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The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I cannot go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree, but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
--Theodore Roethke
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Joy's Updates - Straight from the Horse's Mouth.
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Thursday, January 16, 2003
Snow Day and Hell
The predicted snow is out there and really pretty. I hoped we'd have a good snow, and it looks as if this will be one. I got up early in an effort to turn over a new tree, or maybe a branch - a leaf won't do it, and noticed it was barely snowing. From habit I turned on the news to see what might happen about school and saw that it was called off sometime between 7:30 and 7:40. See? I told you I got up early. I'm trying to stay awake now. Brigit the dainty blonde cat is crazy-go-nuts playing in the snow. Columbo loiters in his kitty window seat watching her.
My friend Earl is expected today since he has to be in Nashville to pick up his youngest daughter at the airport tomorrow. His car has 4-wheel drive, so we'll venture out tonight to go to dinner and tomorrow for breakfast so he can flirt with his next ex-wife, he says. She's a young waitress. He's hopeless! Do any of you watch Leno? The Fruitcake Lady cracks me up when they have people ask her for advice. She's 91, attractive, and really speaks her mind. She's my new role model. I avoid confrontation so much that I only say how I feel when I'm really comfortable with people and know they'll still like me anyway. Then I try to make a joke so I won't offend them. Sometimes I do it when backed into a corner and am not effective then at all since it's a panic situation. I just react and blurt something out. I really admire people who can stay cool and have clever responses under duress, and any confrontation is duress to me! Maybe Dr. Phil or the Fruitcake Lady could help me.
A friend and I were discussing various things when Hell became part of the conversation. I'm sure this isn't that unusual. I started thinking about how it's probably unlikely that what got people there in the first place would be what they'd get to do for eternity. They'd be more likely to have to do the opposite, wouldn't you think? While reviewing the Seven Deadly Sins and knowing I have Sloth down pretty well, I realized my punishment would be to become Martha Stewart. I am so the anti-Martha that I still regret not ordering that t-shirt I saw in a magazine that said, "The only thing about me that's domestic is that I was born in this country."
Years ago the conversation in the English workroom of the high school where I taught turned to the deadly sins. Oddly, we teachers could name all seven of the sins but were hard-pressed to remember all the virtues. Well, maybe not so odd considering that crew. Mark Twain said he'd prefer Heaven for the climate and Hell for the company.
To end on a groan here, I believe in reincarnation, so your dogma is chasing my karma. I just never know when to stop, do I? Brian keeps telling me that. I should listen to him.
8:42:00 AM
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