Because sometimes we travel heavy
and those heady times we can barely
imagine the freebody movement of dance.

Because sometimes we travel dark
and from those hard paths we can’t even
conjure an image of sunrise or moonrise or starlight or fire.

Because sometimes we travel solo
and those lonely times we forget all the others
we’ve travelled with lovingly
travelled with home.

Because sometimes we need to be
travelling lightly
because sometimes we’re in need of
regular reminding
that light comes in circles
and waves
and small moments
and light
comes to find us
and light comes with hope.

Pádraig Ó Tuoma

 

Have you come across the poet Pádraig Ó Tuoma before? He is much loved for his poetry and storytelling, as well as widely respected for his peace work in Ireland and the way he brings theology to life. I was completely drawn in and moved by his TEDx talk on Imagining Peace and his weekly poetry contemplations are a work of art.

If you enjoyed this poem, you may want to listen to Pádraig speaking it in this short video… and lean into the empathy that shines through these words in difficult times. I also sense a real hopefulness in the words about light towards the end. No matter how difficult, things are bound to change sooner or later – impermanence promises new circles and cycles. Not always easy to remember when in the midst of challenge though, so a poem like this feels to me like an outstretched hand, an invitation to trust the that ‘light comes to find us’… May it be so, for us all!

PS There are many skills we can practice to help support us in the midst of challenge. Particularly the compassion courses focus on meeting suffering in ourselves and others, and have been no less than transformative in my own life…

Photo by Ezra Hames on Unsplash