St. Mary's Retreat, March 29, 2010

Writing from a prompt.
"To me the meanest flower that grows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears."
William Wordsworth (1770-1850)
from "Ode: Intimations of Immortality and
Recollections of Early Childhood"


It started out as a memoir blurb, about the huge change in my life (entering the ministry), which began as a chance comment from a friend (going back to school in midlife). But as I wrote, I became more and more bogged down, and finally decided to write it more as a poem than a memoir. Maybe sometime I'll go back to the memoir, but for now, here's the shorter version.


Something Big from Something Small

Something small and inconsequential
Can grow to a changed life.

"I'm going back to school," she said.
I kept remembering.

Just divorced, life in turmoil,
How could I do that?

But the accounting firm didn't feel right any more.
The man with integrity had retired,
And now "bottom line" was all.

Divorce changed everything,
Counseling for the depression,
Back to church after 20 years.

In the new church,
Gifts & Talents workshop
One with Another singles group
New friends, new activities,
Brochure on a grad program--Can I do it?

Divinity school,
Application--yes
Financial help--yes
Ordination candidate--yes

"What does all this stuff mean?"
New ideas and terminology
"Exegesis"
"Feminist theology"
"Patriarchy"
"Hermeneutics of suspicion"
What a vocabulary!

"I don't think I can do this!"
"You'll be a wonderful minister," she said.
"Remember this later," she said,
"so they'll be able to understand you.
Church is very different from Divinity School."