You can’t pitch unless something or someone is catching
Or else it falls in the grass and it’s still yours
And you have to go and pick it back up anyway
The higher power … The universe … Whatever …
That’s what you have to let go to
Melody’s higher power was whales
We thought for a while it was Wales
It wasn’t
It was whales
Anyway: it totally worked … Melody was happy and useful
So, the basic definition of the higher power is this:
It is very, very big & powerful
It is very, very smart
It is wholly good
Conceive of that
Beyond that
Stop figuring out the higher power
If you could figure it out satisfactorily
You’d be equal to it
You’d both be going to the same country club
And laughing over cocktails
Which presumably you’re not
So anyway, prayer is your basic means of letting go
I know, I know, I KNOW
You’re probably done with that for some reason
That seems really, really valid
I’m not making up the rules, here, buddy
I’m just reporting them
So it’s your basic communication channel
It’s the distress signal
It’s the distress signal
It’s the semaphore
It’s the whispering through the grille
It’s the broom handle on the ceiling
It’s the telegram to the rich aunt
Or Santa Claus
Actually not Santa Claus
At least not the American one
Anyway
It’s the thank you letter
It’s the talk with the professor about Narnia
It’s Frodo and Gandalf
It’s Harry and Dumbledore
It’s Mork and Orson
It’s Dorothy and Glinda
Although not nearly so tricksy
It’s … well … you’ve got the idea now
Try words
Leave mysticism to St Teresa of Ávila
Leave visions to St Thérèse of Lisieux
Who, apparently, was an atheist
According to someone who actually knew her
Anyway: use what you’ve got
Which is your thoughts, your words, your needs
And send ‘em up the vacuum tube to
The Big Giant Head in the Sky
Tell it what is going on
Without any artfulness
Ask it what to do
Without any reservation
And express appreciation to it for stuff that is good
For kittens
Or baklava
Or the fact you aren’t quite dead yet
Evidence to the contrary notwithstanding
Do that and do it often
And leave it to find a way of communicating back to you
Remember, it’s smarter than you are
And don’t expect to be paged or faxed
Basically: inspiration, intuitive thoughts, decisions
Stuff just starts being known
And
If you get any really crazy ideas
Like, cross-border ideas
Or anything that involves taking your clothes off
Run them past a grown-up