Widening Circles
Written by Rainer Maria Rilke
*Translated and read by Joanna Macy
I live my life in widening circles
that reach out across the world.
I may not complete this last one
but I give myself to it.
I circle around God, around the primordial tower.
I’ve been circling for thousands of years
and I still don’t know: am I a falcon,
a storm, or a great song?
I have always been drawn to trees, from Douglas firs to Joshua trees. I picture my life as a cross-section of a trunk, with rings wide with abundance and narrow with drought, rooted in my ancestors and their stories, known and unknown. I believe stories build identity, connection, and power, and nothing feels more sacred to me than witnessing and being witnessed.
I used to joke that my dream job would be getting paid to listen to people's stories. As a spiritual director, I am living my dream!