Widening Circles, by Rainer Maria Rilke
Meditation
Here in DC, the flowers are blooming. The sun is shining, and winter has given way to spring. The seasons keep moving and the earth continues to spin, though in many ways it feels as though we have hit pause on our lives. “I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world,” Rilke writes. Many of us have been taught that our lives have a beginning, a middle, and an end. But perhaps we can take this time to reflect on the cyclical nature of our growth in this life—as individuals, as partners, and as a community.
As time keeps moving, we are struck again and again with that question at the center of our lives: who am I? Today, take a moment to reflect on all that is moving around you in the world—look outside of the circle to find what is within. Is your circle expanding, or is it closing in? In what ways do you feel like you’re moving or standing still? Which version of yourself is at the center of your circle today? How can we embrace movement in this time of pause?
Brianna Curran, Washington, DC
