Take off your shoes
Take off your shoes
And walk across

Find the stone path under the water
Under the rushing water
Not too deep,
Not too cold

Listen to the calling, calling
Of the Moses
Who wants to lead you across
The not too deep,
Not too cold, rushing waters
Of the spring-time river

It’s not too cold
It’s not the way it was last year
Last time it was-
Well-last time
Then shallow, naked rocks
Were exposed
Available for an easy crossover
To the mountain trail

Now, you and I, we,
Cannot seem
To find our way
For it is not now
The way it was
The way we think it should be

Take off your shoes
Take off your shoes and dare to cross
Into the not too deep, not too cold
Rushing water of the springtime river

A whole wilderness is coming out to meet you.

Walking in the woods
My woods that own me
Every footstep is new on this birthday
The Earth is birthing itself

Almost forgotten
The birds have returned to their birthplace
Rejoicing in the calling
To one another.

Newness of grasses filling the trails
Casting their hasty seed
Hiding ancient footsteps.

I only want to walk, to sit, to be.

And now, into the open field
Gazing at hills
Lifting up my heart

What is the word beyond thankful?

The years have formed this person
Beyond age, beyond gratitude
Into the sunlight of this Spring
Renewed into the presence of this now.

What is the word beyond thankful
No words, no time
Only this
Only this.

I am fresh
Newly born into this day
No story, no history
All the skins of the past
Have slipped away
As I step on this trail
That I’ve walked a thousand times

What is the word beyond thankful?
God, I am here
Here I am
Hineni…

Now dropping into silence
Restless mind ceases
Just for this moment

God, I have no prayer for you
I breathe into the next breath
And await your prayer for me

What is the word beyond thank you?
I am a tree
Roots pressing into the deep, mountain earth
Trunk sturdy, bark rough
Branches lifting, winding skyway
Into the air
Whatever the weather, in all seasons.

I am here

Standing in this life
Waiting for nothing
Just
Being
Here.

Yes.
There is no word
Beyond
Thankful.

May the meditations of my heart
And every word of my mouth
Become a prayer.

You breathe my breath
That your Love permeates my every cell

May the words that ride on my breath
Create harmony and wisdom

May the words
That I choose
Come from consideration
And connection

Open my mind
Guiding my intuition
With Your words flowing through me

May my words bring love and laughter
Healing and joy

May I know when silence
Is more powerful than speech
And when listening is a gift

May the meditations of my heart
And every word of my mouth
Become a prayer.

“The only reason for time
is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.”
– ALBERT EINSTEIN

I hear old people talk of slowing down
As if it is a curse.
What if slowing down
Is a great blessing?
And that just, perhaps
It is truly slowing up.

I hear of a woman
Who was told
She has six months to live.
She says, “I don’t have the time to hurry”

What if I could pause
from rushing through Time
And cease viewing
Time as an avaricious competitor
Mocking my every attempt
To do it all, to get it all done
All at once

What if time is not an adversary
But rather a generous gift
A lavish offering
That asks only
That I say,
“Thanks
I’ll use it well.”

One day,
The hands of my clock will stop.
One day
And then – and then….
No more Love in any form
Except maybe the Big Love
Who knows?

What if trying to do it all
Means doing less
or
At the very least
Dancing more slowly
Would I slow down time?

Maybe more pause time,
More intermissions,
More time for Shabbat
Every day

Perhaps, I would see the colors
Of the sky
I would inspect the texture of bark
I would hear more notes in the music
I would feel every curl in my poodle’s coat
I would taste every spice in the stew.
I would feel the beat of my heart
And touch unhealed wounds

I would make my Time
I would take my Time
As if I had
All the Time in the world
All the Time in the world
Thanks for the lavish gift
Of this Time
Ah –yes….
I receive the generous offering of Time
With Love.

“Reading this book was like going on a long retreat with the author. The candidness and intimacy with which she meets you, page after page, peeled off layers allowing the words to reach in and massage my soul.”
– Dan Vilenchik Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University, Israel

“Paulette Rochelle-Levy’s body-based sensual relationship with the Divine is contagious. Words matter. Thank you for spirit embodied in language and for re-awakening within me a deep interest in knowing God.”
– Fred Sugerman, Medicine Dance

“I am really loving this book. It is something to cherish. Much of the poetry is masterful, so honest, simple and clear. Paulette’s voice and her love of life and God shine through on every page. Paulette does not turn away from failures and disappointments but holds them in loving mercy.”
– Marvin Treiger, Ph.D., MFT, Buddhist Teacher, Psychotherapist

“Paulette reveals that there is always, always a powerful redeeming energy, rooted in faith, that connects us to a Light Source. I was moved by the lyrical and hopeful expressions of going through pain, aloneness, and longing.”
– Yuval Ron, Composer, Musician