In recognition of the Spring Equinox and
"In Praise of the Earth"
"Let us bless
The imagination of the Earth.
That knew early the patience
To harness the mind of time,
Waited for the seas to warm,
Ready to welcome the emergence
Of things dreaming of voyaging
Among the stillness of land.
And how light knew to nurse
The growth until the face of the Earth
Brightened beneath a vision of color.
When the ages of ice came
And sealed the Earth inside
An endless coma of cold,
The heart of the Earth held hope,
Storing fragments of memory,
Ready for the return of the sun.
Let us thank the Earth
That offers ground for home
And holds our feet firm
To walk in space open
To infinite galaxies.
Let us salute the silence
And certainty of mountains:
Their sublime stillness,
Their dream-filled hearts.
The wonder of a garden
Trusting the first warmth of spring
Until its black infinity of cells
Becomes charged with dream;
Then the silent, slow nurture
Of the seed's self, coaxing it
To trust the act of death.
The humility of the Earth
That transfigures all
That has fallen
Of outlived growth.
The kindness of the Earth,
Opening to receive
Our worn forms
Into the final stillness.
Let us ask forgiveness of the Earth
For all our sins against her:
For our violence and poisonings
Of her beauty.
Let us remember within us
The ancient clay,
Holding the memory of seasons,
The passion of the wind,
The fluency of water,
The warmth of fire,
The quiver-touch of the sun
And shadowed sureness of the moon.
That we may awaken,
To live to the full
The dream of the Earth
Who chose us to emerge
And incarnate its hidden night
In mind, spirit, and light.
~ John O'Donohue ~
John O'Donohue b. Jan 1, 1956 d. Jan. 4, 2008
An Irish poet, author, priest, and Hegelian philosopher.
This section is from "To Bless the Space Between Us"
Shown above:
"Changing the World"
Designed and quilted by Michele M. Bilyeu
for donation to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.
AAQI ran from 2006 to 2013 and earned $1,000,000
for Alzheimer's research funding.
My small art quilt was purchased at auction by Bill Volkening for his AAQI quilt collection as a small part of his much larger "Volkening Collection", and featured in his book ( which he titled from my little quilt) it was published in Bill's book: Changing the World: Quilts from the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3498527
Thanks again, Bill, for all you did for AAQI and its quilt makers, like myself.
The quotation which is featured on my little quilt is from Margaret Mead and says:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
Michele Bilyeu Creates With Heart and Hands as she shares her imaginative, magical, and healing journey from Alaska to Oregon and back again. Creating, designing, sewing, quilting, and wildcrafting, from my heart and with my hands
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