Tina Boyles Bailey
Field Personnel in Graz, Austria
“There are only two major paths by which the human soul comes to God: the path of great love, and the one of great suffering.”
Richard Rohr, Life Coming to a Focus
1. Mercy Flows
Mercy flows through our heart
and out of our heart,
ever changing
how we interact
with our inner self and others.
As a human heart
carries the energy of life,
the blood flows in and out of the heart.
When the flow is blocked
the entire body and life is at risk.
Our spiritual health
is connected
to the flow of mercy
into our spiritual heart,
Stay open dear heart.
Allow mercy to be received,
embrace it
and know how much you are loved
and can love,
flowing freely, receiving and giving mercy
from the well spring of the divine heart.
When I think of all the ways we close our hearts in an effort to self-protect, I was moved by the connection to a soft open heart that is needed to stay healthy. I wrote this poem as I was reflecting on the connection between the flow of mercy and openness. When life gets hard, it is counterintuitive to lean into mercy and softness, but I believe it is what is needed. When we block and close off our hearts, we begin to die inside. My prayer and blessing is that we lean into mercy and allow love to flow through our hearts.
2. Light and shadow
Lights and shadows
dance in harmony,
giving balance and shape
to all of who I am.
Both in the secret spaces where hurt lives,
n the high places where joy shines.
The harmony and acceptance
of the invitation,
to dance in the in-between spaces,
brings healing and growth.
As lights hold hands
ever so gently with shadows,
we can safely explore
the hidden spaces
Dance
Dance
Dance!
May God’s blessings lead you on to wholeness.
As an artist, I often reflect on the importance of shadows and light. Without both, there is no depth. The shadows build form and definition, and the light makes the image come to life. In our lives we are not only formed by the highs, but also by the hard times, the valleys. In fact, it is when we walk through the harder times in life that we find out who we are or who we hope to become. Father Richard Rohr says, “We move on to the second stage of life, either through great love or great suffering... but usually both.” This I can say has been true for me.
Pray. . .Give. . .Go.