amy j howton

on trust

i woke this morning, needing to write my way back to my self. i listened. it began with this bit: trust in self you’ve slipped away just as i drank in your warmth and your calm moved through my being the only thing to do was to witness your movement and wait knowing you willContinue reading “on trust”

searching

we’ve been searching for land. we began several months ago, ready to finally take action on the tugging of our souls. yesterday, we headed out again. on the blue moon, halloween, a time marking “in-between” spaces, the liminal spaces between worlds. felt right to head out on this day, in this way. we had metContinue reading “searching”

pause

in a recent lecture on living “half a shade braver”, poet david whyte spoke of the importance of pause. he gave the example of how pause is employed to presence ourselves to reality before us, gather ourselves. and invite our Self in—all before making a move. The example he gave that has stayed with meContinue reading “pause”

gifts of whiteness

there are cloaks of shame we all live with—parts of ourselves that hard for us to accept, to love. whiteness is one of these cloaks for me, for our nation, for my Christian faith tradition. i now open-heartedly accept the gifts that it brings. i am grateful for my whiteness. it’s been a journey. movingContinue reading “gifts of whiteness”

october

i am october seductive with my colors painting earth in brilliant blazing reds and oranges yellow whispering in hushed tones, “come, follow me” chills in my breath, “wrap up, get warm” crisp and cutting in my fresh air strutting and confident i am here. and i bring two moons one, announcing me one, as myContinue reading “october”

for bonnie, on her birthday

“what does it take to make us stand together as if we just grew that way?” roots deep down into the earth reaching out connected, bound up together one trunks, in postures of integrity standing upright knowing who they are whose they are branches growing, always seeking and giving light and life in love offeringContinue reading “for bonnie, on her birthday”

home

today was for turning to the land. oh, Kentucky. when it feels hard to call you home, i lean in and remember. it is home. home. where we remember who we are and whose we are.

everything

everything is here for us in the quiet, stillness the light shines spreading like molasses over everything sugar and sweetness, everywhere inhale, receiving in the uncertainty, chaos the dark invites holding like a mother’s womb, nourishing spice and soul, deep down exhale, giving all we need is here inhale, exhale light, dark dancing as one.

compass

what we pay attention to matters. i’ve been married to a school teacher and administrator for twenty-three years. over the years, i’ve witnessed him work wholeheartedly to create the conditions that foster healthy learning environments. honestly, it’s been brutal watching him continue to work for the impossible, even in a highly resourced school. and now,Continue reading “compass”

what if?

there’s a hindu legend that tells of the story that divinity was hidden deep within the center of human beings so to prevent humans from abusing it. our human behavior called for such an intervention. Brahma, the chief god, rightly believed that divinity would be safe there, hidden away deep within our being, where humansContinue reading “what if?”