Thursday, February 22, 2018

Husks and Trappings


Thursday 2/22/18 3:14 AM
Yesterday a former student quoted the following from Aurora Leigh, by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries,
And daub their natural faces unaware
More and more from the first similitude.
When I read the quote, I thought about how I see patterns and designs everywhere I look, in bushes, clouds, trees, mountain ranges, swirling winds, topography, and so on. The patterns usually suggest some sort of mathematical expression or equation, which often contains the most elementary ideas and functions. Like some mathematicians before me, I see in these simple equations the fingerprint of God. I am one who takes off my shoes and contemplates the wonder of it all, basking in the simplicity of complexity.
Today I read a quote by Phillips Brooks that suggests the same idea from a different perspective. He writes, “The greatest danger facing all of us … is that we may fail to perceive life’s greatest meaning, fall short of its highest good, miss its deepest and most abiding happiness, be unable to render the most needed service, be unconscious of life ablaze with the light of the Presence of God – and be content to have it so – that is the danger. That some day we may wake up and find that always we have been busy with the husks and trappings of life – and have really missed life itself.”
This week I have been busy with the husks and trapping of my life, writing tests, correcting tests, attending meetings, writing letters of recommendation, preparing lectures, teaching classes, and tutoring and counseling students. I have spent long days immersed in my work but unaware the presence of God. I need to guard against becoming so busy that I fail to see the meaning of life and the things that bring abiding happiness. Lord, keep me cognizant of your presence with me and of your image that is borne by all people so that I do not miss out life itself.

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