Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 from a friend and minister who has made many trips to Israel to support Palestinian Peacemakers and the House of Hope. (I added the trees)
The Subsonic Word
Poet W. F. Merwin wrote “On the last day of the world I would want to plant a tree.” On Bill Moyers Journal tonight Merwin explained that the tree belongs in the world he envisions as the ideal regardless of the disposition of the earth tomorrow. This reminded me that we all deal in similar ways with those ultimate incentives for life and all that energizes our thoughts and actions. My friend and colleague Elias Jabbour - with The House of Hope - could no more continue to work for the goal of peace and reconciliation on a day when there is no indication that the earth would ever collapse if he could not also pursue that same goal in the face of evidence and news that tomorrow the earth would be no more. It is how we are wired. It is the urgency of a call both from and to that which is beyond us –a call we have come to hear, for which, free to act as we may be, we hold no possibility of refusing.
Tom Cook
Tree of My Life Joseph Stella 1877-1946 painter
Oh my God! What a relief to see this post, cool, calm, sublime, serene.......... The pictures and the painting depicting trees are just breathtaking and awesome. Standing alone yet seems so in harmony with the landscape, the length and the breadth, the sky and the horizon, standing firm, bending a bit as accommodating, deeply rooted as a perfect sign of nature's glorious bounty to man; not only as a precious physical entity but also as a symbol of what it means-peace, synchronization, generosity, taking a little and imparting abundance, without seeking, without reminding and without even and ever minding!
ReplyDeleteFor this gift to us Thanks God, thank you nature, thanks you glorious creatures and thank you. CONNIE.
*smiles*
ReplyDeletei agree with the above post,thanks Connie :)
Though Allah made this world for love and blessed us with such scenic views in the form of kind nature,but we the humans have deteriorated the real face of every thing!
Thanx so much, ReeBz and Akhtar Sahib for your encouragement - really felt and encouraging. More soon!
ReplyDeleteMy last comment #3 on the blog not far below is an ACTION easy to do in solidarity with the suffering of Gaza and the Human Rights Workers on the boat- "The Spirit of Humanity" who have been virtually kidnapped by Israeli forces against international law. If you have time, please go to that to at least sign a quick petition. Thanx!
ReplyDeleteAkhtar, you deserve much more of a response to your overwhelmingly beautiful, poetic and encouraging response ASAP...
Akhtar Sahib and ReeBz, I am so glad you feel with me such response of relief and exhaltation with beauty, nature and calmness. This is what we hold so deeply in common and what we want so much to be a part of our world. Do give me advice here or by email as to how to make my blog "work" more in keeping with these common goals while still being true to the urgent nature of events and the sometimes valuable opportunity for common citizens to act for justice and peace? Another is also making valuable suggestions. Again - you both are so adept at writing and with your impeccable values I predict you will have a strong and beyond valuable impact on your worlds and beyond. Don't be shy with your gifts!
ReplyDeleteThe beautiful pictures show in painting what you have written in words...such amamzing harmoney between the pictures and your words...
ReplyDeleteThe whole article carries with it a sense of peace and tranquility and appeals to the heart as well as the eyes...
Marzieh,
ReplyDeleteThank You so much for taking the time to comment and your mention of harmoney between components.
AFTER posting this I have become more aware that I especially chose the tree metaphor above many other items. Not only did this poetic wisdom stand out - among many send by this minister friend and others' items as well - yet this was a strong while quiet reminder for me.
Prayers during the night and re-reading the comments of each of you today - seeing yours here my morning - Marzieh - have finally helped
recognize how sometimes any semblance of creative effort may be like the rare archetypal dream speaking to the dreamer most of all.
From ReeBz I am reminded that Allah created all so perfectly and gave some aspects of the same into our trust - including in small ways, such as our tangible and intangible gardens. I do so like the way you often go to the more obvious heart of many matters and pull us all in as ONE humanity.
From Ahktar, re-reading your comment - early AM here with the house so quiet - I see some aspects I missed earlier in your comment. While I've always admired so much about the tree - sometimes the aspects of standing alone - while sometimes "communal" in loneness - being firmly rooted while able to "bend" (without breaking?)and the need to take in a little to be able to give abundantly and (as usual with your verdant writing style)there is more here on which I want to reflect - your comments about "not reminding and not even minding" which I am catching just a little ...
Now here from you, Marzieh, I am able to more clearly see the benefits of harmony between aspects of what we do as creative souls and maybe now I will be more aware of this. Your own work - which you've so generously offered in your blogsite - also expresses harmony and evokes visual images.
Glad I didn't miss these comments!
Salaam. I love all these trees. Your artistic sense (in addition to the peaceful one) is beautiful! :-)
ReplyDeleteSalaam, Structure of Entropy. Thank you for visiting this blogpost and leaving your reaction. I have looked your site up briefly and hope to return. Wow, looks like plenty of work and wisdom.
ReplyDelete