Brother Richard Hendrick, a Capuchin Franciscan living in Ireland, has written a touching poem about our uncertain times living with the coronavirus.
Lockdown by Brother Richard
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes, there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes, there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes, there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes, there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes, there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing
Today and always!
Be Happy!
Sing!
Beautiful words
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I got this and shared on Watsapp without knowing author. Thanks for the information. It is indeed a great reflection.
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I remember a similar euphoria after 9/11. For me personally it was very short-lived. Best case, perhaps since this has affected the whole world and, in my mind through photos from space, shown definitively that human activity is a if not the major source of pollution, there may be a wider and longer term benefit for all of us. Fingers crossed!
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What a beautiful poem and so inspiring. I have every confidence we will pull through better than before. Thanks for sharing
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Inspiring words. Thanks for sharing this thoughtful piece.
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Beautiful!
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This is absolutely wonderful. Thank you for sharing it. I will try to save it and share it more widely. These are the words that people need to read. This is the silver lining.
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I love it too. It gives hope, puts things a bit in perspective. I am in desperate need of silver lining. 2019 was not too kind to both of us so it seems.
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I read this yesterday and then it disappeared!!!!
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I had published it by mistake, it was today’s post. 🙂
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I’m glad about that, I thought I was going mad!
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Not yet, not yet 🙂
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