Journey

Reach…

The rays of light poured forth from the sun, extending toward the sea before carrying on and making their way across the water. Then from there, onto the shore, absorbing all in its path, catching passersby, and filling with gratitude, awe and inspiration, each willing soul along the way.

Sometimes getting from one side to the other is easier said than done. Today I found myself thinking about a day, a number of years ago, that I had to fly out of state to do a training session. It had been a productive day, moving right along with no hitches, but still it was a long day and at the end, I could not wait to be home again. However, the return trip was unexpectedly delayed. I remember checking in and boarding the flight, and feeling relieved as the plane began to depart from the gate. I was thinking that soon we would be in the air and less than a couple of hours later reaching the destination. All was good.

Continuing on, we began to move forward, and we kept moving, but without picking up speed. Then, the plane came to a halt, and remained halted on the tarmac for a number of hours. All passengers confined to their seats, I remember feeling more than a little upset as the time standing there, still, grew longer and longer.

Feeling so stuck, it was hard not to wonder, why? Why did the plane pull away from the gate, leaving one and all stranded, with nowhere to go? What is going on? Why are we waiting here? How long will it be?

Eventually, a far time from departing from the gate, the plane was able to take off. I found myself feeling so thankful along the way, upon landing and deplaning, and even more grateful, upon arriving home and climbing into my bed that late night/early morning. Thinking back on that trip, I remember at first feeling defeated in those long moments of waiting. The situation at hand invasive, threatening to wash away the prior, more pleasant happenings of the day. Then, as the time passed, sifting through various thoughts and feelings, somewhere in between, I remember letting go and arriving at a different destination—peace. All was good.

Back then, I did not understand. Since then, I have come to see. The tarmac, what seemed an empty wasteland, the place of being stuck or just waiting and waiting, held the same peace I was longing for at home. Yet, it was only able to reach me, and me it, in my letting go.

Most often what is waiting in between, the in between—Peace—is what gets one through.

Peace, always reaching out, longing to be held.

Peace, a treasure, seeking to be sought, but more than often not.

Peace, always near, always here, wandering care. 

Peace, destined for each other, like the calling of a mother.

Reach

From the Ground Up…

Taking a stroll… wandering to and fro… wondering and thinking.

Time goes by. Still strolling… still thinking.

Noticing the plants… flowers and shrubs… the sky above…

Drawn in more than one direction. Decision indecision.

Aim high? Aim low? Maybe somewhere in between?

No, not quite… No, not right… Oh, alright.

FromTheGroundUp

Going about each day, it is natural to take in what is immediately in front, ahead, or in the vicinity, while keeping stride from one minute to the next. It is often easiest to see or connect with what is received at eye level or perhaps sometimes what is above. Yet, oftentimes, what is of most value, and can be most helpful, can be found at a much lower height than one’s stature, position, or aspirations. Tempting though it may be, never mistake or forsake the importance of what happens, or what can be seen, at ground level, or below, at the roots. Remember, it is in the foundation of the soul—the heart—that Truth makes itself known, and then, the path that is best, is shown.

In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said: Whatever you ask I shall give you.

Solomon answered: “You have shown great kindness to your servant, David my father, because he walked before you with fidelity, justice, and an upright heart; and you have continued this great kindness toward him today, giving him a son to sit upon his throne.

Now, LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed David my father; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act—

I, your servant, among the people you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.

Give your servant, therefore, a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil. For who is able to give judgment for this vast people of yours?”

The Lord was pleased by Solomon’s request.

So God said to him: Because you asked for this—you did not ask for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies—but you asked for discernment to know what is right—

I now do as you request. I give you a heart so wise and discerning that there has never been anyone like you until now, nor after you will there be anyone to equal you.

– 1 Kings 3:5-12

Grains of Wheat…

As a child, I recall being intrigued by wheat and its presence in many a family meal. I remember my mother soaking wheat in water for a period of time to allow it to expand some. Then, prior to adding it to the kibbeh or tabbouleh she was making, she would take a handful at a time and squeeze out the water. There was a process of patiently preparing, and then preparing some more. Then, there was the way in which the various ingredients were mixed together, complimenting each other while at the same time retaining their own taste and texture, and the wheat, always the source that brings it all together.

Earlier today I was reading about the lives of Cordy Tindell (C.T.) Vivian and John Lewis, famous civil rights activists, both who passed into eternal life yesterday at the age of 95 and 80 respectively. Over the span of their lives, they fought for justice and equality. They also suffered, sometimes greatly. However, they never gave up or gave in to the injustice that was all around them.

C.T. Vivian said, “Do what you can do and do it well, but always ask your question: Is it serving people?”

John Lewis said, “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.”

But here is the thing, they did not just say these things, they also lived them. Time and time again throughout their lives, C.T. Vivian and John Lewis, chose to look injustice square in the eye, call it what it is, and refuse to accept it. Despite facing violent opposition, they practiced and remained true to an approach of nonviolence.

How did they do it? How did they fight and persevere against the odds?

It’s all about the wheat.

C.T. Vivian, also a minister and an author, and John Lewis, also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, exercised faith. They embraced the call and were held together by the Source, and they never, even in darkest moments, stood alone.

In life, it is impossible to stand alone. With faith, it is not necessary.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. – Revelation 3:20

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Drawing Wise…

Drawing, in its various forms, is something that all people tend to do. Although not necessarily the kind of drawing that is by hand, certainly the kind of drawing that informs or leads to conclusions, maybe even actions.

Stepping outside, I am drawn to the beauty of the trees and the composition spread across the sky. After a period of pause, I am moved to capture, or at least try, and then to share the scene.

Throughout each day, there are moments of drawing, being drawn in, and opportunities to take notice. In those moments and following them, what happens?

In the Book of Sirach, it is written:

With all your soul draw close to Wisdom;
and with all your strength keep her ways.
Inquire and search, seek and find;
when you get hold of her, do not let her go.
Thus at last you will find rest in her,
and she will become your joy. – Sirach 6:26-28

In a world so steeped in competition, mastering the art of out-preparing, and getting “there” first, Wisdom can seem so elusive. And sometimes, to wait for it, may seem a strategy for those who are passive, or even worse, it may seem like forfeiture or a giving up. Yet, Wisdom knows all too well, waiting is not for the faint of heart.

Saint Augustine wrote, “Patience is the companion of wisdom.” In current times, patience seems to wear thin, and in moving about, it can seem as if all are strangers in a strange land. There are so many twists and turns, and maneuvering and holding on among competing interests, can easily find its way toward the never lasting.

To this, Wisdom says:

Look around for all that is worthwhile;
“faithful in words and holy in works” (Psalm 145:13).
Be drawn into each experience,
and from it, draw,
but only that which is worthwhile;
“faithful in words and holy in works.”

Wisdom is all around, but, oh, how often, one misses this, while going after “that.”

Wisdom

We never know how high we are
Till we are called to rise;
And then, if we are true to plan,
Our statures touch the skies.

The heroism we recite
Would be a daily thing,
Did not ourselves the cubits warp
For fear to be a king.  – Emily Dickinson, We Never Know How High We Are (1176)

Lines in the sand…

In the process of taking in and pondering the events that have been unfolding in the country and across the world over the past few months, memories of experiences come to mind. Most prominent, have been a couple from childhood. One was an instance in first grade. It was the beginning of the school year and we were outside for recess. After the summer months and spending a lot of time exposed to the sun, the tone of my skin was much more pronounced. My appearance, seemingly foreign, became the object of focus and made me the recipient of the taunting of a few classmates. Another experience, the sole girl joining in among boys and a few fathers playing basketball becoming the subject of ridicule as the tom-boy and for not standing on the sidelines and watching as all good little girls do. In the first situation, there was a classmate who stepped in and stood with me. He had often been the recipient of teachers’ reprimands for not paying attention. Yet, when it really mattered, he was paying attention and, not only that, he spoke up, he took action.

Thinking about these childhood experiences and the impact they had on me, as painful and confusing as they were, I know they are just the tip of what fellow human beings have experienced and continue to experience at the hands of lines drawn in the sand out of ignorance or self-interest, or perhaps both. As I think about back then, over 40 years ago, and then now, a couple of more recent situations come to mind. In particular, the response of the person in charge of a local organization to concerns expressed and experiences shared. It was along the lines of an “I see, but that is not what I am hearing from the people who talk to me. My experience is…”

In that moment, I just listened as I thought, “But you don’t see. Of course your experience and what you hear in your little circle of privilege would not be representative of the entire body of Christ.” Afterward, it occurred to me that not once did this person seem to even consider what I had shared. It was as if he wrote it off and dismissed it, as he immediately jumped to his experience in the vacuum of his comfortable existence. I left the experience feeling like it had been a waste of time trying to speak with this person. For me it was a tipping point after many efforts. A final straw. A reminder about recognizing when the time has come to shake the dust off one’s sandals and move on from places that are so insulated and blinded from Truth. For it is impossible to converse and have dialogue when there is no openness or room to truly sit with, and consider, the experience of others.

While these experiences were certainly not life threatening and may seem relatively harmless or even insignificant to some, they are the sorts of things that often lead to blind spots and greater or bigger injustices. In chapter 10, verses 37-42, of the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus says,

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
“Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is a righteous man
will receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because the little one is a disciple—
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”

In this passage, Jesus is speaking about the dangers of strongly identifying or fervently aligning oneself with anyone, or anything, other than God. Why? What is wrong with loyalty?

Nothing is wrong with loyalty as long as it is, first and foremost, to God. Oftentimes though, it can be tricky to distinguish when something that seems good starts to separate from being of God and slowly turns into something altogether different. In the Bible, there is account after account from the Old Testament through the New Testament that show the way people thought about God and how things ought to be, only for things to change or evolve, always expanding, becoming wider and more inclusive, and truly for the better.

How could it be any other way? God is constant, without being static or motionless, and with God, there are no barriers. For the one, great calling of all creation is toward embracing diversity and standing united.

… the imitation of Christ does not mean to live a life like Christ, but to live your life as authentically as Christ lived his, then there are many ways and forms in which one can be a Christian. ― Henri J.M. Nouwen

LinesInTheSand

Peace, piece by piece…

As we remain afloat in a sea of COVID-19 and political, social, and financial unrest, we are in the midst of much that aspires to debilitate and obliterate. As it carries on, sometimes it can seem like this state of disarray could go on forever. However, despite it all, progress comes as waves of truth and courage continue to rise. More and more join in, standing up and speaking out, seeking to overcome the past, and to affect long awaited change.

Sometimes, it is a matter of coming to see, that as the big things knock us out or push us back, our peace lies in the little things. The little things, like the way a squirrel gathers acorns, one at a time, teach us wisdom and move us forward. Step after step, it is the little things and all that is in between, that truly push us ahead and lead us to the places where we need to be.

“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” – John Wooden

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Museum Days…

In ordinary times, it seems many things fly by, or slip away, unnoticed or forgotten. This week, thinking about summer fast approaching and revisiting memories of summer days gone by, a visit to a university art museum came to mind. When going to a museum there is often a feeling of enthusiasm and openness to seeing many different types and styles of art from various cultures and periods throughout history, all in the same place at the same time.

When reminiscing about this museum visit, what rose to the surface was a piece of art titled, Ave Mariam #2, by the artist Agus Suwage. I remember being struck by how different it was than any other rendering I had seen before. I also recall seeing it from a far, not knowing who it was supposed to be or who the artist might have been. What stood out, and drew me in closer, was the heart.  As I moved forward, it was as if my heart, the heart of the subject, and the heart of the artist joined together, becoming one.

The past few months have been very different than many could have ever dreamed. For many, plans, hopes, or dreams erased as lessons gone by, removed from a board.  Yet, in what can feel like a long, strange flow of time, where division, deceit, and animosity are overflowing, among all the grief, it seems much has been, and remains, to be gained. It is as if the Universe is screaming… pleading, “Unity!”

While most schools around here are finished with, or finishing up, the academic year, it seems we are back in school. These are “Museum days.” If only the spirit that permeates the inside of the museum encountered such willing participants outside as well. There is so much to take in. There is still so much to learn, so much diversity to appreciate, and so many hearts to come together, to be uplifted and inspired toward the peace that greater awareness and authenticity create.

Lord, help us, Your body, to be moved by the Holy Spirit to partake in Your goodness in all our encounters and endeavors, for the glory of God. Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

AveMariam2

Something new… something old…

With all the volatility throughout the world right now, it can be difficult to wade through differences of opinion and the debates, sometimes heated, that come from them. Socrates said, “True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.”  

Oftentimes, in situations that engender competing factions, the best way to proceed is by laying aside one’s own point of view, at least temporarily, and trying to understand the experience of others.

Earlier this week, I received an email that contained statistics that were not the most recent statistics available. However, beyond the numbers, the message contained some examples of social injustice in areas that I am not sure I had previously considered. What shined through loud and clear was that it can be easy to become isolated or insulated from the experience of others. More often than not, there is a greater tendency to try to find the place where one fits in, and then, to comfortably live and stay there. Inevitably, by doing so, diversity and openness become lost more easily, and learning lessens. The voices and the experience of others… those on the edges or completely outside of the place where we have come to reside, become invisible or simply “not my experience,” so they may be dismissed, without much consideration.

This is the crux of the matter… of many matters. When there is little or no room for consideration, or an unwillingness to separate from what is comfortable, preferred, presumed, or seen as “known,” there is also usually little or no room for true dialogue or change—something more than superficial. Without open and honest listening and sharing, without coming together, how can we possibly come to understand?

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. – 2 Cor 13:13      

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Taken…

Taking in the scenery and the life in and around it, it is amazing to see the manner in which some travel back, some to and fro or here and there, and some not at all. It is also enlightening to watch as “homes” are built or tidied up, the hunt is on for a snack, or the landing as it’s time for a nap. So many things going on, some seen and some not. So many different creatures moving at their own pace, making and finding their way. All happening in the same place, and room for all.

Over the course of many weeks, it has seemed, more than ever in my lifetime, like all are relatively in the same boat. One can imagine or say with quiet confidence, throughout time, this is what it is like, whenever the world, as one and all know it, is turned upside down. Spirit of generosity, Lord, how wonderful the abundance of your presence, even in scarce or scariest of times.

Why does it seem that human hearts grow closer when it seems that there is no other choice? As options grow, will the leanings toward each other fade? Oh Solidarity, when, ever, will students learn the lesson?

Feeling concerned… preoccupied, I seek space… a place, unoccupied. Then, as the gentle breeze blows, it pushes lines across the water. The water where so many things are going on, some seen and some not. So many different creatures moving at their own pace, making and finding their way. All happening in the same place, and room for all. Then, as the gentle breeze blows, it lessens the lines in my reflection. Spirit of generosity, Lord, how wonderful the abundance of your presence, at all times.

I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. – Psalm 27:13

Taken

Caught up…

The plane crossed over the pond, leaving behind trails of condensation high in the sky. Following its path, as it veered westward, something else, also left behind, came into view. A fishing bob, also above, hanging from one of many branches. It was as if gently placed, decoration to be discovered, rather than the result of errant casting from a pole.

While it’s likely that the person who put the bob in its current place was not pleased at it being hung up in a tree, from the other side, it was delightful to come across, and, in a way, uplifting as well. A sky of blue and “rainbow” of white, bringing light behind the budding branches, as if cheering them on, full support. Then, out of place, but not tangled up, or in distress, this orb of white and orange, hanging on, but not hung up.

Oftentimes, God turns to gold, bringing back into the fold, that which is unintended, out of line, or left behind.

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. – Psalm 66:1

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