GULL

A gull
posed proudly on top
of a copper pedestal.

Stood there confident,
a top model
at the Annapolis Boat Show.

Stood there long enough
for me to grab my camera
and digitize her* forever.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

Okay, she might be a he. I don't know

these things at times.

Ornithologists of the world,

let me know. Thanks.

NON-CONVERSATION

BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN

AND THE VALLEY

Mountain: “Wait a minute! When you’re on top, you can see an awful lot – you get the big picture - and you're not.”

Valley: “Of course you can see the big picture. However, when you’re in the valley, when you’re on the bottom, when you’re in the midst of things, when you're upclose and personal, you can see a lot of things that you up there on the top might not spot. There are things that happen down here, that you never seem to hear or to care about. You’re too far away to hear this – but I’ll say it anyway: ‘Come on down and ask questions, questions, questions? Better: come on down and listen, listen, listen? Watch! Watch! Watch! Come on down and talk and walk around with us once and a while? You might learn something.’"

Boss: “Wait a minute! When you’re on top, you can see an awful lot – you get the big picture - and you're not.”

Worker: “Don’t you realize, when you’re the boss, people hide things from you? Don’t you realize that people in the work place are not going to blow whistles – lest they get labeled a ‘Trouble Maker’ and it might put their job in jeopardy? Don’t you realize you don’t see as much as you think you see – as well as, as much as you used to see? Have you forgotten those things that used to rub you the wrong way when you were on the bottom? It’s the history of the world: people have always complained about the king being out of touch. And teenagers complain about parents and teachers and coaches. Parishioners complain about priests. Priests complain about bishops. Do bishops complain about the pope? Some might – but only the ones who have gone as far as they think they can go. Oops. Sorry! That's was a low blow. I didn't mean to say that. Can I take that one back?”

Boss: [Silence]

Worker: "Ooops! Wait, there's one more thing. Come on down and compliment people - especially the people who do the little things and do them well. Everyone is not on the eternal coffee break. There are lots of people down here doing the things that make this whole thing work."

Boss: [Silence]

Worker: "And oops! There's another thing. Salary. Your salary our our salaries? I'm sure you're rushing down the mountain to talk about that one.

Boss: “Wow! Don't they do a lot mumbling and grumbling down there? What's all this noise and hubbub about? Why are they so picky, picky, picky? There would be a lot less complaining, if they only knew what I know, if they only had more experience like I have had, if they only had to worry about budgets and time frames and keeping this mountain from crumbling, if they only had the big picture, and see what I see.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

FOLDING   AND  UNFOLDING

MY TENT

It’s morning – time to wake up.
It’s morning – time to get moving.
It’s morning – time to pull up the pegs,
fold my tent and get on the trail.

It’s evening – time to stop.
It’s evening – time to find a place to rest.
It’s evening – time to unfold and peg my tent,
to pull together my day, to close my eyes.

It’s night – time to sleep.
It’s night – time to dream.
It’s night – time to journey deep,
to follow the trail into my great divides.

It’s morning ….

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

FREEDOM – SLIPPING AWAY

Ropes, thick tan
heavy hairy dock ropes –
the reality of being tied down,
held here by ropes
on dark sold iron posts,
nailed to the dock,
my life’s days slipping away,
but he knew, in the morning,
he would slip off and slip away
into the bay – into the open ocean –
into freedom, once more
heading out into the open sea.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

SMILE!

Smile!

Everyone has the ability to smile.
It comes with the package.
We see people smiling all the time,
with a wave of the hand, a beep on the horn,
with a quick hello on the way home from work.

Smile!

It must begin in the womb,
because a baby can smile
way before she learns to talk or walk.

Smile!

And if you see someone
who has forgotten how to smile,
tickle them, play jokes on them,
and if that doesn’t work, say it to them,
“Smile!” and if that doesn’t work,
put your upper teeth on your lower lip
and push air at them “Pfttttittttttt!”

Smile!

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

P.S. That's my sister Peggy

[Sister Saint Monica, IHM]

outside the chapel

at Marywood, Scranton,

on her Golden Jubliee Celebration.

Is that a smile?

LIFE

Life is time,
time to cross rivers,
bridges or no bridges.

Life is time,
time to throw the dice
and move around the
Monopoly board.

Life is time,
time to take the time
to sit there and fit together
the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle,
and it’s always more enjoyable
to do it as a family.

Life is time,
time to open doors,
to journey to far countries
and sometimes a pigsty,
only to discover the desire
to return home to those
we didn’t know loved us,
to those who looked
up the road every day to see
if we were going to come home
from the far country that day.

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009

FULL MOON MONSTRANCE

To share the moon with a thousand eyes
on a bright night like this,
knowing that millions, billions,
own this moon. It’s ours.
Do people on porches,
people walking their dog,
people closing their curtains
and their eyes for the night,
wonder is anyone else thinking
what I’m thinking as I’m looking at this moon?
Does a full moon make everyone different?
Does a full moon make everyone quiet?
Does everyone still feel the amazement
that some of us walked on this moon,
stuck flags on it, spent hours on it,
and then had to leave. Yet, like tourists
and travelers, took a few small rocks home
as souvenirs.
Do those few who think the moon landings
were a hoax really think that?
Do some see the Eucharist in the Moon
bringing together everyone in communion?

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2009