I will try to open my heart to life as it is now.

I am slowly, painfully discovering that my refuge is not

found in my mother, my grandmother, or even in the birds

of Bear River. My refuge exists in my capacity to love.

If I can learn to love death then I can begin to find

refuge in change.

-Terry Tempest Williams

At first, it seems like a ridiculous suggestion

-"learn to love death?"

Death, isn't that the enemy?

Perhaps what Terry (and God) is asking us to do,

is to Love and embrace the Truth, to love all that is.

So, from hearts engulfed with loss, longing and Grief,

All that we love today,
can we include in the sweep

of our love even that which has caused us enormous pain?

If we can, then perhaps

we can stop being imprisoned behind walls

of denial and anger; we can stop banging

our heads and our hands against what cannot be changed.

We can then accept what has happened,

and also accept the life we have...

I can certainly tell you

I am broken and beaten down from battling Death.

It cannot be changed so why do I fight with all that I have?

I must concede the battle
and accept what has been laid before me.

Love thy Enemy?
Embrace what I have so long fought?

I will open my heart to that possibility.

With Faith, perhaps death is not my enemy,
but a portal to all that I love and cherish.
A Necessary door that opens to all that
we dare to dream.

Faith, Hope and Love pulling me through.....