Smiling at strangers
Today on my morning drive to the office, a 30-something year old woman crossed the street in front of me. She wasn't crying, but even from a car length away and from the side; her face looked sad.
I immediately felt the inclination to smile at her and place my hand on my heart. I did so, knowing it might make me look crazy to the drive in the car next to me. The woman didn't turn or see my action.
A few seconds later, as this stranger walked past my car, I saw her lips turn slightly upward into a slight grin. Not a smile, and not even a full grin, but a slight grin. Coincidence? Interconnected emotional landscape? Medium-distance telepathic hug? I have no idea, but it sure did feel wonderful to see what woman's frown turn into a slight grin on my way to work.
Have you ever received joy from watching a stranger smile?
Energy of the Sun
I love sunlight. The warm touch of it on my skin, especially my face, makes me feel alive.
What a wonder that a ball of fire in space provides our planet with abundant energy to support myriad forms of life.
Whatever your faith practice may be, can awareness of the sun be an invitation to connect with source?
Look up
Look down
This morning I was out on my balcony, looking down at the busy streets below. I felt a sense of vibrant urgency, energy, and movement. I looked up at the expansive blue sky. I felt a sense of peace, abundance, and stillness.
Later in the day at work I found myself looking up at colleagues, white boards, and screens. I felt busy, productive, purposeful. When I was outside I looked down at the earth. I felt supported, grounded, and rooted.
When might you choose to look up?
When might you choose to look down?
“Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith could be revealed.”
Galatians 4:23
We all have programming, rules, habits, and protocols by which we tend to live. I learned them from my parents, siblings, friends, classmates, ancestors, culture, economy, and society.
I realize how often I bury faith with my default settings. How often I live in my passive state of what I learned instead of claiming my freedom to have faith.
Where can you choose faith instead of momentum?
Many many years ago, small human tribes of hunter gatherers could know another and share a common identity.
Agriculture brought larger societies, where humans might know their immediate neighbors but not the neighboring society.
Industrialization brought increased economic growth, and urbanization created cities where humans don't even know their next door neighbor.
The information age is bringing new rules. Our tribe can be online and around the world. It's up to us to know our neighbors.
I wonder how individuality transforms throughout this human journey.
How are you, the remarkable individual, choosing to co create your community?
What an abundant world I live in. This morning I woke up with the feeling that God-created this world so fully then I might never have to create anything. And yet I spend much of my days struggling to create.
Isn't it funny how we seem to have been built to create and yet put in a world where doing so is not necessary?
Acceptance and injustice
There have been times in my life where lessons have included wrongdoing by others. Malicious or thoughtless acts have helped to shape who I am. It is very difficult for me to accept wrongdoing as a part of what has shaped my experiences.
Yet at times it seems that the moments when I feel most wronged are also the moments where I am learning and growing the most.
Perhaps my sense of right and wrong is a source of resistance to change. That is a hard one to accept and let go of!
Practice makes perfect?
No. It does not.
Practice is a practice. Perfection is an unattainable outcome.
Practice makes practice.
Perfection makes false promises.
Extrinsic happiness and intrinsic joy
As the singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette once said, “It's not getting what you want it's wanting what you've got.”
How often do you find happiness in extrinsic ways? Happiness in the achievements or accomplishments or acquisition.
How often do you find joy in intrinsic ways? Appreciating the beauty of that which is before you. Acknowledging the richness of something you've always had. Appreciating the gifts inherent in who you are.
Online and active living
For thousands of years humans have been living actively. For a few years we have been increasingly living via the internet. I am fairly certain I spend more time on email lately than I do walking or exercising, which over time I hope to see tilt in the opposite direction.
How is your balance between online and active living?
Let's take a break from the screen and go for a walk, shall we?