Seek the Light

I look out my window on this late April morning and see a gray, rainy, relentlessly dreary landscape.
Discouraged, I want to go back to bed, but my mind is awake and I know that sleep will not come. Lighting a candle, I stare at the flame and the circle of glow surrounding it, craving its tiny bit of warmth.  I see beauty, in this small thing, this light in the darkness. Next to the candle, there is a vase with a daffodil and a hyacinth, shining pink and yellow, and I marvel at the wonder of a flower.  Outside, geese fly noisily overhead and the steady drip of raindrops suddenly becomes a beautiful song with a cadence and rhythm.  The moment is transformed, as I say a prayer of thanksgiving for simple gifts and my heart opens to the Light within.

 Gazing at my candle, I ask to be guided and strengthened.  I close my eyes and imagine walking down a dark path, not quite knowing where I am going, but trusting that the light of my Source is leading me to my highest good. I choose to see the beauty, not the ugliness, of the world, not closing my eyes to the pain and need, but releasing it to an all knowing Creator for healing and restoration.

This is a strange time, no question, as we adjust to a new reality, knowing that the world will never be quite the same.  We are forced to live day by day, not knowing what the future will bring.  There is  anxiety in the uncertainty, the feeling of being on unsteady ground, but there is also a chance to live fully in the present moment, seeking the Light of God as our candle in the darkness.

 This morning, light a candle. open a window to hear the music of the morning and breathe deeply, giving thanks for every gift of life.

 

A Healing Pause

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day this Wednesday, I'd like to reflect for a moment on what our current situation might mean for the planet and its inhabitants.

Certainly, there's no bright side to this pandemic, but if there's a glimmer of something positive, it's that human activity has slowed down to the point where the planet appears to be beginning the process of healing itself.  All across the globe, pollution levels have dropped dramatically, waterways are clearing, endangered sea turtles and other marine life are laying eggs on abandoned beaches, and wild animals are roaming in areas once crowded with humans.

These changes could be temporary and fleeting, or they could be the start of a new way of being.  People may find that they like working from home, parents may decide to continue homeschooling, businesses will surely restructure to adapt to the economic downturn. 
My hope and prayer is that this pause will teach us something about ourselves, about what is most important to us, and about the world we live in; and that together, all who live on this planet will become more mindful and aware.
We hear on every commercial that "we are all in this together", so that it begins to sound trite, but if we really think about what this means at its deepest level, we realize that the interconnected nature of all life on earth has become painfully apparent and can no longer be ignored.  A favorite poem by Mary Oliver speaks to my heart:

Poem of the One World

This morning 

the beautiful white heron

was floating along above the water

and then into the sky of this

the one world 

we all belong to 

where everything 

sooner or later  

is a part of everything else

which thought made me feel 

for a little while

quite beautiful myself. 

When this crisis is over and we have begun the slow process of rebuilding our confidence, our economy and the very fabric of our society, may we remember the lessons that this pause has taught us and live carefully and mindfully in this "one world we all belong to".

Resurrection of the Heart

Easter has just passed; a quiet day spent, not attending church services or large family gatherings, not dressing in our best finery or hunting for colored eggs, but in the shelter of our homes, with our closest family members. We hopefully had time to reflect on the resurrection story, to find some new meaning in this old familiar concept of rebirth.

Could it be that it's not just a story that we hear, a hope that we have in the promise of life after death, but something that we can experience in the here and now?  Are there areas of our lives and hearts that, when carefully examined in our moments of solitude, become a burden that we need to let go of?

It is in the letting go of old familiar patterns, habits that no longer serve us, thoughts that weigh us down, that we are able to come to a new awareness.

 If, in these moments of solitude that we have an abundance of right now, we are able to bring these things out of the shadows, into the light, rather than distracting ourselves with social media, the newest netflix series or our addictive substance of choice, we may be able

 to use this time to heal ourselves at the deepest level.

It can be uncomfortable to self-examine and too much of it can certainly lead to self-absorption, but if we want to grow as spiritual beings, it is an essential practice.  Opening up our hearts to Divine intervention can lead us to painful dark places, but the reward is in the resurrection moment, when we have shed the old and emerged from our cocoon as something new. 

My hope for all of us is that, through this strange, dark time of social distancing, we will experience a resurrection of the heart, shedding what is no longer feeding us spiritually and embracing a new awareness that will give us strength to find our way through what will certainly be a new world.

Breath is Life

This morning as I walk, taking deep breaths of fresh, cool air, I am grateful for this simple yet profound gift-breath itself.  It is the connection to my Source and each inhalation fills my body with cleansing, renewing oxygen.  

I am reminded that the Hebrew word for spirit is “ruach”, which means “wind, breath, spirit” and the ancient Greek word for breath is “pneuma” which also means “spirit or “soul”.  
So the physical act of breathing allows me to connect body, mind and spirit.  It is essential to life itself.

Lately, my heart has been heavy for those who have been infected with Covid-19 and are experiencing the most serious respiratory symptoms.  They struggle for this sacred connection to life and sadly, some do not make it.  As a person with asthma, I know what it feels like to be short of breath and I deeply identify with the panic one experiences.  Everyday, I pray for these people and their families.
Today, in this moment, I am well and my family is protected.  For this I am thankful.  In this moment, I can breathe deeply and have faith that we will walk through this time courageously and emerge stronger, as people do who have gone through adversity prayerfully.


In this moment, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and spring is here.  The world and all its people abound in hope!  I breathe and give thanks.