i took it as a sign

A couple of posts ago I talked about how I joined a concert band in the next over city. At the time my friend asked me to play because they needed flutes (hardly ever a need for flutes), I felt it was a kind of sign... a wake up call to get back to something that used to bring me a lot of joy. Two weeks down and fairly regular practice begun, its true. I am enjoying it very much. The tendons in my right hand are sore, but I think that will subside.

On Thursday, at the weekly noon interfaith worship hour I go to on campus (some readings from various faiths, some singing, some meditation, some joys and sorrows), I decided I would share a joy and that the joy would be joining this concert band. I am usually pretty quiet at these things even though it is a small and comfortable group of people. Before I left my office to head to the service, I thought I had better find and return a book of poetry that Reverend Vicki had loaned me last spring...a book called I Hear God Laughing -- a collection of poems by the Sufi poet Hafiz (or Hafez). I had enjoyed flipping through the lighthearted, interesting, spiritual poems, but I hadn't opened it in months.

Before returning a book, and especially a book of poems, I like to play this little game where I open the book up to a random page to read something where the opening occurred, and try to keep that as symbolic. Wherever that random break occurs is to me like a crack into the light of the larger universe, and I am supposed to take in that slice of light. It is worth paying attention to it and trying to hold it a while.

So to add a layer to the "taking it as a sign" meanderment here, this is the poem that I read when I opened the book randomly to page 54:

How fun is that? I did share my joy at the Interfaith Center, and I read this poem. And now, if I were to open a book of poems, would it be about collecting a year's worth of documents and figures to get the tax prep folder ready? This is not the most fun "hour" (it will take me more than an hour) to spend, but it has to be done. It is my goal for the day. I am also a good procrastinator, so I have a feeling there are other things I will need to get done first. Cheerio.