tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post1906804999599741951..comments2023-10-05T06:20:40.173-04:00Comments on Quaker Pagan Reflections: Gazing in the Eyes of GodCat C-B (and/or Peter B)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10002916434676859262noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-69712879878974727322009-04-09T19:23:00.000-04:002009-04-09T19:23:00.000-04:00Thanks mom. This was nice to read. The other nig...Thanks mom. This was nice to read. <BR/><BR/>The other night, I told Nate that I hoped God was grieving for Itachi, not in a malicious sense, but in the same sense that Nate was, by my side lending me strength through his presence. And why not? If God loves every soul, musn't he grieve every soul? What you've written reminds me of that feeling. Like, why do we have to be reminded of God's presence, by love and loss and worship? Because it is too big and encompassing to be immersed in all the time. Can you do the dishes when looking into your beloved's eyes? Can you grade papers? It takes practice to be able to hold so much feeling within you and still go about the daily grind.Hillary C-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06410744788457428021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-83611973184881411392009-03-28T12:23:00.000-04:002009-03-28T12:23:00.000-04:00What you say is helpful, Rebecca, though, as I thi...What you say is helpful, Rebecca, though, as I think is implied by what you write, it is not helpful in terms of fixing the underlying difficulty. The universe is what it is.<BR/><BR/>You write: "And God wraps her in a blanket of friendship, and they are not alone."<BR/><BR/>The only thing I would see differently is, we wrap each other in that blanket. That, from my perspective, is the comfort. And it is a great one.James Riemermannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00785078588562735749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-7591335888423743542009-03-28T12:17:00.000-04:002009-03-28T12:17:00.000-04:00I found you through your comment on Anj's recent p...I found you through your comment on Anj's recent post and like what you speak of in this post of yours. <BR/>As a late in life newly wed, and a deepening contemplative, there is much beauty in what you speak of.Eat, Savour,Linger,Livehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09117491886839059627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-45599660675818632942009-03-27T00:38:00.000-04:002009-03-27T00:38:00.000-04:00I also find this is exactly how it is.Good words, ...I also find this is exactly how it is.<BR/>Good words, Cat.<BR/>The universe leans towards you the moment you lean towards Her.<BR/><BR/>Love,<BR/>Terri in JoburgAquila ka Hecatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00725237187718174157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-31613588392485107232009-03-25T21:21:00.000-04:002009-03-25T21:21:00.000-04:00Interesting that you use this marriage metaphor in...Interesting that you use this marriage metaphor in relationship to meeting for worship. This is the time in my life when my relationship to the Divine fits the metaphor the absolute least.Hysteryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02044678910937934731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-27468826967842026402009-03-25T19:46:00.000-04:002009-03-25T19:46:00.000-04:00"[That] which I have been yearning for has also be..."[That] which I have been yearning for has also been yearning for me. And that which I have been longing for is right beside me, loving me right back."<BR/><BR/>Thanks so much, Cat. I needed this reminder.<BR/><BR/>Blessed Be,<BR/>MichaelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-14217205033949121022009-03-25T03:32:00.000-04:002009-03-25T03:32:00.000-04:00Awesome post.Awesome post.Daisy Deadheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17993200276152025235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-30526844349967181022009-03-24T21:01:00.000-04:002009-03-24T21:01:00.000-04:00James: maybe this is silly but what you wrote made...James: maybe this is silly but what you wrote made me think of this. It's a bit of writing that came out and surprised me last year, and facilitated some healing. Throwing it out there just in case it's helpful.<BR/><BR/>God says I'm Sorry<BR/><BR/>Everything in the universe is her self and her play and her dance and her laughter. She started playing with separating parts of her self from each other and got fascinated with the gravity, the attraction across the distance. Sure, it hurt sometimes too, but it was OK. It was all dance, there were so many ways, new every time, beautiful and funny and alive. She loved it, and she kept playing. And then creatures with their own complex minds developed, and they started trying to figure out how the game worked!<BR/><BR/>God tried to show them, all kinds of ways, everything she could think of. She wanted to help them see how they were part of the dance, how beautiful it all was. They got glimpses sometimes. But it was so hard for them to see, she had never imagined. She never imagined they would suffer so. <BR/><BR/>It is still beautiful, still delightful, still a dance. But she grieves, now, too, for the ones who are trapped in pain, and feels anger at the harm that's done. The dance has become bittersweet.<BR/><BR/>-<BR/><BR/>Here is one, a girl who can see it. Not everything, of course, but enough. She looks God straight in the mirror-eyes and says, you're right, it's beautiful. It's amazing. And I know you want to share all the joy of it with me, I've felt you for ages reaching out and helping me along... but it's not working on me. This mind won't let go of the suffering. Every cell in this body is steeped in generations of too much pain and I can't get free of it, as hard as I try. I'm sorry. I just can't do it.<BR/><BR/>And God knows that she is right, and has nothing to say. They stand there together, forehead to glass, and grieve.<BR/><BR/>The girl says, I will still do your work. I will stay here with your other suffering ones and reach out your hand to them when I can. Not for good karma or empty morality, but just because I love you, and I love the world, in spite of it all. Because sometimes I am not trapped in the pain and it is beautiful and funny. And that can be enough, for one day at a time anyway.<BR/><BR/>And God wraps her in a blanket of friendship, and they are not alone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-31068951770102522762009-03-24T17:14:00.000-04:002009-03-24T17:14:00.000-04:00Cat,This is beautiful. I'm sad to confess, though,...Cat,<BR/><BR/>This is beautiful. I'm sad to confess, though, it makes me envious. I envy your love for the universe. It sounds like a good place to be, but I think I've never been there.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes I'm enraged by the universe's indifference, sometimes smothered by it's great weight, sometimes awestruck by its beauty, power and plenty. Never in love, though Maybe someday.<BR/><BR/>For now the best I can say is, my relationship with God is...problematic. Yes, that's the word.James Riemermannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00785078588562735749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-62147992134695859372009-03-24T12:45:00.000-04:002009-03-24T12:45:00.000-04:00Thank you for this.Thank you for this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-5712087702899328692009-03-23T12:30:00.000-04:002009-03-23T12:30:00.000-04:00Yes.Yes.anjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10907362042684864253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-25352804434979397192009-03-22T19:54:00.000-04:002009-03-22T19:54:00.000-04:00there you go again, with those words! :-)there you go again, with those words! :-)cubbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01967417546891684102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987874.post-53190091412733074582009-03-22T16:58:00.000-04:002009-03-22T16:58:00.000-04:00I love this!I love this!Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02335627965504673440noreply@blogger.com