How the Light Comes

How the Light Comes:
A Blessing for Christmas Day

I cannot tell you
how the light comes.

What I know
is that it is more ancient
than imagining.

That it travels
across an astounding expanse
to reach us.

That it loves
searching out
what is hidden
what is lost
what is forgotten
or in peril
or in pain.

That it has a fondness
for the body
for finding its way
toward flesh
for tracing the edges
of form
for shining forth
through the eye,
the hand,
the heart.

I cannot tell you
how the light comes,
but that it does.
That it will.
That it works its way
into the deepest dark
that enfolds you,
though it may seem
long ages in coming
or arrive in a shape
you did not foresee.

And so
may we this day
turn ourselves toward it.
May we lift our faces
to let it find us.
May we bend our bodies
to follow the arc it makes.
May we open
and open more
and open still

to the blessed light
that comes.

© Jan L. Richardson. janrichardson.com

some spring and summer pictures

broad street run, report back.

oh philly, how i love you.

this morning i ran the broad street run.

my friends in the 11 minute/mile corral kept me laughing with some good natured ribbing of the people ahead of us - "they've finished their warm up run to city hall and they're going to lap us!" and behind us - "as long as we keep the walkers behind us we'll be fine."

mayor nutter raised the roof to keep us entertained as we waited at the start, anxious to get started.

the lovely ladies in north philly shouted, "9 more miles!" and "you're almost there!"

the high schoolers wore tutus and handed out water.

ed rendell gave high fives in center city.

the bands played.

the runners raised money for all kinds of good causes and used their t-shirts to make a point, "philly against fracking" and to tell us in whose memory they were running.

we cheered each other on and challenged each other to run a little harder, a little faster.

i smiled the entire 10 miles.

and then, i ate some free water ice.

i do love you so, philly.

fun-a-day

i am participating in philadelphia fun-a-day.

i will be posting a sneak preview of my project in a few days, but wanted you philly folks to mark your calendars - the show is at studio 34, february 11th and 12th from 7pm-11pm both nights. i would love to see you there!