When the time comes for the embryo to

receive the spirit of life,

At that time the sun begins to help.

This embryo is brought into movement, for

the sun quickens it with spirit.

From the other stars this embryo received

only an impression, until the sun shone

upon it.

How did it become connected with the

shining sun in the womb?

By ways hidden from our senses:

the way whereby gold is nourished,

the way a common stone becomes a garnet

and the ruby red,

the way fruit is ripened,

and the way courage comes to one distraught

with fear.

I read this in The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis.  She offers this as a poetic example of “…the sense of the whole, of the need for us to be in tune with our true nature to bring forth life.”   She describes the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) approach (which I am following through acupuncture treatments, herbs, and diet and lifestyle choices) as “…declaring our desire to be in alignment with nature…putting our trust in our body’s innate wholeness and seeking ways to help the body remember what it was meant to do…”

Rumi and Lewis are talking not just about life coming to the embryo, but the phenomenon of higher powers enlivening the creatures and other elements of our world, in an infinite array of shape, texture, color, personality, and potential.   There is so much mystery in the universe.  Children live and breathe with desire for discovering clues.  They are enchanted by the surprise and magic of it all.  What is it about growing up which hides our love of magical mystery?

I vow to continue unraveling the ropes which have tied up my enchantment.  I vow to help others see their knots and learn ways to untie them.  And I vow to give my children the freedom to discover clues and ponder mysteries, and to help them cultivate the power to tame the ropes that would bind, to use them for practical purposes, to jump with them, to turn them into harmless dancing snakes.

That older gentleman on his porch inspired a story which has taken on a life of its own, and a momentum I’m not very accustomed to.  The characters, and their relationships and interactions, are growing without a huge effort by me.  It’s fun to be a part of it; and I feel blessed, any time life speaks through me.  I’m sure when I put my butt in the chair and start committing substantial time to writing the scenes and dialogue, it will require huge effort.  Most good and significant things in life do, don’t they?

Today the older gentleman was on his porch, and I was on that side of the street, and when I glanced up he smiled, and nodded, and gave a vigorous wave in my direction.  I did the same and found myself smiling for awhile afterward.  It almost seemed like he has noticed me, too, and maybe my walk down the hill is one of the activities in the world-beyond-the-porch by which he paces his life.  See, there I go, making up stories again!