Coming to Ground.
Bear with me while I tell you about tiredness.
It can creep up on you when you’re not watching
or hit you like falling off a cliff.
Let me tell you about the moment
that I lay on the ground
and completely let go to the earth beneath me.
I could walk no further.
It was softly raining
and I just lay down.
The wet grass on my face
The coldness of the ground
seeping through my wet weather gear.
How to get inside of it –
the depth of tiredness?
Lie down.
Simply rest
relaxing
no holding on.
And cry, cry tears of letting go
The depth of sorrow
flowing like a river onto the earth.
The tickle of the grass
the rich smell of the earth
bringing me back to my senses.
Awakening to the beauty
The simplicity of surrender,
of resting.
Stopping and not going one more step
until I was ready.
Not for me. Not for you.
Lying here, rolling over onto my back
Gentle rain falling on my face.
Opening my mouth.
Laughing
Breathing
Softening
Feeling the cold seep into my bones
calling me to move
to stand up, to walk.
To follow the desire line
along the edge of the cliff
without falling.
The light shining
through the clouds
A lightness of being returns
There comes a moment
when one step more
is one too many
When here is the place to stop.
Lie down
and rest.
Allowing the earth,
the air and the rain
caress me into wellness.
Leaning into the tender light,
the warmth of joy
and lightness of being.
Wendy Haynes 8th May 2021
You can listen to Wendy recite this poem here.