Straight

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Straight

4 minute drill
22 July, 2012

Rachael:

As she pushes herself into a shoulder stand, she straightens her legs with ease. She recalls the ballet teacher's finger on her leg. "Turn out and straighten your spine." The shame is gone. Pushing her legs straight into the shoulder stand is a struggle and comfort wrapped into one movement. As she moves through sun salutations, the words "straighten your spine, straighten your neck" fall away as she assumes a strong, long and straight posture. She understands now; there is the battle for perfection demanded in ballet. The battle for perfection does not exist here in this world. Just the challenge to do your best.

Michael:

"Walk the straight and narrow." Sometimes I think that peoples' idea of what is straight is far too narrow. Is it even the straight truth at all? Certainly what goes on behind closed doors is a bit more crooked than... What? Can't we just be real? How about, "Walk how you feel." "Speak your truth." "Open up." "Be true to yourself." How about if I don't feel straight today? I say, "Dare to be crooked." "Crooked is as crooked does." "Walk with the crooked on the wide, wide road." I can imagine Jesus saying that. Isn't that what He did after all?

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Lightweight

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Lightweight

4 minute drill
22 July, 2012

Michael:

They all said he was such a lightweight, a "sissy," afraid to live. "Drink up!" "You only live once!" Chiding him about his undiscovered manhood, "You wouldn't know what to do with that if it slapped you in the face." The car was heavy. He'd been in the back seat. They had refused to let him drive. He lifted with all of his might. Somehow he got them all out before the fire destroyed the evidence. Too late for them... He faces life alone now. He knows he has the courage. But he's still not sure that he knows what to do with it now that it has slapped him.

Rachael:

I am not sure if it exists, but I despise lightweight spirituality. Lightweight. Like you could open a can of something from God and have it be just "light." A sort of diet spiritual message. Well, that seems to be the way of things. Lightweight. In other words, if I agree, then I will listen. If it doesn't make me change, send the message. If it doesn't challenge my compassion... Cool! Lightweight Spirituality, like phrases and psalms on Facebook. Yes, it's about all we can manage with our hands so full of, well, other things. It's all we can manage with the mortgage and soccer practice.

***

Hermes

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"Hermes"

4 minute drill

22 July, 2012

Hermes: Greek herald and messenger of the gods. The god of roads, commerce, invention, cunning, and theft. 

Rachael:

It was as though he forgot. With all the stillness and words left to be spoken, it was impossible to believe otherwise. When he was supposed to shout to Poseidon to protect the men, he remained silent. Watching. The stillness of the water has yet to betray what might have been on the tip of his tongue. The grief of the widows does not move him. The children, left hungry and cold, do not move him. We cry and shout in anger, "Hermes, where was your plea to our protector? Where was your voice in the storm, if not the thunder and crashing of waves that were our destruction?"

Michael:

Hello! My name is Hermes! Thank you very much... I come before you today to announce, herald and introduce all of these other gods behind me. They've come to honor you in your time of suffering. In the bright blue shirt we have the God of Selfish Pride. Let me hear a round of applause for the God of Selfish Pride. He wants you to know that he was the one in that photograph that has become, as he would say it, "world famous." You'll see it as soon as you turn on your T.V.'s. Then there's that God of False Humility, who will invite you to applaud for each of his colleagues, one at a time, whom he supervises. (ran out of time here).

***