 |
| Church Spires From My Window in Charleston, SC |
This pandemic is collapsing many of our familiar routes and buildings. These changes are hard and even painful.
When a treasured building is about to collapse, most of us will work hard to try to steady it, and to quickly put back in place any bricks that have toppled. Many of us will wear ourselves out trying to forestall the inevitable collapse.
When a building is collapsing, perhaps the wisest thing to do is to get out of its way. We'll have to endure the pain of seeing every brick topple and the building collapse, but at least all the bricks haven't fallen on our head!
Let the bricks topple and stand in the rubble.
As the dust arises, we're called to let go of what used to be. This is the most painful part of looking at the collapse of the familiar.
I'm reminded of the AA slogan: Let go and let God.
Stand in the rubble in silence. Trust God. Let the dust settle.
The pandemic has collapsed many of the buildings we used to visit and were part of our comfort zone. One by one we've had to endure the pain of watching those old buildings collapse.
It has been anything but easy. Letting go is hard. Trusting God isn't easy when we stand in rubble as the dust settles.
The collapse of the familiar has been traumatic, but it has brought with it the opportunity for change. Change can be both intimidating and exciting.
Change can take us places we wouldn't ordinarily go. Transformation beckons to us.
Transformation is a process of letting go, living in the dust and rubble from the collapsed bricks for a while. Just simply standing there until it's time to move out and then discerning what's the next step.
"Now what do I do?" we wonder.
What are you being called to let go of and to change in this pandemic? This is an unprecedented opportunity for transformation.
Opportunities abound in the following 5 areas:
A. EATING HEALTHIER, FRESHER FOOD
1. Home-cooked meals
How can you cook delicious meals that utilize fresh produce from the farmers market or your own garden? Many recipes and "how to" tutorials are available online for garden to table eating. It's healthy and it's fun!
2. Grow Your Own Food
This could be as simple as putting some potted herbs in a sunny window or as time intensive as plowing up a garden plot and planting a vegetable garden. What do you feel led to do?
3. Sit Down at the Table to Eat
When you grow and cook your own food, it becomes a love offering to your family and yourself. It makes sense to decorate the table, perhaps with flowers, and sit down to leisurely enjoy your home-cooked meals. This also helps with digestion!
B. TONE AND STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY
1. Develop a daily practice of stretching and movements that tone and strengthen your body. Qigong and Tai Chi are appropriate for all fitness levels. Many excellent tutorials can be found online for getting started.
2. Go on a daily walk. No better exercise than walking!
C. BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
1. Silent prayer and meditation. Many online resources are available for getting started and maintaining a practice.
2. Intercessory prayer. There are online groups available for Morning and Evening Prayer, and even for Compline before you go to bed.
3. Spiritual reading and classes. There are excellent online courses available.
D. CREATIVE PURSUITS
1. Coloring, Painting, Pastels, Chalk
2. Photography
3. Writing/Poetry
4. Cooking/Baking/Canning and Preserving Food
5. Pottery/Sculpture
6. Sewing/Textiles/Quilting
7. Doodling/Drawing/Making Mini Books
E. LEND A HAND IN YOUR COMMUNITY
1. Pick Up Trash on the Beach or On Your Walk on the Street
2. Morning Turtle Patrol (I live in a coastal area)
3. Pulling Weeds in a Local Park
4. Caring for Stray Animals
Stepping out of the rubble of a collapsed building can be transformative. It seems to me this is the opportunity afforded each of us by this pandemic. Transformation!
Let's rise to the occasion, my friends! May each of us trust God to take us to a new and healthier place in our lives. All my love and best wishes.
 |
| Sacred Space, St. Mary's Convent |
3 comments:
So relevant! Thanks for these comments.
Laura Lowndes
What a refreshing post on what opportunities God may be giving us as we struggle through Covid 19 to become healthier spiritually, mentally and physically!
Thank you, Laura Ellen!
Thank you so much, Laura and Roger. Our world is in a major transition. This pandemic brings with it an unprecedented opportunity to let go of the old and to embrace the new. It's never easy to go inward and deeper, but we all have that opportunity now as never before. I believe that is our call. All God's blessings to both of you and all who read this post.
Post a Comment