“It matters not what be thy lot, so Love doth guide…”
– Mary Baker Eddy
Whatever the outcome
in November –
whoever gets elected –
let’s make a pact, shall we,
to continue in kindness
and in our own integrity
and in wisdom?
Let’s not let the outcome
of an election make us less
than what we are.
– Karen Molenaar Terrell
I was feeling a little melancholy yesterday. (There are always reasons to feel gloomy, if you look for ’em.) And then this thought came to me and helped me…
Remembering days when we played hide and seek
in the parking lot at Mount Rainier on summer nights –
my fellow park employees and I slithering
under trucks and dodging behind cars
and laughing so hard our bellies hurt.
Or we might go looking for bears on the trails
in the evenings – hoping we wouldn’t actually
find any, but enjoying the idea of it –
my friend, Dan, pulling me in front of him
for protection, as we encountered imaginary beasts.
We were young. The world was full of adventure
and laughter, and derring-do.
Forty years have brought changes –
marriage, motherhood, responsibilities.
My body seems more matronly than springy
these days. I will be entering my sixth decade
in a few weeks. I felt some trepidation about this.
Would I never have another adventure?
Were the dazzling days of derring-do done?
I went for a walk around the lake yesterday.
I wanted more. Walked from old town to the park.
I wanted more. Walked from the park to downtown,
and back again. Then Scott came home with an idea:
Let’s walk the trail to the beach when the sun sets.
I was all stretched out from nine miles of walking,
and ready for more. A walk in the evening cool.
Darkening trail, lovely roots and rocks to climb
smell of fir and cedar and briny bay
and the sunset – brilliant reds and golds
and blue filling my eyes in the west as the full
moon rises in the east, shimmering silver on the sea.
Crashing waves, sparkling light from sun and moon,
peace and perspective from the stars dotting the above.
And then flashlights come out of our pockets
and we find our way back through the woods,
rocks and roots, joking about what we’d do
if big eyes glowed towards us at eye level down the trail –
and we’re laughing and brave and young again.
The adventures haven’t ended.
There are still dazzling days of derring-do.
– Karen Molenaaar Terrell
The sculptor turns from the marble to his model in order to perfect his conception. We are all sculptors, working at various forms, moulding and chiseling thought. What is the model before mortal mind? Is it imperfection, joy, sorrow, sin, suffering? Have you accepted the mortal model? Are you reproducing it?… Do you not hear from all mankind of the imperfect model? The world is holding it before your gaze continually… We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives. Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love – the kingdom of heaven – reign within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear.
– Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures
Ah hah! Now I can see –
that that’s not the truth about me!
An impatient, sad, and fearful she
has nothing at all to do with me.
I am Love’s joyous, happy child –
giving and free and kind and mild
Right where I am – right now and here
I have all that I need and nothing to fear
In this moment I’m safe, with all that is dear.
I’m surrounded in Love and full of good cheer.
– Karen Molenaar Terrell
The flag is at half-staff again
or still.
I can’t remember the last time
I saw it waving from the top
of the pole.
Days? Weeks? Months? Years?
Someday it will rise again,
someday when we put our fears
to rest, and begin
to trust each other once more,
put down our weapons of words
and steel, and pour healing
love into our nation’s wounds.
– Karen Molenaar Terrell
Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist 