Joy of the Water Mill
Joy of the Water Mill
You meet the many buckets of water within
Hanging on the water wheel throughout the week,
Months even
Spinning and spinning, round and round
No one to retrieve them
Some of have peered into the bucket, tipping it to and fro
Water spilling over the edge
Splashing to the ground
Each bucket containing sediment
Leaves, dirt and other collections
Preventing the energy flow and production
Gently, you pull the lever stopping the wheel
Together
We take down each bucket
One by one
Passing no judgement on the murky water
Lining the buckets to the side of the path
It takes time
Others are in front of and behind us
Some are passing
The water is not clear, but it is still refreshing
On our hands
As we take turns retrieving the contents
It cleanses
The sunlight is streaming down
A light breeze travels through
Leaves are missing parts – some have holes
Rocks look uninteresting – unlike ones
I have would have chosen as a girl
Twigs – dead
Feathers – matted
Other things
I do not know
Lack of luster seems sad at first
We dry them off and set them in the light
Sacred, special process, shared
Noticing these unexpected, aged features
We place, stack, arrange to the side of the path
No longer submerged
Gifts from the earth in contact with our skin
Some of them rough, some scratchy, crunchy, spikey, soft
I am glad to discuss this with you
Perhaps others will consider these elements along the way
Maybe some commonality, inspiration might come
Maybe not
Delight fills us
Laughter emerges
Noticing and admiring
Beauty
We put the buckets back on the wheel
Less heavy now
I pull the lever to start the rotation again
More water will fill the buckets, new debris will as well
We do not know how it will look or feel
Today, I rejoice in the lighter, freer me
And although we worked
The lighter, freer you
I do not know when
But I will need to go back to the water wheel
To add or release water
Or to remove what the weather has blown in
In the meantime, the mystery suits us
Continuing down the path
Not burdened so much by the clog
The trees seem to sway, the birds chirp
All is well
Now I know we can go together to the water wheel
Joy of the Water Mill was written by Emily Turner and Published in House of Joy, part of the House of series by Retreat House Spirituality Center, Copyright 2019, Village of Care Press.