the drums.

This past weekend, something new happened to me. Something, that has never happened before. You want to know? I stood up in front of a room full of lovely people and read something… that I myself wrote. I’ve never done that before, never. The process of preparing and the experience that day was a mind-blowing experience, reminding me that we must struggle, we must create and we must share in community with one another. We must not do it alone. (But more on that another time.)

Thank you to Awaken Community for teaching me.

——

here i am.

here i am.

this morning

 

for one purpose

and one purpose only.

to hear

to listen

to feel

the drums.

 

there’s something particularly perfect

about music,

about drums.

the beat

the pulse

the rhythm.

 

it gets in you, through you

reverberating across within without

your entire being.

 

and if you can, just for a moment

zoom in on it, the drums.

only it.

the beat

the pulse

the rhythm.

 

in that moment

when you meet the drum

perhaps you might notice

how it guides the entire

collection of notes.

 

can you? do you?

 

those drums.

they hold

they bring

they give.

 

it’s particularly extraordinary really.

those drums.

 

and in that moment

between only you & the drum

close your eyes.

and if you listen closely

you will

hear

listen

feel

 

that something that is inside you.

inside all of us.

that something that waits.

 

be still.

just listen.

can you? do you?

it’s in there, ever so snug.

oh yes, there.

there it is.

 

the drums remind us

of it’s steady, faithful presence,

giving pulse to that something

inside of you

inside of us.

 

————

 

and then,

the music comes.

louder

louder

louder

the beat envelops the room,

your ears alive with metrics and melodies.

energy, excitement coursing through

your every vein.

 

electricity, meets in your center.

connection with your world.

anticipation for what’s to come.

compassion for the things you still do not understand.

 

that something,

it’s alive and expanding.

inside of you.

inside of us.

 

you know it.

you

hear

listen

feel it.

 

right there inside.

 

——-

 

and then,

the music goes.

 

you strain to hear even the faintest note.

but the melody’s mute.

 

your mind walks in circles.

questions assault from all sides

dripping with doubt and fear.

 

the unknowns circle like vultures

ready to devour you

but only when you finally give in,

when you can no longer stand.

 

the seasons change,

and so must the rhythm.

and you, you know that.

but why, why is the darkness always so dark?

 

—-

 

and then, even when the drum is silent.

you close your eyes.

it is time to wait.

it is time to keep holding, holding that something,

hold it ever so gently.

 

because soon,

soon you will

feel it again

the beat

the pulse

the rhythm.

 

 

in there.

in you.

contentedly beating inside.

reverberating amongst bones & echoing

down veins

in the only home it’s ever known.

 

this something,

it’s content to be alive

and do all it has ever done and will ever

hope to do:

 

to beat out the rhythm

of your life.

 

here we are.

here we are

this morning

for one purpose

and one purpose only

to hear

to listen

to feel

the drums.

 

there’s something particularly extraordinary

about the drums.

don’t you think?

 

to remind us

how to

hear

listen

feel

 

hope.

 

that one thing.

that one thing

that is always faithfully beating

inside of you

inside of us.

 

hope.