“Tears are prayers too. They travel to God when we cannot speak.” Unknown

Autumn days of golden hues, honey dripped leaves burnt orange and blazing red, culminating in her magnificent essence. You watch as her leaves feather softly to earth, experience the exquisite beauty and heartache of loss, revel in the hopefulness of new life.

Nature transmits her wisdom in stillness. You attentively gaze, walk amid the crunch of leaves underfoot, feel the coolness pinking your cheeks, breathe deeply the clean scent of pine. A flock of geese honk announcing their passing as you raise your eyes in wonderment. In the quiet hush, she instills her wisdom and you remember with gratitude…

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

~Pete Seiger, "The Birds" Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything)

November is a time of remembering in the Christian tradition we celebrate All Saints Day, we pause to honor our loved ones on All Souls Day, and Día de los Muertos (the day of the dead) is celebrated widely celebrated in Mexican communities. These ritual days of remembering can stir our sorrow and aid in our healing.

Tara Brach offers this, “How we relate to change and loss is directly connected to how fully we live and love. When we avoid opening to the realness of loss, and sorrow, and don’t process our grief, it prevents us from evolving into wholeness. Especially in our fast-paced society the experience of loss and full grieving is often pushed away. This resistance can lead to a limited sense of self, of feeling separate, isolated, and alone.  Yet, how we open to embrace our sorrows and grief can become a portal to awakening our heart and spirit.”

Often, we find our anchor in solitude first, connecting with our heart, recognizing our emotions, and centering ourselves before we can reach out to others.​ Our pain is a shared pain. Whether or not you are experiencing a current loss, or a loss in the past, or maybe you have not ever lost someone close to you but we all will experience loss at different times throughout life and it helps to know that this is our shared humanity.

Compassion changes everything.

Compassion heals.

Compassion mends the broken and restores what has been lost.

Compassion draws together those who have been estranged

or never even dreamed they were connected.

Compassion pulls us out of ourselves and

into the heart of another,

placing us on holy ground where we

instinctively take off our shoes and walk in reverence.

Compassion springs out of vulnerability and triumphs in unity. 

                                     -Judy Cannato, “Field of Compassion”

And in the most difficult times Wendall Berry offers comfort, " Love is what carries you, for it is always there, even in the dark, or most in the dark, but shining out at times like gold stitches in a piece of embroidery."

 This is reflected in Doris Klein's discernment as well, “We stand, clothed in grace, and showered with blessing. At times we see the flecks of light; at other times we see only the shadows of the silhouette. But always, both in our knowing and in our unknowing, we are escorted into tomorrow by Love, who gives us everything we need.” 

Love is what carries you…

Today, I invite you to think about the people who bring joy, enrichment and meaning to your life and express your love and gratitude.

I dedicate this reflection as a blessing of gratitude to Erie Chapman on the eve of his miraculous birth day. Erie, I am so grateful to you for the gift of your enduring friendship, and for the way you carry us in spirit and love… 

Liz Sorensen Wessel
Watercolor by ~liz