Grounded

Presumably the throng of vacationers are back and ready to take on stretches of the day-to-day grind.  Hopefully those who have had the luxury of the much needed break bring home with them a renewed energy, a buoyant attitude, and a perspective that is grounded in goodness, truth, and love.

Like old boats who have seen better days, we must lay to rest the burdens, the worries, old and brittle mindsets from tossing and turning. And go sail on in days ahead with a hope that even better days await.

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity 

to accept the things I cannot change; 

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; 

Enjoying one moment at a time; 

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; 

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it; 

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life 

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

Passiflora

If that red flower does not catch your eye, i don't know what will. Who can miss it? My friend Vera was so smitten she just had to take a picture of it. More popular as Passion Flower or maypop, the passiflora reminded pilgrims of yore about the passion or suffering of Christ.

Though its color and outward projecting flower parts suggest an energy so vibrant, this plant is used medicinally for an occasional sleeplessness, anxiety, nervous tension, and restlessness. The presence of this calming herb at the retreat house we went to last month could not have been more appropriate.

The Necessity for Silence

The bus stations are abuzz with commuters jockeying to get seats. It is once again that time of year when families are in a mad rush to destinations that will provide some respite from the drudgery of their day-to-day routines, be off from work, be with family, and enjoy the sights.

I come from a family of modest means and every Holy Week we would pine for that vacation as kids. Some years we would be piled into the car and travel up north and there annex summer memories which are all vivid to this day. But i could also summon from memory the many years we would just stay home while the rest of the world frolicked in beaches, cooled off in the highlands, or visited the countryside. I suspected this was for lack of finances for those which were not the bare necessities. I remember not being allowed to play music and if we were, we would be shushed to keep the music down low. I have an image of my  folks  going about their business in a lowered range of movement, eating little -- even skipping meals. What drudgery i thought.

Today i understand why.

For the renewal of the soul one must remember the Passion of the Christ. For those not bent toward any such tradition --- it still is necessary to break away temporarily from the rest of the world and have that  nourishing time of slowing down and of quieting the soul.

Being in the Moment

For now. Just as it is.

Yesterday is a done deal. 

Tomorrow has not yet arrived. 

The grace of today is a gift to be relished and appreciated. 

Nature Speaks

At 6:30 am

Same plant, 5:00 pm

The folding of the petals of these yellow flowers means that night is almost here. For some other plants it's the other way around. Even without the trappings of man-made objects to make our lives easier, if we learn to rest and be quiet observers of nature, we flow with the seasons, transitioning from moment to moment, today to tomorrow. 

Flowers know when to exuberantly give of their beauty, opening up to the world, receiving admiring guests and bees invited, drawn by its treasures. They also know when to gently fold their petals, and softly shut out the rest of the world.

Precious Time Wasting

"As far as I know, you only get one shot at this life. It only goes round once and time is precious."

                                                                                   ~ Benjamin Bratt

What is precious? Gold, silver, money, the baubles and sparkling things of this world? Yes, indeed. Yet no  man on his deathbed wished he had more. Time is a precious commodity for the driven --- to accumulate more. Yet, time though precious, is also good to waste every now and then on doing absolutely nothing. My friend Joy took the photo of these roadside flowers as a handful of us were taking a morning stroll. What beauties capture the eye if only we take some of our precious time and toss it away in meaningful stress-relieving ways.

Perspective

“Earth teach me to forget myself 

as melted snow forgets its life. 

Earth teach me resignation 

as the leaves which die in the fall. 

Earth teach me courage 

as the tree which stands all alone. 

Earth teach me regeneration 

as the seed which rises in the spring.” 

― William Alexander