Seeking A Better Way
The still, small voice
This is the third installment of my Lenten journey posts.
I love Anne Lamott. Her writing reaches out and grabs me. I read Travel Mercies many years ago and still remember the way she described following God’s will. Imagine being on stage in a spotlight and not able to see anything in the blackness beyond that circle of light at your feet. Following God’s will is like stepping to the edge of that light, waiting for the spot to recenter on you, then taking another step toward the edge, and continuing on like that.
What occurs to me today is that you can move in any direction at any time. Maybe with God’s will, the spot is more elliptical, encouraging us to move in one general direction. He gives us a nudge now and then to move in the direction He wants us to go. The Universe pulls us along the path we’ve chosen.
Another book of Anne Lamott’s that I enjoyed is Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers. I like to keep it simple and Lamott does that with remarkable grace. We start out seeking God’s help. Then we remember to say “Thanks.” Finally, we stand in awe at the incredible miracles we see unfolding around us and say “Wow!”.
A third Anne Lamott book I can recommend is Almost Everything: Notes on Hope. In it Lamott writes (p. 188): “Life is way wilder than I am comfortable with, way farther out, as we used to say, more magnificent, more deserving of awe and, I would add, more benevolent — well-meaning, kindly.” And then she adds, “John Lennon said, ‘Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.’”
I have often reflected on that last sentence: “If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” I think of it in terms of near-death experiences. Almost without exception, those having such an experience do not want to return to this life. Heaven provides such beauty, such peace, such love, such a strong feeling of being home, of being welcomed, of being where you always knew you were supposed to be, that those who experience it never want to return to this mundane, often painful existence.
At some deep level we all seek to get closer to God, to get in tune with the Universe. We want to live a peaceful life, a life filled with joy, a life free from pain, suffering and anguish. But how do we find such a path or continue on one we’ve found?
This Lenten journey seeks ways of doing just that: getting closer to God and in tune with the Universe.
One approach suggested by the quote above involves sitting quietly. But, if you are like me and prefer a more active approach, taking a walk or mowing the lawn or playing a game of golf may serve the purpose. Doing almost anything that involves repetitive motion can aid meditation. I even meditate while washing and drying the dishes. My wife meditates while sewing and painting and sketching.
I often take a walk in the afternoon. The rhythm of walking helps me meditate. My mind wanders, but eventually I zone out.
Many walkers and runners listen to podcasts; I don’t. Sometimes I listen to music. Going for a walk works much better for me than sitting quietly, though I sometimes do that, too. Often, problems get solved or story ideas surface during my walks. Regardless, after forty minutes or so of rhythmic activity on a sunny day, I feel better, and doesn’t feeling better mean I’m closer to God, more in tune with the Universe?
The Bible tells us the body is the temple of the soul. The Holy Spirit dwells within us. If we recognize that we will treat our bodies with love and respect. We’ll eat properly, exercise, and get sufficient rest and relaxation. Of course, no one is perfect, and we shouldn’t expect to be. Regardless of the result, putting forth the effort matters.
A Lenten journey need not be about giving up things. Rather, it can involve adding good things like an afternoon walk or a morning time of quiet meditation. The important thing, as in writing or learning to play a musical instrument, is practice. As my friend Holly Jahangiri says, “practice, practice, practice!” For us writers, that means, “write, write, write!” And, since we learn to write by reading, “read, read, read!”
The Bible tells us to seek and we will find. Seek God and you will find God. Seek good and you will find good. But it cannot be a halfhearted search. We must seek with all our heart, with all our strength. In other words, by putting time and energy into the search, we find what we search for.
I’m tagging a few friends — fellow reader-writers whose work you may also enjoy reading:
Amy Marley, Ana-Maria Schweitzer, Beth Stormont, Caroline de Braganza, Carolyn Riker, Charlene Fate, Chris Hedges, Eli Snow, FILZA CHAUDHRY, Ibrahim Alkuraya, James G Brennan, Joanne Troppello🌿, Joe Luca, John C. Davis, Lisa Bolin, Neha Sandhir S, Patrick M. Davis, Riku Arikiri, Sarah E Sturgis, Selma, Vinitha Dileep, Willem-Jan Ageling, Wolfie Bain, Zachary Burres, Harley King
Have a great day Reading, Writing, Seeking and Connecting.
The previous stories in this journey are
And a peek at the guy behind the curtain
And a couple of poems for your consideration
