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For the last three decades, I have listened intentionally and attentively while people have trusted me by telling me their personal, private stories. As they talked, I observed patterns and commonalities in their narratives. I compared their stories to objects, Bible stories, and nature. People–patients from hospital beds, families of hospice clients who were about to lose dying loved ones, parishioners from congregations, sisters from sorority, students from workshops and seminary, my family members and friends, lay people and clergypersons, etc.–talked. People–men and women of different faith communities, racial and cultural backgrounds, and socioeconomic standings ranging from poor to wealthy and educated to barely literate–shared from their hearts. People told their stories; I took notes without names and recognized their pain and challenges. Later, they often returned to tell me more celebratory stories about their overcoming, empowerment, victories, life changes, coping, and sometimes solutions! I listened, learned, and took more notes as I scribbled poems and rhymes, made notes in my phone, and then wrote what turned into this book. It is my prayer that you, your study group, book club, girlfriends, and buddies will read these poems, see yourself and God more clearly, and be challenged, inspired, and intrigued by reading Comparisons: Poems that Reflect the Earthly and the Divine.
