The evening’s wrapped in

peace as the fire sends forth

warmth and light. All us

creatures, two-legged and four,

gather near its flames.

Some play games while others read.

Still others nod, not

in agreement, but off to

sleep. Outside it’s cold and dark.

                                                                                        JDG

This New Year’s Eve I

commit to focus on what

we can do rather

than on what we’ve done. I choose

possibility

over blame. I do this with

clear eyes and open

heart. I start right here, right now

with the new moon as witness.

                                                                                                 JDG

Though what is might seem

solid, it’s filled with empty

spaces waiting for

what’s possible to arise.

When we meet that emptiness

with an emptiness

of our own, the breath of life

flows through, bringing something new.

Today I didn’t

delay or turn away from

a task I feared. I

gently took myself in hand

and remembering

to breathe, I began to take

the steps I had to

take to do what must be done.

The first steps were not

easy, but I persevered.

By staying focused

on task and breath, I didn’t

let fear take up all the space.

                                                                            JDG

When I turn on that

winding road that leads toward home,

I know that soon I

will be greeted by dogs, cats,

and kids all eager

to tell me, each in their own

way, what they’ve been up

to all day. I can only

hope their days were good,

their telling short, and I can

finally come at

the close of day to a time

of non-relational ease.

                                                                            JDG

It’s never too late

to open our ears, our hearts,

our arms, not only

to those like ourselves, but to

all of creation.

This the wise ones have always

said, hoping we would

begin from here and find our

way back to Creation’s lap.

                                                                         JDG

At the crow conclave

there was very little to

crow about as they

hemmed and cawed among themselves.

When it’s seventy

degrees in Virginia in

December, the time

had come to help humans find

their rightful place in

the natural order of things.

A great caw went out asking

(and this was new for

crow) all of Wise Spirit’s great

creation to come

together and share what they

knew best. By now they

knew it would take the wisdom

of the whole to bring

this wayward faction into

the fold. They also

knew they would have to do some

much needed shape-shifting too.

                                                                                  JDG

Overhead the sky

holds twin lights of day and night.

Down below, the pond

holds its secrets close, giving

those that look a chance

to see in its still surface

images of what

shines above. Between these two

realms a bluebird lands

and looks as squirrel hurries

past, intent on other tasks.

                                                                                JDG

Knowing crow, he’d most

likely say something different

today than he said

just yesterday. Still, I’ll try

to remember, on

this gloomy day, his words

of wisdom yesterday –

“Take what’s offered. Celebrate

each day’s ever-shifting light.”

                                                                                JDG

Morning sunlight pours

forth,  filling all that’s sun-starved

down below. As clouds

gather,  raven and crow call,

“Take all that’s offered

and celebrate the coming

and going of shifting light.”

                                                                             JDG