I realize I'm a couple of days late, but I wanted to share this.
My dad passed away on September 9, 2001. Before the numbness had worn off, the World Trade Center was attacked. My youngest brother and I were driving up to Delaware to the funeral and we drove by the still smoking Pentagon on the 12th of September.
I staggered at two such emotionally devastating events so close to each other. My third or fourth thought was that I was glad that my dad had not lived to see such a thing happen, and I thought of his inevitable grief if he had seen it.
One thought led to another, and soon I was wondering about the grief of my Heavenly Father over such destruction by His creation. After a couple of months processing, I wrote this poem:
Creator
of the universe;
Composer
of the stellar
music of the ballet of the planets
around the sun;
What lamentation can speak your grief
for the malevolence
of incendiary destruction and slaughter
that Your creation executes
upon itself? --Susan Price
Saturday, September 13, 2008
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5 comments:
Thank you for posting that, Mom.
I think, with all of the ensuing political hoopla, it's easy for what happened that day to become a matter for political polarization and criticism one way or another.
But as contemplatives, I think we're called to be sensitive, to be aware, to be present to the pain of others. And that is what makes your poem beautiful.
Susan, thank you for this beautiful, deeply touching poem and reflection. This kind of sharing makes me more aware, caring, and reflective. I believe it brings me closer to the heart of God. Thank you--
--Rickey
Susan, Thank you for your sensitive, poetic response. Your poem helps me reflect in a fresh way about an immensely tragic event. Perhaps to sit with the pain can enable us to contribute to the healing. Thank you--Anna
A wise man once said, "Take in the pain of the world (at least) once a day." Thank you for providing this thoughtful moment of reflection for our group.
Susan, Yes, thanks for your openness and vulnerability. I think we believe suffering can be redemptive. Not all suffering is but only (mostly) (I think) suffering that is shared/handled as you are doing. --Paul
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