We start today with a poem by William Stafford.
Honoring the Thread.
There is a thread you follow.
It goes among things that change.
But it doesn't change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it is hard for others to see.
While you hold it,
You can't get lost.
Tragedies happen,
People get hurt or die,
And you suffer and get old.
Nothing you do can stop times unfolding.
You don't ever let go of the thread.
And so we breathe in slowly,
Breathe out slowly.
Noticing as we do so,
The steady beat of our heart that accompanies our breath.
Noting that we seemingly have no power over either one.
We notice that there is some wisdom within us that is taking care of this for us.
Let us take the next breath to give thanks for this.
As we continue to settle into this moment,
We agree that our purpose for being here is to spend a few moments with the ties that bind.
To consciously acknowledge and pay tribute to the connections we are a part of.
And so,
Breathing in and out.
Let us take a moment to envision those individuals,
Both living and dead,
We are connected to.
In this moment,
Try not to exclude anyone.
Simply see who comes to you in this space of openness.
Do not allow emotions to overtake you,
Either for the ones you know you love and miss so much,
Or for the ones you really don't want to be connected to.
Simply allow the reality that you are connected to be felt.
Take this next moment and continue to sense who is coming to your mind and heart.
In these few moments,
We again affirm that we are here together to acknowledge,
Recognize,
And honor the thread.
In the same way that we do not truly understand how our heart can keep beating,
Or how we can keep taking each breath without any effort at all,
We truly may never understand how connected we are to others.
Even if we long to be independent,
Even if we work so hard to stand alone,
We simply are unable to truly be alone.
So as we take in this idea,
As we contemplate whether we can accept this,
We breathe in and out,
Pondering as we do so,
Who and what am I tied to?
Have I ever really considered the vastness of the web I'm a part of?
Have I taken the time to honor this possibility?
For the next few breaths,
Let your mind soar up and over the landscape.
Look down to see the homes and businesses,
The parks,
The schools,
The churches,
And places of worship.
See the myriad of people as they go about their day.
And then,
Imagine those who have gone before,
Those who are no longer with us on this earthly plane of existence.
Just because they are no longer here,
Are they truly gone from our lives?
Might they still be connected by this thread?
As you breathe and observe,
Notice if there are any emotions or feelings welling up inside you.
Notice if you have any sensations or tightness or tension anywhere in your body.
If you do,
Simply notice.
Don't try to change them.
And especially,
Don't judge them.
Just notice.
Breathe.
Observe.
Notice.
And now,
I invite you to take the next few moments to determine how you might choose to claim this thread,
The tie that binds,
The recognition that you can never be truly alone.
Are you willing to consciously embrace these many connections?
Those alive and those who have gone ahead?
Those you care for and those who challenge you?
Those you know and those you have not met?
Those near and those far away?
Remember,
The thread is there.
You can't untie yourself from it.
You simply are part of the grand scheme of oneness.
What works for you?
Let yourself listen in to that deeper wisdom.
If that is necessary,
Imagine loosening up those ties that bind,
Simply giving them more space to float further away from you.
And conversely,
Imagine pulling in those threads connected to others,
To whom you feel more supported,
Loved,
Or understood by.
And now,
For the possibility that there might be those tied to us who are here to teach us,
Perhaps things we find difficult to acknowledge about ourselves.
Breathe in and see if you are ready for that growth spurt.
Tug on that thread and listen in,
Closely,
For the next few breaths.
And now,
Recognizing that our time here is coming to a close,
Allow yourself a moment to say thanks for this time in the oneness.
Take another breath,
Giving thanks for any wisdom you have garnered or any challenges you may have accepted.
Trust that this thread you have taken time to honor will always be here and you simply need to stop what you are doing.
Listen deeply,
Feel the tug of the thread,
And follow where it leads.
And now,
When you are ready,
Taking one more deep breath,
Open your eyes and enjoy the view.
Thank you.
Thank you.
