Thank You

I had a very interesting experience today. As you may know I recently linked carmien.com to this blog and sent an email for emails I had for my friends. I happened to grab a list of names from the men's group a the Centre, which happened to have an email for someone I don't know, nor have I ever emailed before.

Within a couple of hours I received an email back. I won't get into the details, but suffice to say I read it and then deleted it, moving on with my day. However, it kept coming back to mind. I checked in to my emotions and realized that I was not bothered by it. And then on the drive home it came to me.

I had an memory of Reverend Patrick Cameron telling us a story at the Circle of Love about a man that came up to him after the service, looked him in the eyes (to which Patrick was expecting a gazing expression of love) and then said, "Patrick, you talk to much."

The only reply Patrick could think of was, "Thank you."

And then it came to me. Deleting the email was not the answer. In spite of my having grown significantly around such an event (self-esteem in the past would have led me to feeling insecure and needing to defend myself after days of stewing on it), I realized what I had to do.

The answer to any confrontation is love. Know they are loved. Know that you are loved. And a "thank you" is the perfect response. And even though I seriously doubt this person will see this poem, that my friends is not the intent...


Thank You

There used to be a day,
your opinion triggering doubt,
whether in passion or vitriol,
I would reel at your shout.

The words of your aspersions,
would eat at me for days.
I would fire up my reply,
with 'clever' words to say.

Yet the truth of such matters,
lies in simplicity.
Genuine "Thank you" is perfect.
Only your words can you see.

I would never claim enlightenment;
world's journey's without end.
Such a claim would be an arrogance,
to drive Soul round my bend.

Instead I hold love for you,
see the Divine that you are.
Knowing opinion is perfect,
that you are walking your path.

(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen