Saturday, May 7, 2011

Treasures


Hidden beneath the obscurity of daily life are treasures that the world will never know if not for dedicated
archaeologists. How much unseen value is hidden in the essence of a living, breathing soul? Buried beneath the mundane are lives lived and experiences not recorded in any book.

I went on a recent "dig" quite by accident where I encountered a friendly couple who ran a local business. As they waited on me, something drew me into a conversation beyond just the normal discourse. The man did most of the talking as his wife added some important details as she saw necessary. This man skillfully walked me through an abstract of the last forty years of his life, then fascinated me by leading me into a vicarious experience of some of the highlights from his story. His was not extraordinarily different from other lives but the passion with which he conveyed his thoughts and feelings were mesmerizing to me. I left the little store feeling like I had unearthed a great treasure - a treasure in a human vessel. I felt that his life was tangible - that I could take it out of my pocket and look at it and admire it.

How many times do we walk across the landscape of our lives completely unaware of the treasures that we trample? What if I had decided that I didn't have time for conversation that day? I would be this day just a bit poorer - a bit less filled. To whom do I owe for the richness that I feel today? I am indebted to that man and his wife who shared with me their life.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Islands


The heavy rain outside mirrors the deluge of emotion rising in my soul as I reconnect with an old friend. My reminiscent mind regressed to a time when we were each contending with our own dire and complicated circumstances - more than young people should be asked to bear. Ironically, the invisible thread that would attract us to eachother would be the same merciless force that would push us apart for so many years.

The way we coped with life became our common ground. In tumultuous times, we would each retreat to our own secluded island - desolate and uninhabited - where daily survival was questionable, at best. A life of solitude became familiar to us as we began to identify ourselves with our islands. Eventually, we each became our own island.

Occasionally, I would venture to the edge of my island where the elements could re-connect me with my long lost sense of touch. Wet sand squished between my toes and the cool, soft ocean breeze breathed on me. Unaquainted with love, I could only sense a mysterious feeling along with an intense fear of the unknown. But there he was - the object of my affection - a faint impression residing on the opposite shore- stranded on his own little island.

Separated by a great emotional gulf, we lived our lives in parallel fashion - never touching - never crossing - only able to gaze at one another as if from a distance. I was unwilling - unable - to bridge the chaotic expanse between us so we shared what we could - sunrises, sunsets - until the day that the pain of only seeing and never touching became too much to bear. One of us never returned to the beach that held our dreams. First one, then two broken hearts retreated to separate dark caves on desolate, uninhabited islands, each still longing for a touch from the other.

25 years have come and gone and through many hard knocks in the school of life it seems that we have both long since learned that no man is an island, nor can we be. It is at the point of intimacy and interaction that human relationship takes shape and we enrich one another's lives. By reconnecting with my old friend, I can now clearly see the interconnectedness of all humanity and I realize that a friend is more that just a special relationship. A friend is an eternal link in an endless chain.

The Father's Business


"............wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" Luke 2:49

God is the ineffible force behind our drive and behavior which is sometimes skewed and disfigured by our interpretations of our experience. The sacred voice resonates from within, coming to us in the form of emotions attempting to be our guide and our source. Latent talent - what we were made for - screams for expression only to be subjugated by low self-esteem and negative self talk. What is our object of worship?

Karate Kid


My little 4 yr. old son received his first belt in karate after attending 3 classes. As his father, sister, and I watched him receive his belt from his instructor in a sort of impromtu, pseudo ceremony at the end of class, I could see the swell of pride and accomplishment anchoring him in the moment. His solemn face told the story of what was going on in his mind as he fully digested every moment and savored the experience as if it would never end. His classmates filed past him one by one, regarding his accomplishment each with a hand shake.

Oh, to be like little children! If we follow the instructions of Jesus then we are to become like little children in order to enter the "Kingdom of Heaven". It's important to note here that this kindgom of which Jesus spoke is not a distant, far away country to which we may or may not journey, nor is it a place to go only after we die. It is here. It is now. When Jesus was teaching people to pray, he gave them a model that is commonly referred to as the Lord's Prayer. In that prayer, the people were instructed to command the kingdom of heaven to "Come!"

Becoming like little children involves returning to a time when we were not weighed down by the expectations of others. Just a simple accomplishment - a positive emotion - an acknowledgement from the God inside that says "You can!" "You will!" Anchored and grounded by truth - the truth within - we are perpetuated into an evolution - an expansion. You give. You love. You are strengthened enough to strengthen others. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he....." Proverbs 23:7...........And thy kingdom comes.