Every month, I post one of my poems (paired with one of my pictures), sharing its origin and some of its essence. Here is my Poem & Pic of the Month for January 2015:
Your Story
by Patrick Bishop
You have a story to tell
It is singular, special, all your own
No one else can tell it,
which is why it's so important you do
There will be joys and sorrows,
discoveries and lessons learned
Moments when you felt God
Others when you feel alone
Tears will fall in the telling
because you are in the sandbox of the soul
vulnerability draws the affection from beyond
into your heart space
where we can barely stand
the love gaze
of that which calls us
You have a story to tell
One that connects you to me
One that reveals our humanity
Here and now
Specific, yet universal
Your story opens a window
for God to experience her creation
A space for us to be one
Background
This poem came when I was sitting in my family room in December 2013. I had just finished submitting grades for the fall semester and I was reflecting on how wonderfully different people are. As a side note, I read this to my PREL 101 students on the last day of class in December 2014. They were-are an awesome group and I was so impressed with their ability to connect and be vulnerable. A poem is fun to write, but it's even better when it's shared.
The Picture
The picture is just a beautiful shot of Lake Michigan during a camping trip in late 2000s. The combination of the sun, waves, wind and clouds was stunning.
© 2015 by Patrick Bishop; all rights reserved.
