rumi + mother teresa, soon-to-be saint

i woke this morning to rumi and to mother teresa. a lovely combo! both of them came bearing gifts of wisdom. beautifully wrapped. invitations for more silence, more space for listening. listening in the deep. listening to God. seems particularly relevant during this season and approaching the longest night.

a day or so ago i heard that mother teresa will be sainted. of course + it's about time were my inner responses. she is the queen of welcoming the unwanted and of seeing Jesus in all beings. apparently, miracles must occur around her and they must be recognized and acknowledged by the powers that be. thank God for pope francis. i bow in gratitude and reverence to this already sainted being in my heart. mother teresa. she invites us to listen. "God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer." thank you for your deep wisdom. simple + true + pure. just like you!

in my pre-dawn (as jet lag is still happening) rumi readings today new jewels were unearthed. delight! a feast. "Each moment contains a hundred messages from God."   *   "Stop the noise and you will hear his voice in silence."   *   "The quieter you become, the more you will hear."   oh, my heart. how true. i so love hearing about God and from God! i realize once again how wonderful + nourishing it is to feast on rumi's wisdom. true medicine. i see that i didn't remember the celebration of rumi's death (his wedding night with God in sufi language), with jet lag and all, on december 17th. my apologies. deep bows of love and gratitude to you, dearheart. oh, and roses!

roses for both of you! rumi + mother teresa, soon-to-be saint. i looked through the album of the roses of 2015 for my favourite-of-the-moment, and landed on these above, the most recent and perhaps the last of 2015. the beautiful red roses that tomas & i took to his mum's grave from the two of us for her. somehow they seem appropriate in celebrating the anniversary of the death of rumi, and in celebrating a new saint. beauty + love + gratitude. all qualities of the heart that live and thrive in the silence.

wishing you the space and the quiet for deep listening.