When I woke up this morning I had the distinct feeling that it was once again time to write. Actually, I've been especially busy over the last couple of weeks--most of it good, some of it "had-to-do" stuff. But what's fascinating to me is how life from time to time gives us inner signals that "now is the right moment."
When I say that, I don't necessarily mean that "now is the right moment" in some grand, earth-shaking way--just now is the especially opportune time to accomplish something that you've had on your list to do; or now is the moment to sit, relax, and listen to that music or watch that movie or enjoy that sunrise; or now is the moment to write that blog posting or that letter you've been putting off or that phone call you've been thinking about making.
I truly believe that there is a series of those kind of experiences that occur in our lives, but we're not always sensitive to them. We have other things to do-at least that's what we tell ourselves. And it is true that there is a lot of obligations and responsibilities that constantly knock on our door. We can't abandon the things that Stephen Covey says are the urgent and important matters of life. However, what does it mean to truly live life with a sense of joy and freedom and with an ongoing renewal of the spirit? That's a question that's worth considering I think.
I know you all know the, I suppose, overused expression that no one ever reaches old age or even the point of death and says to him or herself, "I wish I'd spent more time at the office." Trite as it may be, there's at least a seed of truth in it. And that sudden feeling that I'm referring to, where life is nudging us to do something or be something or shift gears in some way may be just the right moment to become fully alive in some new wonderful way.
Most of us have been taught to be responsible people. That's a good thing. I do think, however, that sometimes we've been over programmed with that to the degree that we feel guilty if we're not tending to "important" business every single moment of the day. (By the way, I have to confess that "responsibility programming" didn't fully take hold with me.)
I think that there are regular, everyday moments and then there are the "just the right moments." The first are the normal tasks to do and things to think about,etc. Those are largely ego-based. The second are moments of inspiration. Those are spiritually based. Sometimes the two merge and the experience is exhilarating!
I guess my overall point in all this rambling is that from time to time we need to abandon even the most urgent and important and indulge ourselves in those things that will remind us that life is not only worth living, but we are worth living it.
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| Some Days Are Diamonds |
Chris and I got away for an overnight last week. We drove up on Monday and came back on Tuesday. We went to Plymouth, Massachusetts particularly to go whale watching and to visit the Plimouth Plantation (that's really how they spell it). We also did a tour of the Mayflower II, and of course we feasted on fine food and had morning coffee by the water at the harbor.
It was a quick trip, and as was the case when we went to Maine for three days back in June, we wished we could have had more time. But it seems like summer has slipped away from us. As many of you know, especially if you read my last posting, we were very occupied taking care of all the things that were involved with my brother-in-law's illness and eventual passing. It was a busy and often very difficult time. We don't regret for a minute any of the the things we had to do--we did them out of love and devotion. Of course, I want to make it very clear that it was really Chris who had the full responsibility on her shoulders. I was mostly a support person for her.
Monday--Labor Day--we went to the beach. It was virtually empty because it was overcast and a bit on the rainy side. As you know, most people want the sun to shine brightly as they sit by the sea or lie out on their beach towels soaking up the rays. We, however, like the beach in all kinds of weather (with a few exceptions like hurricanes, for instance).
I mostly sat in my beach chair contemplating my life as a semi-retired United Methodist minister. While I was doing that, a memory came surging back into my consciousness. I remembered that one time many years ago I asked a youth group what they would ask God if they were granted the privilege of asking God one question. They all had similar answers, mostly about their destinies of love, wealth, fame, and happiness in the future. Then they wanted to know what I would ask God and I told them that I would ask "What time is it, really?"
What I meant by that was what time is it in the chronology of my life expectancy? what time is it in the stretch of human existence? what time is it in the life of this planet on which we live?
The thing is, I'm not sure I would really want to know the answer. For instance, if I had known such a thing as some of the unfoldings of my life story, say, back when I was a teenager or in my early twenties, I may have been scared to death to go on. But the thing is, I didn't know and I did go on, just taking it one day at a time (there's really no choice in the matter). There have been some scary times, painful times, uncertain times, sad times, and confusing times. I think that's true for mostly everybody.
However I've always seemed to have been all right through it all. As many times as when things have been unpleasant that I have been inclined to say, "Why me?" there were equally as many times or many, many more times when things have been wonderful and I have said "Why me?" So I guess the answer to the question about "what time is it really?" is that it is the appointed time for me to walk on this planet for now--don't worry about tomorrow.
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his essay Self Reliance, "Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events." And if I read correctly between the lines, the word is that you're going to be all right through it all.
