“Ruach”
A Poem by Cindy Nottage

Oh how sneaky you can be, Ruach, 

calm, inviting, warm one minute,

blowing a cold strong gale the next.

This is how you come to me right now, Holy Spirit,

First bringing warmth, comfort, and joy  

and then so quickly, a fierce taste of bitterness, cold, and danger. 

Is this the God  I see tonight, in the beauty of the full moon,

radiating warm light to the earth below

yet far away, encased in icy cold,

inviting only the most intrepid adventurers?

What if God were only the warmth and beauty,

No harsh edges, no painful touches, no cold winds?

What if the world we live in held  beauty,

love, joy, compassion, riches for all?

This is the God I long for, the gentle breeze,

This is the world we dream of,

love radiating out from all people to all creation.

Of course, this is also the world God dreams of,

And it’s in our hands to make it happen,

Make peace with all in God’s universe,

Calm the storms, mend the fences, open doors,

So sweet yet so unattainable

Because we know that part of being human in this complex world,

includes a place for suffering,

The suffering that leads to resurrection,

A place for both the frightening gale and the gentle breeze,

A place where all share the love of God

and God holds us in the storm.