Forest Winter

Slight the breeze

Too light to feel

Known by its wake, raining color 

Leaves aloft and drifting down, silent until

Palmettos tap softly catching the fall

 

 

 

 

 

Ewigkeit Reverie

At least thrice (all decades ago) have I been graced with some vision of eternity, and the ecstasy so extreme I grew fearful despite its beauty: experiencing the awe of awesome and awful at once. Before rising this morning, in lucid reverie and prayer, I asked for yet another. No such gift arrived, but this whisper: “If you want to see me, come to the feast.” I will go to Mass.

Of Mass?  A simple song demonstrating the communion of saints, Sanctus brings me into prayer with our lost child. Death changes life so unlike Life changed death.  So many join in this unending hymn, I for a moment, they for eternity.  Angels, saints, some from earthly time lived long and well, others from bodies destroyed and time foreshortened, born and unborn, and She, the very Queen of Heaven, with us.  A short and simple song we share.

Purgatorio.   Alighieri’s excellent work aside, imagine a place of eternal awareness of God. Here is Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Love, Peace in radiant purity. The Son and Father gaze outward, their Holy Spirit extending to all. About them a throng faces inward.  Among the uncountable, saints gaze upon the beatific vision.  Beside the saints, heads of many poor souls are bowed in contrition for an impure life; memories perfect, consequences understood, pain real amid ethereal: purgation on-going until — experiencing the endless direct fullness of Love Himself — each slowly raises her gaze to His, as a bride unveiled.  Alleluia

What worked?

There is no single ingredient which ‘works’ to implement change.

To help a team adopt new practices, one may choose to refer to the authority of a recognized expert (argumentum ad verecundiam). The key lesson for an agent of change is humility: there are those who have gone before, pioneered this path, found it useful, and offered our maps.  Admire and acknowledge these unseen leaders before the team.

Rarely is only one method suitable.  One ought to offer the team a choice of at least two and not more than three methods, then let them both adopt and adapt.  Any of the proffered practices may be chosen, or the team may hybridize the offerings to form its own practice.  Key for the agent of change is to understand not only the practices but also the principles and purposes from which they spring.  Restrict the available choices and challenge any reformulation, will the team’s decision satisfy their need?