Breathe Gently

I pulled out a volume of poetry by Thich Nhat Hanh the other day and in one of his brilliant poems I found the phrase, the world “…needs you to breathe gently for the miracles to be displayed.” Breathe gently. What a wonderful idea. His poem prompted this poem, which I offer to you for meditation and prayer this morning.

Breathe Gently

Walk through this world and breathe gently.
Do nothing in puffs or blusters.
Gently draw your next breath,
gently return it to the cosmos.
And as you breathe upon the earth,
watch the wildflowers burst into flaming color,
hear the songs of the rivers, and the trees’ replies.
Step lightly upon the moist soil;
bend no grass blade, break no twig in its
desire to become an oak of stature,
a sentinel of serenity.

Let all who care, and all who hope,
and all who weep walk through this world
breathing gently,
loving extravagantly,
dying well.
It is the why and the how of eternal life.

(A tribute to Tom, who walked gently.)