“It’s the old shell game with a twist: I saw God put Himself in one of your pockets. You are bound to find Him.” Tukaram, from Mala of the Heart, 108 Sacred Poems, edited by Ravi Nathwani and Kate Vogt
Don’t get hung up on the literal idea in this short poem. Go with me beyond the picture it conjures up in your mind and beyond the idea of God as a ‘Him’. What about this idea of something carried in your pocket? It is carried so close, touching you, holding the warmth of your body, carried everywhere you go, always available, easily accessible, not always noticed by others..and even you, yourself have at times forgotten it is there. It appears in the bottom of the washing machine or in the lint trap of the dryer. It drops to the floor as you hang your slacks. You find it…eventually.
And so it is with God…or whatever name you use for that which is beyond all that is visible and yet is in all that you see and more. We forget…just like we forget what is in our pocket …that we live and move and have our being in God. We forget that we do not exist independently of the intelligence and power that created us. We lose track and feel separate when we experience grief, pain, disappointment, hurt, indifference, sadness and hopelessness.
If you find yourself in any of these places today…remember this pocket metaphor. Remember that you are never alone…and that eventually you will find peace, joy and comfort. It is very near, nearer than you might know.
Peace always
Paula
