Landscape of Being (vol. 4, no. 10)
Here are a few things I’m sharing this month:
1. Question I’m living with:
- “And, when you change the landscape is it with bare hands or with gloves?” – Pablo Neruda
2. Quote I’m considering:
- “I think part of a lesson every poet has to learn is there’s nothing better than where you are. And there’s nothing better than where you’ve been. And there’s nothing wrong with turning around to look at it, even though you’ve paved a lot of it over and said, “Thank God, I’m past that moment. I have to look at it again.” Yeah, you do. You do. The pavement you think everything’s under is like going, “err.” And you go there and you revisit some things that are beautiful, some things that are happy, some things that are painful, but now you have the language that you need to confront them.” – Patricia Smith
3. Poem I’m pondering:
Excerpt from “The Underground” by Hannah Emerson
please please grow
into the sweetness
that the universe wants
you to be be be be be
yes yes yes – please
try to understand that
you must grow down
to grow up yes yes
4. Something inspiring:
- Click this link (https://relax.rikard.io/), click “Relax” and drag your mouse around the screen. (ht Recomendo)
5. I am in the process of finding/hiring an editor for my Rewild School manuscript. In the meantime here’s a story from coaching football this fall:
We played one of (if not the) toughest opponents on our schedule. We went into halftime up 21-0. We were dominant. But they came back and came back and came back. And, on a fourth and goal with one minute to go, they got half of the football into the end zone. They won 22-21. At the end of the game, one of my defensive backs was standing alone in the end zone stunned and crying. I went up to him and gave him a hug. Didn’t say anything, just hugged him. And, when I turned away from him and started walking back to the sideline, I was met by player after player with their heads hanging low and their arms dangling by their sides coming in for a hug. All of these tough guys with their painted faces and muscles and armor coming in for hugs. It was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever experienced.
Thanks so much. And, have a great day! – shawn
