In his poem, Be A Circle, Mark Nepo posed a question.
One of those questions which only a poet could pose.
And one that I have pondered since I first came across it.
Nepo said:
I wish you courage to ask of
everything you meet, “What
bridge are we?”
Now I particularly love this poem,
And its title.
Be A Circle.
And I wrote yesterday about circles.
About their power and
Strength.
But despite having read this poem countless times,
When I read it again last night before bed
It spoke to me in a slightly different way.
Two new things popped up.
Firstly, I have connected recently on LinkedIn with Roman Eggenberger, and Roman is asking some vast questions on the subject of serendipity.
Here’s one from his post just yesterday. And if you’d like you can read Roman’s full post here.
Roman asked:
“And yet, what’s it like to offer serendipity to others?”
To offer serendipity.
Now that got me thinking…
In my imagination, Roman’s and Mark Nep’s questions met the full force of each other. And in some alchemical act of fusion, I am holding this new question,
What bridges of serendipity can we offer?
How can we extend these bridges to others?
Who might walk across?
In old mythic stories, when the drawbridge drops and a dark shadowed figure leaves the forest, either on their trusty steed or hidden under a dark cloak, and enters the castle, you know something magical is about to happen.
But the drawbridge has to be dropped first.
And that takes immense courage, to let in the unknown, with all the risk that might entail.
Who might walk across?
And it is this “Who” that forms my second question.
You see, reading it again Mark Nepo doesn’t use the word “everyone” he uses “everything”.
“Everything you meet”?
And that’s really got me thinking.
Everything.
For me, that could include nature, and the more than human world.
And it could also mean experiencing the emotion set within the inevitable highs and lows of life.
Grief and shame.
Pain and joy.
Freedom and suffering.
Progress and setbacks.
Everything and nothing.
And what I think Mark Nepo is blessing us with in his poem, is the courage to invite it all in. The light and the shade.
And when we sprinkle in some of Roman’s serendipity, it gives me extra courage to be a bridge both to receive and give the “unexpected gives” where previously there were unseen.
Hmm…
Funny how two streams can come together, early on a Wednesday morning.
#accountant
#poetry
#courage
Finally
*This Friday, November 11th*
I am co-hosting an online circle for men.
It follows the success of last month’s session and we hope will be another opportunity for men to connect and share what is uppermost during these current times.
The session will run from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm UK time.
Please send me an email to will@thewilljohnsonjourney.com if you would like to join us. It’s free of charge and you’d be very welcome.