Lately as my emotions swirl because of the unjust and unethical practices of some of my country's leaders, I have found myself thinking about my "Hurricane Rock," found years ago on the coast of Maine. I called it my Hurricane Rock because of the swirling pattern in it, created in such an intensely hot burning moment that the rock was molten, fluid. As the rock cooled its once liquid nature solidified, holding within it this tempest (stormy) pattern.
When I found the rock, I had just seen a movie version of “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare, and heard one of the characters deliver a beautiful speech about the quality of mercy as being like water, like rain. Looking at the rock I realized that though we are mostly made of water, like this rock, our minds and hearts can also become frozen in times of intense emotion, pain, anger, or other trauma.
These moments thus gain great weight, becoming heavy, hardening our hearts and minds and spirits. They also make our lives harder as we harbor resentments, letting them poison our own wells. Sometimes we recreate these storms, again and again, with other people and in other situations. Playing out the pattern of those moments in which we are stuck, we keep recreating storms that have no quiet eye, as a hurricane does.
As beautiful as it is I do not want to become like my hurricane rock. I do not want to be frozen in the turmoil of these turbulent times. I do not want to have my feelings harden into patterns of anger, fear, anxiety, and pain. So I offer this prayer
Tempest rock, hurricane rock,
teach me not to be frozen this moment.
Teach me to to be like the waters
that can break through barriers
sculpt new currents, ease pain,
cleanse wounds, and restore souls. Amen.
When I found the rock, I had just seen a movie version of “The Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare, and heard one of the characters deliver a beautiful speech about the quality of mercy as being like water, like rain. Looking at the rock I realized that though we are mostly made of water, like this rock, our minds and hearts can also become frozen in times of intense emotion, pain, anger, or other trauma.
These moments thus gain great weight, becoming heavy, hardening our hearts and minds and spirits. They also make our lives harder as we harbor resentments, letting them poison our own wells. Sometimes we recreate these storms, again and again, with other people and in other situations. Playing out the pattern of those moments in which we are stuck, we keep recreating storms that have no quiet eye, as a hurricane does.
As beautiful as it is I do not want to become like my hurricane rock. I do not want to be frozen in the turmoil of these turbulent times. I do not want to have my feelings harden into patterns of anger, fear, anxiety, and pain. So I offer this prayer
Tempest rock, hurricane rock,
teach me not to be frozen this moment.
Teach me to to be like the waters
that can break through barriers
sculpt new currents, ease pain,
cleanse wounds, and restore souls. Amen.
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