People Like Us

There are more like us. All over the world
There are confused people, who can't remember
The name of their dog when they wake up, and people
Who love God but can't remember where

He was when they went to sleep. It's
All right. The world cleanses itself this way.
A wrong number occurs to you in the middle
Of the night, you dial it, it rings just in time

To save the house. And the second-story man
Gets the wrong address, where the insomniac lives,
And he's lonely, and they talk, and the thief
Goes back to college. Even in graduate school,

You can wander into the wrong classroom,
And hear great poems lovingly spoken
By the wrong professor. And you find your soul
And greatness has a defender, and even in death you're safe.

(Robert Bly from Morning Poems. © Harper Collins)

Poetry and story have been such faithful and healing friends in my life. This January, I had the gift of hearing David Whyte, one of my favorite contemporary poets, speak live in an intimate setting. (There are no words for the profound beauty and life-saving healing of his recorded work “The Poetry of Self Compassion.”) As I reached into my heart for what wanted to be spoken for this man -- and so, for me -- I said, “I am so grateful for the many times your voice has given me comfort.”

These past few days, since the first post of Unfettered Heart, there has been a rather shrill voice in my head crying, “Why are you doing this? Writing a blog? ARE... YOU… CRAZY!?” Well, maybe so. Yet, when I answer those questions inside of me, I recognize how the power of story connects our hearts; mends our wounds; helps us feel less alone in the moments we need comfort….and we all need comfort.

So, maybe I am the wrong professor (actually, no professor at all)… and maybe it’s the wrong address, this url called “Unfettered Heart”… but my fervent prayer is there will be moments here that you’ll find the truth that we are connected, and we belong to each other… people like us.

And we are not alone.