Only Breath (Rumi)

John O'donohue speaks about the possibility of a relationship between a place and its inhabitant(s). What if a place could feel your presence, even take joy in your return. What if your return was awaited by place, and your absence keenly felt. Could it be that place feels joy in your being there? Does your house regret your leaving in the morning? Does the field miss the gentle pressure of your body when you leave your secret place of slumber? Does the mountain stream miss the joyful sound of splashing children?

And what do we do to nurture this possibility? When we return to a favorite place, how do we communicate our joy at being there. Do we nurture and feed with our joy the connection we share with place? Do we hear the whispered affections through the leaves? Can we feel the gentle caress on our cheek as we lay gazing skyward?

And how much more does our planet morn the loss of our affection? Can we not see in the despoiled landscape the sadness of loss? Like a mother who has lost her child, the earth weeps with such profound sadness.

This recitation of the Rumi poem "Only Breath" by Coleman Barks brings us into touch with the Divine relationship we have with the planet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZqAnIp5dMQ