I just finished reading ‘Prisoner of Tehran‘ by Marina Nemat, a powerful story of a young woman imprisoned in her home country of Iran in the 1980’s and who is now living in Canada. And then today, I re-read this poem that felt resonant with the book and all of the horrible atrocities going on in the world. If only we could all be more accepting of one another, treat each other with kindness, and learn to accept that our world is full of differences. And if we could all remember that at the heart of it all we all love, hurt, smile, laugh, cry, live and die…and that our coming together rather than pushing apart would serve the world far more than fighting, killing and hatred. My heart aches for all of the children, women and men who live in places around the globe where they are harmed so unimaginably, still to this day.
Self Portrait by David Whyte, Fire in the Earth
It doesn’t interest me if there is one God
or many gods.
I want to know if you belong or feel
abandoned.
If you know despair or can see it in others.
I want to know
if you are prepared to live in the world
with its harsh need
to change you. If you can look back
with firm eyes
saying this is where I stand. I want to know
if you know
how to melt into that fierce heat of living
falling toward
the centre of your longing. I want to know
if you are willing
to live, day by day, with the consequence of love
and the bitter
unwanted passion of your sure defeat.
I have heard, in that fierce embrace, even
the gods speak of God.