Now that it is over a year since I retired, it is time to take stock. I looked at one of the Stress Scale indicators, and have discovered I am at the lowest level I have ever been. (Well under 150)
So today I shall indeed be glad.
Dentist today – now what was that I was advocating about living in the moment?
It is just as well it is sunny.
Much in my mind right now is the whole principle of living in the moment. It is something we can learn from children, the elderly and puppies. So much of life is about rushing to achieve things – goals, power, money, friends, love. Simple love is being there for people and making the most of every day. My granny used to be very much a person for living one day at a time, and her humour survived until very late in life. She could make Scotch Broth like no other, her scones were the lightest of light, she lived in a tenement flat with a shared toilet (no bathroom) and I often feel that she watches me struggle with taking the time to do nothing. At the end of her life she had to endure the nothingness of a mind eaten away by dementia, and those of us who loved her could only marvel at her ability to smile.
Last night I watched a film on FilmFour – I am Sam – Yes it was about a man with the intellectual ability of a 7yr old; yes, it was a bit schmultzy; yes, it could be uncomfortable to watch; but more than anything it was about the gift of enjoying the moment, and recognising the gifts that are patience and love. It was Henri Nouwen who first taught me how much we had to learn from disabled people……. they teach us far more than we can ever “give” them. In Adam – God’s Beloved he tells of how he learned more of God’s love through a man who could not speak, and could not move without assistance.
So my thought for today is enjoy the spaces and look for the silence. Then it will surprise you what you find.
The outside thermometer tells me that the temperature is slightly above 10 degrees.
Come on grass – grow!
Come on blossom – blossom!
Come on trees – tree!
Come on you lazy soul – unlazy!
No, this is not another Christian poem….. You have probably seen the website of the Cloud Appreciation Society, but I only found it after looking for some inspiration in the face of the continuing chilly spring. I liked this bit from their manifesto, and will try to put it into practice today.
We seek to remind people that clouds are expressions of the
atmosphere’s moods, and can be read like those of
a person’s countenance.
Clouds are so commonplace that their beauty is often overlooked.
They are for dreamers and their contemplation benefits the soul.
Arriving safely home led to thoughts of what constitues home. Is it driving into the village? Is it turning into the driveway? Is it putting the key in the lock? Is it putting the kettle on for a cup of tea? Or is it sitting down at the computer to communicate with the world wide web? The answer is that coming home safely is about all of these and more. We all create our own little cocoons of safety – comfort zones where we can be ourselves. Dalamory has been home for just over a year now, and it is in the going away and coming back that I have become fully aware of this. And I am grateful for that.
They say that home is where the heart is…… if that is true, then I can only close this evening by saying a prayer for those who are homeless. And for those who are moving home.
Is it true?
Yes – is it true?
Will hoping make it so?
Hope is the beginning of faith.
The church rests
waiting for destiny
to make its mark.
The world wonders
hoping for love
impossible love.
How can we call this Friday Good?
Because love overcame evil
and courage stayed the course.
Jesus washes the feet of his friends
they wriggle, uncomfortable
at the gentleness of his hands,
and the insistance of his love.
