And

And teaches us to say, “yes”

And allows us to be both-and

And keeps us from either-or

And teaches us to be patient and long suffering

And is willing to wait for insight and integration

And keeps us from dualistic thinking

And does not divide the field of the moment

And helps us to live in the always imperfect now

And keeps us inclusive and compassionate toward everything

And demands that our contemplation become action

And insists that our action is also contemplative

And heals our racism, our sexism, herterosexism, and our classism

And keeps us from the false choice of liberal or conservative

And allows us to critique both sides of things

And is far beyond any one nation or political party

And helps us face and accept our own dark side

And allows us to ask for forgiveness and to apologize

And is the mystery of paradox in all things

And is the way of mercy

And makes daily, practical love possible

And does not trust love if it is not also justice

And does not trust justices if it is not also love

And is far beyond my religion versus your religion

And allows us to be both distinct and yet united

And is the very Mystery of Trinity…

— Father Richard Rohr

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;

If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!

Death brings morning sun
Each revolution unites
All of us as one