It is important
to take things
slowly
and allow
recovery to happen
at its own rate.
There are no
magic formulas
for healing
physical,
emotional,
and spiritual wounds.
Healing occurs
on
its own schedule.
Sometimes
recovery
can be traced
in measurable milestones,
and other times,
it occurs
quietly
in the dark.
Soul and body,
I suggest,
react
sympathetically
upon each other;
a change
in the state of the
soul produces
a change
in the shape
of the body,
and conversely:
a change in the
shape of the body
produces
a change in
the state of the soul.
Surprise!
Aristotle,
Physiognomics, c.350 B.C.E.
Aristotle’s theory is
much quoted today.
It is humbling
to think
that the
ancient Greeks
framed questions
that still preoccupy us
more than 23 centuries later.
It is exciting too,
because over the
past two decades,
scientists
have acquired
powerful
new imaging tools
that are
revolutionizing
our understanding
of the connection
between
body and mind.
Yesterday
sunny.
Spring snow lingered
on the upper branches
of the evergreens.
As I lay on the floor
readying
for my exercises,
I paused
and cherished
the beauty.
Today,
another April snow
built during the whole day,
walking became
slippery
even with my boots
which had been
still poised at my door.
Time for the floor again.
Exercises
help me center,
program my body and brain
to help me
navigate
whatever
territory
I travel.
Inner and outer
steps.
Lying on the floor,
I pause,
meditating
on the beauty
of the laden trees.
The skylights
are snow covered,
blocking light,
adding their own beauty.
Lying on the floor
is different
than my soft bed.
The view
is child-like
not high above
where
I may not
notice things.
I pause,
take deep breaths,
savoring these moments.
The daffodils
will survive
enriched by the
water
from the melting snow.
Maybe tomorrow.
When you feel
life is too intense,
imagine it as
a TV soap opera.
Turn the sound down
until it seems manageable
or mute the sound
and read the text.
It reads
differently
than it sounds.
What is
going on
in your life
may seem
less dramatic.
Sometimes
we can’t
eliminate
the drama
in our lives,
but we can
turn the volume down.
Do you have
ways
that help
you ?
Pictures remind
Easter finery.
New bonnet,
Spring coat, perhaps
passed down
through
sisters and cousin.
New dress,
polished shoes
or new
patent leather!
Small flower corsage
from Daddy.
Some may still
dress this way
for Easter services,
I may admit to
a little envy.
We looked our best
or so it seemed.
The best outside dress-up
cannot cover up
the violence of
terror or the
insulting language
in the political campaign.
Steady reams of
news
proclaim
more crucifixion
than resurrection.
There are many
moments
of love and caring,
even random
acts of kindness.
What will it take
to dress up
ourselves,
our families and friends,
our neighborhoods
and our world
with sincere conversion
from the inside out.
Real love and kindness
generate
warmth and smiles.
How can we
dress
ourselves
with the
realization
that
we are all
in this world together?
Respect
for
each and every other,
dressed in finery
or clothes unfamiliar.
Garments given away
clothe
those without anything.
Respect
is the best
place
to begin.
We all
can dress ourselves best
caring for
each other.
Amen.
I
no longer
make a plan
for myself
but respond
to the people
and things
in my life
which are part
of a plan
or
pattern
I
cannot
see.
*The Cloud of Unknowing is an anonymous work of Christian mysticism in the 14th century.
Tomorrow
is
my birthday.
Decades declare milestones.
At certain ages
there can be
the realization
that there are fewer
years ahead
than
already lived.
Mid-life
it is called.
Demographers
and cultural observers
now offer
more gradations than
young,
middle aged
and old.
Early middle age,
middle age
late middle age.
At what point
does your category
become early old age?
Are you in
middle old age
and when
really old age?
For some,
lifespans
extend into the ninth and
even tenth decade.
When Social Security
was made available
at 65,
people weren’t
expected to live
much beyond that.
For some,
there can be
many decades
beyond
that mark.
How to live
these years,
whatever they are called?
Wisdom
offers
the suggestion
to shed
as we age.
Things,
images of ourself,
expectations,
hopes,
dreams,
disappointments.
Shedding
seems to say
that
growth stops
at some point.
Adults
we are.
Approaching
this birthday,
I am beginning
to understand
that letting go
is a better perspective
of what no longer
serves me.
Traveling
lighter,
I
hope
I
am
Growing
Into
Older
Age.
Learning,
growing.
Shifting gears,
slows me
to follow
the Inner Light
to savor
each moment,
each friend,
loved one
and stranger.
Sometimes the
Light
offers
a clear path.
Sometimes
intuition
brings
me on the path
I cannot
see
in this moment.
Two inches
of mail
awaited
after time away.
Standing by the trash bin,
catalog after catalog,
three of the same,
campaign
requests,
no idea how
my address and name
on their lists.
Snail mail
names and addresses
are sold.
Annoying
and wasteful,
all of it!
A few bills,
still paid by check,
marketing circulars,
trash, trash,
Trees
wasted
in making the paper.
Nestled
in the pile
was a small envelope
hand-printed.
Smiling,
excited,
I opened it
gently.
Inside
a thank you
note,
from
our newly
nine year old
grandchild.
Treasure.
Thank you words
by e-mail
or snail mail,
so rare
these days.
I keep
these special
thoughts,
sometimes displayed
perhaps tucked in
my top drawer
for discovery,
in a week,
months later,
or
when the year
has passed and
the next
arrives.
Always
grateful.
Treasures of gratitude.
Thank you.
Look at Gratefulness.org
Thought Leaders
are especially
important
during times of
Disruptive Innovation,
a concept
used in
this time
when things
aren’t working
and ways of thinking and doing
must be changed.
Since Pope Francis was chosen,
he has become a
powerful
THOUGHT LEADER.
From his first moments
Pope Francis
showed his
humility
asking for us
to pray for him.
He chose
simple garments,
comfortable black shoes,
paid his own hotel bill,
moved into a
simple apartment.
During Holy Week,
he washed the feet of the poor,
not all Catholics.
He told priests
to be merciful and compassionate
towards those who are divorced
women who have had
abortions.
When asked about homosexuals,
he replied,
“Who am I to judge?”
Smiling,
he loves everyone
and in return,
he is loved.
The rules have not necessarily changed,
but the
TONE
has completely.
This change in tone is
Francis’
greatest achievement,
and it is HUGE!
In this
political season,
candidates
could learn
because Pope Francis
is an astute politician
in the best sense of the word.
As a South American
he sees the entrenched Vatican
as needing to be cleaned up,
finances and favoritism,
swept out.
Reflecting
compassion.
the tone,
the message
is that God is a God
of LOVE,
not JUDGMENT.
The Church’s role
is to make God
accessible.
Coming to the United States,
his first trip to North America,
he will speak
at the United Nations,
address Congress,
say Mass in Madison Square Garden.
Popular entertainers will
engage people,
using their words and music
to
open up people’s senses
to the music of their hearts.
Disruptive Innovation.
Bring it on!
I see
synchronicity
In
the shocking murder of
nine people
in a Bible class
at the AME Emmanuel Church
in Atlanta
by a young white supremacist ,
many retailers no longer
selling Confederate flags,
the decision in Georgia
and other states
to remove the
Confederate flag
from public display.
President Obama’s
moving eulogy,
words moving into
singing
Amazing Grace with
all joining in.
Conjecture, publicity
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee’s beloved book and movie
told by young Scout
seeing her father Atticus
through a child’s eyes.
The much anticipated
release of the
old, discovered
first book
taking place twenty years later.
Go Set A Watchman,
portraying Atticus
in a segregated town,
challenged by a
climate, calling, demanding
equal rights for blacks and white.
An Off Broadway show
Hamilton
moves to Broadway
full of hip hop
historical characters played by
multi-racial cast.
Another play
Amazing Grace
opens on
Broadway,
its writer, leaving his job
compelled to write this story
and produce it.
Publisher of Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
moves up release date
so we can read
his words written to
his fifteen year old son.
Growing up in Baltimore,
he feels the same
fear for his son
as week by week
there are
unnecessary murders
by police of young black men
barely adults.
Whatever events, words, books, musicals
might stir you,
move me,
the convergence
is an opportunity.
In the words of Amazing Grace
that forgiveness and redemption
are possible
regardless of sins committed,
“Amazing grace!
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost,
but now am found,
Was blind,
but now I see.”
What can I see now
that I did not see before?
What do you see
that you did not see before?
“‘Twas grace that taught
my heart to fear,
And grace my fears
reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!”
Living Lines Moment by Moment 