The Wild Iris by Louise Gluck

What is our life's journey? What is our vision?  Vision Boards are a great way to connect with your inner goals and spirit. Life is a journey, cliche yes, and vision boards help us see the journey we want. 

I am reading the book "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search..." and finding it to be fascinating. Elizabeth Gilbert is expressing the feelings many of us have, but dare not express. 

Like many others, I found the quote "From the center of my life, there came a great fountain...." to be so profound. It is such a spring-board for thought and inner reflection.  Take a moment to think on this. What is your great fountain?

And, of course being the left-brain person that I am, I was curious to see where the line had come from.  Here is the poem in its entirity. Enjoy and reflect.


From The Wild Iris:
by Louise Gluck

At the end of my suffering
there was a door.

Hear me out: that which you call death
I remember.

Overhead, noises, branches of the pine shifting.
Then nothing. The weak sun
flickered over the dry surface.

It is terrible to survive
as consciousness
buried in the dark earth.

Then it was over: that which you fear, being
a soul and unable
to speak, ending abruptly, the stiff earth
bending a little. And what I took to be
birds darting in low shrubs.

You who do not remember
passage from the other world
I tell you I could speak again: whatever
returns from oblivion returns
to find a voice:

from the center of my life came
a great fountain, deep blue
shadows on azure sea water.

Do You Believe in Miracles?

“Do you believe in miracles?” at first blush seems a simple yes or no response. Most people could tell you if they do believe in miracles very quickly. Yet, when looking at what each feels exemplifies what a miracle is, it is not so simple.

For many, miracle is a “miraculous” event that is often related to the hand of God or a greater power. Common examples are those of escaping death. For me, that is the quick definition – something (an event) that defies probability.

Along with defying death, it could be something like a roulette wheel hitting red 100 out of 100 times. It is possible but highly improbably. It would be a miracle!

Miracle often seems tied to a given event – like the example of defying death or even the birth of a baby. Yet, with the birth it is really nine months of miracle. It is a process of little miracles – little steps every day – that at the end produce a larger outcome.

I think of those who have survived horrific accidents and are told they would never walk again or speak again. Each day they make a little progress toward the end goal. Looking at the accomplishment isolated at one day would hardly seem a miracle. Taking one step or taking two steps may not itself seem significant. But, at the end, walking out of the hospital – it is a miracle.

Miracles like these are all around us every day. I am sure my 10th grade typing teacher would say it was a miracle that I can type more than 70 wpm considering I struggled reaching 40 wpm to pass the class!

“Miracles are events that make us feel there is more to life than what we see” is what what friend quoted. I think this is very true. Whenever I feel awe stuck, that is a miracle to me.

When I look at a sunset or rainbow, these are miracles of nature. When someone does a random act of kindness that changes someone’s life, this is a miracle of humanity. When something just works out for the best – this is a miracle of living!