life or death

I choose one for you when I choose one for me

I am never alone.

here I am in Damascus

where 3 of we doctors were killed by a suicide bomber 2 weeks ago.

For one, the only remaining piece left was his ID label.

I have been ordered by the UN to remain here for 4 more months because of the pandemic.

My 11 year old son needs me.I am all he has.

More than anything, after 20 years in the US Army, I want to be with my family, safe.

My faith tells me I am not alone with the hatred.

I believe in The power of God’s Spirit to protect me and you.

Please pray for me.

Know and support me emotionally, please.

change your mind

behind the burka

 

In Syria, anyone over 65 is not allowed to leave the house during the pandemic.

But some older people are still youthful.

Why oppress them?

Let the older ones have a few more years of light and water and leaf in the forest they have known so long.

 

The Woodcutter Changes His Mind
by David Budbill

When I was young, I cut the bigger, older trees for firewood, the ones
with heart rot, dead and broken branches, the crippled and deformed
ones, because, I reasoned, they were going to fall soon anyway, and
therefore, I should give the younger trees more light and room to grow.
Now I’m older and I cut the younger, strong and sturdy, solid
and beautiful trees, and I let the older ones have a few more years
of light and water and leaf in the forest they have known so long.
Soon enough they will be prostrate on the ground.
 
David Budbill “The Woodcutter Changes His Mind” from While We’ve Still Got Feet. Copyright © 2015 by David Budbill. Used with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC on behalf of Copper Canyon Press, http://www.coppercanyonpress.org.

quandary…

Jeanne’s latest book with her caught in the chaos of sticking to priorities

 

A quandary sent to my pastor this am in response to her text for Sunday’s sermon:

Hi my favorite priest!

Every day I look forward to your sacred communiques!

And I have to prioritize:
1 Do I do a hand calligraphy of the sacred scripture to frame and give away? or
2 Do I meditate further on the proper of the Sunday Mass as presented with music, video, text and divine inspiration? or
3 Do I attend to an endless list of medical follow ups for both Don and I? or  
4 Do laundry, vacuum, shop for groceries, cook or attend to household chores? or
5 Do I face-time my grown children, sister, brothers, vulnerable neighbors and friends, and grandchildren?

Sometimes the pandemic cuts through with immediate needs.
Do we have the correct masks?
Is planting flowers for mother’s day an essential task?

You make the scripture louder than everything else as it should be.

Thank you for your holy touch.
Jeanne

complete forgiveness

 

Dear Q
I am sorry I turned my back on you.
Frustrated you beyond measure by not listening to your sage advice.
You shared the data needed to be my proxy.
You shared to keep me alive in the pandemic.

I forgive you for claiming that I do what I want and not what my family advises.
That I choose my agenda, in spite of you.
Instead you ask me to avoid acting impetuously.
Many friends have asked me
“not to be a steam-roller.”
“not to mow them down”.
Wish I could weed out this unruly character defect.

Yes, I promise to think before jumping.
To imagine you warning me.
To hesitate and consider the wiser side.
To embrace my sage daughter and my sage family
and BLEND.

Then we will both know complete forgiveness
Believe it is given
And act to its rhythm
in HARMONY!