Nine Lives

At ten I can’t recall when I chased the ball if I looked both ways
But the screeching brakes and yelling woman will not go away

At twelve for fun I climbed to the top of pines to sway in the breeze
Ending when I fell one time from bough to bough without injuries

At sixteen achieving speed on my bicycle was in my bloodstream
I had my hand up but when she hit me she did not hear me scream

At eighteen overnight ice fishing was a test of a man’s endurance
Under ice I found blackness is betrayed by the moon iridescence

At twenty seven the river bottom dropped off, my waders filled
To pull me under, yet slowly pulled them off as the water chilled

At thirty two I bravely went over a waterfall in a two man canoe
The whirlpool did not think much of me and soon sent me through

At thirty seven bacteria quickly consumed my oxygen hungrily
Yes, I saw light and looked down upon myself to see my rosary

At forty three a loose pebble jammed my bicycles front calipers
Twisting and flying all I remember, awakening a last adventure

At fifty I died a different death, a haunting lasting death to self
This pain of recognizing others needs greater than anything felt

At fifty three it’s a daily death, as nighttime calls each day end
Gods peace settles in refreshing me for tomorrows resurrection

I have felt the closeness of my own near death far more times than I would like to remember.  They are all frightening experiences that occasionally flash back and bring me to the reality that I am still here. None however is so haunting when I died a death to self.  It took until I was fifty years old for me to realize that I was not as important to myself as I was to the people around me. This was not a sudden death, it had been brewing for a while. Like my near death experiences I had briefly tasted immersion in the community of others.  Death to self happens daily now as I accumulate my thoughts and reflect on my day. My closing thought is that tomorrow God lets me try to be a better man all over again.  I cannot explain it but I am at peace and sound asleep in a matter of seconds.

For further reflection:

Romans 6:1-10 Scripture (NRSVCE Bible)

Brothers and sisters,^[a] my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. ² I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. ³ For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Salvation Is for All

⁵ Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.” ⁶ But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say?

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹ because^[b] if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

The poem above is included in the collection of 40 Christian poems in the The Color of My Heart within the Immersive Prayer website. The poems are also available in book form on Amazon in Paperback or . All Proceeds go to Charity.

Additional Thoughts about my Poetry

I believe my writing fits snugly into the category of grounded mystical Christian theology. I have studied, written, and spiritually and physically applied this practical concept in my life for nearly two decades. I have never seen or participated in what some might call a vision or phenomenon. However, I appreciate that they may be a reality for the person or group, and God has provided them with deep consolation. For me, consolation is the beginning of a two-way relationship with God.

My own experiences are more intellectual in nature because I lean toward engineering and science. The reality for me is that God is always present because we are his tabernacles. We constantly miss His surfacing of lighter than a feather touch because we are a physical people. We talk about opening our hearts to this love, but technically, our intellect gets in the way. I have been trying to prove this virtually every day for well over a decade by documenting what I believe are grounded mystical thoughts in various ways.  The Saint I turn to when I look for divine spiritual advice is St. John of the Cross.

The tragedy of 9/11 was a significant transformative moment in my spiritual life because of a first hand experience. I am re-dedicating the thoughts and prayers associated with my Christian Poetry to all those affected.

Would you like to contribute related thoughts to these reflections of the contemplative material of this Web-based ministry? Do you see God’s grandeur everywhere and unconditionally enjoy sharing the love of Christ that you have inside? Are you willing to be anonymous in what you would share? If so, email me.

Prayer for young families:

Lord, let the young families of our communities get to know your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite the world’s distractions.

Attributions:

This site has written permission from New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) to use Bible passages.

This website follows the guidelines for image web use at the website of the Brooklyn Museum, the Jewish Museum and this Immersive Prayer website.

Peace,

Jerry