A New Year's Resolution
The Italian poet, Dante, believed the secret rhythm of the universe was the rhythm of love, which moved the stars and the planets. Love, in other words, is the source, center, and destiny of experience
A decade after his stroke, Walt Whitman looked back on what saved him - body and soul - and wrote: “After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, love, and so on - have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear - what remains? Nature remains; to bring out from their torpid recesses, the affinities of a man or woman with the open air, the trees, fields, the changes of seasons - the sun by day and the stars of heaven by night.”
Albert Camus wrote, “In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
Many of us have made our world so familiar we don’t see it anymore. A question we might ask ourselves at the end of the day is, “What did I really see today?”
Seeing the world with loving eyes helps us better recognize and understand the beauty around us.
In Celtic spirituality the visible and invisible worlds are one and the same. They flow together, naturally, and effortlessly. This Celtic “Blessing for the Senses” crystalizes the notion:
May your body be blessed.
May you realize your body is a faithful and beautiful friend of your soul.
And may you be peaceful and joyful and recognize your senses are sacred thresholds.
May you realize holiness is mindful, gazing, feeling, hearing, and touching.
May your senses gather you and bring you home.
May your senses always enable you to celebrate the universe and the mystery
and possibilities in your presence here.
May the Eros of the Earth bless you.
To the loving eye, everything is real and pregnant with possibility, and it draws the beauty in.
The real revelation is when we discover that the love and beauty out there was in us all along. Now, what to do with all this love and beauty!
The love you share will be your lasting possessions. Not a bad New Year’s Resolution: Share more love. Expand your love. Spread more love. Unleash your love on others.
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Hi! I’m Michael Kennedy, Olympic Valley, CA resident. I’m a teacher, freelance writer, and photographer. Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed it, please share with others. I value your attention, it means a lot to me and it helps others see the story. If you're interested in any photos in this post, or in my gallery: click here, let me know what size you want, and I'll send a quote. My email: michael.kennedy999@gmail.com
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