A Poem for the Bewildered

Robert Thiefels wrote the following poem in response to Chapter 16 of my book Naked Spirituality. He generously allowed me to share it here. You can learn more about Robert here.

Bewilderment

In the season between green and gone*

When the circle breaks

And the loose ends point downward

And upward at the same time, we

Enter a dance of a different sort.

How necessary this breaking

Our closed circles of certainty,

This opening of spirals,

Of never again returning

To the same starting place.

To ascend to Spirit

Given new eyes.

To descend to Soul

Finding welcome.

In dreams we fall while rising,

Rise while falling.

How baffling this giant

Urging of everything into

Darkness, this beckoning

Of all toward the light,

This journey through

Perplexity.

Yet, how seamless when

We sense the arms of darkness

Embrace us, and feel

the kiss of light

on our cheek.

What faith it takes

This dogged trek to new heights

This enduring pilgrimage to deeper depths,

This answering the great pull of life,

Never looking back.

*Brian McLaren, Naked Spirituality (New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 2011) 142.