I’m looking forward to reading A.J. Jacobs latest book, Drop Dead Healthy: One Man’s Humble Quest For Bodily Perfection, which is the third work in his humorous and engaging trilogy of mind, spirit and body (see also The Know It All and The Year Of Living Biblically). Here’s a short clip of him talking more about this at a TEDMed event last October.
And
And teaches us to say yes
And allows us to be both-and
And keeps us from either-or
And teaches us to be patient and long suffering
And is willing to wait for insight and integration
And keeps us from dualistic thinking
And does not divide the field of the moment
And helps us to live in the always imperfect now
And keeps us inclusive and compassionate toward everything
And demands that our contemplation become action
And insists that our action is also contemplative
And heals our racism, our sexism, heterosexism, and our classism
And keeps us from the false choice of liberal or conservative
And allows us to critique both sides of things
And allows us to enjoy both sides of things
And is far beyond any one nation or political party
And helps us face and accept our own dark side
And allows us to ask for forgiveness and to apologize
And is the mystery of paradox in all things
And is the way of mercy
And makes daily, practical love possible
And does not trust love if it is not also justice
And does not trust justice if it not also love
And is far beyond my religion versus your religion
And allows us to be both distinct and yet united
And is the very Mystery of Trinity…
Richard Rohr
This poem was originally posted on the website of The Center For Action & Contemplation. The final line reads “…and is why we are called the Center for Action AND Contemplation.”