Being in the world

How Now?

Sometime ago I came across a poem titled “Wage Peace,” by Judyth Hill*. I found the title so striking as I had never seen the words “wage” and “peace” side-by-side before. How fitting. Given the current state of civilization, it seems to be exactly what we need. Instead of each person’s outrage, disbelief or heartache turning to anger, a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, or even worse, indifference, imagine what could be if it was turned into a passion for peace….a drive toward love.

While it may seem impossible or too big for individuals to make a difference in such a way, it is not, nor has it ever been. Throughout time, many an obstacle has been overcome and humankind been made better off through movements begun by an individual(s). In much the same way, movements that have led to our falling down…to our detriment, have been started. As always, the choice of which movement is ours, but indifference is not.

Movements fueled by hate and intolerance at the center can only continue if we allow them to be bigger and brighter than our passion for peace, love, and all that is truly good. There is no limit to the power of God. We have to believe in order to retrieve the passion to withstand and rise above the chaos and confusion…to stand up for what is right and just…to restore unity in our homes, in our communities, in our country, and in our world.

We are One. We need to take that to heart, to own it and promote it, before we are none.

How? Know yourself. Dive deep down into your core. Rediscover who you are, who you were created to be. Be rooted in that place, and be sincere to your true self in all your endeavors. By doing so, no matter what comes your way, you will be saved as will the world around you, through you. For God is faithful to those who are faithful to God.

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“Believe! Everything is possible to one who has faith.” – Jesus Christ

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” – Buddha

“Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.” – Dalai Lama

“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” – Rumi

“There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.” – Mahatma Ghandi

“How wonderful is it that nobody need wait a single moment
before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

“To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; To put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; To put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; We must first set our hearts right.” – Confucius

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water
to create many ripples.” – Blessed Mother Teresa.

“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.” – Rabindranath Tagore

“We cannot live in a world that is not our own, in a world that is interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a home. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening, to use our own voice, to see our own light.” – Hildegard of Bingen

“There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled.” – Rumi

“So I say to you, ‘Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find;
knock, and the door will be opened for you.’” – Jesus Christ

 

*http://voiceseducation.org/content/38-judyth-hill-wage-peace

 

Wisdom from the woods…

As a child I recall playing with friends in the woods and walking across fallen trees or planks of wood from one point to another and sometimes over water. I don’t recall how high up “the bridges” were, but I do remember us pretending that we were walking on a tightrope high up in the air. I also recall sledding down what seemed like a mountain in those same woods while trying to avoid the many trees of varying size that were all around and between us.

Sometimes situations in life can feel like walking on a tightrope or through a mine field. It’s interesting how as a child the idea of walking a tightrope or sledding downhill and maneuvering around many obstacles can seem so much more exciting and feel so much more inviting and adventurous compared to as an adult. It’s as if once one realizes all that could go wrong, a door is shut, or at least becomes one that is not so readily opened or chosen. This is not necessarily a bad thing in terms of physical activities as older bodies are not often as agile and quick to bounce back as youthful ones. However, it can become a bad thing if it spreads into other areas of life and limits one’s openness.

An aging body does not need to become an aging spirit. So while I can no longer move through the woods with almost reckless…carefree abandon as I used to, I can still move through each day that life has to offer with a youthful, free spirit. I can continue to become both stronger in spirit and wiser with each year even when I don’t feel full of the almost boundless energy of my younger years. Despite my increasing age, I can continue to carry on with youthful hope and optimism, celebrating life, channeling the energy that I do have, and being grateful. Through the grace of God, no matter the circumstances, I can always live life to the fullest whether walking on a tightrope or standing on solid ground in ways that perhaps were not possible in my youth. The choice is mine.

“The child grew and became strong in spirit…” – Luke 1:80

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The Cross…

OurFather

Just the other day I was thinking about the school year ending, summer beginning and how I look forward to the down time with my children, but I do not look forward to the increased bickering that is likely to accompany it. I guess that’s par for the course as a parent. Even more than that though, perhaps it is part of carrying one’s cross.

“Then Jesus said to all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’” – Luke 9:23-24.

So often when I think of carrying a cross I think of the big trials and challenges. However, to take up one’s cross daily means the small things too. Each time I make a sacrifice, even if it is minute, I am in a sense carrying a cross. Often I think, “Can I just have one day without bickering!” However, the way I respond or react to my children bickering, can be part of taking up a parent’s cross. How different the experience can be when I catch myself and remember this, asking God to help me to find joy, or at least a sense of peace, in moments of bickering.

How improved each moment can be when I hand it over to God. Although it can be against the grain, especially in the times in which we live, surrender is sometimes the most powerful thing one can do. It often leads to victory; that is peace. It is in the “Letting go and letting God” that people most often get through both the big and the small crosses of life, and in doing so come to appreciate more deeply all that is theirs.

A year or two ago, someone asked me why I held my hands out and upward while saying the Lord’s Prayer. The person asked, “Is that something new?” I responded, “No. Not for me.” Then I went on to explain that this was the way I was taught to say the Lord’s Prayer as a child. I continued saying that I wasn’t sure why I was taught to do it that way, but that as an adult I had come to see this gesture as a symbolic kind of opening myself up to the Lord and the Lord’s will. A silent, “Here I am, Lord. I come to do your will.” An acknowledgment that it’s not all about me. A surrendering to the idea that my life…what I say…what I do…has an impact far beyond me (and often in ways that I may never know). And, an invitation to the Lord to guide me and teach me, to lead me so that by the grace of God, I might do God’s will despite my imperfections.

Open My Eyes by Jesse Manibusan

Open my eyes, Lord
Help me to see your face
Open my eyes, Lord
Help me to see

Open my ears, Lord
Help me to hear your voice
Open my ears, Lord
Help me to hear

Open my heart, Lord
Help me to love like you
Open my heart, Lord
Help me to love

And the last shall be first
And our eyes are opened
And we’ll hear like never before
And we’ll speak in new ways
And we’ll see God’s face in places we’ve never known

I live within you
Deep in your heart, O Love
I live within you
Rest now in me

Somehow…Someway…

“But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons.” – Richard Bach

As the school year winds down and the parental spiral into full-fledged teenage years moves steadily ahead, I find myself understanding more and more why it is important to write down, photograph…to memorialize in some way the moments of everyday life—both the challenges and the joys.

Sometimes I think back to the sleepless nights or days when it seemed like we were swimming in diapers and I think, “How did we get through that?” I chuckle as I remember moments of seeing glimpses of preferences, mannerisms and personality that are now more pronounced, part-and-parcel, of who my children are. What a blessing to be able to see and be part of all of those moments. Yes, even the diapers and sleepless nights—although I also feel very blessed to have moved beyond that stage of parenthood.

No matter what one’s stage or station in life, it can be so helpful to recall past moments when feeling uncertain, overwhelmed or simply wondering, “How is this going to work out?” or, “What’s this all about?” in the current moment or situation. Somehow, doing so makes it easier to keep things in perspective and refrain from falling prey to the trap that is “worry” or the superhero syndrome that leads me to falsely thinking or acting as if I can control all things.

It is remarkable how, somehow, we can get through what we need to get through and someway we accomplish and overcome what at times might seem insurmountable. Then I think, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50)

A Needle Pulling Thread…

At times, it can seem like there is a pervasive parasite on the face of society…a force intent on squashing any semblance of collaboration and working with, and out of, a spirit of love. These days it seems to be so rampant, penetrating more and more organizations. It can be disheartening to be involved in organizations where there has been a shift away from what originally drew one to become involved.

It can be challenging when what was once open and above board becomes secretive and closed off or when a place becomes one where who one knows or what one owns holds more weight than doing the work to be done. Even more than trying, it can be downright troubling, in an environment where one would expect the very opposite of what is experienced…sad to feel like one can no longer be involved in something that once brought great joy, meaning and sense of purpose.

So while one may become stuck in the muck that seems to rule the day—politics and ego…territorialism…greed…jealousy, etc.—or surrounded by it, one may also detach from it and look to do good in other ways and in other places. Doing what one can, where one can, as one can, and then perhaps, moving on.

The other day I was speaking with a lifelong friend and she was telling me about some sewing she had done for her niece. She was commenting on how she enjoyed what she had done and was surprised at how the little work she had done (in her eyes) seemed to bring much joy to her niece who was thrilled with the new hemline on her dress. My friend sewed that hemline with joy and love in her heart and her niece received it in kind.

It was uplifting to hear my friend speak of this simple experience. As I listened to her, and in light of some of our prior conversation, I thought, “That is God’s work.” It is not necessarily in a building, through an organization, or even in big things noticeable far and wide, but so often in the little things done with love and joy, and with sincerity in one’s heart.

NeedlePullingThread

We Have Each Other…

About 15 years ago, my husband and I attended a party celebrating the anniversary of one of our relatives. It was a joyous occasion for a person who has been fulfilling her vocation with great devotion and passion, and most often with a smile on her face. At the end of our time together and as we were exchanging hugs and “so longs,” she said to us, “thank you for coming, for being part of this occasion. Did you get your gift?” We had not, but almost as soon as our faces shifted to what must have been quizzical expressions, she was off to get the gift, and before we knew it, we had it. The gift, a framed saying – “Joy shared is joy multiplied” – so appropriate for the person who gave it and the occasion on which it was given.

JoyShared

Over the past week, this saying and different variations of it have come to mind so frequently, across a number of settings. As I have stayed with it, I am reminded how through the years, in sharing, most definitely, joy has been multiplied, grief has been made bearable, and faith has been strengthened. As I look around, it seems we have everything we need…we have each other.

You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban 

When I am down and, oh, my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up to more than I can be.

 

 

Dinosaurs and Birds…

“None of us is as smart as all of us.” – Ken Blanchard

In the course of being part of many different kinds of groups over the years, in both the for profit and non-profit arenas, as well as for business, ministry, and pleasure, it has been interesting to see how the spirit in which the group members come together far outweighs any talent, intellect, or circumstances that may come into play. More often than not, it does not matter how difficult the goal is to reach or the obstacles that may be present so much as it does the spirit and attitude with which each member enters and participates in the group.

In groups where members have helped to shape a clearly stated purpose(s) and remained focused on it while embracing diversity, listening to one another, and being open to the sharing of ideas and different approaches, seeing them as opportunities from which something might be gleaned, even if they seemed foreign to some within the group, much has been accomplished. Not only that, but through meaningful communication and working together, bonds have developed between group members. Through a spirit of cooperation, each individual has been better for having been part of the group. In addition, the fruit of the group has served a greater purpose; it reaches beyond the group.

In groups where this has not happened, far less has been accomplished and members have often either walked away in frustration or stayed, but with a diminished spirit and sense of purpose. Usually, these members become occasional participants or observers (more on the outside) rather than an active, engaged part of the group. Also operating within these kinds of groups, and larger than the collective purpose of the group, is often a smaller group of two or three driving things mostly to the exclusion of the rest of the group and all that others might bring to the table. There is not much working together in a sustainable way and the fruit of the group, as related to its purpose, doesn’t reach very far and is little to none.

The other day, a friend and I were talking about how sometimes it can be hard to know when to walk away and when to stay. Initially we talked about what would happen if more often than not people walked away. Then we discussed what it is like when they stay, diminished in spirit, present but not really vested; an environment of apathy. The more we talked the more we agreed that the latter was worse, but still as with most situations, for each seeker, eventually the path becomes clear and the way made known.

As I continue to reflect on our discussion, I think about how people and things come and go…as they have since the beginning. Then, I remember, as another friend said a while ago, sometimes it has to die in order to be born again with a new, enlivened spirit. Perhaps the choice is not to leave or to stay, but to embrace and face the unknown and the uncertain (death of what is known and of what we are sure) or to become extinct. For that, the location makes no difference…only the spirit.

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It is not fair…thank God!

At times, it can be easy to be lured into a false sense of security….enticed to be surface-centered…tricked into thinking that value and uniqueness lay in external things rather than in substance and being. Almost constantly challenged and urged to move faster, to be first, to be best, always to be and do more. We are surrounded by rapid change and quick-fire solutions many of which make things different, but not necessarily better.

In the midst of all the flux though, certain truths remain the same. For starters, life is not fair. We can try to understand, but we never really know all the reasons why things work out the way they do. Most often, though, there are hidden or unexpected gifts in the things that do not go as hoped for or planned.

Around the time of my college graduation, I was not sure what I wanted to do. I had no job lined up. I planned to take the summer off. In the weeks that followed graduation, almost every day I would go for a run. One day as I was jogging I decided I was going to enter the Army. Soon after, I took a test and filled out paper work. I felt very strongly that being in the Army was for me and would be good for me. I felt so excited for what might lay ahead. I had a vision of all that could be…a path to follow. Then, I received a call notifying me that for a medical reason, I could not enter the Army. I felt extremely disappointed, and once again I had no idea what I was going to do.

A few months later, though, I got an entry level job at a company for which one of my brothers-in-law worked. I worked on the 9th floor with eyes toward being on the 10th floor or above. Those were the floors with more prestigious jobs.

There I was on the 9th floor with a number of other recent grads and people close to my age. As time progressed, there was a group of us who started to go to lunch together, and sometimes to happy hours on Friday nights. Wanting to be in the Army became a distant memory and was replaced with a new desire to rise to the top. I had a new path, or so I thought. Meanwhile, from within that lunch bunch and happy hour gang, I would gain a fantasy football team partner. One with whom I shared laughter and had lively discussions over the course of the football season and the months that followed. Little did I know, I had met my soulmate. I was not looking for one. It just happened, and when it did, I chose a new path.

When I think back to how it all unfolded, I feel amazed that it all started with life being unfair. Then I realize, more often than not, it ends up being glorious beyond compare.

“In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God.” – St. John of the Cross

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Connections; Key Along the Way…

ConnectionsTree

Ezekiel connected dem dry bones,
Ezekiel connected dem dry bones,
Ezekiel in the Valley of Dry Bones,
Now hear the word of the Lord.

Toe bone connected to the foot bone
Foot bone connected to the heel bone
Heel bone connected to the ankle bone
Ankle bone connected to the shin bone
Shin bone connected to the knee bone
Knee bone connected to the thigh bone
Thigh bone connected to the hip bone
Hip bone connected to the back bone
Back bone connected to the shoulder bone
Shoulder bone connected to the neck bone
Neck bone connected to the head bone
Now hear the word of the Lord.

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
Now hear the word of the Lord.

—“Dem Bones” by James Weldon Johnson

Connections are vital for all living things. Our connections to people, places, and things often have great impact on our decisions and choices as we journey through life. Sometimes this can be a good thing, leading us to greater union with the Divine. Other times it can be a bad thing, pulling us away or clouding our vision from that which would lead us closer to God.

Whether someone of great experience or someone just starting out on her or his spiritual journey, like Ezekiel, we can all find ourselves in a valley of dry bones. It can be within us or around us. No matter how advanced we are—or we might think we are—if we are being honest, none of us are immune.

What exactly are dry bones? To me, dry bones are bones that cease to be aware or to be open to experiencing or learning something new. Dry bones shut out and close down. But dry bones are not hopeless or beyond repair. The choice is theirs.

It is only through slowing down and taking a closer look that we are able discover which connections are helpful and healthy, which might require some work, and which ones may be faulty or have become blocked and are no longer life-giving. None of this is possible though, without the most important part, listening, and the most important connection, “Now hear the word of the Lord.”

Bones full of life, rooted and strengthened or renewed in God, remain hopeful, see possibility, and recognize importance in both the big and the small. Bones full of life know that no connection is wasted and that each one holds something sacred. “Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around!”

*The above is adapted from a post that I wrote for Spiritual Directors International’s blog and that was published on April 20.

 

 

To the Earth…

The glory of God is constantly in our midst. It is there in so many ways. Sometimes we are aware of it and sometimes we are not. As Earth Day (April 22) approaches, look around in the days to come. Bathe in the splendor of the earth. No matter where you are or how busy you might be, take time, even if just a moment or two, to seek and embrace the beauty of creation. Let joy spring from within and wash over you as you receive the glory of God; a gift to each of us, God’s beloved.

In celebration and honor of Earth Day, thanks be to God.

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2SnowCoveredTreesAtSunset

3Sunrise

4RockWashing

5DaffodilClose

6CrookedBranchTree

7Clouds

8MoonRising

9SnowOnHollyBush

10NiagaraBridge

11NiagaraRainbow

12Fall

13BAliveTrees

13MountainCross

14WhiteMountains

15OceanShimmer

16Sunset

 

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies.

Christ, our Lord, to you we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flower,
sun and moon and stars of light,

Christ, our Lord, to you we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild,

Christ, our Lord, to you we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.

For yourself, best gift divine,
to the world so freely given,
agent of God’s grand design:
peace on earth and joy in heaven.

Written by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint