Outwitted
He drew a circle that shut me out—
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!
—Edwin Markham

Hum…and it seems that Edwin Markham was born not a hundred miles away from where I am right now in Portland. Oregon City to be exact. Anyway I was introduced to this poem this evening and it seemed a good one to publish here.

Abandonment is a big one for very many people. Step out of line in school for example and one can carry the shunning with you all your life. I did something at school which I felt I could not own up to. That was until the whole class was told we couldn’t go out to play until the person who had printed their initial in several places on the walls of the school, owned up! Nobody thought to point out that it was obvious who had done it! Anyway, what a relief to own up and we all went out to play. But it was a close thing in the class mate shunning department. Others may actually suffer the shunning and that can be hard, very hard, to overcome. Especially so when one is held up for public ridicule.

To draw a circle around and draw in those who have cast you out can be more than most can do, at a tender age. Later on in life the circle can be drawn and they can be embraced. Drawn in with compassionate acceptance.

The universe is as the boundless sky – image by Sam.

During the week-end of celebrations at Throssel for the Buddha’s Birth there was a photography challenge. To catch an image which reflected the closing verse we use at the end of meal times.

The universe is as the boundless sky
as lotus blossoms above unclean water
pure and beyond the world
is the mind of the trainee
O holy Buddha we take refuge in thee.

When I saw the challenge I immediately thought of catching an image of the sky reflected in water. Then moments later I saw the image above and knew I’d not be able to match it. Here published in gratitude to Sam and to his patient dad and Sam’s brother too.
Thank you.