One perk in life is having friends who work in a library. They are forever recommending good books for you to read. My library-friend recently recommended this book to me: A God in the House, edited by Ilya Kaminsky and Katherine Tower. The blurb says the book is “a collection of conversations about spirituality and the craft of writing…featuring nineteen of America’s leading poets.” When I read those words, I was hooked! I also thought this reflection might be an appropriate one for Thanksgiving Day.
Today I’m focusing on one sentence that caught my attention. It is written by Elinor Wilner, an award-winning poet who lives in Philadephia. She tells how two atrocious historic events greatly impacted her childhood: the pictures of the Allied forces coming upon the skeletal prisoners in the Nazi concentration camps, and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Eventually, what helped her to put these acts of “managed savagery” into perspective, was her awareness “of a larger exstence that transcends human atrocities and follies of history,” a reality she calls “the great and unthinkably brilliant and complex web of life…in which we have our unlikely existence, and of which our awareness gives us some understanding.”
Words that stood out for me were these. Unthinkably brilliant. What kind of Mind, Force, Higher Power, or God created such a great and complex web? We can ponder that for a lifetime. Maybe for all eternity. A web in which we have our unlikely existence. Scientists say the genesis of life on planet earth was almost a mathematical impossibility! Too many conditions had to be in perfect alignment for life to begin–let alone to evolve into complex forms such as Monarch butterflies, ants, blue whales, chickens, and human beings. Our awareness of this web gives us some understanding, not full understanding.
One conclusion I drew from Wilner’s sentence was this: How vital it is for us to nourish our awareness–on a regular basis–of our connectedness to this brilliantly fashioned web of existence. We can do this in countless ways. Here are a few:
+ step outside: observe, sit, walk, stroll, run, bask, admire, smell, listen, touch, taste, converse with, gaze upon this visible world. For many of us, April 8’s total solar eclipse provided exceptional nourishment of our awareness of a larger world that transcends “human atrocities and follies.”
+ take care of a part of nature: tend to the fallen leaves, feed the birds, walk a dog, shovel snow, adopt a spider plant, dust the furniture, mop the floor, grow some herbs, mow the lawn, trim the bushes, play with a cat, compost, mulch, recyle.
+ share with your fellow earthlings: donate some food to the local food bank, drop off some dogfood or catfood at the animal shelter, write a check to your alma mater, pick up litter, help pay for the Christmas poinsettia plants or Easter lilies for your church, take someone grocery shopping with you, give flowers to the parish secretary, generously tip the waitstaff, email or text an old friend, write a thank you note.
+ maintain healthy social connections: meet a friend for lunch, host a family potluck dinner, stay in touch with the news, offer to drive someone to the doctor, hug a child, visit the zoo, cheer at a kids’ basketball or baseball game, corral a few neighbors into helping you throw a block party, check in on an elderly relative or neighbor, worship with others on Sunday.
And finally, +pray: commune daily with Our Creator God who brought forth this incredible web of existence and who lovingly sustains it every single day!
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For reflection:
Did any words or sentences or pictures stand out for you in this reflection? If so, why?
What are some of the ways you nourish the awareness of your connection with this “unthinkably brilliant” web of existence?
How do you keep all the evil in our world from overwhelming you? In other words, how do you keep your hope and enthusiasm for life alive despite all “our human atrocities and follies”?
PS: I ask your prayers for a morning Advent retreat I will be giving this Saturday for the Sisters of St. Joseph and their associates in Erie, PA. We will be reflecting on two Advent themes: Mary and Hope. Thank you!
Our song today is “For the Beauty of the Earth” written by Folliott Pierpont in 1864. Here is a newer arrangement by Rick Modlin which emphasizes our oneness with creation, with one another, with the Church, and with Our Beloved God.
I invite you to leave a comment below!
20 Responses
Hi Sr, as always your blog gave me a smile, a little lift and things to ponder. I am learning more every day how interconnected we all are. I am glad my path has crossed with yours. Praying that your advent retreat goes well and that you have a nice Thanksgiving .
Thank you! Just what I needed this morning. Wishing you all a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving.
Sister Melannie,
God bless you for this beautiful thanksgiving reflection. It stirs the soul.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Blessings,
Father John
Sister, I agree with Fr John, your reflection brought tears to my eyes. Thank for all the suggestions on ways we can contribute to the web of life. Happy Thanksgiving 🍁🦃 !
Just what I needed to read this morning! Thank you,, Sister Melannie.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Looking eye to eye with the ant, I said, ” You look different up close” and he said ” Can you imagine how different you look to me?” “You don’t frighten me so much when I can see your face, but I do like to be noticed and respected too”. “Yes, I can see how you feel, being this low to the ground with all that is going on above you”. “No wonder you scurry all the time, I would too”!
That is truly the way life works, isn’t it….when we really look at a face, perhaps get down to someone’s level, try to walk in their shoes, our minds will be changed…..and that is what growth is all about….change in our very souls.
Thank you Sr. Melannie and Happy Thanksgiving to all,
Mary
Thank you for sharing your reflection. You have opened my heart to converse with those from nature that I try to avoid like spiders.
Mary, I loved your dialogue with the ant! And your conclusion: “when we really look at a face, get down to someone’s level, walk in their shoes, our minds will be changed.” Thanks for saying it so well! Melannie
Richard Rohr might say we all participate in a cosmic dance.
“Ok, ant, if you promise to stay out of my kitchen, I promise to give you free access to my compost pile!”
Seriously Sister, thank you for reminding me that the way to overcome the overwhelming sadness in our world is gratitude (1Thess5:18) for all things He has created, for the Grace He gives us each day. Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving Day to all!
Vicki, I enjoyed your “peace pact” with the ant! Thank you! Melannie
Hi Ant, seeing you face to face now I get it -cute as a bug
Missy, I really smiled at your “cute as a bug.” I really agree with that description of this particular ant!” Thank you! Melannie
Thank you for all your insights and especially this one which is so perfect for Thanksgiving. So much to be grateful for 💕.
When evil seems overwhelming, I usually pray: Jesus have mercy!
Thanks again and prayers for your retreat
Thank you for the beautiful and inspiring read! What a blessing!!
Thank you for the reminder that we are all interconnected, we all have a purpose in God’s beautiful world, and we need each other. And most especially we need our good God!
Prayers for you and retreatants ont Saturday. Happy Thanksgiving! May God bless us all.
“Unthinkably brilliant web of existence” indeed. Thank you for the reminder that are all connected and need to be thankful always for ALL things great and small. I’m thankful for you Melannie and all you contribute to creation. Happy Thanksgiving. Prayers offered for a good & blessed retreat.
Good evening, Melannie…
Good evening, all…
Two things: one, I need to get that book; two, I love and try to follow all your suggestions regarding our nourishing an awareness of our connectedness to all living things. These days, I find myself stopping to stare at the nature around me. All so beautiful! Happy Thanksgiving!
I just had lunch with a friend yesterday. We did some catching up and it healed my hurting heart. Thanks for your words of wisdom Sr. Melannie. Happy Thanksgiving!
In this chaotic, noisy world it’s so wonderful to listen to that hymn. One of my very favorite. Thank you for sharing that arrangement today and reminding us of all we have to be grateful for. Have a blessed Thanksgiving and a holy retreat.