Spiritual Things Matter

Jimmy, one of my dear readers sent me this beautiful poem today. I would like to share it with you since it is filled with so much meaning. Thank you, Jimmy!

House by the Side of the Road

THERE are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the place of their self-content;
There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze the paths
Where highways never ran -
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by -
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner’s seat
Nor hurl the cynic’s ban -
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I see from my house by the side of the road
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife,
But I turn not away from their smiles and tears,
Both parts of an infinite plan -
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead,
And mountains of wearisome height;
That the road passes on through the long afternoon
And stretches away to the night.
And still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice
And weep with the strangers that moan.
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone.

Let me live in my house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by-
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish - so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner’s seat,
Or hurl the cynic’s ban?
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

~Samual Walter Foss

I am a great admirer of Kahlil Gibran’s work. The wisdom and the depth in his writing is profound, beautiful, and moving. One of my all time favorite is out of his book, “The Prophet.” Today, I would like to share it with my dear readers. May it speak to you as tenderly as it always speaks to me. May love awaken us and teach us life’s most valuable secrets.

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God’s sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life’s heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say,
“God is in my heart,” but rather, “I am in the heart of God.”
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it find you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

~Kahlil Gibran

I cast myself upon Your heart,
A heart of Love Divine.
I cast myself upon Your heart,
A heart that now is mine.

I tuck myself away in prayer
Into a different realm.
In stillness and in quietness,
I find peace upon this sacred ground.

I hunger and I thirst, Oh God,
For Your reality alone.
Kindness and peace are found in You
Oh, how Your love comforts my soul.

I cast myself upon Your heart,
A heart of glorious Light Divine.
I cast myself upon Your heart,
A heart that now enlightens mine.

Viola M. Jaynes
Jan. 2008

Love conquers all things; let us too surrender to Love.~Eclogues, by Virgil

Surrender is one of the most difficult things for human-beings to do while on this earth. Our egos are strong-willed and the lower nature finds it hardly imaginable that it could not be wise enough or strong enough to be the master of its own destiny. Sooner or later though, usually through some agonizing pain that befalls us, it is realized that, “Were it not for the Grace of God,” none of us could stand. It is also understood that if one desires to emerge from the infantile state of the ego, surrender to God, who is pure Love, is necessary for the maturation process for our souls. It takes enormous courage to admit to the frailties and pride of our lower nature, and the willingness to surrender to our Higher Power will be the beginning of a new life ahead. History has shown us that once a decision is made to turn away from such a life after experiencing it, the struggle that ensues is usually great since the lower nature and the Higher nature bring great conflict and thus a “House divided against itself, cannot stand.”

Surrender

In surrender to our Majesty, the Light that shines so bright,
We gain the strength, the wisdom and the power
To do more than what once we thought was right.

In surrender to our Great Divine, the Light that shines so bright,
We bring about a different dimension - a new understanding,
And all effort aforetime seems but faint memory left behind.

In surrender to our Lord, the Healer of all things,
We gain insight and understanding,
And heartfelt honesty begins.

In surrender to our Lord, the Healer of our minds,
We begin to comprehend the Greatest Mind,
The reality of the Divine.

In surrender to our Lord, the Healer of our hearts,
We make forgiveness possible,
Bringing healing even to the sorest hearts.

In surrender to our Lord, the Healer of our soul,
We gain courage to embrace all,
Realizing that duality is no more.

In surrender to our Lord, the Healer of our bodies,
Fear of death will have lost its power
As love and faith embrace His promise.

Nothing is more liberating than the willingness to surrender to The Creator, for His Forgiveness and Love bring a knowing that He is The One who truly is the Savior. The burdens of life need not be carried alone - ever - for “he will never leave us or forsake us.” Oh what comfort! I know it as my own.

Viola M. Jaynes
Oct. 2007