There is enough 'medium or soil present in these nooks and crannies to sustain large, flowering plants.  As I reflected on the flowers, I realized they were living in the 70 year accumulation of a city's dust.  it was the city's collective detritus that allowed for this beauty.  If some one were able to reach these spots easily, it is likely the dust would have been swept away again and again; likely it would have been seen as untidy, as needless debris, residue inappropriate for such a holy spot.  And here it was the source of deep beauty.

I wonder what other ‘debris’ in our lives we have sought to sweep away, sought to remove thinking it untidy, unwelcome.  It is tempting to whisk away the dusty rubble of past life events. “Of what worth could it be?”

And here are these vibrant flowers.

I wonder how the world would live differently if we spent less time trying to remove, less time trying to hide, the debris of our lives, and instead understood it as a nurturing source.

 Having spent the 11^th of September this year in Coventry, it brought back the images and emotions of that day 8 years ago.  It brought back the rawness, the horrific surreality of it.  It brought back the title of Rowan Williams’ book reflecting on the events of 9/11, “Writing in the Dust”.  It left me wondering, where am I allowing the dust of my life, the dust of our collective life, to be the source of vibrant beauty?

Peace,

Todd Donatelli