Second Chance Dance: The Sondering

Friday, July 31, 2026

The Sondering

"Treat and deal all. creation

as it is and not how we expect

or desire it to be.

Treat others as you

want to be treated."

- Unknown

"To sonder is the profound realization that every person we see has

a life as rich , complex and vivid as our own even if we know

nothing about it."

- John Koenig

"The beginning of love is the will to let those we love to be perfectly

themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit to our own image.

If in loving them we do not love we they are, but only their potential

likeness to ourselves, then we do to love them : we only love the reflection

of ourselves we find in them."

- Thomas Merton

"No one , no thing is perfect"

- Buddhist Saying

Zues's Law .. ( Xenios)

Treat all strangers and guests ( every person) with respec

and hospitality. Remember there is a sacred bond between us all.

(One never knows if the other person is a divinity

in disguise.)

Inspiration

It was interesting to read that the director of the latest film

version of The Odyssey recently observed that Homer’s—

and the early Greeks’—notion of Zeus’ Law suggests that,

with every breath we take, we are, in many ways, throwing

ourselves upon the mercy and kindness of strangers.

Zeus’ Law, which called for treating all strangers

as honored guests, is reminiscent of the Golden Rule

and of many spiritual and religious traditions.

The Greeks stressed the possibility that a stranger

might be a god or goddess in disguise.

I was reminded of the yoga practice of Anjali Mudra

and the greeting Namaste:

“I bow to the divine in you.”

The Writing:

The Sondering

Do stars glow in the night sky
for their own benefit?

Have navigators and astrologers
simply imagined that the heavenly bodies
have some purpose, rhyme, or reason?

Birds sing their welcome in gratitude,
celebrating the new dawn.

Clouds clear the way for the sun
to illuminate and warm
all creation below.

Winds carry seeds while providing
lift for winged friends,
and cool breezes help vessels
make their way.

The universe seems aware
of the perfect imperfection
of all creation—
interdependent, interconnected.

Is it all just some random accident?

Leaves fall as flowers sprout,
each fulfilling its contribution
to the air and the well-being
of ask who wander, sentient
and non-sentient alike.

Some contribute more,
but even the lesser is needed.

Everything has a history.
Everyone the same.

Awakening to the differences—
to the possibilities of how every piece,
everything, and everyone
plays a role,
sometime, somehow,
and somewhere—
illuminates and fuels
our own authentic selves.

Is this the time in my journey,
an invitation
to spend less time judging
and more time sondering
in quiet contemplation,
allowing the hidden truths
around us and within us
to unfold?

— JF Sobecki

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Second Chance Dance Playlist Songs plus

August 1 , 2026 - listen

Click on the link below .

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDutwZe03Td0&si=wA5uP0Pvt0FlaaFt

Coda: Remembering a treasure: R.I. P. Glen Hansard

Thanks to Glen for the gift of and passion for music always

and being authentic in helping and inspiring others.

There have been those I admired who has passed on and

I was/am sad . I only knew him through his music, his values

and his energy .This man/artist left so soon. ...

Some people some how become part of your story-

"Airim uaim thu' "

( Gaelic translation - " I feel you missing from me")

(click the link below)

Glen Hansard - The Parting Glass

https://youtu.be/sCZcJHAcAZ4?si=qEBH61Q_XRkTf8eA

* 8/4/2008 - Celebrating in gratitude the 18th year anniversary

of my heart surgery and a rebirth

and the beginning of The Second Chance Dance Blog

Whether you "believe" or not...this might be interesting:

* Research indicates that even with significant differences

the major religions and spiritual practices around the world

they share the following common perspectives and themes:

- Compassion and love - how we treat others

- promote human welfare and reduce suffering

- Practice loving kindness all ways

- All life ( existence) is connected.

- A good life is measured by your kindness to others

- Seek truth, wisdom and understanding

- Be grateful , present and aware of each moment

- There is a higher purpose in life than materialism

- Service to and care of others, be selfless ( especially those

who cannot help themselves)

"One day I will find the right words and they will be simple."

- Jack Kerouac

"If this is well written and to the point , that is what I desired,

if it is poorly done , it was the best I could do."

- 2 Maccabees 15:38-39

AMDG

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New Blog - Rain and Rivers Revisited: A Journey of a Lost Weekend

Well you may recall I have been working on a piece of fiction for a while now. It is still a work in progress. However, I decided

to release drafts of the first few episodes ( chapters.) Much of the work is completed but I am always cutting and editing.

http://rainandriversrevisited.blogspot.com/

It is difficult to release just pieces at a time as they are created as independent episodes they are also all parts of a larger piece (and picture .) I could share more but I am curious to read or hear your feedback.

I want to thank those friends and supporters who have already provided feedback ...and of course all the folks who have been following my Second Chance Dance Blog ( by the way that will continue.)

The material in the Blog is all copyrighted and cannot be reproduced in any form. Though, I welcome you to share the link and this blog with others .So please when you have a few minutes take a read and let me know what you think. I expect to be posting a series of subsequent episodes shortly.

Thanks....

News of Death

(This is for Coach)

Last night they came with news of death
not knowing what I would say.
I wanted to say,"The green wind is running through the fields making the grass lie flat."
I wanted to say,"The apple blossom flakes like ash covering the orchard wall."
I wanted to say,"the fish float belly up in the slow stream,stepping stones to the dead."

They asked if I would sleep that night,
I said I did not know.
For this loss I could not speak,the tongue lay idle in a great darkness,the heart was strangely open,the moon had gone,and it was then when I said, "He is no longer here"
that the night put its arms around me
and all the white stars turned bitter with grief.
- David Whyte

What Work is

We stand in the rain in a long line

waiting at Ford Highland Park. For work.

You know what work is--if you're

old enough to read this you know what

work is, although you may not do it.

Forget you. This is about waiting,

shifting from one foot to another.

Feeling the light rain falling like mist

into your hair, blurring your vision

until you think you see your own brother

ahead of you, maybe ten places.

You rub your glasses with your fingers,

and of course it's someone else's brother,

narrower across the shoulders than

yours but with the same sad slouch, the grin

that does not hide the stubbornness,

the sad refusal to give in to

rain, to the hours wasted waiting,

to the knowledge that somewhere ahead

a man is waiting who will say, "No,

we're not hiring today," for any

reason he wants. You love your brother,

now suddenly you can hardly stand

the love flooding you for your brother,

who's not beside you or behind or

ahead because he's home trying to

sleep off a miserable night shift

at Cadillac so he can get up

before noon to study his German.

Works eight hours a night so he can sing

Wagner, the opera you hate most,

the worst music ever invented.

How long has it been since you told him

you loved him, held his wide shoulders,

opened your eyes wide and said those words,

and maybe kissed his cheek? You've never

done something so simple, so obvious,

not because you're too young or too dumb,

not because you're jealous or even mean

or incapable of crying in

the presence of another man, no,

just because you don't know what work is.

Philip Levine

On Marriage - Kahil Gibran

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bond of love:Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loafSing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.And stand together yet not too near together:For the pillars of the temple stand apart,And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

A favorite "Journey" poem from a favorite poet

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.
-- Mary Oliver

Send or post one of your favorites! They can be lyrics to a song!

Playing For Change

Please see the current music video from "Playing for Change" at the bottom of this page. It is a movement. Enjoy!

"Playing for Change" is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world

Fall in Love

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in a love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings, what you will do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.” --- Pedro Arrupe SJ

Friday, July 31, 2026

The Sondering

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