How can I keep from singing?

It’s been a week of highs and lows, nationally and in my own backyard. I’m at the veterinary ER with one of my grand-dogs after what looked like the end five hours ago. Tiger Lily’s acting fine now  and whatever was hurting her is out of her.

Last night I learned a young, former counseling client died of her own hand. I cleared my schedule to be with her spirit and family at her funeral next week. I’ve spent over 30 years (and counting, God willing), being present with people suffering from gender dysphoria or existential anxiety and severe depression. In those hours I beckon divine comfort and healing and work with the best tools I have. But sometimes people die of their mental illnesses. I do not know, but I hope  and trust in healing beyond death. I have to.

This “having to” trust in my hope is absolutely necessary if I’m going to do this  work. Coming close to burnout many times, I cry and bitch but then, another former client writes with jubilant news, and I sing. Sometimes losses and joys occur so close together in the week that I sing one long song, one prayer, and all is one experience of this living and dying that comes to us all.

How else to be present than to keep singing the whole litany of lament and praise?

Let your heart be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love–Rumi

Try this contemplative use of Rumi’s words:  Take each major concept into your mind and heart, reflecting on what it would mean for you to:

‘let your heart be’                

let your heart be silently drawn’ 

‘the stronger pull of what you really love’

How do you know when you are ‘letting,’ allowing, releasing, freeing…? Can you remember a time you have felt it?

When your heart allows, what is your mind doing?  Your breath?  Your face? Your eyes?

What do you really love?  Does it show in how you spend your time and energy, money, work? In who you spend time with?

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Rumi was a devout Muslim of the 14th century, a Sufi, and worked as a legal advisor in Islamic law. As the third religion under the Tent of Abraham, Islam offers Jews and Christians poetry of loving devotion and longing for the One. All religious traditions speak of Love. Islamic mystical poetry invites us into contemplation: am I ready to surrender into the Love that is stronger than me?