movingforwardslowly

I have begun to read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. So far, I have read his Prologue. The book is very thick and it will take awhile for me to read. Sometimes I do not make it to the end of a book before I am distracted by the life of my family.

I do have an interest in church architecture, and I often marvel at the beauty of stained glass. The book’s cover is illustrated with church arches. This sent me searching for all the words associated with church architecture. To name a few: apse, nave, sanctuary, and vestibule. I enjoy learning new words, and the English language has a goldmine of them.

In my search I ran across examples of natural arches found around the world. Nature is frequently the inspiration of architects and engineers. They need to find ways to build that will be strong and stand tall against the ravages of weather and man.

Pillars, arches, and buttresses are architectural structures that are used both functionally and aesthetically to support the vast weight of stones and other building materials used in cathedral buildings.

This all seems more than fitting for buildings that represent a communities’ desire to foster communion and faith in a higher power. A higher power that can help to hold us all up in times of emotional need.

“And the Word is God.”

12/24/2023 Update: I was looking through my tree of thoughts (MovingForwardSlowly) here. I saw this post which seems like ages ago, and decided that I needed to put into this post the fact that I did indeed finish Ken Follett's book , Pillars of the Earth. It was an excellent book, and it profoundly impacted me. I realized how hard life was for these characters, and it gave me a renewed appreciation for all the ways that I have been blessed.
He has a new book out now in 12/23, and hopefully I will get the chance to read it.

Flights of fancy, intentional or not,

power this world of ours.

A prophet, a seer, and a stacked deck of cards

are at odds.

The outcome is still a toss-up

in the air.

Power is for sale

and

money is at stake.

Money is a token,

so its worth can be altered.

Unturned stones are littered

on the ground,

And their potential has been ignored

or missed.

Missing details can change everything

when they are found.

A meticulous search will find

some of these unturned stones,

Missing details that can be

deadly.

Not all will be found.

The scene can transform mid-flight or mid-journey,

so those on foot or wing must stop and pause.

A sensor is needed to reassess.

Corrections might be needed.

The universe is full of self-organizing chaos.

Many factors can be swept up and aside,

and get lost,

But not forever.

Get set. Go. The gates and doors are open.
The learning can continue or begin. 
Your life dictates your starting point.
Hopefully, all minds are open, ready to absorb,
And process new information or expand upon old foundations.

My arms are open, welcoming all.
Some students will be excited, some will be hesitant and shy.
Some wanted summer to go on, while others anxiously waited for it to end.
We all come from different places with different ideas.
We all have different interests and goals.

Let us begin the school year believing and trusting in one another
And ourselves. Together we can grow and still retain our individuality.
We can have a common purpose without being all the same.
Let us go chase our dreams together.

By the light of the moon everything 
falls into perspective.
As a reflection of sunlight its light is pure.
Its mission is clear.
The darkness of night needs a beacon.
A ray of illumination is needed by travelers,
journeying through darkness.

It is nature's cue for cycles of life, rejuvenation,
and continuation. The swoon and romance of the moon 
can be a powerful force.

Kings and leaders, sea captains and soldiers, 
have relied on moonlight for ages.
Battles and quests can be won or lost 
by moon enabled vision or lack thereof.

Those in power play the stage.
Don't be distracted by the antics of men.
Look to the moon and nature for guidance and truth.

Mischief, secrecy, allure- a few cat traits with special powers.

They prowl at night, sometimes with companions, but mostly alone.

It is in their nature to hunt.

They can sense with their ears, eyes, and noses even the slightest of moves.

They slink with padded paws and claws retracted. They spot their prey and get into position.

They hunch down to maximize their spring, their long jump.

Their whiskers twitch, emitting a low, barely audible, grumble or growl, their mental preparation for battle.

They make their move suddenly with claws in air, outstretched to the max.

Unsuspecting prey will fall swiftly trapped within claws and paws.

With a cat in the garden all rodents must be on high alert.

Birds must stay in the air, high enough to avoid a cat’s high powered leap.

The birds are experienced with tracking the cat’s every move. The young and old are the most at risk.

Cat kills or trophies are often left in the most visible of places–a silent brag, a warning to all. It is the cat’s territorial claim.

Once the hunter within is satisfied, they turn on their disguise. They clean themselves up and find a nice warm spot to stretch out and relax.

They turn on their purrrrrr and look as innocent as can be.

*This poem was inspired by recent events in my garden. KJHK

Those left behind can still be seen by some.

They have scars on their faces and rasps in their voices.

They don’t look you in the eye.

Is it shame or is it pride?

They wear attitude as their armor.

Their memories can drag them down if they dwell in the past.

Their survival relies on moving and adapting, often under the radar.

Hearts are fragile, so thick skin can serve as some protection.

Their journeys can take them into dark corners.

They must struggle to stay in the light.

They don’t take or carry pictures.

They have learned that forgetting is often better than remembering.

The tomatoes, peppers, sweet basil, and rosemary have been planted.

The flower pots are assembled. Filling them with an explosion of color, texture, and form celebrates the season.

The weeds are ever-present, always defying their classification.

“We have a right to be here”, they shout.

The sun and heat dominates the season. When the summer breeze comes around it is welcomed with open arms.

Summer storms with thunder and lightning can bring some relief, as cooler air usually ushers them out.

Bugs multiply this time of year, or so it seems.

The summer garden is a home to fireflies that entertain us when the sun goes down.

Often the smell of BBQ fills the air and spreads anticipation of savory spices and flavors.

Nice cool beverages bring body temperature relief, and often mellow out the day.

Going to bed at night with the windows open lets the pond frogs and toads serenade me to sleep.

I am thankful for summer days and nights.

When a mirrored reflection breaks all you can see is shards,

Pieces of broken glass that can shatter and scatter, dangerous and sharp.

When this mirrored reflection breaks you are left standing.

You can choose to move to other mirrors or you can find a water reflection.

A wall of mirrors can capture you in separate frames, though

They cannot see you between the frames.

Your existence is outside and beyond all the frames.

You can move away if you choose.

You can choose to stand still and watch yourself all day or choose to watch others watching themselves.

You can challenge yourself to move and reach beyond all reflections.

You can work to build something less breakable.

You can focus your attention on something else that lives beyond the frames,

Something that can stand or withstand, (depending on your own perspective),

The test of time.

Be Bold. Always Be Authentic.

I woke up this morning with these thoughts and decided to write them down.

Remember a train of thought can flow without stops, and sometimes without pauses.

An unadulterated randomness, a gallery of senses, a diversity of colors and textures

Sensations of pleasure, spine tingling, hair raising

Visualizing a readiness, anticipation, an upward surge

A wide open intake, a heightening of input, smooth running,

No clogged lines, everything has been purged.

Precision. Efficiency. No knots, no baggage, no hard feelings or hurt.

Setting oneself free. A total release.