The “U-Turn” in politics, for example. Margaret
Thatcher (the controversial British Prime Minister who was in power primarily
during the 1980s) said, “You turn if you want to; the lady’s not for turning”
and this became one of her most famous and lauded phrases.
In many religious contexts, too, there’s a view
that if a person changes their beliefs, or moves away from what they used to
believe, they’re somehow “losing faith” or “backsliding”...
I wonder why this is.
Life is full of twists and turns and meanderings.
Sometimes, we turn because we got it wrong and we realize that we need to make
amends or take a different tack. Sometimes, we turn because what was right
before is no longer for the best, or because experience has shed a new
and different light on things. Sometimes, we turn simply as the Earth turns -
to keep going, to maintain balance.
I think it’s good to turn. It’s not a sign of
weakness, but of strength and courage and a healthy, free spirit. It’s evidence
that we’re learning and paying attention and hacking out our own, unique path.
You turn, if you want to.
Turn
by Ruth Calder Murphy
Turn…
And turn again.
Not backwards, but onwards -
towards the light
or into the velvet night
that beckons and calls.
Turn to wind up the tick-tock clock
of your being,
turn for cycles and seasons,
turn because you can.
Turn because Earth turns,
because the sun burns
and life goes on.
Turn because seasons roll
and Time slides.
Turn for body, mind and soul -
turn because the moon shines.
Turn because the road is never straight
and the river’s deep and wide,
winding through woods
and crashing down mountainsides.
Turn as a gyroscope turns
- to find your centre
and keep yourself true,
to balance on the edge of the abyss
and kiss the void
without falling through.
Turn when roads diverge
or the path becomes old.
Turn for the warm embrace or the soothing cold;
Turn to take what each moment gives.
Turn -
and turn again.
Turn to live.
Ruth Calder Murphy is a writer, artist, music teacher, wife and mother living in London, UK. Her life is wonderfully full of creativity and low-level chaos. She is the author of two published novels, The Scream and The Everlasting Monday, several books of poetry and one or two as-yet unpublished novels. More of Ruth' Spiritual poetry can be found in her book, Spirit Song and the soon-to-be-released sequel, "River Song". She is passionate about celebrating the uniqueness of people, questioning the unquestionable and discovering new perspectives on old wonders. She is learning to ride the waves that come along—peaks and troughs—and is waking up to just how wonderful life really is. You can visit Ruth and view more of her art on her website, or on her writer's page on Facebook. All her books are available on Amazon, here.
~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~
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