Tip of My Iceberg

This line comes from a poem by E.E. Cummings, a prolific poet, painter, and playwright who played with words and word pictures in a way that enraptured me as a child and has reminded me of the power of words as an adult. And the magic of fun.

In his poem, “In Just”, he plays with spacing and wording in a way that speaks about the glory of spring with fun and fancy. When I first read this poem in fourth grade, I was captured by the idea that fun can be found even in words.

Courtney, my Colorado daughter, finds fun in creating whimsy for her son, my little grand Beck. She created a driveway obstacle course in chalk that filled all the requirements of fun and creative genius. Spinning in beautiful flowers, hopping like a frog, and popping colorful two-dimensional bubbles, it was an experience in color and fun.

It’s out-of-the-box thinking, coming up with fun things that don’t require a lot of money or a screen. To enjoy being in the moment, appreciating the small things around us. I’ve watched my kids in amazement as they come up with unique ways to enlighten, entertain, and enrich their kids.

Life itself can feel puzzling. Not the fun kind of puzzles–where pieces fit together to create a lovely picture. The puzzles that leave you speculating about what will happen next, the good or bad, the hoped for or the hesitant. E.E Cummings said it best: “You are tired, (I think) of the always puzzle of living and doing; and so am I.”

We’re all tired of the “always puzzle” of life. The questions we can’t understand or answer. The challenge of doing life well in the midst of disappointment and disruption. It’s often the case where our “pieces” don’t feel like they fit, that we’re forcing things to happen that aren’t right, definitely not comfortable.

Jesus knows how hard it is to live in a world of compromise and confusion. He’s the Light we need to see through the dark that often surrounds us.

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Cummings said it in a way that makes sense to me. When I read this, I feel like it’s a message from Jesus to me.

“here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart; I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)”

Our problems are nothing in comparison to the love and delight God has in us. We are His beloveds if we let Him love us. He loves magnificently–outside-of-the-box kind of love, nothing holds Him back. He creatively, whimsically, passionately loves us and longs for us to enjoy Him.

He carries our hearts in His heart–if we let Him.