I will write today’s poem later.  Just now, I need to write this.

Recently, I have been working on keeping an open heart, trying to breathe through the ideas and events and stories that hurt and frighten and anger me.  Today, I am struggling with it as I contemplate the story of Israel and Gaza, and as I think about the killing that is being done in our name in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And then of course, I think about Congo, and. . .

I want to turn away, turn inward, create a shell, cover it with cynicism and rage and let the hopelessness ooze out all around.  There is a ringing in my ears.  I think I need to learn to live more in the layers, to breathe into the space of my everyday, and into that other enraged and frightened place in my heart.  To remember that I do not need to react.  I only need to hold it.  But is breathing love into the wound of the world enough?