Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Ellen Painter Dollar

Home
Progressive Christian
[Snapshots from Oak Ridge] The Still Point

[Snapshots from Oak Ridge] The Still Point

Last updated on: October 25, 2013 at 12:16 pm by Ellen Painter Dollar

[Snapshots from Oak Ridge] The Still Point 2013-10-25T12:16:24-04:00 Ellen Painter Dollar

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We live in a heavily wooded neighborhood with an unfortunate preponderance of oak trees. Oaks are one of the last trees to lose their leaves, which generally turn brown rather than the spectacular golds and reds of other species. This means that we often end up with piles of brown leaves buried under the winter’s first snowfall. The oaks also pelt our yard, driveway, and occasionally our heads with acorns. There is a down side to living on Oak Ridge Lane.

But among the oaks are a few maples, whose leaves reveal brilliant, translucent color this time of year. One maple, in our front yard, has a rogue branch about 8 feet off the ground—about 20 or 25 feet below the tree’s main cap of leaves. This branch is perfectly positioned to be framed by the window next to our kitchen table. At this time of year, I like to sit at the table, taking in my perfectly framed branch as it turns from green to flame.

Looking at my rogue branch makes me feel grounded, tied to this place where we have made a home, and to the simple beauty of a single moment. I think of these lines from the first of T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets, “Burnt Norton”:

At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,
But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,
Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,
Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point,
There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.

My branch lifts me out of time for a few moments, out of mundane and sometimes more serious worries, away from niggling concerns for the future and corrosive obsessions with the past. Here the dance is. There is only the dance, embodied for this moment in a stray branch revealing its deep beauty only in its death.

I think too of this favorite prayer from the Book of Common Prayer:

O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Over the years, we’ve had a number of trees cut down or trimmed, for both aesthetic and safety reasons. But no matter what, my branch must stay—my still point of the turning world.

Snapshots from Oak Ridge

Previous Post

October 22, 2013

Let the Kids Keep Their *@$%#^ Halloween Candy!

Next Post

November 4, 2013 My Story, and My Take on Narrative Ethics, in a Nutshell

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category disability ethics parenthood Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Melchizedek" mean in Hebrew?

Select your answer to see how you score.

God's Anointed King of Righteousness Priest of the Lord Servant of the Most High