September 21, 2018

ACHES AND PAINS

We all have them, 

aches and pains, 

in our bones and 

in our bodies. 

Nick names for 

neighbors or co-

workers who drive 

us crazy.

Metaphors for

what goes on in

our mind and heart

when things go wrong.

Aches and pains

bloody shovels

and chisels that

dig into and form us.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

September 21, 2018

Thought for today: 

“It is not  a  priest’s business to impose his own ideas, but to aid the workings  of  grace.”  

Abbé Huvelin  [1839-1910]

ORIGAMI  MUSEUM

It was on a side street ….

It wasn’t in my plans ….

But it started to rain,

so I dropped into

an origami museum ….

It was a gigantic bird cage ….

I was caught - enfolded -

with 1000 birds of every size

and color, in sight, in flight,

cranes, sparrows, birds everywhere ….

I walked around…. I was

hearing Jesus’  words folded

in all the corners of my life:

“Look at the birds of the air -

here, there and everywhere….

Just behold them…. Paper works ....

Don’t unfold them …. Paper works ....

Just see them. Just let them

delight you and then fly

back out into the rain ….

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

September 20, 2018

Thought for today: 

“The  best  creed  we can have is charity towards the creeds of others.”  

Josh Billings [1818-1885]

EVIL

Is anything evil?

How about arsenic or cancer?

How about gossip or a lie?

How about suicide or murder?

How about a nasty comment?

How about plagiarism?

How about a stab in the back?

How about envy or jealousy?

How about toxic waste in the water?

How about genocide?

How about using or abusing others?

How about not listening?

Is anything evil?

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018

September 19, 2018 

Thought for today: 

“Don’t let your ego  get too close to your position, so that  if your position gets shot down, your  ego doesn’t go with it.” 

Colin Powell

THE OPTICS OF POETRY

The optometrist, the ophthalmologist,

the optician, the  optimist and the poet,

put all those letters in front of us -  

and we tell them what we see and

what is better than what we saw

just before that. “What do you see?”

The poet shows us so many things

we’re missing: lovers kissing in the

corner; the dead flowers at the

cemetery; the driver who screams

when nobody will let them out

into the flow of traffic - then they

do the same to someone else

trying to get out of their driveway.

“Lord, help me to see what I’m

not seeing - what I’m missing.”

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2018