Pondering

I am slowly reading Kathleen Norris' book, The Cloister Walk. There is a lot to ponder.














Norris, a poet, makes the comment that - in our modern age, we have lost our ability to think metaphorically. (This can be a problem, as the Bible - like poetry - is steeped in metaphor.)

Elsewhere, she writes (in metaphor) that "the ancient monastics recognized that a life of prayer must 'work the earth of the heart'..."

And I (a non-poet, struggling with metaphors)... I am left pondering what the "earth of the heart" might be... Does 'working' this earth mean embracing all of the pain - as well as all the joy - life brings our way?

In my garden, working the earth means digging deep to mix the soil and soften it so plants will grow. How does this happen in me?