Return to Me

Spring is approaching - I can feel it in the air as I watch a flock of geese noisily returning home and smell the earth yielding to a warmer day.  As I gaze upwards at the perfect V-formation of geese, I wonder if they ever get lost, or if their instinct is so powerful that it guides them perfectly on their course.  This strikes a chord in me, as I think about how people can get lost as they chart their course in life, so they cannot find their way back to themselves and to God.  

We may choose a career path and then get so firmly entrenched in that identity  and the "hamster wheel" of daily survival that we lose sight of what originally made our heart sing.  Or it may be that a series of losses, failures or struggles cause us to give up hope, become discouraged and lose our way.  Some people succumb to an addiction and completely give up, rejecting themselves at their very core. 

Yesterday, I worked at a soup kitchen, where I see drug and alcohol addicted, mentally and physically ill people who seem to have lost their way, yet they come, seeking sustenance, a kind smile, and a little companionship to light their day.  I often wonder what their stories are; what led them to this place, what charted their course and caused them to give up on hope and a future.  Some may be here only temporarily, others cannot find their way at all.

When someone is lost, how does he or she find his or her way back, to their deepest, truest self, to the God who created them in their mother's womb?  By asking to be God's hands and by showing them love, respect and caring, by connecting with them at their core, can we make a difference?

I do not really know the answers to these questions, although I have a sense that, yes, we can make a difference, in our own lives and in the lives of others. 

We can start by becoming still, looking within and asking ourselves, "what is there for me to do on this precious day, this ever unfolding moment?" If there is uncertainty, discomfort, or pain, pray for clarity, and then spend some time listening.  When answers come, act and be open to change and renewal.  We can plant seeds, water them and then stand back and wait for transformation.

Spring is coming!