Echoes and Reflections

Reflections in my mind
of the echoes in my heart,
memories of a life lived
in search of a Kingdom
paint a mosaic menagerie,
weave a tapestry of joy and pain and grace.

From castles tall to shattered slums,
children’s giggles to wails of anguish,
through desert and valley to mountain summit,
rain forest to high Himalayan peak
I’m seeking in the creation’s eyes
reflections of the Creator’s love.

Eternal years flash by,
crushing pain and shattered heart
form my soul, 
teach me to let go,
yet joyous friendships encourage the heart,
and the love of a Father holds me tight.

Children’s laughter, birds’ melodies,
thunders’ crackings, winds’ swooshings,
cats’ meowings, waterfalls’ cacophonies,
and in the silence of snow
I seek the voice of the Divine.

Copper pennies and silver dimes
thunking on countertop,
fists clenched with lemonheads and sweeTarts
that fuel bicycle adventures
along small town streets and country paths.

Silver dungchen* bassooning,
copper bells tinkling on snowy path,
heart clutching expectancy and dreams
that fuel high altitude adventures
among ears who’ve never heard.

Honey, ginger, lemon tea
sipped in Himalayan sunlight
waiting for migraine’s blindness to pass

Steamy, creamy cappuccino
sipped under balcony roof
waiting for monsoon deluge to pass

Maroon broth with crispy pork belly
echoes murmurings of searching
from maroon robes
lost in a soup of karma’s detachment.

Vermillion gravy with rice and curd
echoes ripplings of laughter
from joyful hearts,
friendship is shared in community’s bond.

A tiny voice with longing eyes says,
“Please, give me a crumb.”
He persists, I stare at my medianoche.**
I avoid his gaze, angry at him,
at the system, at the devil.

A frail mother, infant on hip says,
“Please, milk for my baby.”
She persists, annoyance turns into compassion.
I return her gaze with loving eyes
gifting her food and rupees for milk.

The shattered thump of a clay Bengali teacup
cast to the ground,
purpose complete (a weary sojourner’s longing thirst quenched)
echoes
the shattered longing of an earthen globe spinning,
longing, aching,
its purpose lost (thrown to the wind in the great betrayal)
waiting redemption, renewal, restoration.

Among the reflections of divine love,
lessons learned but still far to go,
a soul filled with echoing memories, 
longs for Eden lost
and yearns for Paradise.

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19:1-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

* A dungchen is a Tibetan horn measuring up to 16 feet long which emits a deep, mournful sound that has been compared to the singing of elephants.
** A medianoche is a type of Cuban sandwich made with a special bread and named “midnight” because it is often eaten late into the night.

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