jim henson

This week's poetry Wednesday is a poem of mine entitled Finding Your Angel.  It was written in May of 2009 and is posted in honor of Saturday's feast of the Holy Guardian Angels.

I've discovered a new website and journal: A Ragged Edge.  It is a disability rights organization that has information about employment, education, transportation, the law, and, perhaps most importantly, essays and poetry on the disability experience from the inside. 

The disability rights movement is important, not just for those with physical disabilities, but so that all in our society will feel included and valued.  Awareness of what individuals with physical and mental disabilities face every day is important for enhanced compassion and understanding among all of humanity.

To assume that everyone can walk, see, hear, drive, or work in a fast-paced and highly pressured  environment is to alienate a good portion of our population to the "ragged edge" of society and to lose their valuable skills and talents.

As human beings, as Christians and as Catholics, we need to recognize the humanity of everyone and champion that humanity no matter what the cost.

Note:  I also have a new category on my lower sidebar: Disability Awareness.  

In keeping with our angelic theme, this week's Art and Beauty Tuesday is a beautiful black and white oil painting by Ryan Brown called Praying Angel.

This amazing painting is a study in contrasts.  Done with oils, it is nevertheless black and white.  It is an angel, yet has no wings.  At first glance, it seems to be a painting of a statue, but it is eerily life like.

I think the juxtaposition of opposites in this piece is a way of illustrating the paradox of spirituality.  Happiness is found in letting go, plenty is found in giving away and life is found in death to self.