Dreamed Duet
I walked a long distance to speak, where no one could hear
Prove what I believed must be true, so I could fight the fear
I stopped to rest, leaning against a rock, then turned around
to watch natural beauty at an outcropping the hike found
Silent prayers asked God for strength, for challenges ahead
I turned to retrieve my hiking pole to view a Cross instead
A veined rock had crossed my stick to say: I am with you
My fearless Our Father rang outward, to the cosmos’ milieu
A crowd gathered, their prayers invited love to find a home
I joined without hesitation, names streaming in the shalom
Hail Marys carried the heavenly weight of visiting souls
asking God’s mercy for children stranded on life’s shoals
Some known, some strangers, silently, prayer flowed freely
Faith had found its way despite the distance from humanity
Released from shackles, boundaries disappeared in the time
I reached to touch wetness on my face from love’s paradigm
His signature, not denied, tears evaporated in the breeze
A lifetime of self, left behind in transcendent community
Lesson learned; continue to close the gap of now – not yet
Here, heaven is joining the dance beyond a dreamed duet
I went deep into the forest to speak out loud to God about my reluctance to truly share my faith. After trying for a while, I didn’t get an answer. I reached back to retrieve my walking stick I had placed against a rock to see a large horizontal crack which aligned perfectly to form a cross. I could not help myself to say an Our Father rather loud. I felt surrounded in peace and by the community of saints in complete understanding that they wanted me to pray with them. We started with a Hail Mary and it just did not stop. Names of people I knew and total strangers kept coming, the Hail Mary’s just kept streaming one after another as I completely lost track of time.
As gently as it had started, it ended, and my face was soaking wet from tears that I did not even know were there. I could not doubt it was Christ’s signature. Deep in my attempt to escape everyone, He instead had given me everyone to pray with. The Our in Our Father manifested community, allowing me to share faith in a very intense way I had not expected. I learned that the distance between heaven and earth is a state of mind and the two are able to dance together if I let them.
For further reflection: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.