Hurricane Ike came to H-town
Command Central for the ICUUW planning efforts
Swaying pines, lashing lines
A streetlight down, live but dead
No power for days
Some with houses full of muck
Thousands of children without books or schools
The beach, gone
Echoing life after natural and other disasters in many lands

Global warming?
Maybe so.
We all watched as the storm gathered its forces
This was just a Category 2
So many prepared as such
No window tape, just batteries, pitchers, and ice chests stocked
But
But
And
But
Width is a dimension to be noted
Never before had a 2 been as wide as a 4
Imagine 50 to 120 mph winds
Across a 200 mile diameter
With looping swaths of winds swirling at various miles from the center of the storm
There we were
And as such were linked with others in a loop of a certain speed of force
With UUs and nons
In a circle also moving forward
An interconnected web
With millions who experienced the same forces of air

The UU women are gathering
Some may think it will be only a Category 1 or 2
But
But
And
But
Depth is a dimension to be noted
Never before have women UUs from around the globe gathered
Imagine 500 women of heart and fire
Across a single building
Concentrating their forces
The power will be in another dimension
Also to be noted
And the effects could link and affect millions
Of UUs and nons
In a vast interconnected web of purpose
Spinning and weaving across multiple swaths of influence
Who are called to attend to the gathered voice of the nurturers of the world
They will sing
“Come – sing with us – a song of beauty – of the world as it must become.”

the cool blue water of
the tiny rocky isle
blown clean of topsoil
the Mediterranean
is an inviting contrast to
over these unaccountable ages it is tempting to stay afloat
and view her from a safe distance
the dusty surface is not welcoming
but the hunger to draw near is strong
to set foot on old Malta
ancient home of the Mother
the return to the place of never been the shadeless island is bone dry
the sun makes it hard to see
the naked landscape conceals her recesses
descend into the warmth of the cave
leave the last of your illusions behind
She is sleeping there still
as She has for 10,000 years
She lies in her corpulent splendor
fully endowed and powerful even at her ease
the time to call her is now

Today I am choice
In the silence I am
Listening, an idea comes.
I consider ways
To move it into action
For the best good of all.
I want love, connection, joy.
At essence we are
So much alike,
Dealing with the same issues
In the best ways we know.
Nourishing myself,
I see the beauty,
The possibilities in others
I listen with an open heart,
Feel the feelings, connect.
I move into my own potential,
Inviting others along
Into their potentials.

Delight in the moment
            A bird, a flower, a smile.
Shared laughter
            Children, animals
Adventure
            New discoveries
Peacefulness
            Solitude, good music
Accomplishment
            A job well done
Savoring, remembering
            Celebrating each moment.