My last reflection to share. I have struggled with the imagery of the Burning Bush, and the fire that does not consume. Finally, after some thought, I think this is what that means in my life.
>>The Question-Consider the burning bush metaphor. How might it change your life if you knew that you could be “on fire” and yet not be “consumed”?
>>>My Answer is a Rambling Reflection-
Spark. It is the Spark that starts the fire….there is always, at least to my knowledge, a Spark that starts a fire…Burning Bush lit with Fire…and that says to me life. A Flame to me is alive. Fire has two functions; to light up the night, or the Dark, and Warmth. It gives us Light and Warmth. When we say someone is on Fire, we mean they are filled with Passion and Life for something, or someone. Flames are usually not still or stagnant, they generate Energy and sometimes, can spread. Fire can cast Light into Dark areas, and bring those areas to Light. A Fire that does not consume would bring Life, Light, and Warmth to wherever it is….
To not be consumed means to me you will not be obsessed, but keep a healthy perspective. Having seen many who are “on fire” for certain causes, we can become overzealous and start to ‘own’ whatever it is, and this, to me, is not healthy. I know that probably isn’t what was meant by this statement, but after having lived through one of these causes where people become mere chattel, and it was ‘the cause’ that is the most important thing, this meaning is there for me….so, I guess that is being consumed…..to me anyway…..again, this is just a rambling reflection.
To be standing beside the Burning Bush, and not step close to the Flame means I won’t risk being hurt. Or failing. It also means I won’t be contributing. I will be existing, and not living. I will be on Sacred Ground, but not in the very life of it…I will be an observer. Through my life, I have stepped into the Flame, and out of the Flame. I believe we have a choice…to either step in or out of the flame. I have done both.
I am moving into a new phase of my life, and am not content to just be an observer, or be afraid to fail, or worse, get hurt. It is worth the risk, this thing I am going to do, so I won’t be standing on the side of the Burning Bush, but will approach it with full knowledge of what I am doing, and reverently walk in with all my might. Getting hurt or failing is all right, because it is part of being alive. I know that now. If someone condemns me because I make a mistake, I will understand that it is human to make mistakes. And I will continue to learn, and stay in the Flame.
I will stand in the Fire of the Burning Bush, and will not be consumed, and I will allow the gifts of Light and Warmth to touch and envelope me.
And lastly, I bow to you Brother David and David Whyte, for giving us the gift of….yourselves and your Wisdom.

In recognizing that we are all pilgrims, “just passing through,” what reveals itself as most important to you – really?”
That I am not on this path of life alone. Just reading the comments over the last 6 weeks has shown me that….and because I am not alone, sometimes when someone on this path walking beside me needs a hand to hold, a kind word, forgiveness, yes, even love on a dung heap, I can give that…and when I need a hand, there will be someone there to take mine…..

‘If each step of the journey has as much importance as the destination, are there goals that keep you from being fully present? Can you release or re-frame them?’
Oh boy! After reading the poem, and watching Evan Koons translate the poem on YouTube completely for me, did I get a revelation…well, that and spending a good deal of time sitting on my Dung Heap of Guilt(my words) lately…..shedding the manacle that is attaching me to my Dung Heap of Guilt would go a loooong way in keeping me focused and fully present in the ‘now’.

Because I am new to poetry, I needed a little help figuring out everything that was in the poem Kingfishers Catch Fire. I knew there was gold there, but it wasn’t something that came easily to me….so I went to Google, and put in European Kingfishers. Read all about them. Still in the dark. Watched the video again, and gleaned a bit more, but still, something was missing…so, I went to YouTube and this is what I found…fantastic for me. Just putting this up here for others, in case you have trouble translating the poem as I did:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlPOHGvhekQ