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.
Spirit Storage is the name of
an acupuncture point
on the upper chest.
At a time
When I was challenged
on many fronts
to share my energy,
this acupuncture term
reminded me
to pay attention
to my reserves
of spirit.
My personal image of
Spirit Storage
took a new form
when a dear friend gave me
a gold, beaded journal.
This beautiful book
is a reminder
that my store of spirit energy
is a
precious resource.
The best way
of keeping track
of my
store of spiritual energy
is meditation.
In the quiet,
I ask myself
if I need to
replenish my spirit supply.
Sometimes,
I realize that
I have not been aware
that my
spirit energy
is low.
Living Lines livinglinesreflections.com
At any time
in my adult life
which came of age
during the civil rights movement,
it is clearly imperative
that we acknowledge
how far we have not come
in being
welcoming and loving
to all.
If we,
our children,
our children’s children,
are going to live together,
we must talk not
just with adults
about how this election cycle
has exposed rampant
prejudice and anger.
It is inherent
in sharing the
FACTS of LIFE.
Perhaps
the voices of our children
have more wisdom
and simplicity
in how
we can begin
in this moment
to love ourselves
and love each other.
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!
Are you carrying a lot on your shoulders?
Assume a quiet state of mind.
Visualize.
Think of a pack on your back.
What is in the pack?
What is making it too heavy to carry?
See yourself
removing the weight from the pack.
How does it feel now?
Do you need to remove more weights from your pack
so that you can carry it?
How do you feel now?
Sometimes we don’t know
how much we are carrying
until we lighten the load.
LivingLines p. 235
On Memorial Day
we honor
those who serve and served.
For some
it is a particularly
poignant time.
Some served and
remember those who died.
For families
who lost someone
it is a time
to be open with their grief.
For each of us,
we may serve in other ways
than the battlefield.
How do you live your life?
Consciously
or
unconsciously
of ways to serve.
For me,
I have learned to
no longer
make a plan
for my life
but to respond
to the things
and people
in my life
who are
part of a pattern or plan
I cannot see.
At the end of the movie
Saving Private Ryan,
a memorable reflection
can become our filter.
I’ve tried to live
my life
the best
I can.
I hope that
is enough.
Your
legacy,
my legacy.
Today
and everyday.
Serve.
Spiritual but not religious.
What does that mean
to you
or to others?
Pew Research Center
polls
these trends.
Their findings
show
the number of people
unaffiliated
with any religious body
is continuing
to grow
at a rapid pace.
The number is
about one-fifth
of the U.S. public
and
one-third
of adults under thirty.
However,
two-thirds
of this
unaffiliated group
say they
believe in God.
Churches and places
of worship
are being sold
and re-purposed.
One denomination
buys and forms
a new congregation,
a community
with another way
for worship.
Empty churches
can be
discouraging.
Some people and families
are coming together in
different places,
some in homes
where
as the Bible
says,
“Wherever there are more
than two people gathered,
there am I
in their midst.”
Spiritual but not religious.
Is that how you feel?
Are you seeking
others
to create
new rituals
which express
and become
community
for you?
Routine
How can what
we do
become ritual?
For some,
up early
to run,
meditate,
yoga,
steal time to write.
Putting out clothes
for yourself
for the children
the night before.
Make lunch, bag it,
ready in the morning.
Would you call this routine?
What about thinking
Ritual?
Do you
self-describe
as
spiritual
not religious?
Has something
been missing,
repetitive
not thinking
of meaning
of the routine?
Is there
a way
to deepen
the value?
Create a ritual,
savoring the meaning
of gratefulness
for time,
food and clothing, shelter.
Emotions.
Thoughtfulness.
In the moment
by moment.
Many people like to read about different spiritual traditions or to perform rituals but don’t want to practice their teachings very much. The teachings can transform us no matter what religion or spiritual traditions we belong to, if we are willing to practice. Thich Nhat Hanh, Anger p. 26
Living Lines Moment by Moment 