2/28/08

Friday of the Third Week of Lent



Head of a Woman by Alexj von Jawlensky

William Stafford wrote this poem in 1987. I believe it offers images that will touch many of us in many ways... As the poet writes, Any wound is real...

Again, we need to name the alienation if we desire or hope for reconciliation...
Scars

They tell us how it was, and how time
came along, and how it happened
again and again. They tell
the slant life takes when it turns
and slashes your face as a friend.

Any wound is real. In church
a woman lets the sun find
her cheek, and we see the lesson:
there are years in that book; there are sorrows
a choir can't reach when they sing.

Rows of children lift their faces of promise,
places where the scars will be.

- William Stafford, in An Oregon Message

4 comments:

  1. "Any wound is real"...how accepting, how understanding. Some of us have scars that we feel we can never recover from. But I want to give hope to those who feel this way. I too have and continue to feel some of the scars that I have been left to carry. I have to say though that with hard work and prayers, sometimes the scars and wounds can be deminished and you can reach a tolerable if not freedom from the hurt. I never thought I'd be in this position of healing, so for those folks whose despair is deep and raw, believe me when I say the possibilities are there, and peace can come into your heart. I pray for all of us who suffer the wounds and scars.
    And I hope I can give you some peace of mind in knowing that at least this responder has felt a burden lifted that I always felt was too heavy to move.
    Peace...

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  2. Dear Regina,
    I applaud what you have said above, and wish you blessings to continue your process. I truly appreciate the fact that your description of healing was not an "across the board" response. Some of us find it difficult to believe and find some relief from the scars and burdens we carry. It's good to know that it can be possible. But also validated by the fact that not all are lucky enough to find what you are finding. Thank you for your comforting words.

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  3. Dear Marge,
    I specifically stated that some scars don't heal. But I wanted folks to know that healing the scars, lifting the burdens, and working towards a process of healing wounds is not an easy task. I have been working on it for a very long time. That is why I stated that at least in my case, working hard and finally being able to accept that lacking forgiveness only eats at the soul. This is in my own process, and I would in no way expect to be able to tell everyone it can be done. We are all different. Our wounds and scars are different, and after many years I'm beginning to see what and where I need to be. Each person is an individual, and travel a different road with different obsticles. I just pray that I can give some hope to folks out there who may need to hear some comfort and ideas from someone who continues to travel a road similar. I in no way want to promote that it is an easy process. It's not. But keep working on it everyone. For some you will find the light at the end of the tunnel, and there, you can find peace.

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  4. I don'y know about healing wounds and scars. I can't seem to gey beyond my hurts.

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