as to seem scarcely there at all
like a baby snuggling
deep into his father's arms
while his mother sleeps exhausted
on two hay bales pushed together
in a cattle barn out back of an inn
where no one would think
to look for God
small often starts off ridiculous
as in five loaves and two fish
for a crowd of thousands
until a prayer of thanks
plus an opening of hearts
transforms the math
so that all of us
eating until we are full
is suddenly not impossible anymore
a smile, a seed, a kind word
might all seem small,
as might coloring in a circle to cast your vote
or saying more of the truth to your friend
or catching on to something you're not quite ready to know...
this last can happen even
when you are quiet and alone
and no one takes note of it
except maybe you
God whose love never falters
is yearning again to come forth
into this world--
and what shall we do
this time, in this moment?
what could we do
if we dared
like God
to start
small?
"small" is a poem by the Rev. Dr. Pat Youngdahl. Thank you, as always, for crediting the author when quoting.