Not Knowing

Weekly wisdom to bring you home in 2 minutes, or less.

A SHORT STORY

This past week, I received word that one of the refugees I have known since 2011 was granted resettlement in Canada through a connection made during our work together.

This reminded me how powerful it is to follow that which you do not know. How answering that mysterious calling within myself to go to Africa has continued to impact my life and others 15 years later.

There’s a story of a monk named Jizo that illustrates this idea.

A monk asked him, “Why are you going on pilgrimage?”
To which he responded, “I honestly don’t know.”

He then paused for a moment and said, “Not knowing is great intimacy.”

As you read this, I wonder how you and I can invite this concept of not knowing into our lives.

Perhaps we can move closer to what lies just beyond the horizon of our understanding, however it shows up, and take a step towards it.

And in that step, experience the intimacy of not knowing.

Where in your life are you being asked to take a step without knowing today?

A POEM

“Lost” by David Wagoner

Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.

Grateful,

Michael