Light in the Global Village

Somewhere in the global village 

under the golden sun

footsteps fall softly, 

on dust and wind swept paths 

– though, out of adversity – 

the lessons of the journey last;

and there is much to learn: 

about making one’s way, peaceably, 

upon the earth, amongst all living things

finding comfort in discomfort, 

enjoying happily bestowed laughter 

and the smiles of old souls, 

and listening to wise words – for 

one’s fate may come to depend on them.

~

 Where roads in the global village 

converge, under the golden sun,

  

simple truths are the hardest 

truths to hide from – for the disparity

of power and wealth, is great . . .

and yet, even as scattered 

sunbeams, find a way 

to glisten on stone walls,

unity of purpose illuminates 

our shared humanity 

in unexpected smatterings of light:

lovely and profound.

note:  Earlier this year, one of my sons was privileged to be involved in building two homes in East Africa to house babies and children orphaned as a result of the AIDS crisis.  It was a life altering experience for him, on many levels - though he was particularly struck by the fact that, in the face of tremendous adversity, the bright, articulate people that he met there, were wonderfully happy and welcoming.  He queried an African University student about this and the student explained that there is a saying there:  "Be comfortable in your discomfort".  Such a profound outlook and really, perhaps, the answer to many of our global problems.  Maybe if each of us could learn to live with a little less – endure a bit of discomfort . . . there is hope for our planet, yet.

photos:  #1:  Graphic Sun – W. Bourke (this is a little experiment I took on, challenging myself to produce a graphic by taking a picture of a blank white sheet of paper (without ink of any kind on it) and altering  it into a cheery, childlike image of a golden sun, using Picasa photo technology alone.)

#2:  Light in the Global Village – submitted by P. Bourke
  
© 2014 Wendy Bourke