The ancient words of Ecclesiastes
speak wisdom down the ages—
…There is a season and a time
for every purpose under the heaven…
I hear The Byrds sing
…To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven.
For me, these words
carry a deep reassurance
like a blessing of sighs
laid upon every head:
whatever the vicissitudes of life,
whatever we experience or suffer,
whatever unfolds or comes to pass
is human, common to many, normal,
with a place on the wheel of Life.
But it is in a wheel’s nature
to turn and keep on turning.
And we need a blessing
for our turning times, too—
those times when we must let go of
what-was-known-to-us
but have not yet arrived
at where-we-are-going-to-be.
This is the turning time,
the space in-between
that can feel like grief
or disorientation
or relief
or uncertainty
or untrustworthy elation
or bittersweetness
or betrayal
or desperation.
May we live into
the spirit of these words
from Ecclesiastes
in our turning times, too,
surrendering to the movement
of what is happening,
being simply human,
feeling what we are feeling,
trusting that the wheel
will keep on turning,
we will do the best we can
until our feet touch solid ground,
holy ground
…and we find we have become.
Ann Keiffer
November, 2021
Image Credit: Digital Collage by Ann Keiffer
