Restless Spirit-Raised Up – by Oscar E V Fernando

Oscar Fernando

On a morning wake-tossing turning-his thoughts a spinning-brushing teeth-shaving face with bruises bleeding-with a towel’s pat-eyes and nose still dripping-

half in breakfast, washes hands and stands aloft, scratching head-which way to go and what job is next

sees his car-drives off to office leaving his pretty wife and files on the settee-she dangles these at the door step-reversing the car in haste-bangs on tree leaving a noisy creaky buffer- proceeds cursing and swearing for that insurance card not in cubby-rushing back he slips on polished floor ending in a bruised and bumpy head-cursing his amused wife for a floor over-polished and still moist and wet

enters office with a spinning head and his files a hanging-gets bawled by boss on his way to the desk

restlessness still brimming-off he goes with an infantile grin finding his way to the bar for a swig to steady his nerves still tingling

soon in comatose stage-dumped in jeep and on the way home-as destiny has it, the vehicle bumps on a temple gate where the monks give him a respite in meditative grace

mind now settled and disciplined, transcends within to a vast power-which for some-is a dynamic reservoir-others a Divine Reservoir—-beyond the disciplined mind-

with no dip into this Reservoir this same disciplined mind can on its own and by itself make a hell of heaven or a heaven of hell

unless he listens to the still small voice from within that prompts-

to first love self and then love neighbor-and thereon to forgive self and forgive neighbor-despite race-creed-color or dislike

with malice to none

now our once unbalanced friend following the great monks-dwells in meditative silence on his morning wake and there on transcends further into that Reservoir of Love Divine-

to plan his day

up in bed with no tosses-no turns-dips in to the Reservoir Divine-shaves with no bleeding bruises-eats full breakfast-with files in proper place-kisses wife in warm embrace-no reversing car with that loud bang-walks into the office with the tie and its pin in place-with no bawling from the boss again

also pause to think of what the philosopher of fame Augustine of Hippo said;

‘You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you’

Oscar E V Fernando

September 2020