Poetry has taken up a new place in my heart as I spend more time in reflection,
journaling and other mindfulness practices. When I was a younger, I felt pressured when reading poems to come up with some deep, intelligent interpretation of the author’s intent. This actually spoiled poetry for me for many years. Now I can relax and appreciate the feelings evoked, often surprised by how the words describe so vividly and accurately something I and others are experiencing.
This happened when my friend Priscilla shared “Trough” with our women’s group last week. There was silence as we breathed into the words and then requests to hear it again and get a copy. Please enjoy it, and, if you like, read my response below.
Trough
There is a trough in waves,
A low spot
Where horizon disappears
And only sky
And water
Are our company.
And there we lose our way
Unless
We rest, knowing the wave will bring us
To its crest again.
There we may drown
If we let fear
Hold us within its grip and shake us
Side to side,
And leave us flailing, torn, disoriented.
But if we rest there
In the trough,
Are silent,
Being with
The low part of the wave,
Keeping
Our energy and
Noticing the shape of things,
The flow,
Then time alone
Will bring us to another
Place
Where we can see
Horizon, see the land again,
Regain our sense
Of where
We are,
And where we need to swim.
~ Judy Brown ~
I was struck by how the author described not only the difficult times many of us are experiencing in this pandemic but also the void, or neutral zone, that people go through in life’s transitions. As we let go of life, as we knew it -with a job, a purpose, freedom to be with others in social settings, or safety from a virus- we go into a low spot or “trough.” This can be a time of uncertainty, loss of control, fear, and constant change that leaves us disoriented and feeling like we’re “drowning”. Or it can be a time of “rest”, reflection, opportunities to learn, curiosity, compassion for others, and community building. It can be both, depending on the day and circumstances.
This may be what many of us are experiencing now. It’s also what people express when they’re disappointed and confused by how retirement is turning out for them, or when challenged by some of the issues related to aging.
As the poem suggests, we can find our way out of this uncomfortable place if we lean into it, “keeping our energy,” and being aware of “the flow.” Observing the seeming chaos and hardship but without letting it “shake us from side to side,” we allow “time alone” to bring us to a new way of being. Here we can “regain our sense of where we are,” see a clear path – “where we need to swim.”
We may feel a bit weary and unsettled some days as we live in the “trough” of these times, but this poem gives hope that there will be a new beginning, where we will be grateful for lessons learned, relationships formed or changed, health and wellness, and a new sense of oneness with all others. May this lift your spirits!
(With gratitude to the author, Judy Sorum Brown, a leadership educator, author, poet, speaker, and coach, who wrote this “to help those going through difficult times.” She has written two books of poetry and has a wonderful website with resources on leadership and spiritual growth. I was also interested to see that she is engaged in promoting better care facilities and vitality for elders.)