maggie and milly, and molly and may

maggie and milly and molly and may

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea  e.e.cummings 1894-1962

I thought it important to begin with this delightful poem. Take a moment to read it again and while reading it enjoy the words, the rhyming, the scenes created. These four young girls go off to the sea to play and they each have a different experience. e.e.cummings paints this scene with attention to the emotions of loss and comfort. In the poem individuality is stressed. Above all its the places of beauty that allow us to become ourselves, the places of beauty are there for our healing and restoring. For some it’s the beach, for others it’s the mountains. For some it’s the fast beat of the city while for others it may be the solitude of the desert or the prairie. Where do you go to feel restored? What landscape provides you with hope and hopefulness? Are you a maggie, or a milly, or a molly, or a may? Please pause and ponder.

Prayer:
Lord God,
creator of sun and moon,
seashores and mountains,
we rejoice in the steady rhythm of
night and day, spring and summer,
autumn and winter.
Lord God,
amidst the fears and anxieties of life,
restore our souls with the beauty of nature.
Renew our hope with the majesty of creation.
Lord God,
inspire us to care for friend and stranger and to
share kindness and grace with all the maggies, millys,
mollys, and mays. Amen.