.
There was a tinge of sadness in my loss.
But I had yet to learn of loss.
The days sped by 'till leaves turned rust and gold;
And, so prophetically, lost their hold.
On such a day I heard these words, "He's now with God."
How suddenly, how silently he slipped away!
Good friends assured me time would heal.
Yet, chained to time, I dealt with pain-relinquishment.
But then one day I watched the rain assail the lawn,
The birdbath filled to overflowing.
Amazed, I saw green leaves around the base.
My crimson tulips were awakening.
On Easter morn, they stood so tall,
With petals like uplifted wings.
Somehow I knew their loveliness
Was the reflection of far deeper things.
There it is, the top of my special mountain,
Shining bright and clear, beckoning.
Here am I, in a pleasant valley below.
I must climb this mountain;
I must sample its fresh, clear air,
The far view, the freedom!
It's not far, my mountain peak -
I can almost touch it from here.
The path looks easy -
Even the eagles wheeling through the blue sky
Seem to say, Come on up...
Where, now, is the peak?
I see only bushes, cliffsides, rocks and dust.
The way is hard and hot and long.
I'll sit a while and catch my breath...
These flowers are sweet,
Purple and pink and yellow.
Butterflies and bees are happy and content.
Listen! A cascading torrent of liquid diamonds
Sings of joy and peace.
A friendly breeze, cool brisk reminder
Of the rarified air at the top. whispers to me,
Come on, come on! Come on! The top is up here!
Don't dally too long. The sun advances.
Thank you, flowers,
For your fragrance by my path.
Thank you, waterfall,
For your happy message of cliffside springs.
Thank you, breeze,
For helping me to move on.
Thank you, God,
For being with me on my questioning path
To the far horizons of the greater life.
I rest upon the night-cooled rocks,
The smell of rich, deep earth around me.
My mind seeks out the deeper regions,
Where sunlight never ventures.
I draw faith from the inner well,
The strength and sureness of God's grace.
And there upon the rocks at night,
I wait to feel the light of day.
The first flush of morning's song
Calls forth a sense of warmth and life,
Reaching where words could never go,
Cleansing me of all the night thoughts.
All about me new life sparkles.
My roots stretch to the depths of being.
My mind soars to the heights of knowing,
And I am one with nature and sun.
Calm, quiet things:
pine fragrance in a wood,
a poem on a page of prayerful thought,
a raindrop in the waterlily's heart,
leaf shadows on a screen,
all these have brought
me to the inwardness that knows
with knowledge clear
that God is harmony
and God is here.
Kind, restful things:
clear sunlight on warm sand,
the water-song of waves along a shore,
the grace of growing things,
the wild and tame faces of flowers,
teach me much, and more
of God than scrolls and volumes ever will;
that wisdom is the art of being still.
And on his last day
The student said to the master:
You have shown me the wonders of life
And made me hear the winds of love
Rushing through the universe,
And helped me to understand
That God lives in all things;
Yet there is again something higher.
How do we find the God we seek?
And the master said:
When all among the human kind
Focus their thoughts on God
At the same time,
They will create a universal oneness -
That is the God they seek.
If you would have wings,
Stand guard
At the gate
Of your mind.
If you would soar,
Walk hand in hand
With your brother
And your God.
If you would fly high,
Swim deep
In the waters
Of your heart and soul.
Love and wisdom
Are your wings,
And their right use
Will carry you beyond
the clouds of limitation.
