I live my life in widening circles
that reach out across the world.
I may not complete this last one
but I give myself to it. I circle around God, around the primordial tower.
I've been circling for thousands of years and I still don't know: am I a falcon, a storm, or a great song?

 

 

Book of Hours, I 2

“Widening Circles” by Rainer Maria Rilke; translation by Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows

 

I first heard this poem on a podcast called “Being” with Krista Tippett. It made me think about the growth of my own social network over recent years. How many people have enriched my life that I may not have otherwise met if not for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs? I count these friends as treasured gifts in my life and I am grateful. In meeting them and their also-increasing circles, I meet God.