Making Our Souls Great – by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

To pray is to regain a sense of the mystery that animates all beings,

the divine margin in all attainments.

Prayer is our humble answer to the inconceivable surprise of living.

It is all we can offer in return.

Who is worthy to be present at the constant unfolding of time?

Here we are amidst the meditation of the land, the songs of the water,

the humility of the flowers,

flowers wiser than all alphabets–

Suddenly we feel embarrassed,

ashamed of our complaints and clashes in the face of tacit glory.

How strange we are in the world!

Only one response can maintain us:

gratefulness for the gift of our unearned chance to serve, to wonder,

to love life and each other.

It is gratefulness which makes our small souls great.

— Opening reading chosen and read by Nancy L.

Wandering by the camellia garden

Seeking out the baby owl nesting high in a tree

Scanning slowly to other trees

Several notched into “Y’s”

Are they asking a question? Or maybe suggesting there is always more than one path

Scanning further to a huge live oak

Limbs kinking, curving, up, down, over, under

Could this be about choice too?

Or… could I be looking upside down

Just maybe all those different, separate, unique parts of the body of the tree are joining, going downward into the root and the earth.

— Photo and poem by Sue J.

Soaking in the grace of this day.

— Photos and reflection by Bonnie L.

Elusive anoles

hovery bees

early spring blossoms

drop me to my knees

…

a prayer of thanksgiving

to walk through and through

not missing a miracle

here in plain view

…

don’t need spectacular

to sense the Divine

but today in this garden

the present is mine.

— Photos and poem by Amy Webb, March 4, 2023

…gratefulness for the gift of our unearned chance to serve, to wonder,

to love life and each other. It is gratefulness which makes our small souls great.

…

New life shouted in joy all around the gardens… new leaves, new buds, new flowers… all of this against the bright blue sky. Extreme gratitude on this morning’s walk.

— Photos and reflection by Nancy L.