Members of the WholeHeart Community Gathered at Rock Point Center in June 2022 for the first time in two years. As we came together, we began with wondering: What Welcomes? We share this collective poem in gratitude for the ways we find our way to gather together and welcome one another. Each line contains many stories. Remembering and sharing our stories weaves the real web that holds us all.
Perhaps how to welcome might be a question to carry with you into your day, mapping what welcomes you and weaves you into this world as a way of recognizing kindnesses in oneself, in others, and in the many moments in the day.
Weaving Welcome
SPACE
Trusting within
A cup of hot chai
Remarkable ease
Old and new friends
Birdsong and stories
Surprise connections
Plants to brew sun tea
Cool dirt under my toes
Peonies and post-it notes
“Let’s go” to WholeHeart
Birdsong, breeze, breathing
Loving hearts and excellent latte
Eben hug, Natanya smile, Holly heart
Sunrise dogs ~ water ~ Nate and Carol
Althea and her shy, warm, joyful energy
Breakfast with Carola, seeing Rob, Takara and Carlos
Remembering David who loved these trees, this life, this land
Being surrounded by love and beauty
Presence of breeze on my skin, song of birds
Baby swimming in air as his father lifts him up
Green glow sun in leaves - warm greetings - tree breeze
Long dirt road, animal joy, pre-dawn birdsong / wing/ flight
My son peeping up at me followed by
the push and pull of wanting to stay
bumping up against a desire to circle up
and see what flows
Baby smiles, people loving our baby,
music of water and leaves, real life 3-D faces,
the calming presence of love.
Offering of pausing… connecting.. In good company,
wrapped in anticipation and expectation
Laughter in the morning and you! The flesh of you! Trunk & Leaves, Fingers & Toes!
Listening to our tender yearning traversing the trials of our hearts
After tea and honey longing, longing to be heard and healed
The bitterness of disappointment and violence,
washed free with birdsong, leaves, air and lake water
Waves under moonlight and weaving energies
I woke up, re-adopted intention choreography,
then stopped to watch sunlight reading clouds
Early morning mist, layered clouds…. In valley
Sun and mountains driving home to join you here
The song of friends, dance of light, sweet, sweet air
Sunrise, love, Lake Champlian, breath of wind, comfort, Potential
Tree stacked with stumps, turkey vultures waiting to make something of any “accident”
Whole bodied beauties with hearts and toes and stories arriving, arriving, arriving
Blue sky, mother Robin, smiles and hugs, oak and hemlock, tender hearts too
Open body smiles of strangers greeting me as a friend
Forgiveness and colorful, fun, droopy earrings
Recognition in a moment full and complete
Joyful in person HUGS! So many wonderful hugs!
Water, peonies, mountains, the flesh of people
Nervous anticipation ~ my heart bursting with JOY!
Warm sunshine, cool breeze, BIG LOVE
Look at what happens with a love like that,
it lights up the whole sky
By WholeHeart Community Gatherers June 11, 2022
With gratitude to the people, land and beings who welcomed one another and shared voices, stories, snippets of life for a day in June. May the seeds planted continue to nourish.
