ODE TO QUEEN MAGGIE

There she is
Simply being herself
Radiating feline glory.

Stretched out across the bed
Like a lion in bush country
Surveying her walled kingdom.

Tail lifting and snapping down
In a display of her regal power,
Enthroned and fully in charge.

Soft eyes acknowledging my presence
Then shifting to a passing shadow
Effortlessly taking in every movement.

Queen Maggie
So beautifully feline
So fully her perfect self.

SLEEPING BEAUTY AWAKENS

First light, Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee

In the quiet of morning, sleeping beauty awakens all around me.  The pink and purple hues of first light paint the horizon.  Gentle wind whispers among the trees and the air is permeated with misty freshness and fragrance.  The melody of innumerable birds fills the woods with song.  I am aware that everything I need is here.  I breathe in the beauty of the earth and the wisdom of the trees and the love that enfolds me. 

Morning mist on Kanuga Lake, Hendersonville, NC

THE INVITATION

Sometimes the invitation is clear.
God invites you to walk through an open door.
The door is both inviting and intimidating,
Simultaneously evoking intrigue and reluctance.

Ambivalent feelings surface
as you wrestle with the choice before you.
Feelings of vulnerability and apprehension,
mingled with excitement and expectancy.

What awaits me on this unknown path?
What adventures are out there?
What new challenges?

You'll be tested and grow
Your horizons will surely expand
Your world made bigger.

Standing here on the threshold of decision
You know it will be easier and certainly more comfortable
to stay right where you are
With what is predictable and familiar.

The invitation is God's.
The choice is yours.

LIFE AS AN OBSTACLE COURSE

Do you watch hurdle racing?  I'm fascinated by it!

How can a runner encounter a hurdle up ahead, stay upright, keep her stride, leap over the hurdle, keep running, and stay in the race?  It is an amazing feat of concentration and athleticism!

Obviously, the runner is trained, practiced, and in top physical and mental condition.  Hurdle racing reveals athleticism and the indomitable human spirit at it finest.

Perhaps this sport is a good analogy for life itself.

Life presents many hurdles to overcome from the beginning.  Even our birth is a huge obstacle course!  As a toddler, we are presented obstacles to overcome as we learn to walk and navigate our environment.  As we continue to grow, the obstacles get bigger.

As an adult, we've already overcome many obstacles, but they don't stop. Career challenges, raising a family, and helping aging parents are major hurdles to navigate. Just when we believe we can relax and coast for a while, looming up ahead is another huge hurdle!  A health crisis!  Here we go again!

The hurdles never seem to stop as we age.  Perhaps death is our final hurdle to leap over.

As I look back over my life and all the hurdles in my path,  it's tempting to think I was alone facing each challenge.  It's true that I did have to navigate and jump over the hurdle myself.  But how many people were cheering me on as I ran that particular race?

Looking back, I realize there were always loving people around me who were available for coaching and counsel.  I didn't always take advantage of these resources.  Like a two-year old I'd think or say, "My can do it myself!"  Loving eyes would watch from the sidelines as I did it myself.

I'm grateful for each one who was there for me in the hard times when those hurdles were mighty high and it took a herculean effort to navigate them.  I'm grateful for the ones who picked me up when I fell down and couldn't finish that race.  I'm grateful for the ones who held my hand and looked at me with love when I had failed.  I'm grateful for the ones who held me when I cried.

This pandemic has brought home to me how connected we all are.  We are each facing hurdles, but we can reach out loving hands to one another.  That's what I want to do.  Here.  Now.

Interconnected, we are stronger emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Think about this. Loving hands and loving hearts are all around us as we each navigate the obstacle course called life.  I want to connect with the loving hearts around me and take the loving hands extended to me.  Spiritually, there is a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on.  I want to be tapped into their love and support.

Interconnected, we have everything we need to jump that next hurdle.  For that understanding, my heart rejoices.

Path to ocean at Folly Beach on May 7, 2020

SALUTE TO THE MORNING SUN

First I removed my handkerchief mask, then I kicked off my shoes on the front lawn.  Exhaling slowly, I looked all around me.  Early morning sun was bathing the lawn in soft light.  Yes!  This is the reason I wanted to be here!  Walking barefoot on the lush carpet of green grass, I breathed deeply and slowly, allowing my lungs to fill with fresh air.  With each step, my feet caressed the moist fragrant earth.

Ahhhhhh!  How sweet it is to be grounded by the good earth after a restful night's sleep!  Eyes filled to overflowing with the freshness and glory of spring.  Everything in me seemed to say, "Yes!"

An involuntary smile spread across my face as I looked at the sun while still barefoot.  Arms overhead, I glided into a "Salute to the Sun" yoga asana.  Then for the next 35 minutes or so, I flowed from one movement to another in my morning Qi Gong routine.  Those observing from inside told me later that I looked like a dancer gracefully moving on the dance floor.  This is the grace of Qi Gong, an ancient system of movements that activates energy meridians.  I ended the routine by walking barefoot on the lawn for a few minutes.

Then I donned my face-mask, put on my shoes, and walked inside the lobby of Canterbury House.  I felt healthy and invigorated.

Inside my apartment, I cooked a half cup of whole organic oats in the microwave for three minutes, then added in fresh fruit, organic mangoes and raspberries.  A dollop of organic soy milk and breakfast was ready.  Every morsel tasted fresh and delicious!

The best part of the morning still lay ahead, believe it or not!  This thought beckoned me to wash the breakfast dishes and make my bed.  Apartment clean and tidy,  I sat down for meditation, both guided and silent, for about 30 minutes.  Then I picked up my iPhone and read a couple of Richard Rohr's recent reflections on Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross.  Deep gratitude that others lived a deeply inward life and wrote about it.  I emerged from this time of prayer and reflection alert and centered.

I went straight to my computer to do some work I had postponed for months.  It was invigorating to get the information I needed in order to take action and resolve a couple of nagging issues.  Yay!  Doesn't it feel good to check off items on your TO DO list!

What a delightful morning!

May you, too, know the quiet joy of barefoot walks on the grass and a salute to the morning sun.  May your time of prayer leave you centered and ready to begin your work with resolve and expectancy.  May you accomplish something you've been putting off, just for the fun of it!

Even in the midst of this pandemic, life is good, exceeding good.  Abundant blessings to you.

Flowers on Queen Street

NUMBING RAW EMOTIONS

Yesterday in late afternoon, that time of day when my energy often plummets, I noticed tension in my belly.  Yes, I was tired, nothing unusual about that, but what was this knot in my stomach about?  The day had been such a good one.  There had been good energy and a joyful flow.   Then I thought back to feedback someone had given me.  It was loving and positive, but I wondered if there was more to her feedback than she shared.  All kinds of thoughts about what people think of me emerged.  Yikes!

As I thought about how much it still matters to me what other people think, the tension in my belly increased.  Suddenly I felt famished!

It started with a spoonful of peanut butter and an apple.  Still hungry, I opened the cupboard and got out some spaghetti noodles.  Soon the big pot was out and water was boiling on the stove. 

The spaghetti was al dente in 9 minutes.  I filled my favorite little yellow bowl with noodles and covered them with a red sauce I had in the refrigerator.  Several tosses of my fork and everything was all mixed together.

I stood in the middle of my kitchen with the bowl in my hand, slurping down hot spaghetti noodles. They were so good!  And the texture so satisfying!

Slurp, gulp.  Slurp, gulp.  The noodles were gone in a matter of minutes, but there were plenty more in the colander.  I decided to have another bowl.

I realized I was eating for comfort, but I could not stop myself.

After the third bowl, the food had done its job of sedating me.  I lay down on my bed and had soon drifted off into sleep.

In the land of milk and honey, food is an ever present temptation for numbing raw emotions.  We can go to it when we are:

• tired
• bored/empty
• agitated/upset/irritated
• fearful

It immediately fills you up and relaxes you, and might even send you off to dreamland if you lie down.  Food works to numb us!  And it's always available!

Argh!

I'm still pondering what can soothe my tiredness, tension, and fear better than 3 bowls of spaghetti.

What do you do when temptation to numb comes? 

Spaghetti and a crisp green salad is one of my favorite meals.  

GETTING THE BASICS DOWN

As an elder I've learned a few things about life.  One of them is the importance of the basics. 

One thing I know for sure, if you don't have the basics down, you're gonna flounder.  The basics are our strong foundation. 

Triune beings are made up of spirit, soul, and body.  All areas of our triune beings must be included in the basics we put in place.  If one area of the triad is neglected,  we're prone to wobble and become unbalanced.  Wobbly, unbalanced people can easily fall.

As for me, I've found it helpful to get up in the morning as early as possible, preferably at first light,
and do the following, pretty much in this order:

• wash my face
• brush my teeth
• get in the shower
• wash my hair
• get dressed and look my best for the day
• massage my feet with fragrant cream
• take out the garbage and recyclables
• sip a cup or two of hot tea with fresh lemon
• sit in silence for at least 30 minutes of morning meditation
• do at least 30 minutes of stretching exercises & Morning Qi Gong routine
• eat a nourishing plant-based breakfast
• be in touch with my sons and others I love
• express my love and appreciation to those I love
• sit in the morning sun for at least 15 minutes
• walk in the neighborhood for at least 30 minutes
• write for at least 30 minutes about whatever is on my heart
• make my bed
• prepare the largest meal of the day for lunch from the freshest plant-based produce I can find
• make my dining table beautiful
• eat my food as an act of worship and really savor each bite with gratitude
• lie down and rest for a while after lunch 

All this takes place by 1-2 p.m.  The rest of the day flows like milk and honey! 

Let me know what you do each day that grounds you.  Have a beautiful day. 

This was my lunch yesterday.  Yes, I prepared it just for me!