These Are My JOTtings...

Finding the Quiet

The Quiet
is a place of bliss,
a place on glassy lake,
a place where I know peace.

The Quiet
is a state of mind,
a peaceful heart,
a hope released
throughout the life.

The Quiet waves
through noisy sights,
through things to do,
through things to think,
the identity of responsibility.

The Quiet woos
the fainting heart,
the frazzled griefs,
the can't-do-it-all,
the not-able-to-be-great Shoulds.

The noisy heart
goes on all steps,
is near in crowds,
dances on my head under the elm tree,
refuses to give me peace.

Demands
of every leader's voice
from youth, until now,
requires I do the right thing now,
to right the things of past
that have never been done
that must be done before I die
or life will not finish well.

The curse of responsible people
is that we "should" ourselves in the foot,
Imperfect beings that we always are
in this life
find things to overwhelm the overworked heart
more and more every day.
Who has time for peace?

I have a book to edit.
I have reviews to write.
I have poems to be written.
I have correspondence to send.
I have dishes to wash,
clothes to clean,
floors to sweep,
a child to take to the next class or group or something with friends.

When is there time for my poor, weary heart?
And when I find a quiet place,
then how do I unburden my heart
to truly find peace?

Is it possible to find peace
in this noisy life of today?

Can peace be found to mend the pieces
of my distracted mind and heart?
How does one take care of Self
without becoming selfish?
How does one find peace
in order to give peace to others?

Is there an eddy
in the whitewater rapids,
called Life?

A cup of tea,
the discipline to cease thought,
even for a moment,
the ability to focus on a leaf,
a blade of grass,
a cricket chirping,
a cloud floating by,
the blue of the sky
makes peace in the mind
to repair pieces of the heart.

Can God speak peace to a man like me?
God is speaking peace to a man like me.
A man like me
who finds a place,
who disciplines the focus,
who listens beyond the big
to hear "the still, small voice"
will hear what God has been saying all along
as well as what He continues to say,
what He will continue to say forever.

The quiet life of significance
is not measured by accomplishments,
but by connection to The One, Who is
Peace.

Peace with God
is the place to build
the foundation of the house
of the Peace of God.

by Jay O'Toole
on April 23rd, 2018