Kathleen Botsford

Everything is Simple....

 

Everything

I want to make poems that say right out, plainly,
what I mean, that don't go looking for the
laces of elaboration, puffed sleeves. I want to
keep close and use often words like
heavy, heart, joy, soon, and to cherish
the question mark and her bold sister

the dash. I want to write with quiet hands. I
want to write while crossing the fields that are
fresh with daises and everlasting and the
ordinary grass. I want to make poems while thinking of
the bread of heaven and the
cup of astonishment; let them be

songs in which nothing is neglected,
not a hope, not a promise. I want to make poems
that look into the earth and the heavens
and see the unseeable. I want them to honor
both the heart of faith, and the light of the world;
the gladness that says, without any words, everything.

~ Mary Oliver ~

Endless Grief

Words cannot help

Or begin to touch

the raw and ragged

grief of these heartbroken parents.

Oh Divine Beloved

we ask for your sweet mercy

and steadfast embrace

to somehow comfort the

families involved in this

senselessly tragic event

As we their neighbors

stand by helplessly

praying, praying, praying.

Easter Baby

We are humbly grateful dear Lord

for Holiday celebrations

filled with love and laughter

of friends and family

And most of all

this precious little baby boy

Amen

 

As Time Goes By

 

This week was my son's 23 birthday.

It seems like only yesterday I saw this cute little face

peering up at me.

Where

has

the

      
   time

gone?

I have been blessed with

the opportunity to be a stay at home mother.

Thank you Steve.  Thank you God. 

For all of the blessings in my life.

Dear friends and Family.

 

**daughter #2 who is noticably absent from this photo is

at school.  But not to worry....

Stevie drove into South Bend the next day

to celebrate

his birthday with her and his buddies.

I tried to get a couple of photos from FB

but was not sucessful :(

Everything is Sacred

The nutcrackers have retired to their sleeping quarters, preparing for their next holiday assignment.  The sugar plums and candied jewels are snugly wrapped in tissue and put away also.  As I wander around my home this morning and choose which elements of the holidays to re-pack and which pieces will keep us company until spring, I am suddenly aware of a shift in consciousness.  I can choose to look at my tasks as chores that need to be done in a hurry to move on to the next thing on my to-do list.  Or I can take my time and with gentle hands caress each object with gratitude for their part in our family holiday traditions.

Each and every nutcracker has a story to tell as they have been collected one by one, over the last thirty years.  Our collection started in Germany on my first trip to Europe when I was 25.  I bought a nutcracker for myself and my mother in the medieval walled village said to be the home of the earliest nutcrackers.  My collection was handed down to my son when he was young and magically enchanted with these small and wondrous works of art.  Every year he receives another for his growing collection and all the children wait in anticipation to welcome the newest into our family.  A Chicago Bear nutcracker, a toymaker, a pirate and a blue and gold horseman (from the 4 horsemen ND football legend) are among the narrators that tell the story of his changing interests over the years.

This year a Wine-maker joined the ranks.  Stevie has grown into a young man who is learning to appreciate wine and cigars as he and his father retire to our deck after dinner anytime the weather permits in our midwestern evenings.  They don their jackets and boots and gather the cushions from the basement.  Snow and bitter cold are the only determents to their ritual.  They invite me to join them but I am happy to watch from inside a warm house as they share their stories and laughter.

Now is the time to remember that all you do is sacred

Hafiz

Christmas Moments

 

As I share a few holiday moments from our past week

I am wishing you and yours

a Love and Peace-filled Holy season

and a Blessed

New Year

 

 

Christmas Angels

 

Angel light

soft and calm

 

 

 bringing peace

to everyone

 

Peace in the World

O Holy Virgin
When you said 'Yes'
To housing God in your womb
You asked, as its price,
For peace in the world
Redemption for all the lost
Eternal life for the dead.
May I always pray with you
That your sublime prayer be granted.

Peter Chrysostom

 

Reprinted from DailyOm 365 Days of Prayers with Andrew Harvey

Faith, Prayer and History

"We need to make a national examination of conscience. Why do we need a national examination of conscience?? Because suddenly we Americans seem to be panicking. It's time to stop moaning and wringing our hands. It's true; the country is in a crisis. But we have always been in a crisis. We ought to thank God we are. Because then we always have something to test us -- like a piece of steel that stays strong precisely because it is enduring great pressure."

These extremely timely words were spoken on February 7, 1968 by Sargent Shriver in a speech he gave at Notre Dame University.  With the economic situation looking bleak, mayhem and riots running rampant in other parts of the world and our own country's Occupy movement growing larger week by week, it is easy to see the glass half empty.   I don't know what the answers are.  I do know we have overcome difficult challenges in the past and we will endure many more in the future.  I take comfort in Sargent Shrivers words and trust we will rise to this test --"like a piece of steel that stays strong precisely because it is enduring great pressure."

Faith and prayer.  It may sound innocent and naive but it's all I've got at the moment.  And history.  We've got that on our side too.

 

An Autumn Prayer

This is the last home game of the 2011 football season at Notre Dame.   I took a stroll through the campus and soaked in the tranquil beauty of the autumn afternoon.  While we have lots of historical landmarks that are well known and visited by many each weekend, I needed the road less traveled, the contemplative side of the University.  Even our wonderful Grotto was already filled with pilgrims lighting candles and offering prayers.  With some of our boys injured and unsure of their futures, I needed time alone to pray, dry my tears and come back to peace.  It was espeicially hard this week given the terrible tragedy involving the Penn State football program.  Those broken little boys with grief filled eyes haunt me and I have not even seen an actual photo.  But they are there, in their silence, breaking my heart and causing tears to well in pain and confusion.

Our Blessed Lady of the Lake

Look down on all of your young warriors this weekend

from each and every University.

Protect them with your Grace,

guide their actions on and off the field of battle.

Heal their young hearts

as we move through these dark days tainted with grief.

Holy Mother,

as you gather all the innocent victims of child abuse

to your womb,

grant them and their families

the Divine and ever healing love

of your Son

the Christ

now and always.

amen