At the root of our fear and anxiety is an inability to conceive of the world going on without us. We shrink back from fully living because of this. A fear of dying warps our living

In my entire life, the first person I instantly think of who lived every day to the fullest was a high school acquaintance named Jeff Broadwell. Mercilessly teased as a young boy, he turned before our eyes into a gold-hearted rebel who did what he thought best to do wherever and whenever he wanted to do it, and would routinely invite anyone – anyone – within earshot to do it with him. He had already died a thousand deaths at the hands of bullies. What had he left to fear? Tragically, I had the privilege of presiding at his funeral a few years ago. We were shook by his sudden absence from the planet, but could only marvel at the profound, enduring, blazing Spirit that blew into the world through him. Lose the fear and live the adventure, his memory still whispers to me…

Awakening-boyThe Boy Who Wouldn’t Come In

(In loving memory of Jeff Broadwell)

Wild beyond the window,
Wide open past the door
There’s so much out inside of me,
And summer’s here once more.

I will not heed your call tonight
Not with summer here again.
I’m eyes to skies and foot to flight,
Call me the boy who wouldn’t come in.
Your distant, pleading siren song
I hear hastens down the wind
It no longer pulls so strong
Not on the boy who wouldn’t come in.

It’s summer forever

Wild beyond the window…

In just one stride I lost the how
of ruler, clock and pen.
Halls and walls mean nothing now
Not to the boy who wouldn’t come in.

I hold coyote secrets tight
I dance with ancient kin.
I wave with rye and drink moonlight.
I’m the boy…

I run with untamed mysteries.
I hold no faith in fact.
I’m well past hours or inches now,
and I’m never coming back.
forever.

© 2010, Corey Keyes

Awakening Manifesto:

Introduction
Chapter 1: Awakening
Chapter 2: Gladly Sing the Blues
Chapter 3: Four Bells
Chapter 4: I Get Your Drift
Chapter 5: Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There
Chapter 6: Talitha Cum
Chapter 7: Push to Beat the Train
Chapter 8: True Love Is
Chapter 9: The Boy Who Wouldn’t Come In
Chapter 10: Live on Love
Chapter 11: White Road Rag
Acknowledgements